Bible Text: Nehemiah 3 | Pastor: Eric Danielson | Series: Restoration – Nehemiah | Restoration is wonderful when it happens in those areas that we want it to, but it can be threatening and intrusive in those areas we don’t want anything to change. So sometimes we let God in and sometimes we keep him out. Is that how restoration is supposed to work?

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Complete Restoration
Nehemiah 3

We’re back to the book of Nehemiah this week, talking about restoration. We’re looking at the restoration God did in the city of Jerusalem when the people returned from exile and from that we’re drawing parallels to his work of restoration in our lives today. This morning we find ourselves in Nehemiah chapter 3 where the work of restoration finally begins.

One of the things I think is common for all of us when the work of restoration begins in our lives is that we identify certain areas we think need it and want it to happen, but there are also areas that we think are just fine the way they are and we don’t really want them to change. We’re afraid of what God might do.

We might look at our family and think: “Things are going just fine here. I like where things are at and don’t really want anything to change.” We worry that if God gets involved, he’ll do something we don’t like, so we hold it back from him. The same thing can happen in your marriage or dating relationship. We like having control and doing things our way, and we don’t really want God coming in and messing things up. We assume he’s going to do something we don’t like that will take our joy away, so we keep it from him. Sometimes we do this in the areas of money or material possessions – “No problems here… You can just move on to something else…” Or it might be in our hobbies, leisure activities, and entertainment.

Restoration is wonderful when it happens in those areas that we want it to, but it can be threatening and intrusive in those areas we don’t want anything to change. So sometimes we let God in and sometimes we keep him out. Is that how restoration is supposed to work? Is God content with restoring certain areas and leaving other areas up to us?

These are the questions that come to my mind when I think about what’s happening in Nehemiah chapter 3. This is one of those chapters you get to in the Bible and about 5 verses in you begin to skim through because there are way too many details that don’t seem to really matter. But as I spent some time studying and meditating on it, an important aspect of the process of restoration came to the surface. I want to read through the chapter in its entirety and I don’t want you to worry about all the details; I just want you to come away with an impression.

Read Nehemiah 3:1-32…

Alright. We made it through. What kind of impression did you get? There are a lot of names and a lot of repairs mentioned in these verses. The chapter walks you through the beginning of the actual work of restoration on the city walls and gates and one thing I learned by looking into some of the details is that the description of the work begins in the northeast corner of the city and then moves counterclockwise to the northwest corner, then the southwest, then the southeast, all the way back up to where it began. Nehemiah describes the work of restoration that was happening along every section of wall and every gate – one section after another, working his way systematically around the entire city.

The impression I get when I read this chapter is that the process of restoration was needed in every section of that wall – work was necessary in every area to rebuild what was broken and bring it back to the way it was meant to be. They didn’t skip certain areas and pick others to rebuild. Restoration was needed in every area.

The same is true when it comes to our lives. Even though we may think some areas are fine just the way they are and we’d rather God just leave them alone, the reality is that every area needs restoration. Every area has been affected by the corruption of sin. It’s easy to see in certain areas where we experience pain and brokenness and we know that things are wrong. But in other areas where that’s not happening, we don’t see the need for change. We find joy and fulfillment already so how can things improve? We assume that restoration will have a negative effect, so we hold them back from God. Oftentimes it’s in these areas that our modern day idols can be lurking – things we seek after more than God to give us life and joy and fulfillment, and we don’t want God getting ahold of them and messing them up: family, money, hobbies, entertainment… it could be any of them. “Go ahead and restore my problem areas but leave these other areas to me.”

Again I ask: Is that how restoration is supposed to work? Is God content with restoring certain areas and leaving other areas up to us? In Nehemiah, restoration was taking place in every area and I think we all know God has the same goal for us as well. He wants us to yield every area of our lives to him for him to do his work.

The idea of complete restoration is found throughout Scripture. When you find Jesus or one of the New Testament authors talking about transformation and making changes, they cover all kinds of different areas of our lives: family, money, work, eating, material possessions… It’s all in need of restoration. And there are some key passages that speak of it directly. One of them is 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. Paul writes: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

To “sanctify” in this context means to purify or set apart to God. And as Paul wrote these verses he was praying that God would do that completely in their lives. Not just in some areas, but in every area – that our whole spirit and soul and body would be sanctified and kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” You see that same idea in what Jesus says in Matthew 22:37: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” Every part of our being; every area of our lives is to be devoted to the Lord. God wants complete restoration. He wants every area brought under his control and surrendered to him.

