We Travel an Appointed Way
Nehemiah's story teaches us to stay focused on our God-given tasks and priorities, rejecting distractions and opposition.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the importance of staying focused on God's calling, as exemplified by Nehemiah, who rose from his sorrow to rebuild Jerusalem despite ridicule and opposition. Nehemiah's unwavering faith in God's providence allowed him to continue his work, responding to distractions with determination and purpose. He recognized the significance of his mission and refused to be sidetracked by the enemy's schemes, famously declaring that he could not abandon his great project. Tozer encourages believers to adopt a similar mindset, prioritizing their divine assignments over lesser pursuits. The sermon calls for a deep commitment to God's work, urging us to reject distractions and remain steadfast in our mission.
Text
Nehemiah, the good, rose up from his weeping to do something about a vision God had laid on his heart. Under divine providence, he was soon transported from Shushan to his beloved city, Jerusalem, armed with authority and equipped with materials to rebuild the ruined city. . . .
The first device of the "enemy," upon hearing of the undertaking, was to heap ridicule on the whole plan. Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem laughed Nehemiah and his helpers to scorn. Undeterred, Nehemiah replied with firm assurance, "The God of heaven, he will prosper us." And the work went on according to plan.
After all other means had failed to hinder the reconstruction, the conspirators tried to arrange for a conference with Nehemiah. The man of God saw in this an evil purpose to do him mischief and divert him from his monumental work. His reply to the would-be mischief-makers is classic, and might well be adopted for the all-time stock reply to all such overtures: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" (Nehemiah 6:3).
The great task to which God had called Nehemiah was so important that every other consideration must be waived. Would that we might have such an overpowering sense of being about our Father's business and be so impressed with the grandeur of our task that we would reject every suggestion of the evil one that would bid us take up some lesser pursuit. Let us rout him with the words that date back to 445 B.C., and which cannot be improved upon: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down."
Sermon Outline
- Nehemiah's Vision and Action
- Nehemiah receives a vision from God to rebuild Jerusalem
- Nehemiah takes action under divine providence
Key Quotes
“The God of heaven, he will prosper us.” — A.W. Tozer
“I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must stay focused on our God-given tasks and priorities, rejecting distractions and opposition.
- Having a firm assurance in God's plan and provision is key to overcoming ridicule and opposition.
- We must prioritize our tasks and avoid being sidetracked by lesser pursuits.