Reclaiming Our Community
The Good Work • Sermon • Submitted
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· 14 viewsBreaking Patterns for our Past and by Resolving conflict and Restoring Relationships .
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Good Morning welcome to our online service... I trust that you are doing well-- last weekend Pam and I were with Frank's and Shirley’s Community group in Gridley and they had a special farewell for Carol Slatter who is moving to be with her family in Montana... We had a good time with her… Sondra Welsh made this beautiful scrapbook for Carol memories…of our community --- really special gift.. are going to miss Carol and we just praying that God with be with her in transition..
Also, quick update on Mary Mattson surgery - Mary was discharged from the hospital on Thursday and is home recovering form surgery.
This is an important month for Mary -- Sunday October 18th Mary will turn 90 -- The family are planning to celebrate and will give you details closer to the time... . It be amazing if we shower her with blessings on that date...
This morning we are in the book of Nehemiah.... we are looking at the good work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem... under this amazing leader Nehemiah...
They have overcome some major hurdles -
Nehemiah has sort the Lord and the hand of God is upon him every step of the way... God has been leading and he has set the people of God up for success... they are supporting one another they are watching out for the attacks of the enemy and at the same time they are building.. They are bridging the gaps in the wall and...
Freedom is in sight... The Glory of God is in sight...
but in Chapter 5 there is another issue that is tied to Freedom...
Just when Judah was finally able to withstand threats from out side, what should happen but internal squabbles erupted. Just when it seemed safe to build again, the citizens of Judah cried out to Nehemiah with ominous complaints -
here in chapter 5 we will see him confront and overcome conflict within Judah.
The problem of Debt..
We don’t talk about Debt often.. but we are going to see in our text how living in Debt can keep us in holding position… and keep us living in a cycle of hopelessness.…
We live a culture that is based on a Credit credit system…From the moment our children leave home and attend college they are introduced to Credit Cards — and then on top of that most student start of their lives in debt with student loans… And we have bought into the idea that is the way that things work.... . On top of that we are told that we have to build our credit... we need a good credit score...
Why? So we can borrow more money...
—Benjamin Franklin said… If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.
Mark Twain defined a banker as a man who “loaned you an umbrella when the sun was shining and demanded its return the moment it started to rain.
The hard thing about debt is that we don’t talk about … it often enough..
More than a 1/3 rd of Americans say they would be embarrassed to let others know that they are not paying off their credit card debt in full every month, more than 40 percent say they believe they will be judged by family and friends because of credit card debt. The surprising thing is that Americans' average credit card debt is $15,355.
Talk about the elephant in the room.
It is really a crazy system and if you use credit it has to be managed or else can run out of control and bring huge challenges...
A few years ago Pam and I were getting bogged down with some debt.. We were still struggling to pay off my student loans from years ago… We had been slowly working at it --- but it seemed to not go away fast enough… to be honest it took some refinancing and 3 year plan… We had the plan — anytime we had extra money… we put onto the debt… we actually payed the debt down in half the time… Thanks to discipline and intentionality...
One of the scripture that Pam and I grabbed onto a few years ago…That was to be the lender and not the borrower...
6 For the Lord your God will bless you, as he promised you, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow, and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over you.
Israel was actually discouraged from lending money to each other... only to lend to foreigners.. In Nehemiah is going to help the nation come out of Debt…
You
We learn how Nehemiah restores this broken community... We know that he has been praying and fasting... We know that God has given him a heart and burden for this community... But there is something deeper at work... there is the need for restoring broken down relationships... In order to build a community - a church...
T/S How do we Restore Broken Places and Reclaim Our Community ?
1. Commit to Understanding One another
1. Commit to Understanding One another
What have we learned so far about Nehemiah as a leader... He is moved with compassion for others... When he heard of the walls were down and God's people had been left defenseless he wept and goes to prayer and to fasting... Nehemiah is observant he had taken note of the broken walls and strategically got families to work on the walls... He had deal with opposition of the enemy...
Now there is going to be some in house things that need to be taken care of ... Nehemiah has been working shoulder to shoulder with the people - it is intense work -- they have been guarding and building the wall... with spear in one hand and brink in the other... The wall is now more than half way complete... and there comes a great out cry from the people!
Nehemiah did not initially see this problem coming. He had examined walls… but not seen a deeper systemic problem within his community..
1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.”
3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.”
What happens in our text is that...
There is a call for justice... the people were feeling the strain of having to provide for their families... Here they were spending days and nights repairing the walls — when things in their homes were not right.. They were dealing with the effects of a famine…
-- They were struggling to take care of their families and households .... they were needing grain for food... to keep alive...
There were those who were selling their field and vineyards and houses to get grain... because of the famine... What good is a house or an unproductive field when you are facing hunger..
There were those who had taken leans on the land by borrowing money from the king…to pay their debts...
The famine was so bad that families were selling their children as slaves to their own Jewish brothers... You have suffering and profiteering in the midst of suffering.
Israel describe themselves as Powerless!
5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
How many times have we felt this way... that the weight bearing against us is too much?
