Loving God By Loving Others

Historical Background

The Story of Nehemiah occurs around 446 BC. Although the people had lived in the Promised Land for centuries, Judah was no longer in the land by the time Nehemiah was born. Because of the nation’s disobedience, God allowed the Babylonians to conquer Judah in 586 BC. The enemy empire destroyed the city of Jerusalem, captured most of the citizens, and took them 1,000 miles away to Babylon.

During the 140 years between the destruction of Jerusalem and the story of Nehemiah, the events in Daniel and Esther took place. The Babylonian Empire itself was conquered by the Persians. Some Jews were allowed to return and try to fix up the temple and the city of Jerusalem. That is were Nehemiah’s story begins.

Nehemiah lived in the royal city of Susa, under the rule of Artaxerxes, King of Persia. He has a position of responsibility and trust as the cupbearer to the king.

INTRODUCTION

When one of Nehemiah’s brothers and some friends return from a trip to the homeland, Nehemiah asks about the condition of Jerusalem. He wanted to hear about the success of the group who had returned to restore and rebuild.

The opening of Nehemiah shows Jerusalem’s walls are torn down and Nehemiah is repenting for the sins of Israel which he recognizes as the reason for their Exile from the Holy City Jerusalem.

Then he remembers Deuteronomy 4:29-31, that Moses had promised one day that God will again gather the dispersed people of Israel and bring them to repentance, and the place He has chosen for this to happen is Jerusalem.

This is huge, this is the restoration of the prophecy that was foretold. Moses makes mention of this again in Deuteronomy 30:3 “Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God scattered you.”

Nehemiah opens his book by pointing to the fact that he desires to go back to Jerusalem and start on those walls because, presumably, he cannot reconcile in his mind the Jerusalem that is found in shambles.

So, he returns to rebuild, and for all we know from inside the story, it looks good. The team makes progress, each with a role and each getting it done. Then they rise above the opposition, trusting in God and resuming the work. But then there is chapter five, the explosion.

THE OUTCRY THAT STOPPED PROGRESS

Good works never just happen. How we treat other people is determined by what we think about God, by who he is and what he has done. Whether implicit or explicit, this is fundamentally the case. It is not by accident that the great commandment is to love God, and then the second, is to love people. (Matt. 22:36-40)

Our vertical relationship inevitably will impact our horizontal relationships. It is this point in general that seems to ruin the narrative we have been reading.

Everything seems to be going good. The people have rallied around Nehemiah and his vision they are working night and day to get the job done on the wall. So, it starts big, and things look promising, but then it all blows up and leaves us unfulfilled.

Nehemiah 5:1–5 ESV

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.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

BIG IDEA: If you truly fear God it will show in how you love others.

1. The Threat from Within

Churches Should Have a 'Love-Radius'

Bombs have what's called a "blast-radius," defined as the distance from the source that will be affected when an explosion occurs. Churches should have love-radius's—anyone within twenty miles of a church should know it and be positively affected by the church's love.

You might be wondering why we turn away from the walls when things were just getting good. We turn away from the walls to real life problems that are going on like a famine, and the sins of the people.

Just as Nehemiah had to deal with external threats He now has to deal with threats from within. This chapter takes us into a digression of later calculated deeper troubles, balanced with the recent threat of military action and on the loyalty of the leadership. Chronologically verses 1-13 take place some 12 years down the road of the rebuilding process.

We must remember that Judah’s post-exilic history did not begin with Nehemiah’s arrival, nor even with the great trouble and shame which were reported to him in Susa. His diverting of manpower from raising crops to raising walls may have been the final burden. Perhaps if they had not left to go build the wall they could have stored up food and provisions for themselves and their families.

We have a strong connection between the walls and the poor. One of the reasons that God judged Israel so harshly and sent the Babylonian’s to tear down the walls, destroy the temple and take the people into exile was because of the way they treated the poor among them. We read in Isaiah 1:23

Isaiah 1:23 ESV

23 Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them.

Similarly we read that Ezekiel condemned the detestable practice of placing heavy burdens on the people and charging excessive interest and making unjust gain.

We even read of Jesus speaking to the Sadducee's and Pharisee’s by placing heavy yokes of burden on the people by exacting the temple tax. The moral degradation of the leaders and people was one reason for the destruction of the walls; their moral transformation was expected when the walls were being rebuilt.

