ENEMIES INSIDE
During the Gulf War more people died of friendly fire that from enemy fire. In other words, more people died from the hands of their friends than their foes. Unfortunately the church can sometimes be like that. Very often the greatest resistance we have to building up the church is often not from the outside but from the inside.
I had several friends who went through seminary with me in youth ministry. They had a call of God on their lives and passion to reach young people. More than half of them have left ministry today because of the pain and resistance they experienced from the church.
Nehemiah 5:1 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers. 2 Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain." 3 Others were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine." 4 Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 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." 6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 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 8 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. 9 So I continued, "What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury stop! 11 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."
While the Israelites were facing pressure from the surrounding peoples they were also facing problems from within. The work of building the walls meant that the people had no time to produce food and feed themselves and their families. Some of those with more resources available to them were using this opportunity to "lend" food to others but at a high price. Many could not afford to pay and were having to sell their land and even children in order to survive. These problems were not he result of enemy attack but from people within the walls of the city they were helping to build.
In the church we also see that sometimes our greatest obstacles to building come from within the walls of the church. I saw a movie once where the person was being chased by a monster and they thought “if only I can make it to the house I will be safe”. Only latter did they realize that the monster was actually already in the house.
It is like that with the church sometimes. People come from difficult lives and painful weeks to church. They think "if only I can make it until Sunday I wil find the strength and encouagement to keep going". They let their guard down only to be hurt by fellow Christians from within the church.
Conflicts are inevitable in the church because it is made up of sinners – just like me and you. The issue is not whether conflict will develop but how do we handle it when it does and continue to move forward and build up God’s kingdom.
1. Remember you are Family (vs. 7) … from your own countrymen
Nehemiah confronted the nobles with the fact that they were “exacting usury from your own countrymen”. They were hurting people that were part of their own family. When you do that you are only hurting yourself in the long run.
We need to remember that we are all part of the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We will be with each other for a very long time so had we had better learn to work on our differences now.
I learned from living on a ship for 2 years that you had better settle issues with people quickly because there is no way to avoid them.
When the Iraqi army first approached Kuwait at the beginning of the Gulf War the Kuwaiti forces ran for their lives. Why? They had nothing to gain and everything to loose. They were just paid soldiers.
John 10:12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
We have ownership as heirs of God through Christ and have a stake in the family business. We are sons, not slaves who work in the house as employees. As sons, we will inherit everything. The hireling flees when trials come. Therefore, the test of sonship is whether or not you stay in place under fire. The employee bails out because he is looking for payday and sundown. The son, however, knows that if the business goes down, he goes down. Sons defend the house. They simply do what they are told. If there is trash on the floor, the servant says, "I wasn’t hired to pick it up. It is not my job." But the son will pick it up. Sons say "we," "our," or "us." Servants say "me," "mine," "my," or "they." Servants, however, cannot take discipline. When they face correction, it is always someone else’s fault. They cannot take responsibility because they are insecure and afraid of rejection. Discipline is not something you do to your children; it’s something you do for your children, out of love. Sons have puppy feet; you can see their potential. Servants come into the house fully grown. Servants are not willing to learn much. They are not teachable because they feel that they already know everything. Sons, on the other hand, want to learn and want to get it right.
Some today have a “church hopping” mentality. They are always looking for the perfect place. It does not exist! There will always be conflicts even in the church. Deal with them and keep going on. Does that mean you should never move on to a different place? Of course not. The vision and direction is the important thing – solve your differences and don’t let them keep you from worship.
2. Remember the Task (vs. 8) … we bought back our brothers sold to the Gentiles
Nehemiah reminded the people of what they were doing. They were building the wall so that they would be free – but the nobles were enslaving the people! The nobles had lost sight of what it was that they were trying to accomplish. They were interested in making money while there was other work that needed to be done. Nehemiah responded to the problems which the community were facing by reminding them of what was really important.
Likewise in the church it is important to always keep before us our focus and vision. When we loose sight of what God is doing in and through us we can quickly turn on one another and begin to have problems.
If you keep soldiers in barracks too long they will eventually fight each other. As Max Lucado once wrote, when fishermen don’t fish they fight!
Christians who loose sight of the task will quickly turn their attention inward towards other things. Issues of doctrine and worship become all important.
The North American church is often driven by a consumer driven society. People come to church for what they can get – not give. It is like a religious smorgasbord – take a bit from here and some from there. I am not saying that you should never leave a church. What is important is that you remember that God has a purpose for your life and that the way you live out what God has called you to is through the local church.
3. Remember Others are Watching (vs. 10, 15-16)
As a leader is was essential that Nehemiah practiced what he preached. He did not expect something from the nobles which he himself was not willing to give. He was giving money to help the people. In addition he was not demanding anything of the people though he was the governor and was feeding people from his own table.
Nehemiah 5:15 The earlier governors--those preceding me--placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land. 17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
Before we point out the problems we need to offer to be part of the solution. Don’t condemn in others what you are doing yourself. Remember, how we respond to conflicts in the church will be seen by others around us.
a. Our actions are seen and evaluated by non-Christians. Last week I talked about the first Kuwaiti that came to faith and the problems that followed. In the Arabic congregation a dispute over theology developed that resulted in a split in the congregation. Both sides fought for power. The result was that the name of Jesus was dragged through the mud in the eyes of the Muslims in Kuwait. The world is always watching.
b. Our actions are seen by our children. This refers to both you physical and spiritual children. Kids watch us and imitate us. This can be a good thing and also a bad thing. In the area of conflict within the church, our negative actions can have lasting effects in the lives of those we love. Often churches that are born out of conflict seem to live in conflict.
c. Our actions are seen by God. Jesus prayed that we would be one on earth just as He and the Father are one in heaven. Conflict in the church hurts Christ.
10 LITTLE CHRISTIANS:
10 Little Christians standing in line - 1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9
9 Little Christians stayed up very late - 1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8
8 Little Christians on their way to Heaven - 1 took the low road and then there were 7
7 Little Christians chirping like chicks - 1 disliked music, then there were 6
6 Little Christians seemed very much alive - but 1 lost his interest then there was 5
5 Little Christians pulling for Heaven’s Shore - but 1 stopped to rest , then there were 4
4 Little Christians each busy as a bee - 1 got his feelings hurt, then there were 3
3 Little Christians knew not what to do - 1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2
2 Little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done - differed with each other, then there was 1
1 Little Christian can’t do much ’tis true - brought his friend to bible study -- then there were 2
Earnest Christians, each won one more - that doubled the number, then there were 4
4 Sincere Christians worked early and late - each won another then there were 8
8 Splendid Christians if they doubled as before - in just so many Sundays, there’d be 1,024.
In this little jingle, there is a lesson true - you’re either on the building, or to the wrecking crew!"
