Nehemiah 5:14-19 Biblical Leadership

Intro

The world needs godly leaders.

Whether its in the boardroom or the living room, leadership is a necessity of life.

People either get to experience the blessing of effective leadership or the frustration of poor leadership.

In fact, all of us are in a position of leadership some form or another.

Some of us manage teams at work.

If you are a husband you are called to lead your family

And if you are a mother or father, you are called to lead your children.

And some people hold leadership positions in the church

The problem most of us face when examining our leadership is that even though we know we need to lead well in whatever areas God has entrusted to us, many of us don’t really know how to do it.

As we study , we are going to see three biblical motivations for leadership that help us to effectively lead others in a way that honors God and blesses those we lead.

What Is Leadership?

In a basic sense, leadership is nothing more than influence.

Leaders are able to influence others to work towards a common goal or purpose.

If you have someone who is not able to influence others to follow them towards a bigger purpose, then they are not a leader, they are a marching band to nowhere.

On the other hand, just because someone is able to lead others to achieve a common goal, doesn’t mean they are a biblical leader.

First, we are confused because there are so many examples of worldly leadership that seem to work.

Leadership is as much about the people you lead as it is about accomplishing something.

If leadership is just influence, then the type of influence used is open to interpretation.

If you are a leader that is firing on all cylinders, accomplishing everything that is put before you, but the people you lead are chewed up and spit out in an effort to get there, are you leading people or using them?

For example, you can be an absolute dictator of a leader who bullies everyone around you into falling in line

True leadership seeks to lead others to accomplish something while at the same time, seeks the good of the group as a whole.

Am I Really A Leader?

But before we look at our passage we need to overcome a two common struggles that happen when you start talking about biblical leadership.

First, people assume that biblical leadership only applies to leadership positions in the church. That it has no practical good for leadership in the workplace.

I would encourage you to remember the work that Nehemiah is leading in. He is not leading a worship service or a Bible study. Instead he is leading a reconstruction effort to rebuild walls of Jerusalem.

If you’ll remember, these walls represent God’s kingdom because they will protect God’s people and allow them to once again be a light to the nations proclaiming that God will forgive sinners through the Messiah God had promised.

Their rebuilding of the wall prepared the way for Jesus to come and die for the sins of the world.

Nehemiah showing us what biblical leadership looks like by leading a reconstruction effort tells us that we cannot confuse the goals of leadership with the principles of leadership.

Do not confuse the goals of leadership with the principles of leadership.

Leaders have different goals. Athletic coaches lead to win games. Business managers lead to make a profit. Parents lead to grow mature children. Church leaders lead to help people grow in Christ.

Even though your goals might be different, as a Christian, the way you go about those goals should seek to honor God and love others.

If you are in a position of leadership, it is especially important for you to lead biblically so that you can be a light to those you lead of God’s salvation.

If you say that you love Jesus, but act like a tyrannical dictator to those you lead, what effect does that have on your witness?

All Christian leaders, no matter where they are called to lead, should aim to lead biblically.

The second obstacle when talking about biblical leadership is that people who do not hold traditional positions of leadership assume that they are not leaders.

Do not mistake a position of authority as leadership.

The fact of the matter is, if you are able to have influence with another person, you are a leader even if you aren’t over them in the organizational chart.

This means you don’t have to be a CG leader or a manager to be a leader.

Every Christian has the opportunity to lead someone. We just call it discipleship.

Spiritual leadership seeks to move people onto God’s agenda. To lead them to live in line with God’s purposes for their life.

Spiritual leaders want to see others repent of their sin, put their faith in Christ, and grow in godliness.

This means if you are a parent, do you not have influence over your children to disciple them in the Lord?

Or at work, even if no one is under you in the company, are you working to influence them with the gospel so that they might be saved?

Even in church life. You don’t have to be a community group leader to disciple others. What would it look like to invite a younger couple over to dinner to talk about marriage or to encourage someone in your CG using the experience God has given you to help them respond in a situation like Christ would.

Just because you aren’t in a position of leadership does not mean you aren’t a leader. You are still called as a Christian to influence others for the glory of God and their good. That is discipleship.

Whether you are leading thousands or just one person, you are a leader.

So every Christian in some way has been entrusted with some form of leadership to steward for the glory of God and the good of others.

Or

How Should We Lead?

While a leader who only focuses on the people they lead, run

This is where we begin to define what does godly leadership look like.

