Nehemiah 5:1-13 - Building the Church -- Responding to the challenges!
Nehemiah 5:1-13 - Building the Church -- Responding to the challenges!
By Pastor Lee Hemen
June 5, 2011 AM
Up to this time, the spiritual challenges that Nehemiah had to face were mainly from the outside of Judah. Nevertheless, before the walls were rebuilt, he encountered the most difficult and intense problem that most spiritual leaders have to face--problems from within. He faced problems from his own people! How would he meet these challenges?
When an individual decides to be the spiritual leader in their home or life, they will immediately face challenges from within! The challenges will come from within yourself in remaining steadfast in your faith, from within your family, friendships, or sometimes even by fellow church members! Nehemiah teaches us how to break down the challenges into bite-sized pieces, and to respond in an appropriate way as a believer. As we build our church or our lives, we can respond to the challenges that we face!
READ: Nehemiah 5:1-13
Shari has over extended herself with her job, her housework, and her church. Instead of feeling satisfied with any of them, she is frustrated and tired all of the time. How can Shari find answers to the challenges she is facing? Donna, on the other hand would just like some answers as a single parent. Her kids openly challenge her authority as a parent. She struggles to get them fed, clothed, to school on time and to church once in a while. How is she going to face her challenges? You may be facing a challenge. Nehemiah did. Let’s take our first bite-sized piece and look at--
I. The Challenges (Vv. 1-5)!
1. A challenge is an obstacle to some and an opportunity to others!
1) Nehemiah met four challenges. First, 1) the people faced a food shortage (v. 2). Second, 2) the work on rebuilding the walls hindered their job responsibilities at home and created a local famine (v. 3). Third 3) some had to borrow money from those who loaned it inappropriately, to pay their taxes (v. 4), and fourth, 4) because of the high interest rates charged to borrow money, some had to sell their daughters into slavery (v. 5)! Wow, talk about personal challenges!
2) You may ask, “How does this relate to the challenges we might face today?” It does. We discover that as we try to grow our church we will face the challenge of being asked to give perhaps more than we have in the past. We may be asked to commit our time and talent in the building process. In addition, it can demand a sacrifice of some of our family or personal time. As we see with Nehemiah and the Israelites, how we spiritually and physically meet these challenges will reveal our faith walk with Christ as a congregation.
3) Notice also that these challenges are applicable to our personal lives as well! Nehemiah saw them as an opportunity. An opportunity for personal and community growth! Peter writes that we may have to face challenges of all kinds for “a little while” and that “These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7) Nehemiah understood that God sends challenges not to impair us, but to improve us!
EXAMPLE: Where do we go from here? Well, let’s consider what Nehemiah did. Jared threw up his hands and wondered out loud, “I just don’t know what they expect of me? Where am I going to get the money?” Jared and his wife Susan was a young couple just buying a house, getting involved in social activities with their kids, and getting involved with their church. They wanted to give and serve, but time and money seem stretched. Jared gets angry. Susan worries. After Susan read in Matthew that God’s eye was even on the smallest of creatures and that he numbered the hairs on our heads, she realized that if God cared for them, they could meet any challenge. Susan shared with Jared and they began to pray and ask the Lord to show them how he was going to use them to do just that!
Nehemiah shows us challenges but he also teaches us about…
II. Our Initial Response (Vv. 6-7a)!
1. Nothing shows more accurately, what we are than the way we respond to the challenges of life!
1) Notice how Nehemiah responded at first (v. 6). Nehemiah writes that, “When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.” However, notice how his response came about, “I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials.” (v. 7a) Nehemiah takes the time to think through his response, he “ponders” it in his mind. He does not fly off the handle and do the very first thing in response to his anger--he takes time to think it over!
2) Proverbs reinforces this notion of taking the time to think things through, “A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.” (Proverbs 12:23) and that, “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” (Proverbs 14:15) Our initial response is important because it displays our trust in God to work things through.
3) When faced with a challenge our initial response can be anger, despair, or frustration. The Bible teaches us to trust not in our feelings but rather in our relationship with God! Again, Proverbs come to our rescue by reminding us to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Often when we have become angered or frustrated it is because we haven’t pondered (prayed and meditated) on what God desires us to do! Instead, we rely on our emotions to guide us. We plead; get angry with others or ourselves around us or resentful at God. While Nehemiah’s initial response was anger, he then paused to ponder the situation. What is your initial response to a challenge?
EXAMPLE: Darrel became sullen because his Pastor was challenging the men of the church to respond spiritually and physically to building their families and the church. It festered inside of him until he began to stay home from church. When asked by his wife why, he blew up at her. Like most wives, she understood her husband’s moods better than he did--she quietly suggested that he consider asking God’s advice and then respond by doing something positive instead. Darrel all of a sudden realized that that would mean some kind of action on his part. He realized his initial response was ungodly and wrong. He repented and got involved the way he knew God was directing him to.
