Nehemiah 5 | The Church is Meant to Serve

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Hey y’all! how is everyone? Everybody good? Anybody tired? It feels like September has just flown by, like it feels like last week when I joked about Pumpkin Spice Latte coming out in August and now it’s almost October, who has gotten one by the way? Okay, did y’all see the Apple Crisp thing they have, its like an apple crips machiato or whatever, but that thing was delicious. That was super good.

Anyways, who’s ready for fall break? It is upon us after next week. I’m looking forward to the Ola game before fall break haha.

Alright, so let’s get in to it. This is going to be the second to last week in Nehemiah, then we are going to shift to something else for the rest of the semester. So tonight we are going to finish out Chapter 5 of Nehemiah, it is just 5 verses, but we are going to look at this idea of service. What is service, how do we serve, and why do we serve, where do we serve, and how does this impact the church? So with that, we are in Nehemiah chapter 5, verse 14-19. If you need a bible go ahead and throw a hand up, we can get one to you. If you don’t have a bible at home take that one with you, we want you to have one of your own.

So before we get in to it, let read this whole thing, it’s just five verses, but there is a lot going on, and we need to see what is and isnt going on here.

But before we do that, lets pray for our time in the word tonight.

pray

Okay cool, so let’s read this whole passage here, Nehemiah 5:14-19

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.

Okay, so what is going on here. Remember last week Nehemiah had called out oppression and abuse in the city, he called out all of the injustice going on, Jewish people were trapping people in loans and then selling them to make up the debt. There was some crazy things going, but Nehemiah called the people to repentance. he called the people turn away from what they were doing. He made them pay back what they had taken, and recover the people they had sold. Families were reunited, the community was reconciled together.

then we have this passage. and at first read, this seems kinda out of place. It looks like it doesn’t belong in here. I know when I first read this, it seem like Nehemiah was just tooting his own horn. Just saying, look what i did! I’m the man!

You know what I mean by humble brag? Like if i got up here and was like, “yeah, owning a Tesla isn’t really all it’s cracked up to be, just the other day it tried to park itself, and it go over the line by like two inches. That’s so annoying.” Or was like, “Yeah winning 7 super bowls really isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, I mean, I have to wake up everyday and play football, it’s just a game, Hi I’m Tom Brady, did I mention that?” Where you’re trying to sound really humble, but in reality, you are most defiantly bragging about what ever you are doing.

That’s kinda what is sounds like is going on here, but I don’t think it is, i don’t think Nehemiah is humble bragging here. I think Nehemiah is actually passing down how to lead well, how to serve well. See in his day he could use his power as governor of the city to make money. He didn’t have a system to check his power, he could collect taxes at will. If he wanted to tax you for how often you went to the bathroom, boom bathroom tax. If he wanted to tax you on the animals you sacrifice, boom, animal tax. He had the opportunity to levy a big food tax, because he was providing food for a ton of people. it is what the other governors had done in the past. and this really hurt the people, but Nehemiah didn’t because he was their for the holy work of building the wall and restoring the city of God.

So the main idea for tonight is, The Church is meant to Serve. Most of the mission of the church is brought about by serving. So we are going to jump around this text a good bit, we may not go in order so stick with me tonight. So if you only remember one thing from tonight, remember that the Church is meant to serve.

Serve God

So the first question this should bring up is, if the church is meant to serve, who are we serving? Ultimately we are to serve God. So if you are writing things down, write that down. Serve God. very simple. Look at verse 15, Nehemiah 5:15

Nehemiah 5:15 ESV

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.

This is nehemiah saying why he didn’t act in the same way as the other governors. The old governors used to make the people pay this crazy tax, which if we converted this to todays money, that 327 dollars day. imagine if you had to pay 327 dollars just cause. Like we’d all go in to debt. that’s 9810 dollars a month. My brother pays 1600 in rent every month and to me that’s a ton haha. almost 10,000 in rent is a penthouse in NYC. But Nehemiah is saying, I didn’t do this, even though it was perfectly legal to do this, because he feared God.

So what does it mean to fear God? we are to ultimately serve God, but are we compelled to serve God out of fear? What does it mean to fear God?

The word fear that we see here isn’t the greatest 1 to 1 meaning in the translation. I’m not saying the bible is not translated correctly, but this word fear has a different meaning in our context today. When we see fear, we automatically think of it in the same way we are scared of something.

It’s almost October, so we are about to see a bunch of things that are scary, this is the time of year when horror movies come out. who likes a good scary movie? I know i love a good scary movie, and probably my favorite one is the conjuring, anyone seen that? It’s just so spooky, the whole movie keeps you on edge, you’re not exactly sure what is going on, but it just creeps you out, and afterwards you still feel some of that fear in the movie.

But is that the same fear we should fear towards God? Should we feel on edge about God? Like if we dropped on edge in the verse instead of fear would that make sense? because i felt on edge about God. That doesn’t make sense. So what does fear mean?

Fear in the biblical sense means more awe and reverence than scared or spooked. Like there is an element of afraid in the awe and reverence, but that is not the full meaning.

Think of it like the Grand Canyon, anyone been there? If you’ve been there then you kinda know what i’m talking about, if you haven’t you need to go see it, the pictures don’t do it justice. It is awe inspiring to see. One it’s massive, you feel so small looking out over the canyon. Two, you know that you don’t don’t want to fall or clown around the edge of that big ole thing. Think of fear in the biblical since as awe inspiring respect.