If every person is a Leader in one area of their life or another, and if Leadership is influencing others towards a common goal, then how does the Bible say we are to lead?

This is where we begin to examine the method, or how to, of leadership.

There are worldly examples of leadership that are effective.

You can yell and bully others into doing what you want them to, that is influence that is effective, but it doesn’t mean its right.

When we begin to live our life based on what works instead of what God says in his Word, then we to live a life driven by pragmatism instead of faith.

In whatever area we lead, whether that is on a team at work, a ministry in the church, or our families, our primary question should not be, “What will work?”

Instead we must ask, “What is godly?”

In God’s Word he has provided everything we need for life and godliness.

And God, being wise and perfect, knows what is best for us and how we ought to live in order to glorify him and love others well.

So when we as Christians begin to ask, “How should we lead?” the answer is “Biblically.”

Jesus clearly told us how godly leaders will lead.

He said that they will not lord over and dominate those they lead.

Instead, biblical leaders are called to serve.

This is a countercultural idea. In our minds, leaders should be served.

But the way servant leadership is effective

In fact it is so upside down from the way we understand leadership naturally, that Jesus had to explicitly show us what true leadership looks like.

 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

For example, politicians call themselves public servants, but few of us actually believe they are serving for anything more than to stay in power another term.

Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, a task that was only done by the lowest servants of the day to show them that even God himself is not above serving us, and because of that we should strive to serve others for their good.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

The Bible tells us that to truly see

And if we listen to Jesus, and start to lead others by seeking ways to serve and help them, then he promises that we will be blessed. And not only will we be blessed, but those we lead will also experience the blessing of biblical leadership.

But it is not enough to know we are called to serve those we lead. For leaders, the temptation will always be there to abuse the position the Lord has entrusted to us for others good and to use people for our own benefit because leadership is hard work.

As we will see in , godly leaders want to serve those they lead because

they want to worship God in their leadership and

love others as they lead them instead of seeking their own gain.

This is why we get so frustrated when people in positions of leadership abuse their power for selfish gain. There is something in us that knows Jesus example of leadership is true and right.

Leaders are not to lord over those they lead, but serve them.

But leadership is a difficult job. And when temptation comes to seek our best interest instead of what is best for those we lead, how can we answer this temptation and continue to serve others like Christ served us?

To truly practice servant leadership as Jesus taught us, we must be driven by godly motivations.

Without understanding the heart motivations that help us to actually desire to serve those we lead, then our leadership will constantly fall into the trap of seeking to serve ourselves instead of others.

But before we look at our passage we need to overcome a two common struggles that happen when you start talking about biblical leadership.

First, people assume that biblical leadership only applies to leadership positions in the church. That it has no practical good for leadership in the workplace.

I would encourage you to remember the work that Nehemiah is leading in. He is not leading a worship service or a Bible study. Instead he is leading a reconstruction effort to rebuild walls of Jerusalem.

If you’ll remember, these walls represent God’s kingdom because they will protect God’s people and allow them to once again be a light to the nations proclaiming that God will forgive sinners through the Messiah God had promised.

Their rebuilding of the wall prepared the way for Jesus to come and die for the sins of the world.

Do not confuse the goals of leadership with the principles of leadership.

Leaders have different goals. Athletic coaches lead to win games. Business managers lead to make a profit. Parents lead to grow mature children.

Even though your goals might be different, as a Christian, the way you go about those goals should seek to honor God and love others.

If you are in a position of leadership, it is especially important for you to lead biblically so that you can be a light to those you lead of God’s salvation.

If you say that you love Jesus, but act like a tyrannical dictator to those you lead, what effect does that have on your witness?

All Christian leaders, no matter where they are called to lead, should aim to lead biblically.

The second obstacle when talking about biblical leadership is that people who do not hold traditional positions of leadership assume that they are not leaders.

Do not mistake a position of authority as leadership.

The fact of the matter is, if you are able to have influence with another person, you are a leader even if you aren’t over them in the organizational chart.

This means you don’t have to be a CG leader or a manager to be a leader.

Every Christian has the opportunity to lead someone. We just call it discipleship.

Spiritual leadership seeks to move people onto God’s agenda. To lead them to live in line with God’s purposes for their life.

Spiritual leaders want to see others repent of their sin, put their faith in Christ, and grow in godliness.

