Every Person Is Important, Everyone Is Necessary
VBC Albuquerque · Jul 28, 2024
This sermon uses the book of Nehemiah to teach about unity and fellowship in the church. When Nehemiah led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, he distributed responsibilities among 42 individuals and 47 groups from different social classes, working "side by side" to complete the work in 52 days. Each person and group had an important and irreplaceable role, like members of the body of Christ.
The sermon opens with the history of the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC by Babylon, and Jeremiah's prophecy that after 70 years God's people would return. Exactly as prophesied, in 538 BC the people were permitted to return and rebuild the temple, but the city walls and gates remained in ruins for 140 years. The pastor emphasizes that God's people endured extremely difficult and hopeless circumstances yet continued to exist, demonstrating God's protection.
In 445 BC, Nehemiah, a Jewish man serving as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, was sent to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. After surveying the ruins at night, Nehemiah called the people together and reminded them of the necessity of this work. The people responded with enthusiasm: "Come, let us rebuild!" The pastor notes this was a great and difficult project, but Nehemiah used wise leadership to distribute the work effectively.
The most important part of the sermon focuses on how Nehemiah distributed responsibilities through the list in Nehemiah 3, recording 42 individuals and 47 groups. Each group was responsible for a specific wall section or gate, from the Sheep Gate on the north side proceeding counterclockwise. Participants included the high priest, goldsmiths, perfumers, merchants, officials, both men and women, and people from neighboring regions. The pastor emphasizes that the word "next to" is repeated 31 times in Nehemiah 3's 32 verses, illustrating the image of everyone standing shoulder to shoulder working together.
The sermon explains three different verbs used to describe the work: "building" (from scratch), "repairing" (maintaining and strengthening), and "fortifying" (reinforcing). Each group received different responsibilities according to the condition of their assigned wall section, but all shared a single goal: completing the protective wall around the city. The pastor emphasizes that no one complained about different assignments; even the daughters of the district governor participated directly. This teaches that every person is important, every wall section is necessary, because if one section is weak, the enemy will attack there.
The sermon applies these principles to the modern church through 1 Corinthians 12, comparing believers to members of the body of Christ. The pastor warns that working side by side also easily produces jealousy, pride, and contempt when seeing others excel or fall short. However, God uses those working beside us to teach and transform us, helping us recognize our own weaknesses. The pastor encourages listeners to leave their degrees, status, and wealth outside the church door, since everyone stands on equal ground at the foot of the cross (referencing James 2:2-7). The sermon concludes with an image from Isaiah 49:14-16, that God has inscribed each person in the palm of His hand, and the walls of His people (symbolizing protection) are always before Him.