Welcome to Big Valley Grace Community Church. It is Neighborhood Sunday, and we are so glad you’re with us. Whether you are watching in a video venue on campus or online, we are grateful that you have joined us.

We encouraged our church family to invite their neighbors, family members, friends, coworkers, classmates, teammates, and the people they spend time with in the community. Now you’re here, and we’re really glad you came.

Today is a great opportunity for us to gather, worship God, and spend time in His Word together.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve often thought, “I don’t understand why this is so difficult. I’m just trying to do something good.”

Maybe you are trying to do something good in your personal life, but it turns out to be harder than you expected. Maybe you are trying to do something good in your marriage, but it doesn’t work out the way you thought it would. Maybe you are trying to do something good as a parent, but unexpected tension develops with your children.

Perhaps you are trying to go the extra mile at work, but nobody notices. Or maybe, since this is Neighborhood Sunday, you are trying to do something good in your neighborhood. You waved at a neighbor, and they didn’t wave back. You tried to start a conversation with someone who lives nearby, and it did not go very well.

We can all experience situations where we try to do something good, either individually or with others, but things do not go as planned.

It becomes harder than expected.

Sometimes we even encounter opposition.

Think about why you are participating in a church service right now. The fact that you are here probably indicates that you have some desire for good in your life. You want your life to produce a good outcome.

Yet doing good can still be difficult.

So the question we are asking today is:

As we are doing good works, how can we be strengthened to face opposition?

If doing good were always easy, then good would be all we ever did.

But that is not reality.

Doing good can be difficult. It can be discouraging to attempt something good and feel as though we failed. It can be even more discouraging when people actively oppose our efforts.

God gives us an example through the biblical character Nehemiah, and Nehemiah’s story ultimately points us toward Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

The events surrounding Nehemiah occurred more than two thousand years ago. Israel had experienced exile, and Nehemiah was an Israelite living in a foreign nation under Persian rule.

He served the Persian king as cupbearer.

While serving in that role, Nehemiah received news from his homeland, Israel, and particularly from Jerusalem.

It was devastating news.

Jerusalem’s walls had been torn down. Its gates had been burned with fire. His people were living in shame before the surrounding nations.

When Nehemiah heard what had happened, he responded by praying.

For approximately four months, he prayed, wept, mourned, fasted, and sought the God of heaven.

Then God opened an opportunity for Nehemiah to speak with the Persian king.

God gave Nehemiah favor, and Nehemiah presented several requests. The king granted what he asked and provided what he needed.

That launched Nehemiah on a journey from Persia back to Jerusalem.

He moved from serving as a cupbearer to leading as a builder.

In Nehemiah 2, he gathers the people and tells them to look at the trouble they are facing. Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates have been burned.

“Come,” he tells them. “Let us rebuild.”

Nehemiah explains how the gracious hand of God has been upon him and tells them what the king said.

The people respond, “Let us start rebuilding.”

They strengthen their hands for the good work.

God sends Nehemiah on a mission to rebuild a broken city.

Doing good work is usually difficult because almost anything worthwhile requires effort.

The important phrase in this passage is that the people strengthened their hands for the good work.

That is what we want to understand.

How can our hands be strengthened for the good work God calls us to do?

The first lesson from Nehemiah is this:

If you want God to use your life to accomplish a good work, expect opposition.

That may sound strange.

Why should we expect opposition when we are trying to do something good?

But think about how often you have tried to do something positive and something has attempted to stop you.

Nehemiah experienced exactly that.

When Sanballat heard that the Jews were rebuilding the wall, he became angry. He mocked them publicly.

He described them as feeble Jews.

He questioned whether they could restore the city.

He mocked their worship by asking whether they were going to offer sacrifices.

He questioned their ability by asking whether they could finish the project quickly.

He ridiculed their resources by asking whether they could revive burned stones from piles of rubble.

Tobiah joined the mockery and claimed that even a fox climbing on their wall would cause it to collapse.

This was intense opposition.

They attacked Nehemiah and the builders from multiple directions.

They insulted their ethnicity.

They questioned their agency.

They mocked their religion.

They insulted their capabilities.

They criticized their resources.

Nehemiah experienced serious opposition while pursuing good work.

So if you want God to use your life to accomplish good work, you should expect some opposition.

It happened to Nehemiah, and you may experience it as well.

The second lesson is this:

When you are doing a good work and experience opposition, turn to God for help.

Maybe you are here wondering whether following God is even worth it.

Maybe you are wondering whether real change is possible in your life.

God invites us to humble ourselves and ask Him for help.

Nehemiah does exactly that.

When the opposition intensifies, Nehemiah turns toward God in prayer.

He asks God to hear them because they are being despised. He asks God to deal with those who are mocking and opposing the builders.