This means if you are a parent, do you not have influence over your children to disciple them in the Lord?

Or at work, even if no one is under you in the company, are you working to influence them with the gospel so that they might be saved?

Even in church life. You don’t have to be a community group leader to disciple others. What would it look like to invite a younger couple over to dinner to talk about marriage or to encourage someone in your CG using the experience God has given you to help them respond in a situation like Christ would.

Just because you aren’t in a position of leadership does not mean you aren’t a leader. You are still called as a Christian to influence others for the glory of God and their good. That is discipleship.

So what does it look like to lead biblically? What does it look like for us to serve others for God’s glory and their good?

As we study 9 we will see that Godly leadership is driven by godly motivation.

Leaders serve because they worship God,

they love others

And they want to be faithful stewards.

Leaders Serve Because They Worship God

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.

What is happening in this section is Nehemiah is reflecting back on his time in Jerusalem.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

He is stepping out of the chronological progression of how the walls were rebuilt and saying, “That whole time, while the wall was being built, when our enemies were threatening us, and when our own people began to oppress each other, and after the walls were completed, that 12 years I served as governor, this is what I was doing.”

He says that he was appointed as a governor of Judah and served for 12 years.

Consider the power and authority Nehemiah now has.

Before coming to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, he was the cupbearer to Artaxerxes which means he had a personal relationship to the king of the Persian Empire.

Artaxerxes likely installed Nehemiah as a governor of Judah because he knew he could trust him especially in the face of a potential revolt against the Persians in Egypt.

In the Province Beyond the River, Nehemiah was one of the most influential and powerful leaders in the land.

And yet, that entire time he says, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

In that day, the governor of the land was given the right to demand food from the people in order to rule.

neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

Nehemiah even says that the governors who ruled before him went so far to lay heavy burdens on the people and took from them their daily ration forty shekels of silver.

In other words, not only did the governors before Nehemiah make the people work just to keep Jerusalem going, but they also laid on them taxes to pay for their lavish lifestyles.

In fact, it was so bad that even the servants of the governors would lord it over the people.

Everyone associated with the governors before Nehemiah cared nothing for the people. Instead they abused the people for their own gain and life of ease.

But Nehemiah said I did not do so.

Nehemiah willingly gave up what was his by right.

No one would’ve said anything if he had taken advantage of the financial and culinary privileges. It was already an established practice of the governors who came before him.

Without anyone forcing him to, Nehemiah breaks the pattern. Why?

He said it was because he feared God.

Nehemiah was able to let go of the privileges of his position because he knew there was something better than those privileges.

He knew there was something better than money and food and exercising power over others.

Better than indulging in the pleasures of this world, was loving God.

It is all too common that leaders will take for themselves the privileges of leadership on the backs of the very people they are called to serve.

To take advantage of the position of authority entrusted to them and to use it for their own benefit.

We see it when leaders cut corners to try and get ahead for selfish gain.

They will call everyone else to work hard for the Lord all while they enjoy a life of ease and plenty under the guise that they are “leading.”

They will use their position of leadership to get rich or at least skim a little off the top because hey, they deserve it.

They will abuse people and get angry and cruel because who is going to say no to the beloved leader.

Or they will install their friends and yes-men in positions of authority with them, even if they are not the best leaders for the people just so they can hold on to their power.

In other words, leaders are tempted to use their leadership for their own glory and ends rather than God’s.

Though they can start leading with good intentions, godly leaders must constantly be on the look out for the temptation to lead and make decisions for our own benefit, and instead remember that we are called to lead first and foremost for the glory of God.

God is honored when his people find him more enjoyable than anything this world has to offer.

And if leaders themselves refuse to see God as more glorious than anything that this world can give them, then how can they lead people to see God that way too.

Leaders who lead for the things world, will soon find themselves living for the things of the world.

Nehemiah knew that in his leadership, he was serving something bigger than himself.

This is why he was able to let go of all the rights and privileges that came with his position.

He didn’t see his leadership as something to be selfishly leveraged for his own benefit.

But instead wanted to use the influence God gave him to glorify God with his life.

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

What is going on here is two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John, come to Jesus and they ask him to let them sit at his right and left hand in heaven.

In other words, to have a position of honor and glory next to Christ.

After this the rest of the disciples get mad at James and John because they want to have that position of authority for themselves and so Jesus answers them with this passage.

