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February 3, 2008
On the Road to Renewal with Nehemiah— Discerning God’s Call
a sermon on Nehemiah 2
by David C. Mauldin
Westminster Presbyterian Church,
Mobile, Alabama
Our Refresh and Renew event is just three weeks away. Excitement
is building. Several people have asked me, “What do you hope to see come out of
this?” My answer is: I hope to see people on the margins of the congregation
become more committed. I hope to see people who maybe have a relationship with
Westminster but not necessarily with Jesus Christ connect with him. I hope to
see anyone who has a dormant faith wake up. I hope to see discouraged people
comforted and energized. I hope to see in everyone an increased sense that God
is doing something here. And, one of the key things, I hope that those who are
doing ministry will be refreshed and those who are not will come to discover
their gifts and what God wants them to do. This sermon aims at that last hope.
How do you discern God’s call? We talk a lot in the church these days about
“God’s call” and “your calling.” Once upon a time, I think, this was a word
reserved for pastors. God called people to full-time Christian ministry—and it
was as if that were the only calling. Scripture knows better, and I am glad to
see a recovery of a biblical understanding of this idea that God calls people.
We find this theme throughout the Bible. In the Old Testament, God created and
called a people for himself—Israel. He also called individuals to special tasks.
You remember Moses at the burning bush and Samuel anointing King David. Nehemiah
is another good example, and we will pay careful attention to his experience
today. In the New Testament, as the boundaries of God’s people are redefined
around Jesus (so that now anyone who has faith in Jesus and belongs to him is
part of God’s family) we find this notion that everyone who comes to him is
called. It all goes back to Jesus’ style of ministry. He went around giving
people an invitation: “Follow me. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” That’s
a call. Paul understood himself as called to be an apostle. That is who God
wanted him to be, so that’s who he was. He also told the Christians in his
churches that God had called them to faith. They were “called to be saints,” as
he told the Romans [1.7]. He also preached that every Christian is gifted and
called to some kind of ministry. Our Call to Worship this morning [Ephesians
4.4-16] is one of many passages where he touches this theme.
Discerning God’s Call 2
If we want a good biblical understanding, then, we need to think of God’s call
to each of us as having two parts. The first is the calling we all have in
common. I believe we share it with every single person on earth. The first and
most basic call of God is to faith in Jesus Christ. The Father sent the Son to
die for us in order to reconcile us to himself. The call to renewed
relationship—to return home—is primary. Every other call is based on it. Once
this call is answered, God further calls his children to holy living and to some
kind of ministry. Holy living is another calling we share in common. God’s
people live a certain way—a way based on love for God and others. We respect
other people because they are made in God’s image, so we are not free to use
them and treat them as objects. The call to some kind of ministry is common in
that all of us are called, but it varies from person to person because we are
called to different things. This is the second part of the idea of call—the part
that is specific to you. Part of your call is exactly the same as everyone
else’s. Part is unique to you. Our main concern this morning is the unique call.
How do you know what God wants you to do? Nehemiah is going to help us answer
this question, but before he does, I want to explain how his story fits into the
overall flow of scripture. We will use him as an example this morning, but he is
much more than that. God had a purpose for his people. God’s goals required more
stability and strength than they had in Nehemiah’s day. So God used Nehemiah to
build up his people. Nehemiah played a part in the plan that eventually led up
to Jesus. That is what is going on here. God is working out his great plan.
Don’t miss that big picture. It makes the smaller picture of Nehemiah and his
faith meaningful. Because of Nehemiah’s role in God’s plan, he offers us insight
into how we discern our calling. As you know from last week, Nehemiah was
cupbearer to the king. As such he had two important functions—he tasted the
king’s wine to be sure it had not been poisoned and he was a bodyguard for the
king. This was the kind of job you couldn’t just walk away from. He was torn.
His heart was in Jerusalem with his people, but he did not have the freedom to
resign. Besides, to succeed in his task would require the king’s permission and
resources. The first lesson we learn from Nehemiah is patience. The report about
the plight of Jerusalem came to him in the month of Chislev. Ancient Jews had a
lunar calendar, but this would be roughly November-December. He found an opening
to talk about it with the king in the month of Nisan, roughly March-April.
That’s about four months—four months of praying and hoping and pondering.
Discerning God’s Call 3
What he wanted was a long shot, because of his job and because of all the
political ramifications. Ezra had tried to restore Jerusalem about 15 years
earlier, but enemies had accused him of disloyalty to the king, and work was
suspended. The same enemies were there: Sanballat in Samaria, to the west and
northwest. Tobiah in Ammon, to the east and northeast. Geshem in Moab, Edom, and
Arabia, to the southeast and south. Jerusalem and Nehemiah were surrounded by
enemies who were sure to oppose the work. When the king noticed something on
Nehemiah’s mind, he inquired. Nehemiah prayed, then gave his best pitch. The
king, moved by God, went for it. He gave Nehemiah the authority and resources to
begin the work. I say begin because even with the king’s backing the job was a
tall order. The people of Jerusalem had to be brought on board. Obstacles would
have to be overcome. Yet the king’s decision confirmed the call Nehemiah felt he
had received. God opened a way, and Nehemiah boldly walked through it. Keep
these events in mind because I want to refer back to them as I list for you six
helpers that can help you rightly hear God’s unique call to you. After that I
will list six things you can do as you struggle to get it right. Bear in mind
there is no simple formula. We are talking about God, who is full of surprises.
