I’m preaching through Nehemiah right now, and I came across a passage this week that shows the will of the world to lie about the people of God to intimidate them to stop their work.  In that time, it was an attempt to get them to “drop their hands from the work” of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.  The goal of Nehemiah’s work was to reestablish the worship of God in that Old Covenant context.

But the parallels are uncanny.  Lies meant to stop the work in their time.  And lies that are meant to stop the work in ours.

There is no lack of lies about Christians today.  Lies that we hate people.  Lies that we deny the existence of certain people.  Lies that all Christians are judgmental, or misogynists, or bigots.  And unfortunately, many of the lies over the past several decades of the church in America have had their effect.

We have been diverted from the central mission of proclaiming the gospel into secondary causes that attempt to disprove the lies of the evil one.  And further, fear of being excluded from ‘the cool kids’ has kept the church fairly tamed in our current cultural moment.

Have we dropped our hands?  Or another way to ask this is, “when is the last time you told someone about the love and forgiveness and grace of God available through the cross of Jesus Christ?”  I believe that revival is always close when the people of God are moved by the glory of God to engage in the mission of God DESPITE the fear of the world.

What is your assessment?  Have the lies caused the church to drop her hands from the work of the Great Commission?  He told us to go into all the world baptizing and teaching others to follow Jesus.  ‘Baptizing’ shows gospel conversion.  ‘Teaching’ shows an ongoing relationship that connects new believers to the way of Jesus.

He gave us this central commission.  Are we fearful?  Have we acquiesced to the many lies told about us?  Lift up your hands to the reestablishing of the worship of God in our time!  And if you are engaged in this work.  Don’t drop your hands.  The world may lie about the people of God, but we don’t have time for any of that . . . We are too busy building on the foundation who is Christ!