"A MIND TO WORK!"

Written and preached by David P. Nolte




NEHEMIAH 4:1-23

Labor day. A day when we consider the fruits of, and honor the toils of, all faithful laborers. How highly the Bible esteems workers! Solomon said: "Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it." Proverbs 13:11 and, "in all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty" Proverbs 14:23. Paul said:"let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need"Ephesians 4:28. The Lord approves of faithful workers! True Light, a Chinese Christian was a faithful worker! He graduated from a Chinese university, and was the only Christian among 1,700 other students. He was constantly ridiculed. When he thanked God for his food, often someone would yank it away from him. He realized that to be openly a Christian in China was to expose himself to derision and even to sign his own death warrant. Still, True Light had a mind to work for the Lord. So did Nehemiah and the Jews in Judah. The walls had been destroyed and needed rebuilding to mark the parameters of Jerusalem, to provide protection and to create a spirit of national identity. We see the laborers at their task, rebuilding the walls because they had a mind to work.

  1. THEY WORKED COURAGEOUSLY: VV1-3, 7-8:
    1. The enemies of Israel resorted to underhanded tactics to deter the work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem!
      1. They used sarcasm and ridicule: "Those Jews are trying to rebuild a wall with broken and burnt junk. That junky wall won't stand if even a fox jumps on it!"
      2. They used threats and intimidation: "We'll sneak up on them and harm them before they even know what hit them!"
    2. But in spite of these hindrances, the people still had a mind to work, and they worked courageously.
      1. They would not allow mockery or threats or feelings of inadequacy to stop them.
      2. They worked fearlessly, undaunted by opposition.
      3. They worked unstopped by hardship and discouragement.
    3. It still takes courage to work for the Lord. There are those who mock and threaten God's work and workers today, too!
      1. People have been forbidden to hold Bible studies in their homes by zoning ordinances which allow the sale of Avon or Amway in the same homes!
      2. People have been sued for religious harassment for having a Bible open in the workplace.
      3. Students have been disallowed to put up Christian representations of Christmas and Easter in school rooms.
      4. Spouses and children have been tormented by unbelieving mates and parents for following Jesus!
      5. Church buildings have been burned by disgruntled neighbors, racists, and occult practitioners.
      6. A professor was fired from a State University for stating a creationist viewpoint in the classroom.
    4. So what? The enemies of God are grasshoppers in His sight and His work goes on! Concerning those who would have stopped the work, we see inV15 that "God had frustrated their plan," and all of the workers returned to the wall! So let each one of us go on with a mind to work and let us work courageously.
After graduating in law, True Light was assigned to work in a small town and continued to work courageously. Though he was a lawyer, he was first and foremost a witness for Christ. When his colleagues discovered he was a Christian they warned him, "You cannot succeed in your law career unless you give up your religious faith. If you don't you will be dismissed from government service and be without work. You will be given a few days in which to choose." Not only did he risk losing his job, but his very life was in jeopardy. But though severely opposed, threatened and hindered, True Light never felt that he was alone in his mission. He never felt that he faced opposition without an ally. He never felt that his toils were pointless and vain, so he just kept praying, witnessing and working. Because he was confident in his God, he was confident in his work. So were Nehemiah and his crew, in spite of impediments. As they undertook their task, it was with a Godly poise because they had a mind to work.
  1. THEY WORKED CONFIDENTLY: VV9, 14, 20:
    1. The external opposition was coupled with internal discouragement on the part of some of them.
      1. The strength of some of the people was failing, V10. 
      2. Some said, not once but 10 times, "They will come up against us from every place where you may turn..." V12.
      3. The hearts of the people feared to some degree, V14.
    2. But Nehemiah found courage in the Lord and encouraged the people. He renewed their confidence.
      1. V9: He prayed about the dilemma and kept working, setting a noble example for the others to follow.
      2. V14: He spoke to them, "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."
      3. V20: He reminded them, "our God will fight for us."
    3. So, in spite of opposition they were confident in their God and in their work!
      1. The inadequacy of the resources was not a problem.
      2. The enormity of the task was not insurmountable.
      3. The opposition and the problems were not unsolvable.
    4. Nehemiah's words can also refresh us "do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome!" V14. We aren't great and awesome, but He is! Therefore, let us have a mind to work and let us work confidently!
True Light was confident in the Lord and spoke boldly to his accusers. "There is no need to give me a few days to make up my mind. I have been considering this for several years. I am quite determined to remain true to Jesus Christ." Thus, he was able to continue his work to the death. He never retreated. He never abandoned his task. He never ceased his work. Nor did Nehemiah and the Jews. Their task was crucial; the job was too momentous to malinger. Too much was at stake to quail and quit. So we find them at the task with a mind to work.
  1. THEY WORKED CONTINUALLY: V15, 21-23:
    1. Though somewhat hindered by having to keep alert to attack, and by having to carry weapons, they worked!
      1. V15: All returned to the work, and each did his part. Nobody shirked, nobody loafed, nobody quit.
      2. V23: They worked diligently and untiringly.
    2. They did not turn from their task because of:
      1. Opposition. No matter who mocked or threatened them, they had a mind to work!
      2. Discouragement. No matter how they may have feared or felt dismayed, they had a mind to work!
      3. The difficulty of the task. No matter what inconveniences, they had a mind to work!
    3. There are those today who quit serving and working and thankfully there are still those faithful, committed, dependable souls who stick to the job!
      1. They don't worry about getting overworked, they just work.
      2. They don't care about being served, they just serve.
      3. They don't think about being inconvenienced, they just toil.
      4. They don't fret about being recognized or appreciated, they just labor for the Lord.
    4. Paul commended the Thessalonians for working continually, saying, "we give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;" 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4. Could Paul say that to you and me? He could if we are faithful, steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord. He could, if we have a mind to work! He could if we work continually.
The Jews had a mind to work. They worked courageously, confidently and continually. And in spite of opposition and discouragement, they finished the entire wall in 52 days! That's quite an undertaking. The wall was over a mile and a half long, 20 feet tall and about 9 feet thick. Their rebuilding venture was an eminent success. We may not always be "successful" or "productive" as the world would define it. But God does not require success, he requires faithfulness. His word to the faithful will be, "Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your Master." Matthew 25:21. Jesus said, "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:10. Faithful with a few things, faithful unto death, and He will be faithful with the immeasurable, eternal reward. If we want to be counted among the "Lord's Legion of Loyally Laboring Load Lifters," if we want to have a mind to work, we must be faithful. We must be all for Jesus. We must give him our full allegiance, yielded completely to His authority, wholly his own. The call today is for committed laborers. The call is for workers who will carry the gospel into the workplace, the school room, the neighborhood, and the home. Workers who will serve others with the Love of Christ. Workers who will give and do and be all they can for the sake of Christ and His Church. That's God's call. A call for workers. Will you answer that call? Will you be fully, unconditionally, all for Jesus? Will you labor for the Lord? If you will, then take your stand as one who has a mind to work.
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