How to Keep Going When You'd Rather Quit: Part 2

Pat McFall

The Good Work • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

0 ratings

· 3 views

Not only does Nehemiah face opposition from the outside, He also discovers opposition from inside his own people. While common people are looking to survive, Nehemiah confronts community leaders looking to take advantage. Nehemiah knew that taking care of ‘family business’ was as important as being prepared for threats from the outside. We cannot neglect the inward heart-work necessary to the restoration of our own souls and community.

Notes

Transcript

Handout

Introduction: There I was in my living room freaking out repeating the same phrase

The Problem:

Sometimes I can be so focused on what’s happening OUTSIDE circumstances that I neglect the INSIDE

Big Idea: I don’t want whatever I’m facing EXTERNALLY to distract me from the work that God is doing INTERNALLY. Why? B/C one I can’t control, the other I can.

This is as true organizationally as it is personally

We get a sense that internally something isn’t right in Ch.3....

Nehemiah 3:5 ESV

5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

It’s in Chapter 5 that we see the heart of the Nobles exposed

Nehemiah 5:1–5 NLT

1 About this time some of the men and their wives raised a cry of protest against their fellow Jews. 2 They were saying, “We have such large families. We need more food to survive.” 3 Others said, “We have mortgaged our fields, vineyards, and homes to get food during the famine.” 4 And others said, “We have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes. 5 We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”

The Good Work is taking a toll — it was straining an already strained economic subsystem

The people are strapped financially — One group is looking to survive — the other is looking to take advantage

3 Groups: no food to feed their families — No money to buy food — in debt

Out cry is to their ‘fellow Jews’ — the noble class of Jews

The one who is motivated by fear, anxiety or self-preservation, can always find a good reason for a bad decision.

The one who is motivated by God’s love can only make decisions looking through the lens of Christ on that Cross

The financial stress of the moment was causing people to make short term decisions with long term negative consequences

STORY/Illustration: Where did our Fridge Go?

When Tarah didn’t get the job I started selling our stuff (Fridge…)

I started mortgaging my time out of fear (Work more = Provide more)

A little bit of wisdom — discipline — and a budget would have solved it

What about making long term emotional decisions based on short term stresses

What about making long term life changing decisions based on unresolved inner conflict or insecurity

I don’t want to make long term decisions based on short term unhappiness

Nehemiah’s Response? Nehemiah Went First...

1. Go First

Nehemiah 5:6–7 NLT

6 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 7 After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.

Defines Reality and Calls out those responsible

Vs.7 — Usery — charging excessive Interest

VS.8 — Slavery — Selling their kids into Slavery — Jews selling Jews into slavery

There is no outside circumstance that will absolve me of my responsibility to take ownership of my thoughts, actions and decisions

Not only does he go first he goes further...

2. Go Further

Take personal responsibility

Nehemiah 5:10 NLT

10 I myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending the people money and grain, but now let us stop this business of charging interest.

Nehemiah knew that the Work Project had taken a toll — He even lent money and grain — He owned his part

Challenge towards Justice and Generosity

Nehemiah 5:11-13 — Returned fields to their owners, gave back the interest

Nehemiah 5:14-19 —

never took from their entitled food allowance (b/c he feared God)

he personally worked on the wall — made his servants too

didn’t acquire any land

Personally fed 150 officials out of his own pocket

The example we have in Jesus is that the popular decision or the safe decision is never as important as the right decision.

Conclusion:

I don’t want whatever I’m facing EXTERNALLY to distract me from the work that God is doing INTERNALLY. Why? B/C the one I can’t control, the other I can.

Nehemiah went First: He built the Wall —

Nehemiah went Further: He fixed addressed an internal problem that could have ruined it all

How we get there is as important as getting there — It matters ‘how’

Go first — have the hard conversation — Go further: take ownership —

Go first — initiate with your kids — Go further: try and understand where they are coming from

Jesus went First: He fixed the vertical relationship between God and Humanity — (rights, entitlements…)

Jesus went Further: When he empowered us with his Holy Spirit to heal our horizontal relationships

He went FIRST so we could go NEXT

1. Ask Him to be your Savior — 2. Now ask Him to be the LORD over every area of your life

Related Media

Related Sermons