Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy. ** Session Notes included following the Session Slides

Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy ** Session Notes included following the Session Slides

Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy Session 1: Introduc0on to Nehemiah and The Leader and Prayer

Introduction to Nehemiah The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of the work of God being accomplished in the midst of great opposition.

Context of Nehemiah Jewish exiles were still living in Babylon in the middle of the 5 th century B.C. Around 586 B.C., the Babylonians had conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Most of the Jews living in Jerusalem were taken to Babylon. Their exile in Babylon lasted until God moved Cyrus to issue a decree in 538 B.C. that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt. The temple was finished in 516 B.C., and worship of the Lord was restored.

Context of Nehemiah Ezra 1-2 tell us that Zerubbabel had led the first group back in 538 B.C. Ezra followed with a second group in 458 (Ezra 7). Nehemiah was ready to lead the third major return to Jerusalem in 445 B.C. This sets the stage for Nehemiah s incredible leadership!

God s People were in Trouble (1:1-11) Nehemiah the Cupbearer: Nehemiah (whose name means Yahweh has comforted ) is a highly placed political official. Nehemiah received troubling news about Jerusalem. Nehemiah was greatly concerned about Jerusalem because it was the Jews holy city. Jerusalem stood for the honor of the Lord, the God of Israel, and it stood as the place of true worship and praise.

The Leader and Prayer How did Nehemiah respond? When faced with troubling news and a difficult task, Nehemiah turned to God in confident prayer.

The Leader and Prayer Recognition of God and Confession of Sin (1:4-7) He wept He fasted He prayed

The Leader and Prayer Keys to Nehemiah s prayer of repentance: 1. This was a persistent prayer. 2. The prayer was corporate in nature. 3. This prayer lacked excuses.

The Leader and Prayer Recognition of God and Confession of Sin (1:4-7) Pleading for God to Act (1:8-11) Nehemiah s request of God was based on promises that God Himself had made. Nehemiah had confidence that God is always true to His word and promise!

An Important Truth of Godly Leadership Nehemiah shifted from thinking in terms of what God alone would do to fulfill the promise to how God might use him as part of the answer to his own prayer. This reveals dependence and determination! It reveals confidence and courage!

CPR Prayer Confession of sin Praise of God Requests of God

The Leader and Prayer Do you want to learn how to be an effective leader in God s Kingdom? Step #1: Learn to Pray like one!

CPR Prayer Confession of sin Praise of God Requests of God

1 (SBC Chaplaincy Title Slide) (slide) Nehemiah Session 1 Introduction to Nehemiah (and The Leader and Prayer) (slide) The Book of Nehemiah tells the story of the work of God being accomplished in the midst of great opposition. We are taught to Exalt the Lord and Exemplify the Servant! (slide) Like Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:9 says, A wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. The same could be said about Nehemiah. When studying the context of Nehemiah, you must understand that this book completes the story where Ezra left off. In fact, Ezra and Nehemiah are considered one book in the Jewish Bible. **To get where you re going, you ve got to remember where you ve been. (slide)(context 1) As we begin our study in Nehemiah, some Jewish exiles were still living in Babylon in the middle of the 5 th century B.C. (click) Around 586 B.C. (about 140 years earlier), the Babylonians had conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah (Reminder: The Southern Kingdom of Israel had been taken captive by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.). (click) Most of the Jews living in Jerusalem were taken to Babylon. Their exile in Babylon lasted until God moved Cyrus to issue a decree in 538 B.C. that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt. (click) The temple was finished in 516 B.C., and worship of the Lord was restored (according to the Book of Ezra). (slide) (Context 2) But not all of the Jews moved back to Israel at that time. Ezra 1-2 tell us that Zerubbabel had led the first group back in 538 B.C. Ezra followed with a second group in 458 (Ezra 7). Nehemiah was among those still living in Susa, the capital city of Babylon, when he received word that the walls of the city of Jerusalem were still in ruins and its citizens were in danger. Nehemiah was ready to lead the third major return to Jerusalem in 445 B.C. (click) This sets the stage for Nehemiah s incredible leadership!

2 (slide) God s People were in Trouble (1:1-11) **Read Nehemiah the Cupbearer (1:11c): Nehemiah (whose name means Yahweh has comforted ) is a highly placed political official. **We will consider more about his position in Session 2. But, we see that God had placed Nehemiah exactly where He needed him for His plan to be accomplished. (Much like Joseph being sold into slavery.) The story picks up in Susa the winter capital of the Persian Empire. It was located in what is now Iran, not far from the Persian Gulf. (Click) In these opening verses, Nehemiah was confronted with troubling news. Despite the fact that the returned exiles had been in Jerusalem for many years, the walls of the city remained unrepaired, leaving the people defenseless and vulnerable. (click) Nehemiah was greatly concerned about Jerusalem because it was the Jews holy city. As Judah s capitol, it represented Jewish national identity, and it was blessed with God s special presence in the temple. Jewish history centered around Jerusalem from the time of Abraham s gifts to Melchizedek (the high priest and king prefigure of Christ) (Genesis 14). In Genesis 22, God chose Jerusalem as the city where He would make His name to dwell. God s choice of this spot goes back to when He called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at Mount Moriah and then provided a substitute so Isaac would not have to die. Mount Moriah was the future site of the city of Jerusalem. This was the place where God instructed David to build His royal residence and gave him the plans for the Temple that David s son, Solomon, built. This was the place where sacrifice for sins and worship of the true and living God were centered. (click) Jerusalem stood for the honor of the Lord, the God of Israel, and it stood as the place of true worship and praise. So, when Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were still broken down and its gates burned, he realized that the city stood unprotected from thieves, pagan religious influences, further destruction, and idolatry. He had a great desire to return to Jerusalem to reunite the Jews and to remove the shame of Jerusalem s broken down walls.

