Rise and BuildRise and Build

Nehemiah 4-5: Nehemiah 4-5: Rights and RightRights and Right

Pray and CommitPray and Commit

Pray and CommitPray and Commit

We got one!We got one!

Oh no- another "Christian"Oh no- another "Christian"

Oh no- another "Christian"Oh no- another "Christian"

They do have a right…They do have a right…

I have a right to be upsetI have a right to be upset

I have a right to be upsetI have a right to be upset

Does that make it right?Does that make it right?

Just because I have a rightJust because I have a right

Doesn't make it rightDoesn't make it right

Living the shadowLiving the shadowof "Christians"of "Christians"

Nehemiah knowsNehemiah knowsJust how we feelJust how we feel

NehemiahNehemiah

- Jewish Servant to a Persian King- Jewish Servant to a Persian King

- Never acts without praying. - Never acts without praying. Never prays without acting on it Never prays without acting on it

ReviewReview

- Hears a report from his homeland- Hears a report from his homeland

- Prays for 4 months, then asks the King- Prays for 4 months, then asks the King

- Building walls with great opposition- Building walls with great opposition

Chapter 4Chapter 4

State of continual readinessState of continual readiness

“Have every man and his helper stay “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can inside Jerusalem at night, so they can

serve us as guards by night and serve us as guards by night and workmen by day.”workmen by day.”

Neither I nor my brothers nor my men Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even clothes; each had his weapon, even

when he went for waterwhen he went for water- Chapter 4:22-23- Chapter 4:22-23

So farSo far

- Opposition from outside- Opposition from outside

- Discouragement inside- Discouragement inside

- Appeals from beside- Appeals from beside

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Now the men and their wives raised a Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against great outcry against

their Jewish brothers. their Jewish brothers.

Some were saying, “We and our sons Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order and daughters are numerous; in order

for us to eat and stay alive, for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”we must get grain.”

Others were saying, “We are Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards mortgaging our fields, our vineyards

and our homes to get grain during the and our homes to get grain during the famine.”famine.”

Still others were saying, “We have had Still others were saying, “We have had to to borrow money borrow money to pay the king’s tax to pay the king’s tax

on our fields and vineyards.on our fields and vineyards.

Although we are Although we are of the same flesh and of the same flesh and bloodblood as our countrymen and though as our countrymen and though our sons are as good as theirs, yet we our sons are as good as theirs, yet we

have to subject our sons and daughters have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. to slavery.

Some of our daughters have already Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards because our fields and our vineyards

belong to others.”belong to others.”

We have a right to charge interestWe have a right to charge interest

If we're going to loan moneyIf we're going to loan money

When I heard their outcry and these When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. charges, I was very angry.

You can tell the character You can tell the character of a man or womanof a man or woman

By what makes them angryBy what makes them angry

When I heard their outcry and these When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. charges, I was very angry.

I pondered themI pondered them in my mind in my mind and then and then accused the nobles and officials. I told accused the nobles and officials. I told

them, “You are exacting usury from them, “You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!”your own countrymen!”

Nehemiah has a rightNehemiah has a right

To go postalTo go postalBut he doesn'tBut he doesn't

Just because he's angryJust because he's angryDoesn't make it rightDoesn't make it right

To go into an uncontrolled rageTo go into an uncontrolled rage

When I heard their outcry and these When I heard their outcry and these charges,charges, I was very angry. I was very angry.

I pondered themI pondered them in my mind in my mind and then…and then…

I have a right!I have a right!

- - It's almost never personalIt's almost never personal- It's our pride that demands - It's our pride that demands

satisfactionsatisfaction- What I want or want they need? - What I want or want they need?

(Usually not the same thing!)(Usually not the same thing!)

When I heard their outcry and these When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. charges, I was very angry.

I pondered themI pondered them in my mind and then in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told accused the nobles and officials. I told

them, “You are exacting usury from them, “You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!”your own countrymen!”

So I called together a large meeting to So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have possible, we have bought backbought back our our

Jewish brothers who were sold to the Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles. Gentiles.

Now Now you are selling your brothers,you are selling your brothers, only only for them to be sold back to us!” for them to be sold back to us!”

They kept quiet, because they could find They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.nothing to say.

Don't they have a right?Don't they have a right?

No one is forcing the peopleNo one is forcing the peopleto take the loans…to take the loans…

So I continued, So I continued, “What you are doing is “What you are doing is not right. not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God of our God to avoid the reproach of our to avoid the reproach of our

Gentile enemiesGentile enemies??

God is mockedGod is mocked

His enemies are laughingHis enemies are laughingAt how his people are treating At how his people are treating

One another One another

Just because they have the rightJust because they have the right

Doesn't make it rightDoesn't make it right

Just because they have the rightJust because they have the right

Doesn't make it rightDoesn't make it right

If it doesn't glorify God…?If it doesn't glorify God…?

I and my brothers and my men I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people are also lending the people

money and grain. money and grain.

But let the exacting of usury stop! But let the exacting of usury stop!