So when nehemiah says, because of the fear of God. it was not because he was scared of God, but because he knew the magnitude of God. He wasn’t scared that God was going to strike him dead, but because he knew who God was, he knew that God is the eternal almighty king of the universe and His words carry weight. Nehemiah was respecting the name of God in all that he did, because he is a servant of God. He is serving the ultimate King. He is following the word of God.

So as a church, we are serving God first and foremost because we know and respect God, if you truly know God you should be in awe of God and have a sense of reverence for God. As the church everything that we do needs to be done in service to God, for God’s glory. SO when ever we go to do something, we need to know that those actions are done in service to the King for the king, and represent the King. If we are going to serve we need to have our priorities straight by realizing who we ultimately serve.

So how do we serve God? Look here at Nehemiah, he served God by knowing His word. He knew that this would hurt the people he was out in charge of to demand the tax. Nehemiah was following after the Lord, by reading His word and coming to know who God was. This needs to be our rhythm as well, we are to know God’s word and apply it to our lives. If we coming here on Wednesday’s and Sunday’s just to check a box and outside of church God’s word has no impact on your life, you should consider who you are following. Who is the God that you serve? Are you trying to fool God by trying to make him think you are following Him, but in reality you are following yourself. you are following you own wants and desires for your own glory. in your world, you are Lord and Christ is not.

Serve the Church

So let’s keep going, we are still in verse 15, but also in verse 19, let me read them again. Nehemiah 5:15

Nehemiah 5:15 ESV

Nehemiah 5:19 ESV

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

Like we said before the governors could demand all these taxes, and in 15 we see that even the governor’s servants lorded over the people of God, but nehemiah didn’t, he changed the way things were done for the people of God. Nehemiah was serving God by serving the people of God. He understood that his service as governor was only because of God and his task was to serve the people of god by restoring the people of God. Nehemiah did all that he did for the people of God, so for us, we are to serve the Church, if you are writing things down write that down, serve the church. As the church, as a church family we need to be here for one another.

in Nehemiah’s day the people of god we taking advantage of the rest of the people of God. Nehemiah put a stop to this, likewise today the Church should not be here to take advantage. There are some churches that do this even today. They will take advantage of the people of the church by equating giving with faith. Where if you give enough you will never have any real problems in this life. You will live your best life now. Trails will not come if you give enough money. I saw a church sign last night on my way home from Milledgeville that read, “use the keys of heaven to unlock doors” This makes it sound like you can buy heavens blessing, or can buy God’s will.

Imagine I told you that if you gave me money I could talk to god for you and make it to where you have more money, or a new car, and imagine if that was what the blessing of God was? We would be settling for way less than what God actually offers.

God offers us joy because He offers us Himself, when trials come He is right there with us.

This is the kind of service to the church we are talking about, we cannot take advantage of our people. We are called to serve one another, to equip the rest of the church. If you don’t know how to serve the church come talk to me, go talk to Hannah down in the kids area. We can show you how to use your gifts to serve the church.

Serve the Community

Okay so let’s keep going, cause I want us to see one more thing here before we close look with me at verse 17, Nehemiah 5:17

Nehemiah 5:17 ESV

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.

Look at this, what do you see here? One, thats a big ole table. over 150 people is a massive table, but more importantly we see people from different nations. You’ve got Jews and non Jews. the 150 people are the jews and officials plus people form the surrounding nations. We see Nehemiah serving not just His people, but the community around him. So write this down if you are writing things down, serve the community. The church is to serve the community, if the church is going to be the church then we need to be in the community, we have to go and be the church, by going and being in the community. Serving the community. Nehemiah has done this by inviting people that aren’t in his tribe into the fold.

Nehemiah has set an example for us that part of serving God is by serving the community, by seeing and meeting needs in the community. Nehemiah has been doing that since chapter 2 of this study. The church can’t be an insular organization. the church must love the community and be in the community.

one of the simplest ways you can be in the community is to follow nehemiah’s example. Eat with people. Invite people at lunch to eat with you. Sharing a meal with someone is a great way to get to know who is in your community, people talk while they eat. be with them.

Nehemiah had all type of people from everywhere eating with him, I think this gives us a glimpse of heaven. let me read Revelation 19:9

Revelation 19:9 ESV

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

There is going to be a table in heaven, full of all of the people who know the Lord. We see Nehemiah giving us a picture of what is to come, people from all nations, eating and worshiping the King.

Christ

Okay, so what doe this have to do with anything? Why are we talking about this tonight? If we look at this passage, we need to answer the question, who do you serve? If you are a follower of Christ, then the answer should be Christ. You serve Christ, that is what it means to submit your life to Christ. Submission to Christ looks like daily laying down your wants and desires to follow after his desires and His glory. If you are a follower of Christ this text is telling us what service to God looks like. Service to God includes serving the church, and serving the community.

If you are not a follower of Christ, then this text is asking you to answer the question who are you serving? What are you serving? you may think that you can do this whole life on your own, you may feel like you can control this world, but let me tell you any life you think you want will not be as joy filled as the life found by following Christ. I’m not saying that following Christ will not bring trouble, because it certainly will, but even in that trouble joy will be found. This text is asking you to answer the question, who do you serve? Is it Christ or your self? Who is on the throne? If it is not christ, then you will find your self on a throne that will one day be destroyed. Christ is calling you to himself and to for you to follow after him. Who do you serve?