He Knows My Name - May 10, 2015 sermon

By Pastor Greg

An elderly couple had just learned how to send text messages on their cell phones. The wife was a romantic type and the husband was more of a no-nonsense guy.  One afternoon the wife went out to meet a friend for coffee. As she waited for her friend, she decided to send her husband a romantic text message and she wrote:

 "If you are sleeping, send me your dreams. If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are eating, send me a bite. If you are drinking, send me a sip. If you are crying, send me your tears. I love you."  The husband texted back to her: "I'm on the toilet. Please advise."

*Sigh* There is always one wise guy out there who gives the rest of us a bad name.  Not everyone is a pillar of perfection.  I know this will shock you but many of us – even those in this place – are far from perfect.  Just about everyone in this place knows of their weaknesses and shortcomings.  No one is perfect.  Perhaps this is why many of us turn away from serving the Lord.  Perhaps this is why little is done in the Kingdom of God.  There are too many of us looking at our weaknesses rather than responding in faith.  We fail to move a mountain because we focus on our insignificance rather that our mighty God.

As we have been looking at biblical examples of faith, Nehemiah is one who seemed to move a mountain, but it was not faith in his abilities.  Rather, he demonstrated faith that God would move the mountain through him.  What was that mountain?  Rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.

While many Jews returned to Judah following their release from captivity, Nehemiah stayed behind and served as the king’s cupbearer.  One day his brother comes to Persia and tells Nehemiah that Jerusalem was still devastated.  The walls of the city were in shambles.  Brokenhearted, Nehemiah prays that the Lord would allow him to travel back to the city to rebuild the walls.  However, something kept him from going.  He seemed to hesitate.  And for six months Nehemiah kept this calling to himself, never telling a soul.
Eventually Nehemiah can no longer hide his burden.  Eventually, the king finds out. Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence. ² So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified, ³ but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” ⁴ The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, ⁵ I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.” ⁶ The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request (Nehemiah 2:1-6).

Why do you suppose Nehemiah waited so long?  Why didn’t he say something to the king the moment the Lord placed the idea in his heart (see Nehemiah 1:11)?  What was it that made Nehemiah appear so troubled?  I suspect his heart was not only troubled by what had happened to Jerusalem, but also troubled because of his lack of courage.  I suspect God had placed the idea to rebuild in Nehemiah’s heart, but he lacked faith in himself to make things happen.  This is why Nehemiah swallowed hard and said a quick prayer when King Artaxerxes (Ar-tuh-zerk-sees) asked him what was wrong.

Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem would not be an easy task.  Physically it would be very demanding.  It would be difficult financially.  So many things would have to fall into place that it would be like moving a mountain.  Since Jerusalem was under Persian rule, Nehemiah would need the king’s permission to rebuild the walls.  Without it, it would appear as treason since years earlier the King has issued a decree to stop the rebuilding process (see Ezra 4:21).  He would need building materials, which would require permission to harvest trees.  Nehemiah would need the people of Jerusalem to join him in the work.  It’s no wonder Nehemiah remained silent and sullen for six months.  How could this work possibly succeed?  In Nehemiah’s eyes, he was only a cupbearer to the king.  His life had no value.  It was his job to taste the wine before serving it to the king to make sure it was not poisoned.  Yet Nehemiah conceded and was able to see how the Lord made all this possible (“because the gracious hand of God was on me” - Nehemiah 2:8).

I think many of us struggle with these same feelings.  I think many of us feel inadequate to the task the Lord has placed before us.  I think the mountain is too overwhelming and our faith in ourselves too limiting.  I’m not talking about faith in our abilities or a faith that places confidence in our gifts and talents.  I’m talking about a faith that recognizes God has chosen to work through us.

How many times have we read in scripture that God will be with someone?  How often has the Lord promised to accomplish something for someone and with someone?  God promised Jacob that he would protect him wherever he would go (Genesis 28:15).  He told Moses, “Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say” (Exodus 4:12).  To King David the Lord said, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8).  To the nation of Israel, God declares, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). 

The kind of faith that moves mountains understands that God is for us, not against us (Romans 8:31).  He is not the God of failure.  Although we may feel inadequate to the task placed before us, the success is in the Lord’s hands.  He calls us not because we are exceptional individuals.  He calls us in spite of our weaknesses and limitations.  He does this on purpose.  “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy* when God called you. ²⁷ Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. ²⁸ God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. ²⁹ As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).  The Lord desires to do great things through ordinary people so that His glory might be revealed in our weakness (compare 2 Corinthians 12:9).

Do you think God knew Nehemiah before He placed this rebuilding idea in his heart?  Absolutely.  God knew Moses and God knew David and God knew Paul.  He knew every one of them – their strengths AND their weaknesses.  He knew their name.  In the same way, the Lord knows your name.  He knows your fears and your failures.  He does not need to be reminded why you are unqualified to serve Him.  He knows more about you than you probably know about yourself.  He is not looking for the qualified.  He is looking for the faithful – those faithful enough to trust the Lord to work in them and through them.  He is looking for men and women who have faith that God intends to accomplish something through them.  This is when mountains are moved: when we allow God to succeed through us even though the world calls us a failure.

Nehemiah’s story is one of tremendous faith.  Why would God call a simple cupbearer to become the new governor of Jerusalem?  When people like Sanballat and Tobiah jeered at him and criticized him, I’m sure Nehemiah wrestled with doubts about himself and his abilities.  I can almost imagine him reminding God that he is nothing more than a simple cupbearer – a man whose life has no value.  Yet he chose to place his faith in God – that God would be the one to make all things work together for His good.  It is the same with you and me.  We may feel insignificant, but mountains are moved when we work in His strength and in His power.