Jesus makes it clear, worldly leaders are more concerned about exercising authority over others instead of serving them. They want to have glory over those they lead

Notice Jesus says that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over the ones they are called to lead just like the servants of the governors who came before Nehemiah.

Instead, Jesus says if anyone of you wants to be great, they must be a slave of all.

If you want to be a great leader, if you want to have honor, if you want to lead others toward something that matters the way to do that is not by demanding it on the backs of those you lead,

Instead, you must let go of all your rights and privileges to serve others because you are not meant to be the primary beneficiary of your leadership. Others are.

Jesus even grounds his call for us to serve others in our leadership by pointing to his death.

Jesus did not come thinking to himself, how can I get the most out of this, he came to suffer and die for our sins so that we could be forgiven through faith in his sacrifice.

Leaders are able to serve others because they see their leadership as something to be used to glorify God, not reap personal benefits.

This is exactly what Nehemiah did in forgoing the allowance afforded to the governor.

Instead of laying more burdens on the people, he sought their good because he knew God had placed him in that position to serve his purposes, not so Nehemiah could use the people for his own gain.

As we let go of our rights and privileges to serve others, the first question that must be on our minds is how can I glorify God in this rather than how can I benefit from this.

Examples:

As we let go of our rights and privileges to serve others, the first question that must be on our minds is how can I glorify God in this rather than how can I benefit from this.

So the next time you are at work and one of the people on your team fails to do something you asked them to, what does it look like to glorify God versus working for your selfish gain?

When we remember that we are called to serve them in a way that glorifies God, we are able to help correct them with gentleness and love.

Conversely, if we are leading so that we can have an easy Thursday to enjoy, we will be rude and snap at them to make them feel embarrassed and ashamed so that they know, not to do it again.

Leaders serve because they worship God.

When we remember that God has placed us in positions of leadership for his glory, we are able to be gentle and loving instead of short and irritable

Or what if one of your kids is just irritating to you

Leaders Serve Because They Love Others

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.

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.

Instead of taking advantage of the food allowance for the governor, Nehemiah instead chose to work among the people.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

He said that he persevered on the work on the wall and all his servants were even gathered there for the work.

To help motivate the people, Nehemiah led by example.

It is common to see leaders grow lazy in their work under the guise of leadership.

They will treat the burden of leadership as an excuse to not labor diligently.

While calling others to work hard, they will take advantage of their position to do whatever they want.

This temptation makes sense for leaders because who is actually holding them accountable?

But Nehemiah continues to work hard and even pays his own servants to help rebuild the walls.

Godly leaders must lead by example.

They do not lead as hypocrites placing expectations on others that they themselves refuse to live up to.

One of the quickest ways to lose the trust of those you lead, is for your character to be inconsistent with your words.

If you instruct your kids not to be impatient or rude to others and yet you snap at them or your spouse when you are stressed out, you show them that words don’t matter much when the pressure is on.

Leaders show others where to go, they don’t just tell them.

They must lead by example

Not only this, but Nehemiah also says that he acquired no land.

Those they lead may get fed up and abandon the leader, but more often than not, they are too afraid to confront the

Given how poor the people of Judah were during this time, Nehemiah could’ve gotten involved in a little real-estate speculation buying up forfeited land at a bargain price and reselling it later at a huge profit.

But that would have only benefitted and served himself at the expense of others so he refused and even commanded his servants not to get caught up in it.

Nehemiah remembered that he was there to serve God’s kingdom by helping the people rebuild the wall.

That God had entrusted Nehemiah with his leadership to serve God’s purposes

Then Nehemiah says “Moreover.”

Not only was I working on the wall,

I wasn’t trying to get rich on people’s property

and I even paid my personal servants to help with the work,

Not only that, but 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.

Being the governor, Nehemiah also had to take care of the officials in his province and officials of other parts of the Persian Empire as they traveled between their homes and the capital in Susa for governmental work.

Nehemiah is saying that for 12 years, he cared for 150 men at his own table.

This raises the question, if he wasn’t taking the food allowance from the people, how in the world was Nehemiah paying for all this?

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.

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.

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.

Out of his own savings, Nehemiah fed 150 people every day for 12 years without ever turning in a single expense report.

And it wasn’t like Nehemiah was feeding ramen noodles. He was slaughtering an ox and six choice sheep and birds. Every. Day.

Can you imagine that? Over a 12 year period that is 4,380 oxen and 26,280 sheep and birds.