Give back to them immediately Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, their fields, vineyards,

olive groves and houses, olive groves and houses,

and also the usury you are charging and also the usury you are charging them- the hundredth part of the them- the hundredth part of the

money, grain, new wine and oil.” money, grain, new wine and oil.”

““We will give it back,” they said. “And We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”from them. We will do as you say.”

Then I summoned the priests and made Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to the nobles and officials take an oath to

do what they had promised. do what they had promised.

Why?Why?

If you'll sit on your "rights" If you'll sit on your "rights" while your ownwhile your own

people are sold into slavery and you people are sold into slavery and you can rationalize giving believers a bad can rationalize giving believers a bad

name… name…

We probably can't take you We probably can't take you at your wordat your word

I also shook out the folds of my robe I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake and said, “In this way may God shake

out of his house and possessions every out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. man who does not keep this promise.

So may such a man be shaken out and So may such a man be shaken out and emptied!”emptied!”

Invoking a conditional curseInvoking a conditional curse

At this the whole assembly said, At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” “Amen,” and praised the LORD.and praised the LORD.

And the people did as they had And the people did as they had promised.promised.

Giving up our rightsGiving up our rights

To do what is rightTo do what is rightInvolves sacrificeInvolves sacrifice

And always leads to:And always leads to:God's Glory andGod's Glory and

Our JoyOur Joy

The very thing we hold to whileThe very thing we hold to whilesaying, "It's my right!"saying, "It's my right!"

Is not a ticket to freedomIs not a ticket to freedomBut a prison of our own makingBut a prison of our own making

Keeping us from God's best for usKeeping us from God's best for us

Moreover, from the twentieth year of Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, King Artaxerxes,

when I was appointed to be their when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his governor in the land of Judah, until his

thirty-second year-twelve years- thirty-second year-twelve years-

neither I nor my brothers ate the food neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. allotted to the governor.

But the earlier governors- those But the earlier governors- those preceding me- placed a heavy burden preceding me- placed a heavy burden

on the people on the people and took forty shekels of silver from and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. them in addition to food and wine.

Their assistants also lorded it over the Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But people. But out of reverence for Godout of reverence for God I I

did not act like that.did not act like that.

"I have a right…""I have a right…"

But But out of reverence for Godout of reverence for God I did not I did not act like that.act like that.

Instead, I devoted myself to the work Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. on this wall.

All my men were assembled there for All my men were assembled there for the work; the work;

we did not acquire any land.we did not acquire any land.

Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as and officials ate at my table, as well as

those who came to us from the those who came to us from the surrounding nations. surrounding nations.

Each day one ox, six choice sheep and Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, some poultry were prepared for me,

and every ten days an abundant supply and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. of wine of all kinds.

In spite of all this, In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to I never demanded the food allotted to

the governor, because the demands the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.were heavy on these people.

Occupy JerusalemOccupy Jerusalem

Remember me with favor, O my God, Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.for all I have done for these people.

Reward comes from God, not peopleReward comes from God, not people

If I key my obedience and serviceIf I key my obedience and serviceto the gratitude of peopleto the gratitude of people

I'll quit before I barely get startedI'll quit before I barely get started

But if you're focusing on GodBut if you're focusing on GodYou're trusting GodYou're trusting God

So there will be strengthSo there will be strengthFor "the right" God has called you toFor "the right" God has called you to

So what?So what?

What does this What does this have to do with me??have to do with me??

What are my rights?What are my rights?

Do they line up with what is right?Do they line up with what is right?

How do I know?How do I know?

What are my rights?What are my rights?

Do they line up with what is right?Do they line up with what is right?

How do I know?How do I know?Whatever you do, Whatever you do,

do it all to the glory of God…do it all to the glory of God…

God wants more…God wants more…

Does what Does what breaks Christ's heartbreaks Christ's heart

Break mine?Break mine?

Your Position has been Your Position has been Purposed by GodPurposed by God

Not so that you can have your rightsNot so that you can have your rightsBut so that you can do what is rightBut so that you can do what is right

Even when it's not fairEven when it's not fairAnd you don't want toAnd you don't want to

Doing what is right brings:Doing what is right brings:

His gloryHis gloryand Your Joyand Your Joy

It's nice like this…It's nice like this…

Let's stay here and build three tents…Let's stay here and build three tents…

20 people saved next year20 people saved next year200 in three years200 in three years

Missionaries supported once againMissionaries supported once againA pastor with a paycheckA pastor with a paycheck

Disciples who put Christ firstDisciples who put Christ firstAnd quit making BS excuses And quit making BS excuses

For not living the truthFor not living the truth

Living in the shadow of "Christians"Living in the shadow of "Christians"is hard enoughis hard enough

God forbid that I would contribute to itGod forbid that I would contribute to itBy demanding my rightsBy demanding my rights

If our rights get in the wayIf our rights get in the wayOf living out the truth of what is rightOf living out the truth of what is right

The answer isThe answer isThe CrossThe Cross

Example Example and and PowerPower

Do I know Jesus?Do I know Jesus?

He who has the Son has life; he who does He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God believe in the name of the Son of God so so that you may knowthat you may know that you have eternal that you have eternal life- 1 John 5life- 1 John 5