Lessons From Nehemiah

Mark chapter 8 verse 31ff.

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Peter’s reply receives such a harsh response from Jesus because such negativity is incredibly dangerous -

Jesus knew what he had to face -

he knew it was tough -

the last thing he needed was opposition - admittingly well intended - from one he loved so dearly.

The second group of people I’d like to talk about. Are those that Nehemiah encounters in verse 5 of chapter 3.

The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to work under their supervisors.

In Psalm 62 verse 9 you can read Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie.

if weighed on the balance they are nothing;

together they are only a breath.

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though your riches increase do not set your hearts on them.

As christians we are called to serve God - God calls us to lay aside our wealth and position and to be like poor people before him.

The modern chorus that says

let the poor say I am rich

and the rich say I am poor

sums up this sentiment.

The thing about the Nobles of Tekoa - they would not work under their supervisors.

In the Christian church where God puts us - how easy it can be to do our own thing - to choose to run where we want rather than to co-operate with those over us in the Lord.

It is true that our house group leader may not be perfect - it is also true that we may not fully understand where they are leading us - but given time if we learn to follow we may well help them to grow as a leader and indeed our obedience in humility will not only teach us it will inspire the whole group.

But the nobles of Tekoa were not like that - they were used to being in charge.

You could say that they had a very week self esteem because they didn’t have the humility to realise that laying blocks was not their particular skill - they needed to realise that God knew what He was doing when he put the particular supervisors over them -

They were probably skilled block layers who could show them what to do.

The floods last year were a wonderful example of people taking their rightful roles - the people who knew about sandbagging and so on were the leaders and all the other people in the town - schoolteachers - truck drivers vets took their instructions from those in the fire brigade who knew what they were doing.

Great followers make good leaders.

We are all called to follow at some point in our christian life.

If you haven’t learned to follow then it is too early to be in leadership.

The third category of people are those who enthusiastically obey the leadership that God has put in place.

They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." so they began this good work.

There is an overwhelming enthusiasm among those who recognise that what Nehemiah is doing comes from God -

The majority of the Jews join in and co-operate and though there are hard times ahead before the job is completed there is groundswell support for it.

Nehemiah had made sure that he had the co-operation of those who count. That is seen in chapter 3 verse 1 Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the sheep gate etc read it.