You can see the idea of complete restoration behind one of the greatest restoration projects in recent times. (Picture) The Sistine Chapel is located in the Vatican and was completed in 1481. But what makes it so special is that in the 35 years after it was built, all the different surfaces on the interior walls and ceiling were painted with murals depicting biblical events by well-known Renaissance artists including the famous Michelangelo. (Picture)

Over the centuries however, these paintings became covered by dirt, soot, candle wax, salt deposits, and old layers of varnish that had been applied to protect the paintings. So the artwork was covered with layers of grime that diminished their original beauty. (Picture) They were badly in need of restoration, so in 1980 a major effort began. A team of the world’s best conservators went to work. Now I don’t know anything about the process of restoring priceless paintings, but I was kind of dumbfounded to find out how long it took. It didn’t take just one year or even 5 or 10 years to complete. The restoration of the Sistine Chapel took 20 years to complete! Here’s a picture of the ceiling after restoration and you can see the difference. (Picture)

Why did it take so long? It took that long because the goal of the conservators was complete restoration. They were determined to restore every area to the condition it was meant to be. So they started on the lunettes, which are the arched spaces on the top of the walls. These were completed after 4 years in 1984. Then they moved on to the ceiling, which was completed in 1989. Then they tackled the huge wall behind the altar, which was finished in 1994. And finally, they restored the main walls, which were finished in 1999. Painting by painting, section by section, one part after another – every area of the chapel was brought to complete restoration.

That’s the kind of work God wants to do in our lives to undo the corruption of sin and restore us to our original beauty – a beauty that brings us joy, fulfillment and dignity and demonstrates his glory most fully. As I’ve said before, that work of restoration won’t be complete until Christ returns and we receive our glorified bodies, but it continues throughout this life, one area at a time, one after another, always moving toward the goal of complete restoration.

As I mentioned before, that idea can be threatening and intrusive because we all have those areas of our lives that we like just the way they are and we don’t really want them to change. We assume that if God gets in there to straighten things up the changes he makes will be less desirable than before. But that assumption comes from fear and our sinful nature that wants to maintain control and harbor the desirable parts of our old way of life. And it simply isn’t true.

Nothing in Scripture indicates that the restoring work God does in our lives will leave us disappointed or regretful. Jesus said in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” There may be sacrifices we have to make as we yield different areas to him, but the changes are for always our good. They allow us to find even greater joy and fulfillment than before because we don’t try to find life in the things of this world anymore. Instead God uses them to help us find life in him.

There’s a story called “My Heart Christ’s Home” that helps us see that. Written by Robert Boyd Munger in 1951, he describes becoming a Christian like Jesus coming to live in your home. When you first put your faith in him he comes into your heart and you invite him to make it his home. You show him around so that he may be more comfortable and you might have fuller fellowship. You bring him to each of the rooms of your home so he can take a look. You take him to the library that contains your thoughts and imagination, to the dining room that has your appetites and desires, to the living room which is your place of quietness and rest, to the workroom that has your skills and talents, and to the playroom that has your friendships, activities and amusements. In each room he helps you to see changes that need to be made and you willingly surrender those areas to him.

But then there’s one small area that you don’t want to show him. It’s the hall closet which contains the things from your old life that you’ve hung on to and want to keep for yourself. This is an area you keep locked and hidden because you don’t want him going in there. To your disappointment, he soon finds out and wants to go in. You become angry because you’ve brought him into all the other areas of your life, why can’t he just leave this one alone? You’re afraid of what he might do. But you realize he won’t just give up, so you reluctantly give him the key. When he enters, there were some things he needed to get rid of and change, but he didn’t leave it empty. He cleaned it, painted it and fixed it up and made it even better than before and you felt a freedom and victory you never felt before.

After seeing what he did, you realize that you can trust him and that the rest of your home would be better in his hands, so you ask him a question. And this is a quote from the end of the booklet:
“Lord, is there any chance that You would take over the responsibility of the whole house and operate it for me and with me just as You did that closet? Would You take the responsibility to keep my heart what it ought to be and my life where it ought to be?”
I could see His face light up as He replied, “Certainly, that is what I came to do. You cannot be a victorious Christian in your own strength. That is impossible. Let me do it through you and for you. That is the way. But,” He added slowly, “I am not owner of this house. I am just a guest. I have no authority to proceed, since the property is not mine.”
I saw it in a minute and dropping to my knees, I said, “Lord, You have been a guest and I have been the host. From now on I am going to be the servant. You are going to be the owner and Master and Lord.”
Running as fast as I could to the strongbox, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabilities, location and situation and condition. I eagerly signed it over to belong to Him alone for time and eternity. “Here,” I said. “Here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. I’ll just remain with You as a servant and friend.”
He took my life that day and I can give you my word, there is no better way to live the Christian life. He knows how to keep it in shape and deep peace settles down on the soul. May Christ settle down and be at home in your heart as Lord of all!”

That’s the kind of restoration God wants to bring to every area of your life and you can trust him. He is for your good and the changes he makes will be for your joy and his glory. So I encourage you to yield every area to him, especially those you’ve tried to keep from him. Give him complete control. Trust him with your family, your work, your finances, your hobbies and every area you’ve wanted to retain control. Let him enter in to do his good work so that you can experience the joy of complete restoration.