*The Threat of the Fear that Forms Us

Fears have a way of overcoming us. I wonder how much we are formed by our fears. You might see this in yourself, you might see this in others, you might see this in your church.

Some Examples:

Those who fear failure might be cautious about trying anything new, or anything that might stretch their faith and trust.

Those who fear being alone might marry unwisely, or keep friends who are unhelpful.

Those who fear being different, or ridiculed for their faith might give up on Christianity, or change it’s message.

Those who fear persecution might keep their Christian identity hidden.

Of course there are also some good and wise fears. It is good to fear the affects of smoking, too much alcohol or a bad diet. We rightly teach our children a respectful water, and of traffic. We warn them about stranger danger, and teach them to say no when they need to!

Perfect Fear Casting Out Love Perfect love may cast out fear, but fear is remarkably potent in casting out love. —P. D. James, English author (1920- )

The Problem

There was a famine among the Jews, and it was so severe that it lead to the following situation.

Wage earning could not afford to buy food.

Some had to mortgage their land and houses, and then lost them because they could not repay.

Some borrowed money to pay the kings tax, then they could not repay that, so they sold their children into slavery.

We must take into account that such a monumental undertaking of rebuilding the wall and financing an army was a financial strain and burden on the people. The Persian empire had a very effective taxation system, and that it cost a lot of money to support their project. It could be that building the walls put much pressure on an already vulnerable economy.

"King Arthur": No Fear in Trust

The movie King Arthur retells the legend of the great warrior king who ruled England in the dark ages. Arthur (Clive Owen) is a Christian of Roman origin, but his knights are all pagans who were forced into service at a young age. Arthur has won over their allegiance by his selfless leadership, but they have retained the religion of their youth. In this scene, Arthur is preparing his supplies in a dimly lit stable. He’s about to lead his knights on their last perilous quest before they will each be granted their freedom. Arthur, who is yet be king, is frustrated that his superiors would send his knights on such a dangerous mission just before they are to be released from duty—so he takes his discouragement to God. He sets down the saddle he’s carrying and bows in prayer.

Lancelot, emerging from the darkness, overhears him. Lancelot asks, “Why do you always talk to God and not to me? Pray to whomever you pray that we don't cross the Saxons.” “My faith is what protects me, Lancelot. Why do you challenge this?” “I don't like anything that puts a man on his knees,” Lancelot replies. “No man fears to kneel before the God he trusts,” says Arthur. “Without faith, without belief in something, what are we?”

We all bow the knee to something why not God instead of the Fear of the Unknown.

*The Threat of the Way we Relate to People

THE OUTCRY

The Outcry is from Jew to Jews

The Jews are not crying out against the people of the land, and the people of the land are not crying out against the Jews. This is an infraction that deals with the way that people of God relate to one another. This is the main concern of the Text.

You have always heard me say that we should expect the world to act like the world and the people of God to act like the people of God.

“Now there arose a great outcry.”

The word for “outcry” is the same one used in Genesis 18:21 when God heard the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, and then in Exodus 3:7 when Israel cried out about their unjust taskmasters.

It is the kind of word that we’d think has no business in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

However, this is the case here with the people. And this time the outcry has nothing to do with evil outsiders trying to attack. It is coming from withing the family, from among the people of God themselves.

The Nobles and Officials are preying on the vulnerable. The advantaged people are exploiting the disadvantaged.

Nehemiah Addresses the Situation

Nehemiah 5:6–13 ESV

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. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 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.

How did Nehemiah Respond to the Problem?

First he was angry, and rightfully so.

Notice in verse 1 of Nehemiah he was sad, then waited before he acted; here he was angry and then pondered before he acted. Then he exposed the sin that resulted from the problem of the famine, and exposed the people who sinned. Nehemiah doesn’t hold his words for the wrongdoers.

2. The Lack of the Fear of God

The Good Fear After an Awesome Storm

Suppose you were exploring an unknown glacier in the north of Greenland in the dead of winter. Just as you reach a sheer cliff with a spectacular view of miles and miles of jagged ice and snow covered mountains, a terrible storm breaks in. The wind is so strong that the fear arises that it might blow you and your party right over the cliff. But in the midst of it you discover a cleft in the ice where you can hide. Here you feel secure, but the awesome might of the storm rages on and you watch it with a kind of trembling pleasure as it surges out across the distant glaciers.

