Text: Nehemiah 5:1-19, Title: Satan Can’t Beat ‘Em, So He…, Date/Place: NRBC, 10/7/07, PM
A. Opening illustration: In the 13th Century, Nicolo Polo (father of Marco Polo) was visiting the court of the grandson of Genghis Khan - Kublai Khan. Kublai Khan was the Emperor of China and he had never met Europeans before. He was delighted to meet this visitor from Venice AND he was strongly impressed by the religious faith of this man; therefore, he sent a letter back to Europe urging that some educated men be dispatched to instruct his people in the teachings of Christianity. But, because of political upheaval and infighting that was taking place in Europe, there was a long delay in anybody coming. In the end, only 2 representatives of Christianity were sent and even they lost heart soon and turned back. Because of the failure of the church of that day, Kublai Khan turned instead to Buddhism and that has been the predominant religion in the area from that day to this. “We have met the enemy, and he is us!”
B. Background to passage: In the first three chapters of Nehemiah we saw the burden, the plan, and half the wall being built. In the next three chapters we see lots of opposition. Last week we saw that the work was threatening to come to a halt because of ridicule, violence, fatigue, and peace. And this week will we see the work threatened by internal conflict. In fact, it was so bad, they had to call a citywide meeting to deal with the issues so that work could continue. And you have seen conflict in this church, and in others, as well as in your workplace and family. All of these groups and organizations work best when conflict comes from without, and not from within.
C. Main thought: We are going to see how internal conflict was handled in the OT (parallels Acts 6 in this area)
A. The Report (v. 1-6)
1. This would have taken place around the end of the harvest when creditors are looking to have loan amounts repaid. And the great outcry (same word used in the outcry while in bondage in Egypt) was that financially people were going under. There was a famine, a heavy tax burden, and outrageous interest rates being charged (easily 40%, possibly 50% or more). It is hard to get people to do the work on the wall, when they are selling their children into slavery, or losing their farms and houses to loan sharks, or when they can’t put food on the table to eat. As a wise leader Nehemiah couldn’t just stand by. In fact, he became angry (more about that in a minute).
2. Pro 22:7, Deut 28:43-44,
3. Illustration: tell about the church that caught a vision of how enslaving the debt of their people was to the ministry of their church, and so they decided to do something about it, individuals in America owe over 7 trillion dollars, and the personal consumer debt is increasing at a rate of $1000/second, nearly 60% of divorces site financial tension as a chief cause, part of Crown Financial’s ministry vision is to free up several hundred million dollars in debt, so that it could finance the Great Commission.
4. As a church we must minister to the financial needs of individuals. And the first thing that we need to do is train our church in biblical financial management. I know that we have had courses on it before, but seldom do the changes last. I would dare say that if most of us eliminated debt from our lives, ministry at New River would take on a huge new financial base. And most of us need to be reminded about how to conduct ourselves fiscally and biblically, because we tend to forget and get reabsorbed back into the culture in which we live. And I realize that some debt (medical bills, etc) are unavoidable, most of the debt that we incur is a choice. If we could learn to live debt free as individuals, and save well for tomorrow, retirement could supply the church with a free ministerial force.
B. The Rebuke (v. 7-11)
1. The text states that he was angry, in fact, very angry. He was not angry at the famine, nor at the king, nor even at the Jews for incurring debt. He was angry at the Jewish loan sharks charging interest from their brethren. This was a clear violation for scriptural principles. Relationships between those in the family of God are not to be treated as simple business transactions, but as spiritual service to God. However, he did not act sinfully in his anger. He took some time, and thought it through before he assaulted their hypocrisy. So the text says that he calls an assembly against them. He explains how some had gone to great links to free some captives to bring them to Jerusalem to work, and now this! And they say anything back. So he continues his talk in very clear terms. He says stop and restore interest, lands, houses,
2. Ex 22:25, Lev 25:35-37, Deut 23:19, John 2:15, 1 Tim 5:19-20, Tit 1:13, 2:15,
3. Illustration: tell about the petition drive to demand an apology from Kathy Griffin about remarks made at the Emmy Awards, During the time of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Greg Livingstone was asked to give a "missions minute" at a large evangelical church on the East Coast. Since he had only one minute to speak, he decided to ask them only two questions. The first one was, "How many of you are praying for the 52 Americans hostages being held in Iran?" 4000 hands went straight up and he said, "Praise the Lord! Now, put your hands down and let me ask you another question…How many of you are praying for the 42 million Iranians being held hostage to Islam?" four hands went up.
