“Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.”
Nehemiah 3:1 (NIV)
I gave a message among my local gathering of Jesus’ followers a few weeks ago about Jesus’ parable of the “mustard seed” and the “leaven.” In both metaphors, one small seed/amount has an exponentially huge effect. A small mustard seed creates a mustard plant/tree that could spread and take over an entire garden. Likewise, a pinch of yeast spreads through a giant batch of dough. The point Jesus is making is His plan for how He expects God’s Kingdom to spread to the world.
It starts with little ol’ me.
I’m the seed. I’m the yeast. Jesus’ love is supposed to spread through me and through my words, actions, and relationships it’s supposed to spread to others like leaven spreading through dough. As it infuses others, it keeps spreading outward.
It begins with every believer, no matter who they are, no matter what they’ve done, no matter how they are gifted, no matter what they do for a living, no matter their present circumstances. The Kingdom of God was always intended to be a grass-roots movement with every believer being a productive and fruitful seed.
In today’s chapter, the actual work of Nehemiah’s project to repair Jerusalem’s walls and gates begins. For the casual reader it reads like a construction ledger. Beneath its mortar and measurements lies a theology of community, cooperation, and consecration.
The first crew mentioned is the High Priest and his fellow priests. Spiritual leadership led the way, and led by example. They repaired the “sheep” gate, which references the sacrificial lamb. The sheep gate is the gate through which the sacrificial animals passed. This is more than just a civic project. This is allowing for the perpetuation of God’s redeeming work of all humanity. They are repairing the entire world.
As the chapter continues, it echoes Jesus parable of the mustard seed and leaven. Every one is involved in the effort. Perfumers, merchants, goldsmiths, individuals from all trades, individuals from all stations of life. In this way, the work of the wall here in Nehemiah is a foreshadowing of the very way Jesus intends the walls of God’s Kingdom on earth to be built in the on-going work of redemption.
Nehemiah even mentions that not everyone was a willing and cheerful participant. Verse 5 states, “The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.” There is not a project in which I’ve participated, whether it was work, church, or community theatre, in which there isn’t some kind of challenge or obstacle rooted in human opposition, passivity, or negative attitude. I love that Nehemiah’s retelling is not some kind of idyllic memory. It’s a hand’s dirty account of a community project, complete with dishing out the dirt.
I’m reminded in the quiet this morning that in God’s Kingdom work, everyone has a brick to lay. Sacred work is often very ordinary work. Nehemiah has some 40 crews working in small sections, so I don’t need to feel the burden of changing the world – just working on my little section of it. I can be grateful for and supportive of all the other individuals and crews working on their little sections – they don’t need me meddling.
Another day of the journey. Time once again to get my hands dirty doing the ordinary work of building up God’s Kingdom. All the best to you on your little section of the wall. Shout out if you need help.
If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.