God works in so many different ways. What I am offering is a rough guide, not
ready-made answers. You often have to work long and hard to be sure you are
doing what God wants, and sometimes you are never really sure. You must venture
out on faith and do your best, trusting God to lead you as he will. What are the
six helpers? The first is the Bible. You will not find your unique call listed
somewhere toward the back, but what you will find is the parameters of your
calling. J.I. Packer explains this well. He says, “The Bible tells us in general
terms what is worth doing, what sorts of action God encourages and forbids, and
what are the things that need to be done in serving the needs of saints and
sinners. Hereby it says to us, in effect: it is within these limits, in pursuit
of these goals, in observance of these priorities, that you will find your
ministry” [A Passion for Faithfulness, p. 55]. The second is your own heart and
temperament. You are naturally suited to some kinds of ministry and not to
others. Hospitality is a calling. There are some among us—including me—that you
do not want in a kitchen. It is usually easy to tell what your calling is not.
Try to work it the other way. What do you enjoy? What are your strengths? Now
what ministry possibilities are open to you based on that? The third is the Holy
Spirit. Some Christians testify to a powerful pull in their lives, and they
attribute this to God. It can be difficult to tell when a pull comes from God
and when it comes from your self. Nevertheless, the Spirit’s work is essential.
He gives us gifts for ministry. He empowers us. He also helps us find our
calling.
Discerning God’s Call 4
The fourth is the church. Some people feel called, but the church says no.
Others do not feel called, but the church says go. Some hear a no. For example,
there always seem to be a few students in seminary that just don’t seem cut out
to be pastors. Most of the time they wash out. Either they do not get a call or
they leave the ministry after a short time. Some hear go. An example of this is
Saint Augustine, who was ordained bishop over his own protests. Or Gregory of
Nazianzus, a fourth century church father who, when he was ordained a priest,
promptly ran away and hid! Or an elder who said no to the nominating committee
for several years before deciding maybe this is something God wants me to do.
The fifth helper is your circumstances. If you are married, you can be sure that
marriage is part of your call. If you are a parent, that is part of your call.
Also, your nationality, language, and geographic location open some doors and
close others. Your circumstances can help because God knew who you were when he
called you. In fact, he made you who you are so that you could do the work he
assigned. The sixth helper is opportunity. I always think of Francis and Edith
Schaeffer when I think of this one. They were missionaries in Switzerland
shortly after the end of World War II. They felt deep in their bones that they
were called to be there, but at one point they faced eviction from the country
and staying seemed impossible. They prayed and asked God to provide a way if it
was his will. Provide he did, in many unusual ways. If the opportunity is not
there, perhaps you are not called or the time is not right. Look at Nehemiah. He
had to wait a short while, but God provided opportunity. Once the king gave him
the authority and the resources, how could he doubt the call he felt was from
God? Those are the six helpers: the Bible, your temperament, the Holy Spirit,
the church, circumstances, and opportunity. What are the six things you can
actually do as you seek to hear God’s call rightly? The first is to obey God in
all the little things that you know he wants you to do. I believe God is far
more concerned about the quality of our character than the jobs we do. If you
love him with your whole heart and seek first his kingdom, you will hear your
call. If you are indifferent and lazy about your commitment to Christ, he will
still call you, but you won’t be able to hear him. Godly character is especially
important, and a little thought about Nehemiah shows why. The special work God
called him to do took, what, a few years of his life? We might even speculate
that God made him a cupbearer to the king in order to give him the chance to
rebuild Jerusalem. But what about the rest of his life? He served God every day.
There are seasons in our life, and our calling may change. Godly character is
the foundation. Strive for that and the other work God has for you will fall
into place.
Discerning God’s Call 5
The second is to pay attention. What are the needs of people around you? Of our
church? Of our community? You know the old saying: Your calling is where your
gifts intersect with the world’s need. Nehemiah’s call began when he asked some
travelers about Jerusalem. The third is to care about people and the church.
This can be tricky because if you don’t care, it is not easy to make yourself
care. But you should care, and caring is a grace God works in your heart. So if
you do not care, pray for God to break your heart of stone and give you a heart
of flesh. I can personally testify to the marvelous way God can put love into
your heart that surprises even you. The fourth is prayer. Pray for the needs of
people, church, and community. Make yourself available to God. Ask him to make
plain to you his plan for you. Be patient and persistent in prayer. The fifth is
look for a way. Look for ways to help and serve. Nehemiah heard the report, he
was deeply moved, he pondered and prayed and planned, and when the smallest of
doors opened just slightly—the king asked why he looked sad—Nehemiah made the
most of opportunity. The sixth is do not lose heart. You will get discouraged,
but do not give up. Discouragement comes not only as you try to find your
calling but even more as you try to live it out. Everyone who ever did anything
worthwhile for God suffered discouragement. I could preach a fifty-sermon series
on that. The successful ones never gave up. I want to end by encouraging you to
seek your calling not as an obligation but as a way to become your truest self.
You call is an important part of who you are. It is also one of the most
important ways God makes you better. As you fulfill your calling, you will grow.
You cannot become the person God created you to be if you ignore your call. You
will always be a mere shadow of your true self. Imagine Nehemiah dismissing the
king’s question because he was afraid to step out in faith—afraid of the king’s
answer, afraid of the work and the obstacles. Imagine he never asked, never went
to Jerusalem. Would God have found someone else to do the work? Probably,
although I think we can do real damage to the kingdom of God when we ignore our
unique calling. But what would Nehemiah have become? He would have missed so
much that God planned for him. Don’t let that happen to you. God is still
working out his great plan. Like Nehemiah, you are called to be part of it.
Amen. rev_mauldin@yahoo.com
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