Dealing with Internal Dangers

Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive." There were also those who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine." And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards." I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his brother." And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, "We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say. So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them." Then they said, "We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say." And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said "Amen" and praised the Lord . And the people did as they had promised. 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. 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. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 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. Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people. - Nehemiah 5:1‭-‬19 ESV

Internal threats are incessant

There was a threat of death from Sanballet. You would think that the worst is over, but no, there is another threat from within. The work on the wall is in danger because of the economic divide. The rich Israelites were taking advantage of the poor among them. Charging interest and making themselves wealthy off the backs of the poor. It is easy to say that the world out there hates Christian values and detests Christians, but here in the U.S. the largest danger is internal. Not only does the atheist and agnostic need the gospel, but so does the Christian. We need to preach the gospel to ourselves. Our worst enemy may be ourselves, the sin within our hearts.
The battle against sinful/ungodly desire rages and will continue to do so until the day we die. We need to have a healthy suspicion of our own hearts and desires. We are far more sinful than we realize. The idea that we never imagined ourselves committing a certain sin... this very thing makes us much more susceptible to that very sin.

Loving confrontation is absolutely necessary

Love is not opposed to anger. Anger and outage is the appropriate reaction to seeing something destroying the beloved. Indifference, apathy, and hated are the opposite of love. When we are annoyed, we should be gracious. When we see a constant pattern of sin, we need to consider it carefully and lovingly & graciously confront. If the sin is personal, the confrontation should be personal. So if the sin is public and a group, then the confrontation should also be group as it is in this passage. Additionally, loving confrontation requires us to examine our own lives long before we confront others.

Follow our leader

The rich were oppressing their poor brothers and sisters. Sin is largely self serving. The people of God are called to love God first, others second, and finally ourselves. Nehemiah fed people out of his own pocket without taxing the people. He modeled what he was calling the rich nobles & officials to do. Jesus is the better Nehemiah. He came to pay for our sins without holding onto his rights. Nehemiah looked to God for approval of this work on the rebuilding of the wall. Nehemiah devoted himself to the work God had given him. May we also devote ourselves to our families, our spouses, our neighbors, our church, or our ministry. So that we can look back over our lives and tell him that we have fully devoted ourselves to the work laid before us because Jesus fully devoted himself to us.

From Vision to Reality

Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There was no animal with me but the one on which I rode. I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work. Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision." And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, "Let us rise up and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?" Then I replied to them, "The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem."
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters. Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.- Nehemiah 2:9-3:32 ESV

What does it take to fulfill this vision of renewal? Three things stand out: balance, encouragement, and a body.

Balance

First, when Nehemiah heard of the state of the city of Jerusalem, he was praying and fasting. Then he came before the king. How long? Nehemiah was praying and fasting for 4 months. Why so long? The prophet knew that this was an impossible task for a cupbearer. He was going to confront the most powerful man in the world. After receiving the king's blessing, he goes to the city. Then he surveys the wall at night and makes plans. Finally, he brings a plan to the people. He executes a strategic plan to rebuild the wall in something like 40 some sections with teams of men with enemies all around. God does not give the words to say to the king or a strategic plan. The prophet does all this along with being prayerful the entire time. Nehemiah was both working actively to fulfill God's desire as well as being prayerful. This is also necessary for us as we seek to launch this new site. Don't just plan first and pray later. Pray first, plan, and then pray continually as we plan and strategize.

Encouragement

When Nehemiah shared the plan, he spoke of the king's words and how God had been gracious. When the passage says they "strengthened their hands", this means they encouraged themselves. Encouragement is vital for kingdom work. The most repeated command is "do not fear". Following God requires significant courage. The origin of the word encouragement means to pour courage into. We are not calling for self help theology. Not how strong or smart or etc we are. We are to focus on how great/powerful/faithful God is. We draw courage from knowing the character of God. Encouragement is the oxygen of the church.

Body

Nehemiah planned well and he was shrewd, but he could not have done it by himself. The hand of God prepared the way. There is wide array of people from diverse backgrounds, professions, and skills. But there was a single heart and vision for the rebuilding of the city walls in 52 days. They did it with a sword in one hand and construction materials in the other. They had a whatever-it-takes mentality. There was a singular exception "the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord." So when they refused to serve there was more work for their fellow brothers and sisters. The body of believers had to compensate. So it is with the church today. We are all gifted by God with one or more spiritual gifts. We are all called to serve. But it is more than that, to refuse to serve also means that they miss out on seeing the rebuilding of the people. They miss out on seeing the movement of God. We miss out on seeing the rebuilding and renewing of lives. We are only robbing ourselves.
The walls were burned down again by the Romans. The temple of God is not in Jerusalem. It was only meant to point to the final temple. It is made of living stones.

Challenge

I encourage you to write an encouragement not to me, your senior pastor, but to a committee head, a servant who has encouraged you.

Vision of Renewal

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire." As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, "O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.' They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." Now I was cupbearer to the king.

In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah 1:1‭-‬2:8 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Our Vision Statement

To ignite a gospel-spreading movement through multiple local congregations in the greater Philadelphia area and the world, so that individuals, communities, and cultures are renewed in Christ.

We are moving towards launching a Center City campus. They will be under the same leadership and attend the same training. We hope and pray they will eventually become an independent church, but that will come later. For West Philly, this means an increased focus on how we can serve and minister to West Philly.

Background of Nehemiah

Due to the rebellion of the Israel generation over generation, God promised that they would be sent to exile. They kept rebelling, so the people were enslaved. But they were eventually allowed to return to their lands. They came in multiple waves with Nehemiah being the last of the waves of returning exiles.

Broken over brokenness

Nehemiah hears from a brother that Jerusalem has no walls. The temple had been rebuilt. So why is this wall so important? The walls were necessary for the stability of the city. They provided protection from roving robbers and armies. When Nehemiah heard, he wept and mourned. But he was not weeping over the literal walls, he was lamenting with God. He desired for a return and restoration of the temple of God. A return to the worship and praise of God. But that could not happen without those walls. This is not in the text, but I believe that Nehemiah was stirred because the city of Jerusalem was close to God's heart.

Empowered by promises

Nehemiah mourned and wept, but he does not stay there. Nehemiah prays to God and remembers the promises of God. He prays and acts. He goes into action, acting by faith, doing what God desires. He goes before the king both sad about Jerusalem and fearful. And he asks after the city of God. And by the grace of God, the king gives permission.

What are you living for?

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!- Psalms 67:1‭-‬7 ESV

Rev. Rob Hamby

We forget to share about Jesus' salvation of us. We horde the great blessing of God.

First, the psalmist asks for the blessing of God. The blessing of God's people is so that we can reach others. God blesses to catch the attention of those outside of God's family.

Second, God's mission is to reach those outside
The mission was not for the church. The church was made for the mission of God. The blessing is not for our dreams. It is not just for our personal gratification. The blessing of God is for the mission of reaching people. It is not to end with us.

Lastly, we are to bring more people to worship and praise God. The purpose of the mission is to make much of God. We all have different needs, but firstly we need God. We are to invite people to the greatest story ever told