Nehemiah Chapter 5 “Are you selling your brothers?”

The Crisis ( vs ) 1)Economic Crisis famine coming, Israelites needed grain to survive. (Hay 1:5-11) 1)Forced to mortgage property to obtain grain. 2)Forced to borrow money to pay tax on property. 3)Children forced into slavery due to mounting debts.

Cause and Effect (vs ) 1)Israelite leaders (nobles & officials) exacting ursery (form of interest) from own people. Strictly forbidden under Leviticus Law (ex. 22:25) 2)Created great financial strain to Jews in a financially strained economy (famine) and a financially burdensome time (development cost of rebuilding Jerusalem) 3)Created disharmony, fiction and disillusionment with leadership at a time where harmony was critical (enemies obstructing the rebuilding of Jerusalem) 4)Rich Jews got richer, poor Jews got poorer (sound familiar?)

THE WORST THREATS A CHURCH USUALLY ENCOUNTERS DOES NOT COME FROM EXTERNAL PROBLEM AND OUTSIDE OPPOSITION. THE WORST THREATS A CHURCH ENCOUNTERS…….USUALLY COME FROM WITHIN.

External problem causes a church to unite, spring into action and even grow. Internal conflicts to a church is like AIDS to a body- Saps the strength and vitality and bring about a very slow death.

ARE WE EXPLOITING OTHERS 1) Are we exploiting others foe personal gain (we may not be aware we area doing it) a) At work – do we exploit for financial gain and ambition b) At home – denying maids, drives, etc. what’s due. c) At church – take for granted those who labour for the church. IT MATTERS TO GOD OUR FINANCIAL CONDUCT, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS FELLOW BELIEVERS.

ARE WE SELLING OUR BROTHERS? (V.13) When we exploit fellow believers, -We view them as commodity, not as spiritual family. -We can cause them to fall into sin. -We also give confidence to those who oppose us.

NEHEMIAH’S EXAMPLE (V ) 1)How prepared are we to ease the burden on God’s fellow labourers – at church, at the workplace, at home. Are we prepared to give up some of our privileges to build the Kingdom of God? 2)Do we have a “financial plan” in our role for the Kingdom of God, or do we only have “financial plan” for our own personal Kingdom.

NEHEMIAH’S LEADERSHIP TIPS (Vs ) 1)The source of many internal church conflicts usually originate around leaders. 2)Let anger remain as righteous anger – don’t let emotions rule your decision making. 3)Separate issue from persons – remember we are ALL sinners. (Nehemiah did not penalize the nobles and officials – why?)

4) Godly leadership is most influential when coupled with management skills. Nehemiah’s leadership :- a) Anger management b) Devised a plan – private rebuking, public declaration. c) Set an example

THE EXAMPLE OF THE NOBLES & OFFICIALS (vs ) 1)The willingness to admit wrongdoing. 2)The importance of unity (the nobles “held their peace”) 3)The need to make specific plans to correct wrongdoing. 4)The value plans publically as a serious vow before God)