At first, there was the fear that this terrible storm and awesome terrain might claim your life. But then you found a refuge and gained the hope that you would be safe. But not everything in the feeling called fear vanished. Only the life-threatening part. There remains the trembling, the awe, the wonder, the feeling that you would never want to tangle with such a storm or be the adversary of such a power.

God’s power is behind the unendurable cold of Arctic storms. Yet he cups his hand around us and says, “Take refuge in my love and let the terrors of my power become the awesome fireworks of your happy night sky.”

The crux of the issue is the issue of ‘the fear of our God’. He wanted them to stop charging interest on their loans to the poor, and to give back what they had extorted from the people. Charging a fellow Israelite interest was against the Levitical law in scripture.

First we read that Nehemiah was angry. Let’s take a moment and consider what righteous anger looks like.

Notice what Ephesians 4:26

Ephesians 4:26 ESV

26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

tells us about being angry.

7 Things that Anger God

Proverbs 6:16–19 ESV

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Notice that the things that God hates and brings Him to anger are those things that are a direct violation of His character. God is righteous, just, and holy and none of these attributes can be compromised.

Notice the 7th thing that he finds an abomination: ONE WHO SOWS DISCORD AMONG THE BROTHERS.

Anyone who purposely causes disruption to peace in the body of Christ will displease God above all, since that person gives room for others to sin and for himself to sin further (1 John 2:9–11; 4:19–21).

Moreover, Jesus pronounced a great blessing on peacemakers, the privilege to be called “sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

This was one of the very thing that the brothers were doing by exploiting the people for their own gain and reward.

Righteous Anger

Normal anger is rooted in selfishness and pride which is sin. This type of anger is manifested when someone cuts us off while driving, the employ is taking too long bringing our meal at our favorite restaurant, or somebody criticizes us for something we did wrong.

Righteous anger is rooted in a deep love for God and for others. This type of anger is justified before the Lord. If we have righteous anger because of someone slandering God’s name, our anger is justified.

However, if we grow angry because someone did not sing the song we wanted sung in worship, or we feel slighted or didn’t get the affirmation we thought we should for something we did for the Church, we are not justified and are sinning.

If God’s name is being used in vain, then as a believer, it is permissible to have righteous anger. Jesus demonstrated righteous anger when He cleared out the money changers in the Temple. (Matt. 21:12-13) Jesus was so angry that He flipped over tables and drove people out with a whip.

Note: Notice that Nehemiah takes some time to check himself. He took counsel with himself before diving into the sin He wanted to address. Remember that we are imperfect people, and while we must sometimes get angry, we must always take care that we do not let our anger lead us to sinful desires and behaviors.

Every time that we are mad we should check ourselves to see if we are upset at the things that God hates. Otherwise we may be angry without a just cause therefore, giving the devil a foothold into our lives that leads us to sinning.

Anger is one of the human emotions that most people are prone to sinful abuse, and this is why Paul also warns us in v.31 to put anger away. Paul is only recognizing that anger, even if it is godly at first, is too often perverted into feelings of malice instead of a longing to see offenders repent.

*The Call to Costly Grace

Notice that this call was motivated when he used: ‘Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God?” Part of the greatest commandment was to love our neighbor as ourselves.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it “the grace of Jesus Christ is costly because it requires us to put off the old self and “put on the new self, created to be like God. Costly grace is pure and real. It is beautiful, it is sweet, and it is hard. Costly Grace is also at the heart of true discipleship.

Nehemiah 5:14–19 ESV

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. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

3. A Pattern of Leadership to Follow

*The Pattern of Love for People

Look at the balance we see between verses 14-15 and those of 16-17. Nehemiah is free to forgo privileges that belonged to him. Nehemiah steps into a situation where, as we wee in verse 15, there is an established practice of the governor of the land of Judah having economic and culinary privileges.

What establishes people to let go of such privileges? No one has forced Nehemiah to do this. What freed him from the enjoyment of such privileges? Nehemiah knows something better than food and money, a deep abiding love for God’s people.

Note: Nehemiah cares more about the people who would bear the burden of taxation to provide the governor allowance than he cares more about his own ease.

