Working Together as God’s Team

Nehemiah, an Israelite, was living in captivity when God prompted him to go back to his home town of Jerusalem and rebuild the wall that protected it.  Nehemiah was afraid, but asked permission from the king and God provided the way.  After surveying the job in secret, Nehemiah finally rallied the remaining people of Israel to take on this massive project.  They began building the wall.

Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel. (Nehemiah 3:1 NLT)

Chapter 3 of Nehemiah details the individuals, families, and groups that participated in this building project.  Each one had their own part of the wall.  Each one took their own project.  That’s because large projects are nothing more than a large number of smaller projects that are connected.  There were nearly fifty projects detailed in this chapter that went into the bigger project of rebuilding the wall.

People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri. (Nehemiah 3:2 NLT)

When we read the list of names who participated, it gets interesting.  They included priests and Levites who’s primary concerns are normally focused on the Temple.  They had perfumers and gold workers on the team.  (Can you imagine someone from a perfume or jewelry counter at the store getting their hands beat up and dirty from building a stone wall?)  This project was big enough and important enough to make it “all hands on deck.”  Every person was important.  Every person was needed.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV84)

The same is true for us in God’s Church today.  God has a vision for the Church.  God wants it to be healthy and growing and full of love (Ephesians 4:16).  God has a plan for getting it there.  God’s plan includes all of us.  We need to have all hands on deck.  We need to work together as God’s Team.

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:16 NIV84)

How about you?  Are you a Christian?  Do you realize that it makes you a part of Christ’s Body, which is God’s Team?  Do you tear others down in the Church or do you build up God’s Team in love?  Do you work together with others as God’s Team?