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This is the audio from the April 28, 2024 sermon, “Building For Revival: A TASK For Everyone!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Nehemiah 3

This morning’s message continued a series from the book of Nehemiah about Building For Revival.  As with any construction project, building for revival takes a lot of work.  As God began to prepare His people for revival, a man named Nehemiah sat with God for the purpose of knowing, and getting on board with, God’s plan.  So much work, in fact, that we can’t do it alone so Nehemiah first asked for help from God and then from the King.  As Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem and began to prepare the city and the people for revival, it was obvious that accomplishing God’s plan would require participation from everyone.  In this message, we see the preparation for revival taking place as Nehemiah sets forth a . . .

• Territory for everyone: — Nehemiah 3, 2 Corinthians 10:16

  • The work of revival within our own life, and within the life of a church family, requires that we recognize the importance of where we are.  As we look through the third chapter of Nehemiah, the same story is told over an over again as people understood the territory they were responsible for and went to work in that place.  As each of us go about life, we have a territory which is ours to live in, to work in, and to share Jesus in.  Some aspects of our territory may be unique to us so it is important that we are found faithful in that territory so the work of revival can be complete.

• Activity for everyone: — Nehemiah 3, 2 Corinthians 10:15

  • The work of revival within our own life, and within the life of a church family, requires that we recognize the importance of each person doing something.  As with the territory, we see each individual and family in this chapter of Nehemiah busy with activity which is both similar and unique in comparison to the activity of others.  The activity is based on what needs done and on how God wants the finished result to appear.  Our activity towards revival will always lead us to a position of bearing fruit rather than a position of just being busy.  As we learn from God what needs done in the place where we are, we connect with an activity which helps build for revival.

• Service for everyone: — Nehemiah 3, 2 Corinthians 10:17

  • The work of revival within our own life, and within the life of a church family, requires that we recognize the importance of serving others with our activity where we are.  The very nature of the repairs being made by the people was for the good of the entire city.  While the people worked within a specific territory, their work wasn’t solely for their own benefit but rather it was done to provide protection and unity to everyone.  When we take on the nature of Jesus and seek to become servant of all rather than be served, we grow an atmosphere for revival in our own life and in the life our our church family.

• Kingdom for everyone: — Nehemiah 3, 2 Corinthians 10:18

  • The work of revival within our own life, and within the life of a church family, requires that we approach all that we do with a mindset that God’s kingdom is for everyone.  This kingdom is for all who would call upon the name of the Lord.  This calling upon the name of the Lord is more than a verbal agreement that God exists, rather it is an acknowledgement that He is King of our life.  While it is possible for people to reject God’s kingdom, and many do, He does not exclude any who would come to Him in faith as they repent of sin and choose to live a cleansed life through the blood of Jesus.

Today, how will you participate in your part of the TASK for everyone?