Nehemiah understands that he is in over his head.

His own resources are not enough.

So he looks for resources beyond himself.

He turns to God.

He asks God to handle the opposition.

When you are doing good work and experience resistance, turn to God for help.

That is what Nehemiah does, and it is what we need to learn to do.

God is waiting for us to humble ourselves and ask Him for help.

The third lesson is:

After you turn to God for help regarding the opposition, focus on the good work.

Get back to the work God designed you to do.

If God really is God, if He is the Creator of the universe and reigns in heaven, then He is capable of handling your problems.

Nehemiah 4:6 simply says, “So we rebuilt the wall.”

Think about that.

They experienced opposition.

They turned to God.

Then they went back to work.

The wall was eventually joined together to half its height because the people were committed to the work.

With God handling the problem, the people were free to concentrate on what God had called them to accomplish.

Consider what might become possible if you gave your problems to God and experienced greater freedom to focus on the work He designed you to do.

After you turn to God for help, refocus on the good work.

But there is another lesson:

When you are focused on good work, do not be surprised when opposition increases.

Just when things begin going well, more problems may appear.

Just when you begin gaining traction, something else can go wrong.

That is often part of the experience.

Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, Ammonites, and people of Ashdod hear that the work on Jerusalem’s walls is continuing and that the gaps are being closed.

They become even angrier.

Then they begin plotting together to attack Jerusalem and create confusion.

Nehemiah cannot seem to catch a break.

The opposition is persistent.

Not only do the same people return, but additional people join them.

The level of opposition increases from mockery to the possibility of physical violence.

So when you are focused on good work, do not be surprised when opposition increases.

Nehemiah led the people to concentrate on rebuilding, and they experienced greater opposition.

When you work with others to accomplish something good, you may experience the same reality.

So what do we do?

Increased opposition against good works requires increased strength from God.

Most of us can probably think of many examples where we refused to ask for help.

We were determined to do something ourselves.

We were stubborn.

We did not want anyone to know we were struggling.

Sometimes we even refuse to admit that we have a need.

But every one of us reaches moments when we need help.

There are circumstances where the solution must be greater than ourselves.

Again, God invites us to humble ourselves and ask Him for help.

When opposition increases, Nehemiah and the people pray again.

They pray to God and set a guard around the city day and night.

Notice that they do both.

They pray.

And they take practical steps.

They trust God with their lives while also establishing a guard for protection.

Greater opposition requires greater strength from God.

Nehemiah leads the people back toward God for that strength.

When opposition increases in our lives, we should encourage one another to do the same.

Look to God for greater strength.

This is where Nehemiah’s ancient story begins connecting directly to us.

The next principle bridges his story with ours:

Receiving increased strength from God begins with trusting in Jesus Christ.

If we want to receive God’s strength, it begins by trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Just as Nehemiah needed to pray and trust God for his life, we need to pray and trust Jesus Christ to save ours.

The Bible teaches that no one is truly good except God alone.

At the beginning of this message, we talked about trying to do good works.

But God’s goodness is pure and perfect.

It is the ultimate definition of what good actually means.

Even the things we describe as good fall far below the perfect goodness of God.

If we truly want goodness in our lives, that goodness must ultimately come from God, into us, and through us.

Someone once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered that the work of God begins with believing in the One He has sent.

If we want to do good work for God, it begins with trusting the person God sent.

All good works are connected to our trust in the good God.

That brings us to the first action step.

Action step number one: Place your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

This is the first step toward receiving the strength you need to do the good works God has planned for your life.

Place your faith in Jesus Christ.

Is a real miracle possible in your life?

Yes.

But the greatest miracle is not what Nehemiah accomplished by rebuilding a city, even though that was extraordinary.

The greatest miracle is not whatever impressive accomplishments you may achieve during your life.

The real miracle is that God has chosen to offer salvation to you through Jesus Christ.

The real God who reigns in heaven, the Creator of the world, gave His Son Jesus Christ to become our Lord and Savior.

That is the miracle.

Every person must personally decide whether they will place their faith in Jesus Christ.

When someone places their faith in Him as Lord and Savior, the miracle of salvation becomes a reality in that person’s life.

In the book of Acts, someone asks the followers of Jesus, “What must I do to be saved?”

Their answer is simple:

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.

If you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you can be saved.

And that invitation extends to the people you live with.

They can believe.

It extends to the people next door.

Your neighbor can believe.

God offers salvation to all who place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Salvation begins by believing Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He can save sinners.

Scripture gives us a trustworthy statement:

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

That means I am a sinner.

It means you are a sinner.

It means every one of us is a sinner.

But Jesus Christ came to save sinners.

That is great news.

