Let Us Start Rebuilding
Nehemiah 2:18
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
It wasn’t an easy road for God's people. They’d return from exile. God was working to reestablish his people in the land he promised to their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But just because God was behind them, it didn’t mean that everything came smoothly.
They returned in the year 536 BC. They didn’t finish the temple until 516 BC. It wasn’t because that’s just how long it takes to build a temple either. They face construction delays mostly from their neighbors who opposed the rebuild.
But even after the temple was rebuilt, the walls still lay ruined. The Jerusalemites were defenseless and disgraced. Enemies could attack at any time and the Jews in Jerusalem were easy prey. Even the least adept thief could roam the streets at night and steal into the countryside without anyone stopping him at a gate.
When Nehemiah, the king of Persia’s cupbearer, also a descendent of Abraham, heard this, he asked permission to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. The king granted his request. It was around the year 444 BC. Almost 100 years after the people returned, they still lived in a ruined city.
Nehemiah set out to fix this. But first, he had to get the people on his side. He made his way to Jerusalem. He didn’t speak to the city leaders right away. At night, he took a few others with him, trusted men from the city. They examined the walls. Then, Nehemiah went before the city leaders and said, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace” (Nehemiah 2:17). He also told them that God's gracious hand was on him and the king gave him permission.
Then came their response: “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
It might seem using this passage in a ministry plan rips it out of context. Admittedly, it’s not a perfect fit. We don’t have promises from God that he’d send his Messiah to Jerusalem, that he’d walk through our sanctuary, that he’d die outside our city.
But it hasn’t been an easy road for God's people in 2020-2021 either. During the past 18 months, we’ve put a lot of our ministry on hold, not to mention the other ways our lives have been affected. Now, as our world begins its return to normal, we might look at the ministry of Atonement and think it’s in ruins.
Yes, ministry has continued at Atonement. The gospel has been preached every Sunday. The Lord’s Supper has been offered even under special circumstances. We held Sunday School both in person and online. Our Mornings with Mommy, Power Hour, and Girl Pioneers programs continued. But the whole time it’s felt like we were in a holding pattern.
But now, as mask mandates begin to go away, we remember the mandate our Savior gave us, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). Jesus came to the rebuilt city of Jerusalem. In that city he kept God's commands perfectly for us. He was crucified on a hill just outside the walls Nehemiah rebuilt. His death and resurrection assure us living in a dying world that because he lives, we also we live. This is the gospel we preach.
Come, let us rebuild the spiritual walls of Atonement together. God will continue to rebuild us through his Word and sacrament. He will give us strength for our efforts for his kingdom. My prayer is you will say, “Let us start rebuilding,” and we will begin this good work.