Nehemiah 2:17–18. “Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins… Come, let us rebuild the wall…’ They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.” We begin our new series The Builders with a foundational question: Who are the builders? And today, why do they carry a burden to build? The path to any renewal is developed by vision. Nehemiah was given such a vision. But it doesn’t start with a vision, as much as it starts with the burden. It’s when we say yes to the burden, God provides the vision. That vision comes to manifestation through the building process. Life itself is a building process of purposeful discovery. God himself as a creator is the ultimate builder. And as we are built in His image it is naturally ingrained in us to be creators or builders too. I ran across this poem some time ago and I thought it fitting for our series. It is a poem that often reflects on the pit falls of the building of the human life. This structure that we try to build out of our own strength. And how that fits into the structure of human history and the human experience. I want to examine the first couple of stanzas this week. And maybe it will teach us something about how we view ourselves. The Builders, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow "All are architects of Fate, Working in these walls of Time; Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme. Nothing useless is, or low; Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show Strengthens and supports the rest. For the structure that we raise, Time is with materials filled; Our to-days and yesterdays Are the blocks with which we build. Truly shape and fashion these; Leave no yawning gaps between; Think not, because no man sees, Such things will remain unseen. In the elder days of Art, Builders wrought with greatest care Each minute and unseen part; For God sees everywhere. Let us do our work as well, Both the unseen and the seen; Make the house, where God may dwell, Beautiful, entire, and clean. Else our lives are incomplete, Standing in these walls of Time, Broken stairways, where the feet Stumble as they seek to climb. Build to-day, then, strong and sure, With a firm and ample base; And ascending and secure Shall to-morrow find its place. Thus alone can we attain To those turrets, where the eye Sees the world as one vast plain, And one boundless reach of sky." Longfellow’s poem is an extended metaphor about life, work, and moral responsibility. It encourages us to see each day and action as a part of a grand structure we are all building, our lives and legacies. But are these lives and legacies built by our own strength and purposes? As builders we need to remember the design comes from the master builder. Stanza 1: All are architects of Fate, Working in these walls of Time; Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme. Everyone shapes their own destiny. Each person is an “Architect of Fate” in some ways. But as believers, are we masters of our own fate? How much of our structure is determined by other people in our lives? How often do our building techniques affect the techniques of those around us? Are we relying on God to give us the burden to build and allowing him to be the architect and to set the schedule? Life, the walls of time, is the structure we’re all working within. Some people leave a big impact, massive deeds, while others contribute in more subtle, but still meaningful ways, like poets with ornaments of rhyme. Stanza 2: Nothing useless is, or low; Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show Strengthens and supports the rest. Meaning, every part of life or effort, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, has value. Even things that appear decorative or trivial serve a purpose in supporting the whole, if we follow. The Burden to Build Comes from Seeing What’s Broken God is in the business of working through His people to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. God often shapes people with personality characteristics, experiences, and training that prepare them for His Purpose, and usually the people have no idea what God has in store for them. God prepared and positioned Nehemiah to accomplish one of the Bible’s most impossible tasks. Nehemiah’s Story: Nehemiah was a common man in a unique position. He was secure and successful. Nehemiah wasn’t a priest or prophet. He was a cupbearer to the Persian King. The leader of the known world as the second world wide empire. Nehemiah had little power, but great influence. He was trusted by the king. He was also a man of God, concerned about the fate of Jerusalem. When he heard Jerusalem’s walls were in still in ruins (Nehemiah 1), the burden hit his spirit. The news broke his heart. He fasted, prayed, and wept before he ever lifted a brick. As he talked to God, a plan began to take form in Nehemiah’s mind and heart about his own role in the rebuilding of the city’s walls. He willingly left the security of his home and position in Persia to follow God on an impossible mission. And the rest is History. In this New Covenant age, the Spirit awakens us to the brokenness around us. Broken systems, Broken families, Broken hearts, and Broken faith. Builders aren’t people who simply see the ruins, they carry a burden to restore them. If we don’t answer the burden to build, our lives are incomplete. “Standing in these walls of Time, Broken stairways, where the feet stumble as they seek to climb.” If we don’t build, others stumble. If we don’t rise up, lives remain broken. What broken walls has God let you see? That may be where He’s calling you to build. Builders Respond with Faith & Action “Come, let us rebuild… And they began this good work.” Builders don’t just weep, they rise. Nehemiah prayed AND took initiative. True burden turns into holy action. Every part matters in the building process. “Nothing useless is, or low; Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show Strengthens and supports the rest.” No gift, calling, or contribution in the body is too small. The Spirit doesn’t just give power for personal expression. He gives power for corporate construction. The Holy Spirit equips us to build what we could never build alone. Nehemiah didn’t rebuild the wall by himself. He mobilized people. The same Spirit that stirred Nehemiah stirs the Church today to build together. We frequently underestimate people and don’t challenge them with our dreams for God’s work in the world. People want to help! People want to build! When God plants an idea in your mind to accomplish something for Him, share it with others and trust the Holy Spirit to impress them with similar thoughts. Don’t think of yourself as the only one through whom God is working. Often God uses one person to express the vision and others to turn it into reality. When you encourage and inspire others, you put teamwork into action to accomplish God’s goals. Builders Build with Reverence for The Unseen “In the elder days of Art, Builders wrought with greatest care. Each minute and unseen part; For God sees everywhere.” The Spirit empowers us to build with integrity, even in the hidden places. The internal world of your heart matters more than your platform. God sees the unseen parts. Our motives, our private prayers, our hidden battles. Build Strong Today, So Tomorrow Stands “Build to-day, then, strong and sure, With a firm and ample base; And ascending and secure Shall to-morrow find its place.” Builders think generationally. The wall Nehemiah rebuilt wasn’t just for security, it was for identity. What you build today spiritually, affects those who walk tomorrow. It is imperative to pull the next generation alongside of you on the wall. The purpose is twofold: So that the work of the ministry is learned well once you are gone. But more importantly so that they can bring their talents and anointing to the work of the NOW. A mature Spirit-filled builder asks: What am I passing on? Is what I’m building eternal, or temporary? Ephesians 2:19–22 “…built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” We’re not just building ministries, we’re building a dwelling place for God, for this and future generations. Closing: As we start this series, and understand the burden to build, this is a call to action, to awaken the builder in you. Maybe you’ve seen ruins but haven’t yet responded with action. Maybe you’ve been discouraged in the middle of the build. Maybe you’ve forgotten that the Spirit is the power behind your burden. As we are going through this series I want you to understand these things and understand their purpose. But more importantly, I hope you receive and answer the burden to build. Where has God shown you broken walls? Where is the Spirit calling you to rise and build? Like Nehemiah, have you received your burden to build? We have developed a mission statement for this series and hopefully for the years and life to come. “I am a builder. The Holy Spirit has placed a burden in me to restore what’s broken, to strengthen what’s weak, and to prepare a dwelling for the glory of God.” Let Us Pray: “Holy Spirit, awaken in us the burden to build. Let us rise like Nehemiah, see the ruins, and be moved to action. Empower us to build with excellence, integrity, and eternity in mind. May our lives, our homes, and our church be a beautiful house where You dwell. In Jesus’ name, amen.” Church, remember this: The call is not just to build something great, but to build something Godly. Every believer is a builder. No role is too small. No brick is wasted.