Over the coming weeks, we will be working our way through the book of Nehemiah in a series called What Did You Think You Were Signing Up For?
It is a question worth asking. Many of us are happy to embrace the blessings of belonging to God’s people. We rejoice in forgiveness, grace, fellowship, worship, and hope. Yet the Bible is equally clear that being part of God’s people carries responsibilities as well as privileges. The Christian life was never intended to be a spectator sport.
The story of Nehemiah begins with a man whose heart is broken by the condition of God’s people and God’s city. What follows is a remarkable account of prayer, sacrifice, leadership, opposition, repentance, service, worship, and perseverance. It is the story of a community learning what it means to live as God’s covenant people in a difficult world.
As we journey through Nehemiah, we will discover that God’s people are called to carry burdens, not simply pursue comfort. We are called to build, not merely consume. We are called to serve alongside one another, stand firm when opposition comes, submit ourselves to God’s Word, and remain faithful over the long haul.
In many ways, Nehemiah challenges some of our modern assumptions about church. We can easily drift into thinking of church as a provider of spiritual goods and services, existing to meet our needs and preferences. Nehemiah presents a different picture. God’s people are participants in a shared mission. Everyone has a section of the wall to build. Everyone has a role to play.
Yet this is not a series about guilt or obligation. It is a series about the privilege of belonging to a people whom God has called, redeemed, and commissioned for His purposes. The demands are real, but so is the joy. The sacrifices are costly, but the work is worth it.
So as we open the book of Nehemiah together, perhaps the question for each of us is this: What did you think you were signing up for? And perhaps God, through His Word, will show us that His call is both more demanding and more rewarding than we ever imagined.
Julian Holdsworth
BSBC Pastor
