An introduction to the book of Nehemiah: Nehemiah’s Structure: Section 1 (Chapters 1-2) Wake Up to The Call of Restoration Section 2 (Chapters 3-6) Fight for the Progress of Restoration Section 3 (Chapters 7-13) Commit to the Fullness of Restoration

Our hope for this sermon series: We will respond to God in repentance, faith, and action like Nehemiah, thereby experience God’s restoration and renewal in our personal and community lives.

Internal Opposition: Self-Centered Interest Neh. 5:1-13

Overcoming Internal Opposition: 1.The Internal Opposition 2.The Confrontation 3.The Follow-up

Our hope for this sermon: We will recognize, be vigilant about, and overcome the internal opposition to God’s work in our lives. This internal opposition are often caused by self-centered interests which leads to disunity and distraction from God’s will.

1. The Rise of the Internal Opposition: Nehemiah 5:1-4 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

1. The Rise of the Internal Opposition: Nehemiah 5:1-4 sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” A downward vicious spiral for the poor and oppressed! hunger > losing of property > can’t pay loan > slavery

1. The Rise of the Internal Opposition: The situation did not occur overnight The situation came out of selfish interest (Exploitation, hording, no compassion) The situation is clearly against God’s Word The situation is causing disunity and distraction

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: Nehemiah 5:6-11 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!" So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: "As far as possible, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your brothers, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say. So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: Nehemiah 5:6-11 our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them—the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil."

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: There is a right time to be angry In our anger we must not act rashly Public sin requires public confrontation Courage and reasoning are needed Personal example of integrity lends credibility Concrete actions of repentance are required

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: Exodus 22:25 If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. Deuteronomy 23:19 Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest.

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: Leviticus 25:35-37 If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you. Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you. You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit.

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: Leviticus 25:39-41 If one of your countrymen becomes poor among you and sells himself to you, do not make him work as a slave. He is to be treated as a hired worker or a temporary resident among you; he is to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. Then he and his children are to be released, and he will go back to his own clan and to the property of his forefathers.

2. The Confrontation of the Internal Opposition: There is a right time to be angry In our anger we must not act rashly Public sin requires public confrontation Courage and reasoning are needed Personal example of integrity lends credibility Concrete actions of repentance are required

3. The Follow-up about the Internal Opposition: Nehemiah 5:12-13 "We will give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, "In this way may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

3. The Follow-up about the Internal Opposition: Follow-up is crucial for actual change Calling on God and trusting in His justice and power True repentance can bring about joy and unity

Conclusion & Application: Are there areas that I am disobeying God’s Word? Am I willing to confront sin and injustice? Am I absorbed in self comfort and interest? Am I being a good stewards of God’s money? Am I pro-actively and wisely helping the needy? Am I aware of the needs around me? Am I pro-actively and sacrificially giving to God’s work? Am I asking God to transform my heart to be like His?

Concluding Application: The World’s Great Spiritual & Material Poverty Unevangelized & the lost: In 2007, 1.9 billion people worldwide (28% of the population) had yet to hear the message of the gospel. Two-thirds of people alive today do not know the Savior of mankind. Poverty: More than 1 billion people live in absolute poverty. This includes 700 million people living in slums, 500 million people on the verge of starvation, 93 million beggars, and 200 million children exploited for labor. 1.2 billion of the world’s poorest populations must survive on $1 a day.

Concluding Application: The Church’s Great Storehouse of Wealth

Concluding Application: The Church’s Squandering of Resources Decline in Giving: Church members gave $2.8 million less to their churches in 2004 than in Then & Now: Giving by American churchgoers was higher during the Great Depression (3.3 percent of per capita income in 1933) than it was after a half-century of unprecedented prosperity (2.5 percent in 2004).

Concluding Application: Are there areas that I am disobeying God’s Word? Am I willing to confront sin and injustice? Am I absorbed in self comfort and interest? Am I being a good stewards of God’s money? Am I pro-actively and wisely helping the needy? Am I aware of the needs around me? Am I pro-actively and sacrificially giving to God’s work? Am I asking God to transform my heart to be like His?