Sermon Series Blog: Kingdom Culture Pt.4
KINGDOM BUILDERS: SEEING THE BROKEN, CARRYING GOD’S VISION & FACING RESISTANCE WITH FAITH
A Study of Nehemiah 2:17–20
The story of Nehemiah is more than an ancient construction project—it’s a masterclass in how God rebuilds lives, churches, families, and communities. Before any work began, God stirred a heart, opened spiritual eyes, and ignited a vision. This is the calling of every Kingdom Builder.
1. KINGDOM BUILDERS SEE WHAT’S BROKEN
Nehemiah 2:17
Nehemiah begins by naming the truth:
“You see the trouble we are in.”
Before he lifted a stone or drew a blueprint, he saw the brokenness others ignored. Jerusalem had been in ruins for 140 years. The people had normalized devastation—until someone refused to look away.
Where others saw rubble, Nehemiah saw:
vulnerable people
a lost identity
a damaged testimony
a calling unfulfilled
This is spiritual sight—the kind Jesus speaks of in Matthew 13:16. Kingdom Builders don’t just notice broken structures; they see broken people, broken faith, and broken identity. And what they see begins to shape their hearts.
Nehemiah wept, fasted, mourned, and prayed because what he saw burdened him. Kingdom Builders don’t move from irritation—they move from intercession. Their hearts break before their hands build.
Jesus models the same in Luke 19:41–44:
He weeps over Jerusalem—not its buildings, but its spiritual condition. He saw beneath the surface, and His compassion led to action.
If our hearts never break, our hands will never build.
2. KINGDOM BUILDERS CARRY GOD’S VISION
Nehemiah 2:18
When Nehemiah speaks to the people, he does not start with a plan—he starts with God’s activity:
“The gracious hand of my God is on me.”
This is what ignites the people. True Kingdom vision isn’t hype. It’s not vague. It doesn’t confuse. It points clearly to what God is doing:
The walls are broken
God has stirred our hearts
God has opened doors
God has provided
Let us rebuild
When God is in something, people don’t need pushing. They are pulled by the Spirit. The people respond immediately:
“Let us start rebuilding.”
Observers become builders. Followers become partners. And Scripture says,
“So they began this good work.”
It wasn’t Nehemiah’s work.
It was God’s work.
3. KINGDOM BUILDERS FACE RESISTANCE WITH FAITH
Nehemiah 2:19–20
The moment the people say, “Let us rise and build,” the enemy speaks.
Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem mock, accuse, and question the work. Why?
Because the enemy is never threatened by a broken wall—only a rebuilding one.
When Kingdom work begins:
calling meets obstacles
revival meets resistance
restoration meets spiritual pushback
families reconciling are met with warfare
Kingdom work always disturbs darkness.
The enemy attacks identity to stop activity:
“What are you doing?”
“Who do you think you are?”
“Are you rebelling?”
If the enemy can make you doubt your calling, he can stop you before you start.
But Nehemiah responds with faith, not flesh:
“The God of heaven will give us success.”
His confidence is not in strategy, strength, or human approval—but in God:
God called us
God sent us
God resourced us
God will cause it to succeed
Then Nehemiah adds:
“We his servants will start rebuilding.”
Identity is secure.
Calling is confirmed.
The mission continues.
Resistance is never a sign to quit—it is often the clearest sign that you’re building what God cares about.
From Moses to David, Elijah to Paul, and ultimately Jesus Himself—every Kingdom Builder faced pushback. But in every case, faith carried them through.
CONCLUSION
Nehemiah teaches us:
See what God sees
Carry what God gives
Build through resistance
Because the God who calls us is the God who completes the work.
