Nehemiah 3:1-32, “Ordinary People”
August 23, 2009 Speaker: Brad Evangelista Series: Nehemiah
Passage: Nehemiah 3:1–32
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Intro: What does a long list of Hebrew names have to do with us today? More than we think. This message from Nehemiah 3 illustrates how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Nehemiah 3:1-32
1. History is important. We should honor those who have labored before us.
- Psalm 145:4
- How did I come to know Christ? God used some regular / imperfect people to build a wall that stretched to me.
- The arrogance of younger Christians and younger churches is really staggering.
- We should strive for “Generational generosity.”
- We are not reacting against tradition here. We are responding to Jesus.
2. It takes all different types of people.
- The Goldsmith and Perfumer (two very different types probably) work right next to each other on the wall! (Nehemiah 3:8).
3. Some people just consume they don’t contribute.
- Certain nobles would not stoop to serve the Lord (Nehemiah 3:5). Although that specific problem of snobby rich people is not a problem for us at CrossPointe, we do need to guard against creating a culture in which people consume but are never pushed to contribute.
4. Doing inglorious work faithfully brings great glory to God.
- Malchijah prepared the Dung Gate. That was the place that all the refuse and garbage was taken. It was an undesirable job, but somebody had to do it. (Nehemiah 3:14).
- The NIV says in Nehemiah 3:20 that Baruch worked “zealously” on his part of the wall.
- Colossians 3:23
5. Finish what you start.
- They started at the Sheep Gate and finished at the Sheep Gate.
- Philippians 1:6 & Philippians 2:12-13.
6. God uses ordinary people!
- Ephesians 2:8-10.

More in Nehemiah
December 6, 2009
Nehemiah 13:1-31, “Messy Maintenance”November 22, 2009
Nehemiah 12:1-47, “Thanksgiving, Process, and Providence”November 15, 2009
Nehemiah 11:1-36, “A People on Mission”