3 **This would bring glory to God and restore the reality and power of God s presence among His people. (slide) But how did Nehemiah respond? How do we respond when we receive distressing news? The Leader and Prayer! **(click) When faced with troubling news and a difficult task, Nehemiah turned to God in confident prayer. **When we face troubling news and difficult tasks, we can turn to God in confident prayer. (slide) Recognition of God and Confession of Sin (1:4-7) First, notice that Nehemiah wept! The broken wall was the representation of the long broken relationship between God and His people. Nehemiah was weeping over this broken relationship. But notice what Nehemiah did not do! He did not blame God for the condition of Jerusalem. He did not conclude that God was incapable of doing anything about it. He did not give up in despair, doubting that God was willing to deal with this horrible problem. He did not take matters into his own hands and try to figure out how he could fix the situation on his own. What makes you cry? (sad/hurt/angry) **troubled by your sins? After weeping, what did he do?! He fasted and prayed! I can only imagine that Nehemiah was asking the question, Is God saying something to me and His people through the broken walls and burned gates? Is there a reason things are as bad as they are?

4 He realized there was a reason behind this situation, that God had a purpose and a plan for it. This was a result of the broken relationship between God and His people to serve as a reminder to the people of their part of the covenant. So, there was only one thing to do Pray! Nehemiah began his prayer recognizing the greatness and goodness of God. (slide) **Model prayer of Jesus Matthew 6:9-10 Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Nehemiah recognized God as the Lord of Heaven who keeps His gracious covenant with His people. He remembered that God said He would bless His people for their obedience and punish them when they turned away from His ways. Clearly the blessings of God were not resting on Jerusalem, with its broken walls and people in peril. The solution? Nehemiah recognized that the Israelites needed to confess their sins and repent. He even acknowledged his own sinfulness. (slide) Notice the keys to Nehemiah s prayer of repentance: 1. This was a persistent prayer. He prayed day and night on behalf of Israel. This revealed his lasting realization of wrongdoing. 2. (click) The prayer was corporate in nature. He was confessing the sins of God s people along with his own. This revealed an absence of selfrighteousness. 3. (click) This prayer lacked excuses. He admitted fully and honestly the condition of Israel s relationship with God. This revealed an admission of wrongdoing that is devoid of excuses. **(slide) Nehemiah received troubling news. He prayed reflecting on God s greatness and confessing his own sin. (click) But his prayer did not end there. He turned his prayer of repentance of a failed past into positive action toward the future by appealing to God to act!

5 Nehemiah knew that the only hope he had was for God to hear and answer his prayer. So, he pleaded for God to do what only God alone could do: bring the victory! (click) But notice that Nehemiah s request of God was based on promises that God Himself had made. God had said that if His people were unfaithful, He would cast them into exile, and this is what happened (v.8). But this is not the end of God s promise! Nehemiah reflected on the pledge God made that when His people repented of their sin and returned to Him, He would restore them to their land. **(click) And this is where Nehemiah set his hope! Nehemiah had confidence that God is always true to His word and promise! God is faithful! He is truthful! He is the original and great promise keeper! Nehemiah knew that God would keep His promise if His people would repent and turn to Him again. (slide) 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Do you know that God is faithful to His word? Do you place your hope in the promises of God? Be sure of this: If God said it, God will do it! Now notice how Nehemiah ended his prayer. He called on God to be attentive to the prayer of his servant but then he added, Give Your servant success today, and have compassion on him in the presence of this man. (slide) **Don t miss the important truth of Godly leadership here! N shifted from thinking in terms of what God alone would do to fulfill the promise to how God might use him as part of the answer to his own prayer. N gives us a picture of his confident faith in God, and then reveals to us his desire and willingness for God to empower and use him in the fulfillment of the very request he brought before the Lord.

