Life Bridge Christian Church
Sunday Service - 1/16/22 - Nehemiah 7:1-6, 70-73
Description: It's done. The wall is finished, and with it comes a new start for the people of Jerusalem. All the real work is just beginning, thought, because even if the wall is done, the city is not full. As he surveys the project, Nehemiah discovers the records of all the first exiles who had come back. Though the census information doesn't seem like an important detail, it helps clarify what God's intention for the project was all along: the city was built as a place for His exiled people to come home… and there was room for more. In the same way, the Church today is God's building project in Christ to build a place where exiles can come home. We were exiles, after all, when Jesus called us to Himself. Now, we get to join with God in helping Him build a home for the wanderers, outsiders and weirdos that are searching for rest in our world's craziness.
Nehemiah 7:1-6 CSB
Nehemiah 7:70-73 CSB
As God does a building project in your life, your priorities need to be in place:
Staffing the gates - giving time and attention to regulate what enters the habitation of your heart.
Staffing the altar - giving proper time and attention to cultivating worship in the habitation of your heart
Three observations from the CITY:
1. The city was made for exiles to come home
2. The city was made with space for more (the job wasn't finished)
Nehemiah didn't build the wall based on what they HAD, he planned the wall for what they were ANTICIPATING.
3. The city was made by God-initiated shared responsibility
Together, they were able to build more than what they needed for themselves in order to construct a place for exiles to come home and find safe habitation.
Three implications for US:
1. The Church is built with space for more
How can we prepare to be a home for exiles?
+ Recover depth
+ Make Church "small"
+ Care for cultural casualties
+ Embodied community
+ Embracing our supernatural heritage
2. The Church is built by God-initiated shared responsibility
Questions to consider:
- How are you sharing good news with those who are wandering?
- Where are you making space for people God is drawing to Himself?
- How are you building our church to be a home for exiles?
3. The Church is a place for exiles to come home
1 Peter 1:3-4 CSB
John 14:1-3 CSB
ONE BIG THING: Jesus Christ is calling exiles to come home.
If you're ready to make a LIFELONG, LIFESTYLE decision to follow Jesus, please reach out to us or to someone you know at Life Bridge so that we can get in touch. To talk to one of our pastors, reach out to us by giving us a call at (920) 494-4042, emailing lbccgb@gmail.com or through our social media pages