Nehemiah would have understood as well. In meeting life’s challenges, personally or in building a church, Nehemiah teaches us to consider…
III. The Action Required (Vv. 7b-13)!
1. There are two ways we can meet any challenge: either we can alter the challenge or we can alter ourselves to meet it!
1) What do you think Nehemiah and the people decided to do? Did they alter the challenge or did they alter themselves? Notice what occurs. We discover that, Nehemiah demands they stop any “usury.” He bluntly confronts them by commanding them, “Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them—the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil.” Far too often, we are afraid to confront folks on their ungodly sinfulness because we are afraid we might “offend” them. However, notice what occurs. The people immediately respond, “We will give it back, and we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say!” They altered themselves! They changed their ungodly direction!
2) Nehemiah does not leave it there though, he writes, “Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!’ At this, the whole assembly said, ‘Amen,’ and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.” (Nehemiah 5:13) Nehemiah’s actions get them to agree to the fact of their behavior toward one another and then when he holds them accountable, they repent, praise God, and agree not to do it again! Our godly actions can get people to repent of their wicked ways!
EXAMPLE: Sometimes the challenges of life cannot be changed no matter how much we want them to be, instead, we must alter how we react to them! Noah did not decide build a roof to keep out the rain, instead, at God’s direction he built one big boat! David didn’t cringe at camp with his brothers over Goliath, he walked out under God’s guidance, and picked up some stones in which to rock Goliath’s world! Paul didn’t run away and whine about how unfairly he had been treated when he was lowered in a basket over the walls of Damascus, kicked out of every town and county from Antioch to Athens and back again. He then heads to Jerusalem and confronts the other thickheaded apostles that they were wrong in how they were relating to the gentile converts! You may be thinking, “Pastor, you simply do not understand the challenges I face every day. If you had to face the ones I have to, you’d sing a different tune!” Well, we could all curl up in a tight ball and chant “Kumbaya” until the cows come home but that would not solve the challenges. One thing I have learned: A wall-building faith or a dynamic church doesn’t focus on the challenges, they focus on the action required to meet the challenge, just as Nehemiah did.
Conclusion:
I believe with all of my heart that this is why Paul wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) This was not some catch phrase of Paul’s for a new get out the gospel campaign or the next encouragement seminar! Paul knew it to be true because he had to meet the challenges of his life through his faith! Nehemiah didn’t react to life’s challenges he acted on them through his trust in God. Nehemiah teaches us how to build our church or our faith when we are faced with the challenges of life. The challenges will always exist, how we respond to them says a lot about what we believe about God.
----
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2011 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
June 5, 2011 AM
Up to this time, the spiritual challenges that Nehemiah had to face were mainly from the outside of Judah. Nevertheless, before the walls were rebuilt, he encountered the most difficult and intense problem that most spiritual leaders have to face--problems from within. He faced problems from his own people! How would he meet these challenges?
When an individual decides to be the spiritual leader in their home or life, they will immediately face challenges from within! The challenges will come from within yourself in remaining steadfast in your faith, from within your family, friendships, or sometimes even by fellow church members! Nehemiah teaches us how to break down the challenges into bite-sized pieces, and to respond in an appropriate way as a believer. As we build our church or our lives, we can respond to the challenges that we face!
READ: Nehemiah 5:1-13
Shari has over extended herself with her job, her housework, and her church. Instead of feeling satisfied with any of them, she is frustrated and tired all of the time. How can Shari find answers to the challenges she is facing? Donna, on the other hand would just like some answers as a single parent. Her kids openly challenge her authority as a parent. She struggles to get them fed, clothed, to school on time and to church once in a while. How is she going to face her challenges? You may be facing a challenge. Nehemiah did. Let’s take our first bite-sized piece and look at--
I. The Challenges (Vv. 1-5)!
1. A challenge is an obstacle to some and an opportunity to others!
1) Nehemiah met four challenges. First, 1) the people faced a food shortage (v. 2). Second, 2) the work on rebuilding the walls hindered their job responsibilities at home and created a local famine (v. 3). Third 3) some had to borrow money from those who loaned it inappropriately, to pay their taxes (v. 4), and fourth, 4) because of the high interest rates charged to borrow money, some had to sell their daughters into slavery (v. 5)! Wow, talk about personal challenges!
2) You may ask, “How does this relate to the challenges we might face today?” It does. We discover that as we try to grow our church we will face the challenge of being asked to give perhaps more than we have in the past. We may be asked to commit our time and talent in the building process. In addition, it can demand a sacrifice of some of our family or personal time. As we see with Nehemiah and the Israelites, how we spiritually and physically meet these challenges will reveal our faith walk with Christ as a congregation.
3) Notice also that these challenges are applicable to our personal lives as well! Nehemiah saw them as an opportunity. An opportunity for personal and community growth! Peter writes that we may have to face challenges of all kinds for “a little while” and that “These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7) Nehemiah understood that God sends challenges not to impair us, but to improve us!