I don’t know how big Nehemiah’s herds were or how great his wealth was, but it had to be able to sustain this kind of feast for 12 years.

And Nehemiah did it all joyfully, and the reason he did so was because the service was too heavy on this people.

Not only did Nehemiah serve others because he worshiped God, but he served the people of Israel because he loved them.

He had no interest in laying more burdens on the people than what they were already suffering.

Not only were they working on the wall and to feed their families,

They were also getting taxed like crazy by the Persians.

The extreme cost Nehemiah paid to avoid having to lay heavier burdens on the people shows us that servant leadership is about sacrificing for the good of others.

Leaders can get into a dangerous spot when they forget that leading other people primarily means that we love them.

When we forget that we are called to lead out of a love for those that follow us, we can start to convince ourselves that we have a right to more.

Even though we start off using our leadership to honor God rather than personal gain, do they know how much I work, or sacrifice for them?

And we can begin resenting the people we lead, and begin leading from selfish motives driven by our frustration and impatience.

When our child is acting like an absolute maniac and it is easier to just yell at them and spank them without actually making the effort to come alongside them to disciple them in their actions, we show that we really love ourselves in that moment more than them because we want our convenience more than their good.

Or when someone you lead at work fails to do their part on a project, the temptation can be to punish them and embarrass them instead of doing the hard work of making the sacrifice it takes to lead and coach them to be more effective in the future.

Even in our marriages, it is so much easier just to check out when we know our spouse is struggling with something because getting involved in a deep conversation to love and encourage them is a lot more sacrifice than watching the next episode of MasterChef.

In leading other people, someone is going to pay the price. It’s going to be hard and difficult, and sometimes it would be easier just to give up. However, servant leaders say because I love them, I’ll pay it. I’ll pay that price so that they can benefit.

This is exactly what Nehemiah did. He made incredible financial sacrifices all because he didn’t want to weigh down the people anymore than they already were.

I’m sure after 6 years into slaughtering an ox a day he was tempted to pity himself and ask how much more am I really expected to give?

The sacrifice that Nehemiah made for the benefit of God’s people shows us that Nehemiah was a type of Christ in this passage.

Types in the old testament are people and situations that point to, or foreshadow what God was going to do in Christ to save sinners.

What is amazing is that the incredible price Nehemiah paid to help build the Kingdom of God in Jerusalem, was nothing compared to the price Jesus himself paid.

Where Nehemiah made personal sacrifices so that the people of God wouldn’t have any more burdens placed on them, Jesus offered himself as the sacrifice that took away all his people’s burdens by forgiving them of their sin.

Jesus makes a better sa

Where Nehemiah sought to love his people by paying for his expenses with the blood of ox and sheep and birds, Jesus loved us by paying for the sins of every person who repents and puts their faith in him with his own blood.

And where Nehemiah was not content to look on the burdens of the people and do nothing. He took action. In the same way, Jesus did not stand idly by while we suffered for our sins but he left heaven and became a man. He lived a sinless life for us and died as our substitute under the wrath on the cross and rose again three days later so that all that put their faith in him would have their burdens lifted.

All their sin and guilt and shame is removed from them and placed on Jesus.

And this offer of salvation is available to any person today who feels the burden of their sin and cries out to Jesus for forgiveness knowing Jesus sacrificed himself for you.

This is the gospel that saves us from our sins so that we can love God and love others.

Earlier, when Jesus told his disciples that if they wanted to be great they must become a slave to everyone, he said it was because that is the same kind of love that he loved us with.

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus gave his life as a ransom, as a payment so that he could lead us out of sin and death and into eternal life when we put our faith in him.

Looking to Jesus as our example, Leaders don’t serve because of what they get out of it. In fact, the more you embrace the leadership positions God has entrusted to you at work or in your family or in this church, the more you will be asked to sacrifice.

But the sacrifices leaders make are worth it because it glorifies God and loves the people they serve just like Jesus loved us.

This is what it means to have gospel-centered leadership.

Nehemiah says that he did all of this, because he loved God. He refused to use his leadership for personal gain, and even when it cost him, he gladly sacrificed for the good of God’s people showing an example of what Jesus would do in a more glorious way 500 years later. And because of all this, he closes this passage by asking God to remember him because...