The Bible teaches that apart from Christ we were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins.

Our lives were like Jerusalem’s broken walls and burned gates.

Sin brought destruction.

But God offers forgiveness.

The debt created by our sin can be canceled.

How does God cancel it?

At the cross.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was nailed to the cross.

When Jesus died, He paid the price for sin through His body and His blood.

He did that to save me.

He did that to save you.

He did that for everyone who will place their faith in Him as Lord and Savior.

In Christ, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of God’s grace.

Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross, paid the price required for forgiveness.

Scripture also teaches that when we walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin.

A relationship with Jesus is like a daily walk.

Maybe you have already placed your faith in Jesus, but you need to be renewed and refreshed in that faith.

Maybe you need to remember that your salvation depends upon what God accomplished, not what you have accomplished.

When we confess our sin and trust Jesus Christ, He cleanses us.

Ephesians explains this clearly.

We are saved by grace through faith.

Grace is a gift.

It is not earned.

It is not deserved.

God saves us from the penalty of our sin.

And Scripture teaches that the ultimate penalty of sin is death.

We receive salvation through faith—through placing our belief and trust in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who paid for our sin through His death on the cross.

This salvation is not our own achievement.

It is God’s gift.

It is not the result of our works, which means none of us has anything to boast about.

I cannot save myself.

You cannot save yourself.

God has done the work.

But then Ephesians says something remarkable.

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand for us to walk in.

God made you.

Scripture says you were created in His image.

And God created you with good works in mind.

One reason you desire to do good is because God designed human beings for good works.

But understanding the good works God has prepared begins with trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

You may not yet know everything God has planned for your life.

But God has a plan, and He invites you to walk in it.

The first step is placing your faith in Jesus.

If you want to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you can pray and trust Him right now.

Father God, thank You for the grace You have given me.

Help me place my faith in Jesus Christ.

Help me recognize that salvation is Your gift.

It is not something I have earned or deserve.

I receive Your grace by placing my faith in Jesus and accepting what He did to save me through His death on the cross.

Help me understand that I am Your workmanship.

You made me in Your image and created me for good works.

I want to participate in the good works You designed me to do.

Help me trust You as my Creator and Savior.

Help me walk in the life You have planned for me.

Today, I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

I ask You to forgive my sin, and I receive the free gift of salvation found in Jesus Christ alone.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

If you just prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you have taken the first action step.

That is a very big decision, and we want to celebrate with you.

Let us know that you have placed your faith in Jesus so that we can encourage you and help you take your next steps.

That brings us to action step number two.

Begin participating in a worship gathering and a small group.

This is another important step toward receiving the strength you need to carry out the good works God has planned for your life.

Begin participating regularly in worship.

And begin participating in a smaller group of believers.

Both environments can help us learn how to receive strength from God and live out the work He has prepared for us.

When we gather in large and small groups, we grow together.

Scripture says that God is able to make His grace abound to us so that we have what we need to abound in every good work.

You do not need to have everything figured out today.

Keep coming back.

You will grow.

Keep participating in worship.

You will grow.

Keep connecting with other believers.

You will grow.

Scripture tells us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him and bearing fruit in every good work while growing in the knowledge of God.

When we learn together, we can encourage one another.

God strengthens us together to do the good work He has planned.

The Bible also promises that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.

The good work God has begun in your life is something He intends to continue.

We have the opportunity to grow together and receive strength together.

So take the second action step.

Participate in a worship gathering.

Participate in a small group.

Grow with other believers.

You can do good works for God.

God created you for good works.

It is possible for you to walk in the good works He has planned.

Place your faith in Jesus Christ.

Come to church.

Get into a group with other believers.

As you grow, you will find greater strength to follow the Lord and carry out the work He has given you.

And imagine what could happen if all of us were doing the good works God called us to do.

We could have a tremendous impact upon our city.

There are places in our community where the walls are broken down and the gates have been burned.

People are hurting.

People are broken.

People are living in shame and searching for hope.

We have an opportunity to do good work in our city by helping hurting people encounter the hope of Jesus Christ.

God can use us to change our city.

If you made a decision to place your faith in Jesus Christ today, please let us know.

We want to walk with you and help you take your next step.

Father God, I pray specifically for the person trusting Jesus Christ today.

Help them become confident in their faith and understand that their salvation is secure because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

Encourage them to take the next step by continuing to participate in worship and joining with other believers in a smaller group.

Help us grow together, learn together, and encourage one another.

For every person placing their faith in Christ today, may this become a defining moment that changes their life and eternity.

Give them boldness and courage to continue taking the next step.

Lord, we love You, and we thank You for everyone making a decision for Jesus today.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Church family, let’s celebrate what God is doing today.