EXAMPLE: Where do we go from here? Well, let’s consider what Nehemiah did. Jared threw up his hands and wondered out loud, “I just don’t know what they expect of me? Where am I going to get the money?” Jared and his wife Susan was a young couple just buying a house, getting involved in social activities with their kids, and getting involved with their church. They wanted to give and serve, but time and money seem stretched. Jared gets angry. Susan worries. After Susan read in Matthew that God’s eye was even on the smallest of creatures and that he numbered the hairs on our heads, she realized that if God cared for them, they could meet any challenge. Susan shared with Jared and they began to pray and ask the Lord to show them how he was going to use them to do just that!
Nehemiah shows us challenges but he also teaches us about…
II. Our Initial Response (Vv. 6-7a)!
1. Nothing shows more accurately, what we are than the way we respond to the challenges of life!
1) Notice how Nehemiah responded at first (v. 6). Nehemiah writes that, “When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.” However, notice how his response came about, “I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials.” (v. 7a) Nehemiah takes the time to think through his response, he “ponders” it in his mind. He does not fly off the handle and do the very first thing in response to his anger--he takes time to think it over!
2) Proverbs reinforces this notion of taking the time to think things through, “A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.” (Proverbs 12:23) and that, “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.” (Proverbs 14:15) Our initial response is important because it displays our trust in God to work things through.
3) When faced with a challenge our initial response can be anger, despair, or frustration. The Bible teaches us to trust not in our feelings but rather in our relationship with God! Again, Proverbs come to our rescue by reminding us to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Often when we have become angered or frustrated it is because we haven’t pondered (prayed and meditated) on what God desires us to do! Instead, we rely on our emotions to guide us. We plead; get angry with others or ourselves around us or resentful at God. While Nehemiah’s initial response was anger, he then paused to ponder the situation. What is your initial response to a challenge?
EXAMPLE: Darrel became sullen because his Pastor was challenging the men of the church to respond spiritually and physically to building their families and the church. It festered inside of him until he began to stay home from church. When asked by his wife why, he blew up at her. Like most wives, she understood her husband’s moods better than he did--she quietly suggested that he consider asking God’s advice and then respond by doing something positive instead. Darrel all of a sudden realized that that would mean some kind of action on his part. He realized his initial response was ungodly and wrong. He repented and got involved the way he knew God was directing him to.
Nehemiah would have understood as well. In meeting life’s challenges, personally or in building a church, Nehemiah teaches us to consider…
III. The Action Required (Vv. 7b-13)!
1. There are two ways we can meet any challenge: either we can alter the challenge or we can alter ourselves to meet it!
1) What do you think Nehemiah and the people decided to do? Did they alter the challenge or did they alter themselves? Notice what occurs. We discover that, Nehemiah demands they stop any “usury.” He bluntly confronts them by commanding them, “Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them—the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil.” Far too often, we are afraid to confront folks on their ungodly sinfulness because we are afraid we might “offend” them. However, notice what occurs. The people immediately respond, “We will give it back, and we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say!” They altered themselves! They changed their ungodly direction!
2) Nehemiah does not leave it there though, he writes, “Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, ‘In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!’ At this, the whole assembly said, ‘Amen,’ and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.” (Nehemiah 5:13) Nehemiah’s actions get them to agree to the fact of their behavior toward one another and then when he holds them accountable, they repent, praise God, and agree not to do it again! Our godly actions can get people to repent of their wicked ways!
EXAMPLE: Sometimes the challenges of life cannot be changed no matter how much we want them to be, instead, we must alter how we react to them! Noah did not decide build a roof to keep out the rain, instead, at God’s direction he built one big boat! David didn’t cringe at camp with his brothers over Goliath, he walked out under God’s guidance, and picked up some stones in which to rock Goliath’s world! Paul didn’t run away and whine about how unfairly he had been treated when he was lowered in a basket over the walls of Damascus, kicked out of every town and county from Antioch to Athens and back again. He then heads to Jerusalem and confronts the other thickheaded apostles that they were wrong in how they were relating to the gentile converts! You may be thinking, “Pastor, you simply do not understand the challenges I face every day. If you had to face the ones I have to, you’d sing a different tune!” Well, we could all curl up in a tight ball and chant “Kumbaya” until the cows come home but that would not solve the challenges. One thing I have learned: A wall-building faith or a dynamic church doesn’t focus on the challenges, they focus on the action required to meet the challenge, just as Nehemiah did.
Conclusion:
I believe with all of my heart that this is why Paul wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) This was not some catch phrase of Paul’s for a new get out the gospel campaign or the next encouragement seminar! Paul knew it to be true because he had to meet the challenges of his life through his faith! Nehemiah didn’t react to life’s challenges he acted on them through his trust in God. Nehemiah teaches us how to build our church or our faith when we are faced with the challenges of life. The challenges will always exist, how we respond to them says a lot about what we believe about God.
----
Pastor Lee Hemen has been the outspoken pastor of the same church for 25 years in Vancouver, WA. He writes regularly on spirituality and conservative causes and maintains several web blogs. This article is copyrighted © 2011 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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