Leaders Serve To Be Faithful Stewards

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

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

On its face, this verse appears to contradict everything we have been saying about Nehemiah.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

We’ve been saying that he served the people of Israel out of his love for God and love for others. Why then is he asking God to remember what he has done?

Nehemiah is looking forward to his reward. He is trusting that all his sacrifice as a leader will be remembered by God because he believes that living by faith for what he cannot see will be far more rewarding than what he can see in this life.

He doesn’t need to seek his own interests or white knuckle his wealth for the 12 years he led as governor of Judah because he knows God rewards faithful stewards.

When speaking of the ministry of the leaders in the early church, Paul said, This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

The Bible clearly teaches that all of a Christian’s life is entrusted to them from God to faithfully steward for his purposes.

This means that Christians are responsible before God to use their life, gift and resources for his kingdom and not their own.

And specifically Christians who are given a responsibility of leadership in whatever capacity, must remember that they are servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

In other words, they are entrusted with the gospel, not only to proclaim it to others in hopes of their salvation, but to actually live it out so that the world might see how they live and believe the gospel has the power to save.

This is why stewards are required to be faithful. Because all of our life, our marriages, friendships, work, and leadership is all for the Lord’s kingdom.

And Paul was faithful. Near the end of his life he tells us what faithful stewards can expect, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

:6-8 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Don’t miss what Paul says here. Its not just apostles and missionaries and pastors that will receive the crown of righteousness.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

No. Every Christian who is a faithful steward of the faith and life God has called them to, who fights the good fight who finishes the race, including in areas where they are called to lead others, will receive their reward.

Again this isn’t about selfish motivation on Nehemiah’s part. The motivation for being a faithful steward of his position of leadership is not so that he will gain rewards.

When we want to give up on the things God has called us to lead in. When we want to give up working to lead in a biblical way and start turning to pragmatism in our ministry or our family or our job, we need to remember that God rewards faithful stewards and keep going.

Rewards are the by-product.

Keep pressing on. Keep leading trusting that God is working in us to help to influence people to live for his Kingdom.

The motivation for being a faithful leader was so that God would be glorified and others would moved from where they are, to where they ought to be.

When leaders work and serve others to move them onto God’s agenda, they actually use their leadership gifts to love them.

As Paul said in Galatians 6:9

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

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

Application

Godly Leaders are Servant Leaders

Godly leaders seek to lead, by serving others.

They don’t lead for glory or prestige but to help others move from where they are to where they ought to be.

Godly Leaders Fear God

Godly leaders do not lead other people by exploiting them for personal gain.

Instead, they remember that they are stewards of the Leadership positions the Lord has given them to honor the Lord.

And they seek to lead so that the purposes of God’s kingdom are accomplished through their leadership instead of abusing their leadership to grow their personal kingdoms by gratifying their selfish wants and desires at the expense of others.

Godly Leaders Love Others

Godly leaders look for where the Lord is asking them to sacrifice for the good of others.

We must lead those the Lord has given us in a way that says, however I can help you even if it costs me time, emotional energy, or money I will do what I can.

Because we know that loving others in how we lead is more important than loving ourselves

Godly Leaders Labor Faithfully

Godly leaders remember that they first and foremost labor for the Lord, and the Lord knows and will remember our faithfulness in heaven.

Whatever price we pay now in the hard work of leading others will be worth it in the end.

Conclusion

During his time as governor, Nehemiah led the people of God by serving them

Nehemiah

He served them because he feared the Lord and wanted to steward his position to bring glory to God instead of himself.

He served them because he loved them and didn’t want to lay additional burdens on them giving us a picture of how Jesus served us by dying in our place for our sins and rising again three days later so that the burden of our sin could be forgiven.

Finally, he served knowing the Lord rewards faithful stewards.

Christians today are called to lead by serving as we seek to remember that our leadership of others is entrusted to us for the glory of the Lord and their good.

Let’s pray

Thank you for your word and how it speaks to every area of our life.

Help us to be godly leaders in whatever capacity you have called us to.

That we would not shirk our responsibility to lead but step into it and to honor you in how we lead others by joyfully serving others.

Will you give us a love for those we lead.

That God you will work into us these heart motivations to lead well so that we can resist temptation to use our leadership for our own benefit.

Be glorified in how we lead and help our leaders in our church lead biblically. Will you help us lead in our workplaces and families

So that God you would be glorified and be lifted up so that your gospel and how you served us might be put on display so that more might believe.

Scripture Reading:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.