4. We should get righteously angry more often! Righteous anger happens when you are emotionally affected when someone dishonors God, thwarts His work, or commits great injustice against others. Our righteous anger should be directed at sin, and those who call themselves believers an act very unchristian. Hypocrisy and syncretism with the world and its values is the reason that we are no more effective and influential in our society as a whole. Whenever sin within the body is confronted, repentance should be the response. Usually anger is the first response that someone would be confronted about their lives, but Jesus did it, the prophets did it, the bible commends it, and so we must do it, and respond appropriately.
C. The Results (v. 12-19)
1. There were three results that happened after Nehemiah’s stern rebuke. 1) First, the nobles and Jewish loan sharks repented. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. They saw clearly the error of their ways, and they committed to restoring, and no longer charging their brethren as Nehemiah said. 2) Nehemiah knew that even people with good intentions sometimes fail to follow through on their promises, so he helps provide some accountability. This shaking of the garment was a symbolic gesture of a curse, basically saying that God will shake down any man who reneges on his promise. And after this gesture, all the people said “Amen” affirming their commitment to what Nehemiah said. And then they did as they are told. 3) Nehemiah also knew that these men needed a leader that could be an example. And so he went the extra mile not receiving what was due the governor, as well as not receiving any interest on his loans. And he did this because of his fear of God. His commitment to God determined his behavior. This helped protect him from greed, pride, and made him an example.
2. 2 Cor 7:10-11,
3. Illustration: I was reading the bulletin of another church in Texas that a friend of mine pastors, and in the place on the order of service instead of “invitation” they had “confession/repentance,” Louis McBurney, in an article for Leadership Journal, said there are four reasons people reject accountability. 1) I fear rejection, 2) I feel embarrassed, 3) I resent control by other people, and 4) I don’t like facing my negative feelings. Tell about my prayer that God remove me from this world before I embarrass Him or my family is some moral failure, one of the things that the pulpit committee said that they needed was someone who would be an example unto the congregation of a biblical life and family,
4. The first step to genuine repentance is having your eyes opened to your sin. In order to finish the process, you must begin with agreement with God that your sin has offended Him. Affirm your willingness and intention to turn from that sin. Then you make a decision in your mind to go God’s way instead of your own. Then you carry out the necessary actions to make things right. 2) Accountability is such a beautiful thing when it is done well. But we severely underestimate ourselves when we think that we don’t need any, or don’t put into place means for it in our lives. Charge your closest of friends to make sure that you don’t stray from the faith. Maybe we should make them invoke a divine curse upon us if we fail. And there should be a desire in our hearts to keep our commitments and stay close to God regardless of the cost. 3) A leader must already be where he is leading the people. And you and I are supposed to be the examples of how to live a biblically separate life to our children, our neighbors children, our grandchildren, and to those around us. Do we set the example, or do we just get by doing enough to slide under the bar. Our lives should be radically different from the world. And thus Nehemiah could ask God to remember him and repay him according to the life that he has lived among the people. Could you pray that? Would you want God to reward you according to your example, and your good that you have done among the people?
A. Closing illustration: No magnet draws Christians from around the world with more frequency and satisfaction than the Church of The Holy Sepulcher. Located in the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, no trip to the Holy City is complete without a visit to the traditional sight of the place of our Savior’s crucifixion. A mixture of Crusader and Byzantine styles filled with religious trappings, it sits as one of the sad wonders of conflicted modern living.
The church is stewarded by a number of Christian sects, which maintain the shrine on a daily basis. Because of the notorious jurisdictional infighting, for years these groups have not been able to agree on who should keep the keys, when to open and close the shrine, and who should serve the pilgrims’ needs. Guess who controls the entry to one of the holiest of Christian shrines? A family that is not even Christian. A Muslim family comes daily and opens and closes the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
B. If we can’t deal with internal conflict, God will give the vineyard over to another to accomplish His purposes in the world.
C. Questions and Answers
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
