Aaron Hufty

Consecrate

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 3:1-5 (day two) Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. V. 1

Never far from the minds of those working on these gates and the wall is there purpose, both as a structure and as a symbol. After each door, gate, or portion of the wall is completed they consecrated that section. To consecrate is to set aside as to make holy. It is to bless all those who will use it, and to ask for a blessing on the structure itself. They were under no illusion. This was holy work. Do you take your work that seriously? Maybe you think your job is not that significant in the Kingdom. You may not be rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, but there are people around you that are counting on you to model a life lived in service the Jesus. Try to reframe your life as one which is building the Kingdom whether at home, in the office, or wherever you may be.

Same Message, Different Response

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 2:11-20 (day two)

I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work. ¹⁹But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said, “What is this thing you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” v. 18-19

Same message, different responses. Jesus told his disciples that the message of hope and truth would be received by some and rejected by others. His parable of the Good Earth is a classic example of how different hearts accept or reject God’s offer of peace. It shouldn’t surprise you, then, when you hear a clear directive from the Lord and others don’t fall in step. It must be a bit disconcerting when you know you are walking in step with the Lord and others don’t want to follow. We can follow Nehemiah’s example. He eventually shared with others what the Lord had placed on his heart and moved in that direction regardless of how others reacted. Some will get it, and some will reject it. We are responsible for our own hearts.

Wait

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 1:4–11 (day two)

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. v. 4

We will discover over the course of the next several weeks that Nehemiah was a man of action. He was true to his word, and he followed through on his task. That is not to say, however, that Nehemiah was hasty. He was deliberate and thoughtful about the incredible work that had to be done. He was humbled, and he was heart broken. Rather than spring in to action. He took time to grieve and wait. How often have we done the exact opposite? If you are anxious to get something done, your first instinct may be to get to work immediately. If you are emotionally distressed, you may make rash choices about your situation. We can learn from Nehemiah in these times of great decisions. Wait, process, and pray.

Begin with Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Nehemiah 1:1–3, 11 (day two)

O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man. v. 11

You have to start somewhere. The fall of the people of Israel was a long and painful one. Leader after leader had the opportunity to course correct a nation that had given up its birthright for what was quick, easy, and new. Prophet after prophet spoke words of warning to anyone who would hear. The damage was done. Jerusalem was in ruins and the people were dispersed. This was a place of loss and hopelessness. However, Nehemiah grieved for his people and for Jerusalem. He knew the project would be immense, but he recognized it would be God and God alone to accomplish this task, so he began with prayer. Nehemiah began with prayer. As we work through this book and marvel at what happens in the city and for the people, may we never forget the humility of Nehemiah in seeking the Lord. May this be a lesson for all of us.

All Together

Re:Verse passage – Acts 2:1-13, 36-47 (day two)

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. v. 1

All together. This has become our theme over the past several years as we celebrate Pentecost. We are a diverse congregation, meeting all over the campus in several different gatherings with different expressions of worship. These differences are a good thing, and yet we are all united by our desire to follow our Lord Jesus Christ and to lead all others to a joyful life with him. There are days, like Pentecost, when we combine our services, our resources, and our languages together to express our worship as one body. These days are a glorious expression of the church, and a reminder of the beautiful tapestry that God has assembled here at FBCSA. Aren’t you grateful? When Pentecost comes let’s gather together in one place and celebrate God’s goodness.

Continual Praise

Re:Verse passage – Luke 24:45-53 (day two)

And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God. v. 52-53

At first this seems like something of a paradox; Jesus leaves the disciples, and they are filled with great joy. Surely they would be filled with sadness and despair as the Lord leaves them. Each of the previous encounters with the resurrected Jesus they were fearful, grieving, unsure, but not this time, so what changed? This may be one of the few times when they saw, heard, and understood at the same time. Everything Jesus said about himself had come to pass, and this was even more evidence of his promises fulfilled. He had promised not to leave them comfortless, and they were fully trusting in this. So often, like the disciples, we don’t see clearly, but persistent faith will result in rejoicing. May we never take our eyes off the risen savior, and may our mouths be continually filled with praise.

Preparation

Re:Verse passage – John 16:5-16 (day two)

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. v. 7

How often have you come to a place of transition and been afraid of what comes next? You may have been very prepared, educated, and trained, and, yet, there is trepidation about what comes next. Graduation season is a great reminder of this feeling. Many students are eager to jump into the next phase, but with each milestone there comes a level of comfort in known, and uncertainty about what’s next. With each transition we may have more that we are giving up, and more things and people counting on us to succeed and provide. It is in the preparation that we find the courage to move forward. Jesus from the very beginning of his ministry was preparing the disciples. He taught them, he demonstrated his authority, he challenged them, and he cautioned them about what happened next. This transition was inevitable, and Jesus made sure they were prepared. It would take some time, but they slowly began to understand what all that preparation was for. Transition is coming. It may be for a new season of life, a job, a family, or a transition from this life to the next. All of these require preparation. How are you preparing? Are you in the Word? Are you in fellowship with other believers? Are you serving the Body? Are you preparing?

Empty Nets

Re:Verse passage – John 21:1-19 (day two)

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. v. 3

This post-resurrection encounter with Jesus has so many facets that are so instructive. This is one of those weeks that it is difficult to pick where to focus. One element that struck me upon re-reading the text was this line in verse 3. I’m not a fisherman, I don’t get the appeal. Please don’t judge too harshly. I do know that part of fishing is expecting to come home empty-handed. This time feels different to me. When you think that Jesus called most of these men from careers as fishermen, they knew their craft. What strikes me is that what used to be a source of fulfillment to these men no longer worked. They used to make money in this manner, they were able to feed their families in this way, but because of Jesus the things that used to fill our nets no longer will do. I don’t think they lost the ability to fish, but the empty nets certainly signify a void when we try to fill our lives with the things from our past. Once Jesus fills you, nothing else will do. This object lesson would have a profound impact on these men after Jesus ascended. Even the things that used to satisfy must be surrendered to Jesus.

Show Me

Re:Verse passage – Luke 24:36:-43; John 20:26-29 (day two)

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Seeing is believing, right? As most of you know I was not born and raised in the Republic of Texas, I am from the blessed state of Missouri. I am very proud of that, as many of you are aware. Missouri is known as the ‘Show Me State’, there are a lot of theories about where this distinction originated, but the most likely comes from a quote by US Congressman Willard Vandiver as he was testifying before a naval banquet in 1899. Vandiver said: “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”

There is an inherent stubbornness that accompanies this line of thought. It removes the article of faith required of us to follow Jesus. The savior was speaking of all of the faithful who would follow in the ages since he ascended back to heaven. If we only ever believe that which we can see, feels and touch we will miss out on the eternal blessings of heaven. If tangible proof were required for future generations, don’t you think Jesus would have provided it? We have the evidence of the Holy Spirit and the truth of scripture. Regardless of where you are from, that is proof enough.

Expectations

Re:Verse passage – Luke 24:13-35 (day two) But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. v. 21

I love this encounter between Jesus and these two disciples. There is so much insight offered about what they knew, and what they expected. They were truly hoping that Jesus would be the one to bring Israel back to its place of prominence. They believed that he was the one to right the wrongs that had crept into the synagogues and the nation. They had all the information about Jesus, but they tried to make him fit their limited understanding of leadership and love. How are your expectations of church, of relationships, and ultimately of Jesus hindering your ability to let him take control? Whatever you may think, hope, or desire should be held loosely in your hands to grasp firmly the ultimate good he has for each of us. May our expectations not cloud our eyes from seeing Jesus as he really is…alive!