Israel was often plagued by famines.. and this famine was causing much distress.... add to the pressure of natural disaster… the task of building the walls… Nehemiah had families working around the clock on the wall.. You can imagine the kind of finacial pressure that was on families… add to this the heavy burden of loans and taxes… the people were crippling under the pressure..
Which led to household mortgaging their homes and putting leans on their property...led to borrowing money from the taxes that would have to be paid back with interest...
Much of this family belonged to families for generations and they literally loosing their inheritance (future generations) and their livelihood.. Here is the issue that this was avoidable... Nehemiah points out that they should work together rather than against each other... instead of competing -- sharing resources...
Is it true that they are powerless?
Powerlessness leads to hopelessness that results in a pattern of failure.
Having got out of slavery they were returning into slavery... Freedom from Babylon, Freedom from Persia.. entrapped by their own vices...
One of the ways that we Reclaim our Community is to listen to the
a. Collective Voice
When we face conflict or complaint, and especially when this provokes us to anger, we need to take time to think and to pray. In these quiet moments we are able to reflect calmly, to get to the root of the problems we face
Too often complaints are delivered in anger, without time for objective reflection and evaluation. Yet, on the other hand, some people never communicate their frustrations even when they should.
I will disappoint and frustrate them. But when this happens, I have asked that they think the matter over carefully. Then, I counsel, “If the issue turns out to be inconsequential—drop it. But if it really matters to you, come talk to me. Whatever you do, don’t store up your anger!”
During my years of ministry in Hollywood, I frequently heard Lloyd Ogilvie say to our staff, “Never say about someone something you are unwilling to say to that person within 24 hours.” If staff discussions required that I say something negative about someone in the congregation, then it was my duty to talk directly with that person. Lloyd would also say, “Keep short accounts.” And true to his own advice, if I ever did anything to offend him or if there seemed to be some discomfort between us, I would inevitably receive a telephone call from him, not for the purpose of putting me in my place, but to build understanding and a close working relationship
In Search of Excellence, testify to the importance of tolerating failure: “A special attribute of the success-oriented, positive, and innovating environment, is a substantial tolerance for failure.” They quote one business leader who claims, “You need the ability to fail. You cannot innovate unless you are willing to accept mistakes.” Not surprisingly, the freedom to fail must be exemplified by leaders. “Tolerance for failure is a specific part of the excellent company culture—and that lesson comes directly from the top. Champions have to make lots of tries and consequently suffer some failures or the organization won’t learn.”
If our community had something to say to us what would it be? Where are the hurts and offenses...
b. Where are there break downs
i Communication
T/S How do we Restore Broken Places and Reclaim Our Community ?
1. Commit to Understanding One another
2. Commit to a Winning Process
2. Commit to a Winning Process
When ever we have opposition or bad reports our initial response is to engage our emotions… We may get offended — the problem with our emotions is that we don’t have clarity… When Nehemiah hears the complaints of the people — He is initially angry…
6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them
8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say.
Look at Nehemiah responses.. -- He was angry at what he had been hearing.. It seems as though this was not known to him before this point... While he is focused on the walls --- the people were suffering... When heard what was happening - He became angry.. He has righteous anger... because of the injustice that impacting those who were powerless. Nehemiah is going to use his position to rectify the situation.. Nehemiah is a problem solver...
Nehemiah shares with us his process.
1. Personal Reflection — He goes and does some thinking…
One of the things about being any kind of leadership role including ministry is that you-- you expose yourself to Criticism... We find it in our homes and we find it in our business.. friendships...
How does Nehemiah handle critism -- he listens --
Nehemiah truly heard the cries of those who were being financially devastated—even though their cries implicated him!
Listening is one of the most important and most frequently ignored facets of leadership. To listen takes time and effort. It requires openness to new and even uncomfortable information. It may even conflict with our sense that leaders must be “out in front of the pack” telling everyone else what to do. Nevertheless, effective leaders listen. In their best-selling book, In Search of Excellence, Peters and Waterman conclude concisely, “The excellent companies are better listeners.” Top-notch organizations and individuals listen with special care when people express their misgivings and frustrations.
He took some alone time... took some counsel with himself...
The same passion he expressed in chapter 1 reappears here, this time as anger over the injustice done to God’s people. But Nehemiah did not act in the adrenaline rush of anger. Rather he took time to devote “serious thought” to what his response should be (v. 7).
Not only was the rebuilding project at risk, but the very future and unity of God’s people in Judah was at risk.
2. Bringing in the Influences and leaders of the Community
After deep thought… Nehemiah responded first by confronting “the nobles and rulers”: He accuses them of over taxing the people...
Then Nobels and governors who were meant to be looking after the people were giving our loans with exhorbeftent interest… somewhere in the realm of 12% per annum . the message says --- Nehemiah said "each one of you is gouging his brothers."
3. Calls the Community together.
After dealing with the Nobles.. He takes it to the bigger group the assembly... and he points out the problem... We are working cross purposes....