Nehemiah believes that there is something much higher and better and more enjoyable than indulging oneself in this world, and we will see that from what he prays in verse 19.

*The Pattern of Calloused Hands

We see the devotion to work and the people modeled by Nehemiah and his men in verse 16. Nehemiah was not afraid to get his hands dirty. He said,

“I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.”

Nehemiah did not shy away from getting his hands dirty. The Leadership of your church should be some of the hardest workers of your Church.

They should be the first one’s to arrive on Sunday and the last to leave after everyone is gone. The call to selfless service is not for the faint of heart for sure, it is a call to self-less love and self-sacrifice.

Here is the problem, we many church leaders that instead of exhibiting self-sacrifice they are preying on the body to do the work while they sit back and soak in the glory.

*The Pattern of Selfless Generosity

Exalting Jesus in Ezra-Nehemiah (Nehemiah and the Governor’s Allowance (Nehemiah 5:14–19))

There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table. Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days. But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

Notice that Nehemiah sacrificed and ox every day. Can you imagine slaughtering an ox a day. I do not know how big Nehemiah’s herd of oxen was, but he referred to a 12 year period of time in verse 14. Twelve years multiplied by 365 days is 4,380 oxen. He either had a heard big enough to sustain that or he had the money to buy that many oxen. He also slaughtered six sheep per day, and in 12 years that’s 26,280 sheep.

This is enormous wealth and generosity that Nehemiah trusted God with and showed how much he loved God’s people, so he did not take advantage of his privilege.

We see no indication here that he felt guilty about having the means to sacrifice an ox and six sheep every day and have an abundance of all kinds of wine, every 10 days. There are poor people in the land. Showing extravagant love.

Those in Leadership Positions in your Church should be some of the most Generous people with their money and labor.

Being a Slave to the Lender

Proverbs 22:7.

Dave Ramsey who does Financial Peace University talks about how Christians should work to be debt free so that they are free to share from the bounty of what God has given them, so, that they can give like no one else.

If we recognize that God makes poor and rich, we will see wealth and all it enables as blessings from God, not sins about which we should feel guilty. If God makes poor and rich, then we have little control over how much we have as we have control over who our parents are.

The building you are worshiping in this morning and the land that it sets on is a direct result of the selfless giving of wealth from those that God has blessed with the ability to give like no one else.

A group of millionaires in Houston from Tallawood Baptist Church donated $250,000 to build the building that countless people have received the good news of the gospel and countless people have been saved to new life. Unfortunately we live in a culture that hordes what they have and sparingly give as they take care of themselves first and if there is any left they will sparingly give it back to God.

Nehemiah is as generous as he is wealthy. He feeds 150 people at his table. Apparently he believes that God has sovereignly given him plenty, believes it his responsibility to steward what he has been given rather than divest himself of it, and believes that he can use the excess at his disposal to advance God’s kingdom.

“Remember for my good, my God, all that I have done for this people.”

Note: Why would Nehemiah ask God to remember for his good what he has done? It seems that he wants the good that he has done for God’s people to be remembered because he is looking to the reward. He is looking for the great accounting of the breathtaking pleasures and heart-filling joys will be known by those who lived for God rather than for themselves.

Faith in what we Cannot See

Nehemiah comes to the end of chapter 15 by highlighting the source of his selflessness. Nehemiah wants to serve God and God’s people because he believes that living by faith and not by sight is far more rewarding than living for the things we can see. The fear that grips us to hold on to what is ours for fear that it will not be enough.

If you worship money you are a sinner and should repent and trust Christ.

If you use your money to abuse others to benefit yourselves, you are not treating them as you would treat yourself. You need to repent of your sin and trust Christ.

If you do not seek to use your money to advance the kingdom of God can you really say you love God and His church, you must repent of your self-centeredness and trust in Jesus.

CLOSING

If God is your God, not money … if you are wisely seeking how to best steward what God has given you for the kingdom of God … if you are loving your neighbor as yourself and experiencing the blessings of God … then do not let anyone take you captive of feeling guilty for enjoying the blessings of God.

But if you are abusing what God has given you then the guilt we may feel today is warranted against the lack of true love and compassion for the people of God and the ministry He has called you to live out through generosity.