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The Character of Nehemiah. Building Churches By Incorporating His Example. Nehemiah hated sin. “We have acted very corruptly against You..” 1:7 “I became very angry.. I rebuked.. ‘let us stop this usury!” 5:6-10
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The Character of Nehemiah Building Churches By Incorporating His Example
Nehemiah hated sin. • “We have acted very corruptly against You..” 1:7 • “I became very angry.. I rebuked.. ‘let us stop this usury!” 5:6-10 • “It grieved me bitterly.. I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out..” 13:8 • “What evil thing is this..?” “..you bring added wrath on Israel..” 13:17-18 • “If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” 13:21 • “I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled their hair, and made them swear by God..” 13:25 • “I drove him from me” 13:28 • “Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan” 13:30
And so should we. • The church should not be thought of as a hospital full of sick people. • The beautiful queen of Psalm 45, tall mountain of Isaiah 2, indestructible kingdom of Daniel 7! • Can University be described that way? • Only possible if all the members hate sin. Romans 12:9 • Don’t be “puffed up” like the Corinthians, but “purge out the old leaven.” 1 Cor. 5:1-8 • Everyone needs encouragement in the battle but some need special “attention”! 1 Thess. 5:14; Neh. 13:25
Nehemiah loved people. • “The survivors..[are] in great distress.. When I heard these words.. I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days.” 1:3-4 • “I also.. Am lending [the poor] money and grain.” 5:10 • “At my table were 150 Jews… yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.” 5:17-18 • “Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” 5:19
And so should we. • Churches that “cannot bear those who are evil” and “hate” false doctrines may still be failing in the vital aspect of love. Rev. 2:1-7 • Some have left unloving, doctrinally sound churches to be at churches that teach error, but make them feel more loved and appreciated. • They have just left one bad situation and gone to another. Neither church is truly “of Christ”. • Is University known for its warm “labor of love” or behaving “rudely”? 1 Thess. 1:3 • How does the church treat visitors? • Especially non-Christians? • Are the members evangelistic? Matt. 28:18-20 Romans 5:8
Nehemiah had a mind to work. • “..send me.. to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” 2:5 • “Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem.” 2:17 • “So we built the wall.. For the people had a mind to work.” 4:6 • “all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.” 4:15 • “So we labored in the work.. from daybreak until the stars appeared.” 4:21 • “I also continued work on this wall.” 5:16 • “I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down..” 6:3 • “Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.” 6:9
And so should we. • Romans 12:4-8, 11 “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit” • Ephesians 4:15-16 “each part does its share” • Ephesians 3:20-21 “the power that works in us” • Don’t limit yourself • Sleep, tv • “If you are wise, you’ll listen to me. What do you get from a glut of TV? A pain in the neck and an IQ of 3” –Charlie and the Chocolate Factory • Acts 8:4 “Those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.” • There are too many lost souls in the world to be lazy.
Conclusion • If we are going to build strong, faithful churches, we need to develop the character of Nehemiah. • Romans 12:9-11 • Do you want peace with God?