This whole time we have been trying to encourage people to return to Jerusalem --- bring back the captives who were sold to foreign nations and bring them back... the whole point was to free them from oppression and slavery... yet here you have put them back into slavery in their own nation...
Nehemiah presented the solution in such a way where he included himself in the solution..
Then Nehemiah says
The thing you are doing is not good... You are not walking in the fear of God... and the Glory of God is at Stake -- Nehemiah sees his own hand in the problem -- I and my brothers had the same practice of lending money.... Nehemiah... let us... abandoned this practice of charging interest... and let's return what belongs to the people -- their fields and vineyard and olive trees and vineyards... houses... and money grain and oil... all the different ways we have been taking from the people... .
When they heard what Nehemiah was saying they were silent.. It hit them in their hearts... They were at loss for words because they were confronted with the truth... When you are confronted with truth... there is no use trying to defend yourself...
Collectively the recognize their mistake... While Nehemiah has got them in this place... He helps them acknowledge their sin... The thing that you are doing is not good.. He presses them further.. it is not right --before God... You should not live like that... The sin is before God... arent we to be a witness to the gentile world? Aren't we to avoid being mocked by the nations?
Nehemiah called the lenders to “restore” all personal property held as security for loans (v. 11). They were also to give back the “hundred” that had been charged (v. 11). This term may indicate the percentage of interest, one-hundredth per month, or twelve percent per annum. It may also mean simply “percentage” in general
In either case, the lenders were to give back all profit made on the loans. Although the text does not state that slaves should be returned
Let us..(inclusive) stop tacking and exacting taxes... let us stop the practice of taking interest... Let's go beyond that --- Lets exercise generosity... instead of charging interest lets us return everything that we have taken... lets repair the breaches in the relationship... "Lets give back" -- Prefice our lives with the words - Lets give back... God has blessed lets give back to our family, lets give back to our community, lets give back to a relationship... lets give back to our church-- some generosity in these verses.. vineyards, olive groves-- houses... repay the money with 1% interest... like they had borrowed their money...
Wow this was quite the sermon... this is like that sermon on tithing... You know exactly where the preacher is heading... you know that its biblical... like the people in Malachi -- the conviction settles in... You have robed God... how? in your tithes and offerings...
Look at this response... Every message needs a response..
Then they said... We will restore and we will be back everything and more... and in the future we will not demand more...
The result is their was consensus.. there was buy in to the idea.... We will restore and require nothing from them..
Nehemiah then brought in the priests and had them make promise to carry out the decision.
4. Make Sacred Commitments.
Nehemiah takes it one step further.. lets get the priests and make an oath.. covenant... before God
In Israel oaths were often announced at a sacred place and a prophet or priest would preside over the oath ceremony. If someone violated the oath, it was considered a serious matter. Using the Lord’s name in an oath directly appealed to Him for involvement in the oath. Thus He is established as the supreme Enforcer and Judge in the oath. Those who violated oaths were considered to have defiled the name of the Lord
12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised.
13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
The fold of a garment was the ancient equivalent of a pocket. By emptying his fold while uttering these words, Nehemiah was stating dramatically: “If you don’t do as you have promised, may God take away all of your possessions.”
Nehemiah said ... may God shake every man out who does not follow through on the promise... and all the people said amen and they praised God..
The combination of strategies was successful, and the passage ends on a positive note: “Then the people did according to this promise” (v. 13).
T/S How do we Restore Broken Places and Reclaim Our Community ?
1. Commit to Understanding One another
2. Commit to a Winning Process
3. Commit to Giving Back.
3. Commit to Giving Back.
14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.
15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
Nehemiah goes onto to tell how for 12 years... After he was made Governor of Judah -- He continued to uphold that covenant... He never used his position to tax the people... on their grain that was his right... He did things differently from all the other governors... and took away the burden from the people -- He didn't only do that... He devoted himself to the work. -He personally took care of the officals and those who visited the region... about 150 everyday... catering for a small wedding everyday.. all this while refusing to take allowances from the people...
Rather he trusted to God to supply...
He PERSEVERED in the work...on the wall...
Nehemiah as govenor had the responsibiltiy to feed the many local officials as well as visiting dignitaries.. Normally this money came from taxes of the people… But
he paid the bill out of his personal resources. And what a bill it must have been—for a daily supply of “one ox and six choice sheep,” not to mention “fowl” and “all kinds of wine” (v. 18)!
Yet Nehemiah’s sensitivity to the “heavy bondage” already placed upon the people led him to drain his personal resources rather than add to the people’s bondage
As he gave he trusted that God would provide His needs...
Nehemiah gave 12 years of his life
1. He set a new Example
2. He Gave back personally
3 . He trusted God to supply for him personally
In typical style, Nehemiah ends this section with a prayer, asking God to “remember” him for all that he has done for Judah
Conclusion
.. As we think about our Community... we have Faith Community and we have the community that we live... What are the things that are holding us back... Nehemiah stood before God and the People.. made an oath.. they were all in... They were commited to understanding One another! Commited to winning process they weren't going to give up... They gave back Generously