6 (click) This reveals dependence and determination! It reveals confidence and courage! I m reminded of the CPR prayer: CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation I remember the first time I did CPR (both when they lived and died). I never had a greater desire for life! (slide) **CPR prayer: Confession of sin, Praise of God, and Requests of God. Nehemiah did make a request **Yet even Nehemiah s request of God was for Him to move in such a way that only He would get the honor while using the faithfulness of this servant! **Nehemiah used the word servant 8 times in this prayer! As we recognize the greatness of God, we are reminded of our position that of a servant! Each of us are servants of the One, True King. Chaplains understand this! Make sure you re not going through the motions. And N asked for the King of the Universe to give him favor in the presence of this earthly king, of whom God had made N an earthly servant (11c). Where we will pick up. (Slide)**Do you want to learn how to be an effective leader in God s Kingdom? (click) Step #1: Learn to Pray like one! **CPR prayer: Confession of sin, Praise of God, and Requests of God. Questions for Thought?? (John White s Excellence in Leadership) How does our knowledge of and image of God affect our prayer? How willing do you think God is to hear your prayers? When is the last time you pleaded with God like Nehemiah? What is the connection between prayer and obedience? How can you be part of the answer to prayers you have been praying lately?

Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy Session 2: The Leader & Organiza4on and The Leader & the Work of Mo4va4ng

The Leader & Organization Nehemiah 2:1-8 in a nutshell: God strengthened Nehemiah as he acted in faith in planning to face the difficult task ahead. God will strengthen us as we act in faith and plan according to His will to address the tasks He sets before us.

The Leader & Organization Nehemiah spent much of his time praying and preparing to answer the call God placed on his life. Nehemiah s greatest concern was for God s name to be great among His people and all the nations.

The Leader & Organization Two Important Truths! 1. Before Nehemiah said a word, he prayed! Why? He was still trusting God to be faithful to His promise. He still trusted God to do the work! 2. Nehemiah s prayer did not cancel out his responsibility to lay out this God-given plan before the king. Trustful prayer was followed by faithful action!

The Leader & Organization Many scholars believe that Nehemiah purposefully appeared sad before the king for this very purpose. He deliberately took this opportunity to see God s hand begin to move the plan forward.

The Leader & Organization King Artaxerxes once opposed the work. Now, as Nehemiah boldly put aside his fear and turned to God in prayer, God responded and did what only God could do: He moved the king s heart to look with favor on Nehemiah s plan! Here is where we see Nehemiah s foresight in planning and organization!

The Leader & Organization Ultimately, Nehemiah knew his success in this matter would only happen because God worked in the king s heart. According to promise, God did move the heart of the king. Nehemiah s plan and forethought were set in motion because of his great trust in the Lord. What do we see? Great trust, great forethought, and God s moving through His divine power.

The Leader & the Work of Motivating Nehemiah 2:9-18 in a nutshell: With the King s full support, Nehemiah, with little details of the journey and work, arrived in Jerusalem to begin his ambitious project. This is where we learn the principles of assessment and challenging.

The Leader & the Work of Motivating Before Nehemiah even toured the walls, he already knew what God was prompting him to do. This assessment served to confirm the vision God had already laid on his heart, and it gave the others the opportunity to see with Nehemiah just where his burden came from.

The Leader & the Work of Motivating Leadership 101: Help others to see the need, the problem, the situation, so they will understand the vision and plan to address it. These always go together God s work in us to burden us with the vision He has for us, and our work to learn all we can about that vision.

The Leader & the Work of Motivating 2 truths: 1. He shared this God-given vision with clarity and power. Nehemiah clearly described the problem and the plan towards a solution. 2. He gave them strong hope to trust that God would be with them in carrying out this vision (v.18).

Steps Nehemiah Took to Remedy the Problem List in the proper order Develop a final plan 2: Obtain authorization 2: Recognize a need 2: Enlist others 2: Personally commit 2: Secure resources 2:

Steps Nehemiah Took to Remedy the Problem Recognize a need 2:3 Personally commit 2:5 Obtain authorization 2:5 Secure resources 2:7-8 Develop a final plan 2:11-16 Enlist others 2:17-18

7 (Title Slide)The Leader & Organization & The Leader and the Work of Motivating (Slide) Session 2 The Leader & Organization (Neh. 2:1-8 in a nutshell) (slide) **God strengthened Nehemiah as he acted in faith in planning to face the difficult task ahead. (click)**god will strengthen us as we act in faith and plan according to His will to address the tasks He sets before us. (Read 2:1-8) As we pick up with the story, 3-4 months have passed. I believe that the prayer in chapter 1 serves as the model of Nehemiah s prayer life throughout this time. For 3 months, he has been practicing CPR prayer: Confession of sin, Praise of God, and Requests of God. (**When s the last time we prayed this long?) And all the while, he has been making preparations too! Don t miss the significance of Nehemiah s position (1:11c): Nehemiah is a highly placed political official. As cupbearer to the king, he likely tasted everything that went to the king before the king ate or drank. This would mean that the king trusted Nehemiah, and if Nehemiah didn t want to be poisoned, he would take pains to ensure that everyone with access to the king s cup would be trustworthy and faithful. (slide) In the midst of these responsibilities and duties, with all this influence, Nehemiah spent much of his time praying and preparing to answer the call God placed on his life. **Why? (click) **Nehemiah s greatest concern was for God s name to be great among His people and all the nations. In fact, that s why he was willing to take the chance that he did (2:1-2). According to rules of expected behavior, the cupbearer was to be pleasant, humble, and never particularly noticeable as he brought in wine for the king. But these times were not expected/normal, and neither was Nehemiah. He was placed in this position by our Sovereign God for a purpose.

8 Nehemiah came into the king s presence different from ever before, and the king noticed. For Nehemiah, this was good and bad. It was bad to appear sad in the king s presence because the king had the right to immediately command Nehemiah to be removed from his presence and executed. For all the king knew, Nehemiah s demeanor could be a sign of his treason. So Nehemiah was overwhelmed with fear. But it was good because the king noticed the sadness and he allowed Nehemiah to express the reason for the sad demeanor and what he would request of the king! **This is incredible! What could have resulted in Nehemiah s death instead began unfolding as the beginning of the answer to his prayer! After 3 months of praying and waiting to see God act, Nehemiah was about to see God s hand move! The king asked, What is your request? How did Nehemiah respond? **He prayed again! (v.4) We don t know what he prayed, and he probably didn t have time to repeat the prayer from chapter 1. I imagine his prayer was something like this, Here it is God! This is the time! Please help! Please move the king s heart to hear and answer my prayer! (slide) Don t miss 2 important truths! 1. Before Nehemiah said a word, he prayed! Why? He was still trusting God to be faithful to His promise. He still trusted God to do the work! 2. (click) Nehemiah s prayer did not cancel out his responsibility to lay out this God-given plan before the king. **Trustful prayer was followed by faithful action! **Trusting God to do the work that He alone can do (Nehemiah prayed) and faithfully carrying out what we should do (Nehemiah answered the king) both of these go together. a. Danger Too heavenly minded to be no earthly good!

9 Nehemiah immediately told the king what he wanted done **(and we are exposed to his apparent plan for the first time). He asked the king to provide letters that would permit him to travel to Jerusalem. He asked the king to provide another letter that would request from others the building materials he would need. Obviously, Nehemiah was not trusting in his position before the king. These requests from a cupbearer were ridiculous. But Nehemiah trusted God, and asked boldly! (slide) Many scholars believe that Nehemiah purposefully appeared sad before the king for this very purpose. He deliberately took this opportunity to see God s hand begin to move the plan forward. (slide) v. 8 The king granted my requests, for I was graciously strengthened by my God. (slide) Proverbs 21:1 The king s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. (slide) **Understand the significance in this context! King Artaxerxes was not always in favor of the rebuilding. According to Ezra 4, early in his reign, the king received a letter from the Samaritan officials complaining about the Jewish efforts to rebuild the city. These officials said that if the rebuilding was allowed to be finished, the new Jerusalem residents would probably be nontax paying rebels against the king. Artaxerxes ordered the reconstruction to be halted, and these worried officials destroyed the work that had been done (including the burning of the gates)! (click) Now, as Nehemiah boldly put aside his fear and turned to God in prayer, God responded and did what only God could do: He moved the king s heart to look with favor on Nehemiah s plan! (click) **Here is where we see Nehemiah s foresight in planning and organization! He did not mention Jerusalem by name, nor did he mention the rebuilding of the walls specifically (passingly mentioned in v.8)! **He displays tremendous forethought! He planned beforehand!

10 Matt. 10:16 Be as clever as snakes and as harmless as doves. Instead of mentioning Jerusalem, he mentioned rebuilding the city where my ancestors are buried (v.5). This obviously struck a chord with the king. James Montgomery Boice says, Nehemiah did not treat this as a political issue at all. He treated it as a matter of personal grief, which the king, who was proud of his own city and who also had his own ancestors, would understand. (slide) Ultimately, Nehemiah knew his success in this matter would only happen because God worked in the king s heart. (click) According to promise, God did move the heart of the king. Nehemiah s plan and forethought were set in motion because of his great trust in the Lord. (click) What do we see? Great trust, great forethought, and God s moving through His divine power. **What hope and confidence this should inspire in us for God to do what He alone can do! When you face difficulty, what is your first instinct? Do you pray? Or do you try to figure out what to do on your own? It s important that we learn from Nehemiah s prayer and plan for when the moment of opportunity arises! Nehemiah had been praying, and so when the opportunity arises before Artaxerxes he is prepared to make his requests and unfold his plan. Let me encourage you to follow in Nehemiah s footsteps on this point. He seeks to be used of God to see his own prayers answered. Study the Bible. Pray for God to do what He has promised to do in the Bible. And give thought to how and what you can do to be used of the Lord to bring His promises to pass. The Leader & Organization (Planning) (slide) The Leader & the Work of Motivating Nehemiah 2:9-18 in a nutshell: With the King s full support, Nehemiah, with little details of the journey and work, arrived in Jerusalem to begin his ambitious project.

11 (click) This is where we learn the principles of assessment and challenging. Why is assessment necessary? (school/paper Machine) Assessment and Challenge (2:9-20) The story moves along quickly. Nehemiah took the letters and set out for Jerusalem. With him were officers and soldiers from the king s army, sent both to protect Nehemiah s team and to reveal the authority under which Nehemiah was sent (v.9). Here we come across Sanballat and Tobiah. These two enemies of Israel were greatly troubled to hear that Nehemiah had come, by the king s own orders, to assist the Israelites living in the region. Sanballat (the Horonite from Samaria) and Tobiah (the Ammonite) represented threats to Israel from both within and without its land. They both were determined to stop any work that might help Israel prosper. But because God was controlling Nehemiah s heart, no threats would prevent him from pursuing the call God had placed on his life. Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem and spent 3 days there before he ever began the work for which he had come (v.11). Why 3 days? Why wait? Nehemiah knew that the work would require the cooperation and commitment of all the Israelites living in Jerusalem. So instead of plunging into the work himself, he spent time letting the people get to know him and he learning of the condition of the people. Then the time came for him to solidify the plan of execution. Under the secrecy of night, Nehemiah along with a few others, toured the walls of Jerusalem to assess the situation. N didn t tell these men what they were doing. Maybe he wanted these men to be reminded of the dire need before he revealed the plan that God had given (v.12).

12 (v. 12) what my God had laid on my heart reveals the relationship between Nehemiah s prayers and his plans. Nehemiah understood God s will, and here he indicates that he is doing what the Lord has led him to do. (slide) So, before Nehemiah even toured the walls, he already knew what God was prompting him to do. This assessment served to confirm the vision God had already laid on his heart, and it gave the others the opportunity to see with Nehemiah just where his burden came from. (slide) **Leadership 101: Help others to see the need, the problem, the situation, so they will understand the vision and plan to address it. (click) **These always go together God s work in us to burden us with the vision He has for us, and our work to learn all we can about that vision. (vv.17-18) The time finally came for Nehemiah to share his God-given vision with the others. (slide) 2 truths: 1. He shared this God-given vision with clarity and power. Nehemiah clearly described the problem and the plan towards a solution. a. If we want to lead well, we must clearly articulate the vision of what is wrong and what is needed to address the wrong. 2. (click) He gave them strong hope to trust that God would be with them in carrying out this vision (v.18). a. He revealed how God had already been working. (Celebrate!) b. You can articulately lay out the vision before the people, and it will fail every time, if the people of God doubt whether God is behind their efforts. If there is doubt, there will be little motivation. (story) Mike Singletary (Linebacker for Chicago Bears) was asked by a reporter, How do you get clobbered by linemen on one side of the field and still make the tackle on the other? Singletary responded, I get up. Let us rebuild (v.17) (slide) Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (slide) Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

13 (slide)**organization/planning, Honest Appraisal and Bold Challenge (according to God s Plan) **By God s grace, N persuaded the people to see and own the vision the Lord had given. They were strengthened by the confidence of God being behind this plan. (slide) Group Activity Steps Nehemiah Took to Remedy the Problem (slide) Answers (Discussion) Give specific examples from your life (using principles from Nehemiah) where you saw that trust in God and faithfulness in doing what you should do have worked together.

Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy Session 3: The Leader & Work and The Leader & Opposi5on

The Leader & Work By God s grace, Nehemiah persuaded the people to see and own the vision the Lord had given. They were strengthened by the confidence of God being behind this plan.

The Leader & Work Throughout Nehemiah 3, we see an extensive list of those who worked on the walls. Even though you can get lost in the details, the main point is still clear: God moved the hearts of his people to join together to complete this monumental task. And how did God do this work through them? Through Nehemiah s faithful and courageous leadership.

The Leader & Work Something should be noticed in Nehemiah 3. It s true that God can move people s hearts directly to do His will. God could have moved the people s hearts directly to rebuild the broken walls, never needing Nehemiah to lead in the work. God could have accomplished this without Nehemiah! He is God! He is Sovereign!

The Leader & Work God s usual way of accomplishing His will is through the ministry of His servants. Nehemiah was God s chosen instrument through whom He would move the people s hearts to do His will.

The Leader & Work While God is responsible for enabling the work that is done, and while He receives all the glory of the good accomplished, God often chooses to fulfill His will and accomplish His work through His servants. Give God the glory that is due Him, and join Him in the work that He has called and equipped you to do.

The Leader & Opposition Opposition to God s work is inevitable. By trusting God and being determined to continue His work, God will provide ways to overcome the opposition.

The Leader & Opposition Truth: Initial success is often followed by renewed and increasing opposition.

The Leader & Opposition Truths Concerning Opposition: 1. Obstacles to God s will and work are inevitable. 2. Clarity of vision requires that we see what needs to be done and that we see what stands in opposition to the vision. 3. The immediate response to opposition is prayer.

The Leader & Opposition 4. Immediate prayer is then followed by wise and godly action. 5. Success in God s work comes through persistence and perseverance when facing opposition.

The Leader & Opposition Opposition from Within (Chapter 5) Nehemiah was angry. Yet he gained control of his initial outrage after seriously considering the matter. An angry leader can destroy a congregation (or those he/she is leading).

The Leader & Opposition Nehemiah thinks the matter through. He thinks before he acts.

The Leader & Opposition Amazingly, as soon as Nehemiah called them all to walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies, they realized their actions were contrary to the call of unity for the purpose of fulfilling God s will.

The Leader & Opposition Leadership by Example in the Midst of Opposition (5:15-16) Nehemiah s leadership was rooted in the fear of God. (v.15)

The Leader & Opposition Opposition from the outside or within is never greater than the respect we have for God and His will for our lives.

The Leader & Opposition Think of a time when you were striving to serve God faithfully but ran into opposition. 1. What were you trying to do? 2. What obstacle(s) stood in your way? 3. What steps did you take to overcome the obstacle(s)? 4. What was the final outcome?

14 (slide) Title (slide) Session 3 The Leader & Work (3-4) and The Leader & Opposition (2:18) They said, Let s start rebuilding, and they were encouraged to do this good work. They were strengthened (slide) By God s grace, N persuaded the people to see and own the vision the Lord had given. They were strengthened by the confidence of God being behind this plan. Immediately, they ran into opposition (we will come back to in a minute). But the work began. (slide) Throughout Nehemiah 3, we see an extensive list of those who worked on the walls. Even though you can get lost in the details (names, families, sections of the wall), the main point is still clear: God moved the hearts of his people to join together to complete this monumental task. (click) And how did God do this work through them? Through Nehemiah s faithful and courageous leadership. John White (Excellence in Leadership) said, Good leaders are not workaholics. They work hard without being in bondage to work itself. They are not frightened of work. They are not frightened of delegating work. A good leader sees work as a means of achieving a specific goal. (slide) Something should be noticed in Nehemiah 3. It s true that God can move people s hearts directly to do His will (as He did with King Artaxerxes). (click) God could have moved the people s hearts directly to rebuild the broken walls, never needing Nehemiah to lead in the work. But this is not how God normally works. Rather, He worked first in Nehemiah s life, then in the heart of the king, and then through Nehemiah God moved the people to be a part of the work. (click) Don t miss the point! **God could have accomplished this without Nehemiah! He is God! He is Sovereign!

15 (slide) **But God s usual way of accomplishing His will is through the ministry of His servants. Nehemiah was God s chosen instrument through whom He would move the people s hearts to do His will. It s an incredible privilege to be used by God to do His work when He is fully able to do the work in every way that pleases Himself. (slide) **While God is responsible for enabling the work that is done, and while He receives all the glory of the good accomplished, God often chooses to fulfill His will and accomplish His work through His servants. So what?! Esther (click) Give God the glory that is due Him, and join Him in the work that He has called and equipped you to do. Side note Who led in the building of the wall? 3:1 à High Priest Sheep Gate emphasis on the restoration of sacrifice and worship. And as you do, be prepared to face opposition! (slide) The Leader & Opposition (from within, personal attacks) (4:1-14) (chp. 5 and 6) Opposition to God s work is inevitable. By trusting God and being determined to continue His work, God will provide ways to overcome the opposition. Ol Sanballat and Tobiah pop up on scene again. We saw them for the first time in 2:10 as the 2 key figures determined to oppose the work. Now in chapter 4, they have learned that Nehemiah had united the people to complete an improbable task and these two were horrified. Just so we know, Sanballat was the governor of Samaria. Although he was using a Babylonian name (probably given during the exile), he was Jewish and his daughter was the wife of the high priest s grandson. Tobiah was also Jewish and came from a family of wealthy landowners. It is thought that Tobiah was the governor of Ammon. Both of these men had selfish motives to objecting of the rebuilding. **The establishment of Jerusalem as the leading city in the area would

16 threaten the political and economic privileges they enjoyed under the current situation. News of their mocking words made it to Nehemiah even though they were in Samaria. How did he respond? He prayed! (vv.4-5) We ve determined that Nehemiah was a capable leader. But more than this, he was a godly man. His trust was in the Lord. He knew that the only hope he and the united Israelites had was if the Lord would stand with them and against this opposition. (vv.4-5) Nehemiah prayed for God to defeat these enemies. Nehemiah again showed confidence in the promise of God. Under God s protection, the wall was completed. Even though it still needed to be much higher, at least the whole of the wall was joined together and the city was fortified from opposition. God s providence and the people s faithful labor led to this initial success. (slide) Here s a truth: Initial success is often followed by renewed and increasing opposition. Sanballat and Tobiah decided they needed to become more aggressive in their opposition. They sent word throughout Judah (the region where Jerusalem was located) that they would come to fight against Jerusalem. They planned to come secretly and when least expected (vv.11-12). Even though the wall was completely joined, it was low in places and the enemy could scale the wall and begin killing the workers and their families. This led to some discouragement (v.10). Yet, Nehemiah responds again. Rather than falling into discouragement with the people, Nehemiah directed the people s attention to God again! (v.14) Just listen to what happens (vv.15-23). **READ With courage and great faith in the Lord, Nehemiah declared, Trust in the Lord and be prepared!

17 While Nehemiah understood the severity of the situation he led the people to stand ready as best they could. But in the end he championed the call, Our God will fight for us! The strategy worked. The people continued the work (vv.21-23). What easily could have stopped the work failed to do so because the people knew God was stronger than the opposition. (Slide) Truths Concerning Opposition: 1. Obstacles to God s will and work are inevitable. a. One of the most common forms of opposition is mocking words of insult and discouragement. 2. (click) Clarity of vision requires that we see what needs to be done and that we see what stands in opposition to the vision. a. If accomplishing God s will normally meets opposition, then it stands to reason that we must resolve to defeat the opposition to accomplish God s will. b. We cannot deeply love what is good without also hating what is evil (Romans 12:9). 3. (click) The immediate response to opposition is prayer. a. Why? When we respond to discouragement by immediately strategizing how we will handle it or how we can overcome it, then we reveal that our hope is in ourselves. 4. (slide) Immediate prayer is then followed by wise and godly action. a. Trusting God does not negate our responsible action. b. Prayer and trust in God push us to action in order to put feet to our faith. 5. (click) Success in God s work comes through persistence and perseverance when facing opposition. a. God s people must continue to trust Him day by day, even as opposition increases. b. Persevering faithfulness helps us to find our hope and joy in Christ.

18 (slide) Opposition from within (chp. 5) Opposition from the outside is usually easy to spot. But what about opposition from within? James White states, The resistance from within may be active and belligerent or passive and sneaky. One might suppose that the passive and sneaky kind would be easier to cope with. But it can be just as deadly. It is passive only in the sense that the people involved have no wish to tangle directly with those who are moving forward with God. But such people still have an agenda contrary to God s. While no conflict may at first be apparent, it must occur sooner or later. Godliness and evil never mix. Such was the case with Nehemiah in chapter 5. (5:1-13) READ Again, we see great leadership from Nehemiah. What was happening? The workers were no doubt encouraged from watching the walls come together. But they couldn t eat walls. They and their families need food to survive. Time that was being spent on rebuilding the walls was taken from work in the fields, which led to the issues that were arising. The issue was fourfold: (summarized by John White) 1. We have to eat! (5:2) 2. We re mortgaged up to the eyebrows! (5:3) 3. Taxation is killing us! (5:4) 4. Why should our children be slaves when their children have everything they want? Are we not one race? Yet we have no control over the situation! (5:5) In summary, the rich and elite were taking advantage of the poor and distressed while they all were supposed to be working together. Nehemiah s response was clear. (5:6) I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. (click) Nehemiah was angry. Yet he gained control of his initial outrage after seriously considering the matter. took counsel with himself. (click) **An angry leader can destroy a congregation (or those he/she is leading).

19 (slide) 1 Peter 5:1 7 (HCSB) Therefore, as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of the Messiah and also a participant in the glory about to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you: 2 Shepherd God s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God s will; not for the money but eagerly; (slide) 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (slide) 5 In the same way, you younger men, be subject to the elders. And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. (slide) **Nehemiah thinks the matter through. He thinks before he acts. He accused them of charging interest (v.7), which was a violation of the Law given in (slide) Exodus 22:25 If you lend money to My people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a moneylender to him; you must not charge him interest. N also pointed out the irony that at the same time they were working to rebuild Jerusalem so the people of Israel might escape their slavery to other nations, here in Israel itself, the poor among them were finding themselves enslaved to other Jews (v.8)! (slide) Amazingly, as soon as N called them all to walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies, they realized their actions were contrary to the call of unity for the purpose of fulfilling God s will. N called them to stop charging the interest, stop holding onto other Jews as slaves, and to return all past payments of interest. Rather than protesting Nehemiah s call, rather than justifying their actions, they responded in a way only possible when God is at work: We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say (v.12). (slide) **Leadership by Example in the Midst of Opposition (vv.14-16) Nehemiah s leadership was rooted in the fear of God. (v.15)

20 (slide) Opposition from the outside or within is never greater than the respect we have for God and His will for our lives. (slide) (all below) Think of a time when you were striving to serve God faithfully but ran into opposition. What were you trying to do? What obstacle(s) stood in your way? What steps did you take to overcome the obstacle(s)? What was the final outcome?

Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy Session 4: The Leader & Renewal and The Leader & Endurance

The Leader & Renewal God s people strengthen their worship as they hear and obey God s Word, and they find new joy in knowing Him. As a leader, Nehemiah led the people to seek renewal in their worship of God.

The Leader & Renewal There probably is no greater evidence of the work of God s grace within a community of faith than when the people long to hear and learn the Word of God.

The Leader & Renewal We were told earlier that the wall had been completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul (6:15), and Elul was the sixth month of the year. At the beginning of the seventh month (8:2), then, the people showed an eagerness to learn the law of the Lord and to follow what His word taught.

The Leader & Renewal For the first time since the days of Joshua (see Neh. 8:17), God s people were obeying His Word and keeping His commandments. They learned what the law required, and immediately they performed what they were told to do, And there was tremendous joy. (v.17)

The Leader & Renewal Not only were the people eager to hear the law of God read and explained, but all of the leaders also participated and assisted in the detailed explanation of the law. All of the people, along with all of Nehemiah s and Ezra s leaders, were eager to participate in the great work God was doing.

The Leader & Renewal But for Nehemiah and his people, they could look back at how God preserved them during the exile in Babylon and once again had brought them back to this same Promised Land. And notice how the people respond again! 8:18

The Leader & Renewal Where does Nehemiah fit in? What lessons on leadership do we see here? It was Nehemiah who led the people to seek the Lord again. He modeled humility and desire to be in the center of God s Will. Both Ezra and Nehemiah begin with building projects that, once completed, allow the focus to shift to the rebuilding of God s people.

The Leader & Renewal Nehemiah and Ezra had not themselves brought about the change. But because they had lived as men of God and men of the Word, they had created under God a climate in which renewal and reformation could take place. And they had been privileged both to see and to lead the reformation.

The Leader & Renewal One result of genuine renewal is a quickened interest in and grasp of Scripture. Revived people delight in it. They become eager to practice it. Renewal produces changed lives and changed communities. How would you define spiritual renewal? What can trigger a spiritual renewal?

The Leader & Endurance We fast forward in the story. In chp. 10, the people make a new vow to God promising their faithfulness and obedience. In 11, there was a resettling of Jerusalem. In 11 and 12, there was a reestablishment of the priestly order. In 12, there was a great dedication of the completed wall.

The Leader & Endurance After all that has happened in the Book of Nehemiah, you wouldn t expect it to end the way it does. This last chapter records four significant areas of sin and disregard for the law of the Lord that continued in Jerusalem, even after all God had done, and even after the vows of recommitment were written and signed by all the leaders.

The Leader & Endurance After being away for some time, Nehemiah returned and had to confront 4 particular sins. 1. They had read in the law that no Ammonite or Moabite was to enter the house of the Lord. 2. Nehemiah also discovered that the Levites and singers were not given the portions owed them.

The Leader & Endurance 3. Nehemiah became aware that some of the people were working at their winepresses and hauling their grain on the Sabbath. He confronted the people about profaning the Sabbath day (vv.15-18). 4. Nehemiah became aware that some of the Jews had married women from foreign nations and that their children were actually being raised speaking the languages of those other countries (vv.23-28).

The Leader & Endurance In all of these ways, Nehemiah showed his faithfulness to God and His law, and he showed courage and great wisdom in his leadership of the people. Though this last chapter reminds us that sin will remain a reality for the people of God until the Lord s return, we also see the difference godly leadership can make.

The Leader & Endurance The book of Nehemiah opens and closes with his prayers. Nowhere do we see his heart more clearly than in his prayers. What does he ask for in his last four prayers (13:14, 22, 29, 31)? He asks that God remember!

The Leader & Endurance He has shown us the worthwhileness of waiting on God in prayer and that all real planning begins in God s presence. His example has made it clear that true leadership must be consistent with an ongoing servanthood. We have seen that his concern for God s priorities and for the people of Jerusalem determined his leadership style. He taught us the value of keeping ultimate goals always in mind.we have watched him move from stress to stress and from strength to strength as he walks through the doors of fear to ultimate triumph.

The Leader & Endurance And finally we have seen that he continued to run as well in the closing laps of the race as he had in the opening. The same faith and obedience that led him to take huge risks in the presence of the King Artaxerxes continued to motivate him toward the close of his life.

The Leader & Endurance It is time now for us to bid him farewell. We do not play so important a role in history as he. But we can run as well as he did. It is imperative that we, like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7, be able to say one day, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.

Nehemiah: A Study of Leadership for Chaplaincy What are the main qualities of leadership you admire in Nehemiah? How can we grow in ways that would enable us to respond to hard situations more as he did? The Leader & Prayer, Organization, the Work of Motivating, Work, Opposition, Renewal, Endurance

21 (Title) (slide) Session 4 Endurance) The Leader and Renewal (8:1-9:3) and (The Leader & (slide) God s people strengthen their worship as they hear and obey God s Word, and they find new joy in knowing Him. As a leader, Nehemiah led the people to seek renewal in their worship of God. In 8:1, we read that all the people gathered and asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the book of the law of Moses so he could read it to them and explain what it said. The stood for hours and days with hearts eager to learn what God required of them! (slide) **There probably is no greater evidence of the work of God s grace within a community of faith than when the people long to hear and learn the Word of God. In the context, we learn that this was just a few days after the completion of Jerusalem s wall. (slide) We were told earlier that the wall had been completed on the twentyfifth day of the month of Elul (6:15), and Elul was the sixth month of the year. At the beginning of the seventh month (8:2), then, the people showed an eagerness to learn the law of the Lord and to follow what His word taught. Obviously, they were still overwhelmed at God s gracious and powerful work among them to enable the completion of the wall in only 52 days (while experiencing great opposition). They were deeply thankful to God and they understood their indebtedness to Him. So they were eager to learn from Him and to follow His voice. (slide) **For the first time since the days of Joshua (see Neh. 8:17), God s people were obeying His Word and keeping His commandments. (click) **They learned what the law required, and immediately they performed what they were told to do, And there was tremendous joy. (v.17) We can t miss an important truth found in the text. The listing of names in verses 4-7 can be easily overlooked. Why is this list of names important?