Nehemia's Outrage

Illus: We today in America enjoy a freedom that other countries dream of having. But we seem to forget the tremendous cost it cost men and women as they had to give their life so that we might have the freedom that we now enjoy.

When Nehemiah and the Jews were re-building the walls they paid a tremendous cost that this project might be completed. Even Nehemiah was not aware of the price that some of these folks were paying.

We pastors sometime do not fully realize the price that some of our folks pay to be faithful to the Lord.

Illus: A couple got married, neither one of them were saved. She later came to know Christ as her Saviour. But her husband chose not to follow the Lord and he placed great pressure on her every time she went to church. she wanted to give to the Lord and she had to secretly hold back part of the grocery money so she could give to the Lord. Anyone who saw her in church never knew what a price she was having to pay every time she came to church.

Illus: A young man that came to church regularly came from a family that was anti-church. In order for him to come he had to sneak off from home so that he might come.

In Nehemiah chapter five we see that the Jewish families were paying a great price for the re-building of the walls. Financially things became so difficult they were having to sell their children into slavery to pay their bills. Their is always those who are looking for a chance to make a dollar, even if it means throwing away compassion for those who are in distress.

One of the best ways to find out what a person really is, is to observe how they handle money. That is, does money master them or do they master money.

In this situation, their was Christian Jews who saw their chance to make some money, they saw these Jewish Christians having to sell their children into slavery. They so desperately needed money and these Jewish businessmen decided they would loan them money at a good interest that would pad their own pockets.

In fact, the pressure was so great that they began to cry out for the pressure applied to them. Look at this-

I. GREAT OUTCRY

Notice, this was not just an OUTCRY, the Bible says it was a "GREAT OUTCRY."

Illus: When you go to the hospital those who are suffering the most, they are the ones who are crying out the loudest.

Evidently these Christians were suffering greatly, because the Bible says it was a "Great Outcry." What were they crying out for, let's see, it was a-

A. PLEAD FOR CONSIDERATION (Verse 2-4)

"For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards."

These that were crying out, wanted them to CONSIDER that many of them had daughters and sons and they were having to trade them off for corn and something to eat.

How often people who are hurting so desperately want someone to CONSIDER what they are going through.

Illus: Even a child when they get hurt they want to find someone to rub their hurt. Does the rubbing really help. It doesn't help at all, but it sure beats hurting alone and no one caring about how bad you hurt.

Illus: We are told that often before people commit suicide they do all kinds of things to try and get the attention of others before they commit the dreadful act of taking their own life. But so often people are so caught up in their own little world they cannot CONSIDER what others are going through.

Perhaps even tomorrow some poor suffering soul may come your way that needs some CONSIDERATION, but the devil if he has anything to do with it will see to it that you and I will be so busy that we will not even have time to consider the hurt they are facing.

The Bible says this was a "GREAT OUTCRY" for consideration. The strain that these Christians were under was so tremendous that they spoke of in verses 2 through 4.

Also the Bible makes it clear this was a-

B. PLEAD FOR COMPASSION (Verse 5)

"Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: either is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards."