In other words, the devil is watching. He longs for this kind of selfish activity that Paul is describing, and to him it is a wonderful opportunity to bring even further division. So he baits his hook with even more selfish advice. Don't think about others.
Think about yourself, your desires, your life, your money, your plans, your career, your retirement, whatever. And repeat after me, he whispers, me, myself, and I. Me, myself, and I.
We all know that person. Maybe you even see some of yourself in them. I'm talking about the person who's chronically focused on me, myself, and I. They're always concerned about their agenda, their needs, and what everyone else can do for them. It's easy to get critical, but the truth is, selfishness lies in every human heart.
It's one of the biggest obstacles to true community. In Nehemiah, it threatened to derail the vital rebuilding project in Jerusalem. Today, you'll see how Nehemiah tackled the issue head on, and what you can learn from it.
This lesson is called, Me, Myself, and I. Thus far in our study, we have observed as the red dragon has engineered several different attempts to cause the work on the wall to cease, the enemies of God have been spellbound by the whispering motivations of the dragon, and they have come again and again against the people of God. The people of Jerusalem, we have learned, have already withstood cruel reviling and mockery. And when that didn't work, when the walls were halfway up, discouragement had set in by the constant threat of war and it nearly caused the work to come to a halt.
But neither ridicule nor discouragement were able and successful in stopping the work on the wall. We have been studying Nehemiah. We have gone to the New Testament as well to learn what we can of the methods of the evil one. We have been told not to be ignorant of his schemes.
And so let's do that again. In fact, you might turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 4, and let me give you three ways that he works against the believer. First of all, he will attempt to discourage the believer, and we have seen that at work. Second, he will attempt to deceive the believer. And third, if those fail, he will also attempt to divide the believers.
Warren Wiersbe writing on Nehemiah chapter 5 commented, when the enemy fails in his attacks from the outside, he then begins to attack from within and one of his favorite weapons is selfishness. Satan used this in the first family where the very first sons born to Adam and Eve, one killed the other in self-centered envy. Satan used this in the first church.
They were moving along and thousands were being added to their number and suddenly there was an outcry because the Grecian widows were being overlooked and the Hebrew widows, the national born widows were being preferentially cared for and it nearly destroyed. In fact, it was so significant to the work that out of that controversy came a new redefining method of church leadership that exists even to this day. The Galatian church was struggling with the division that the enemy was bringing about, and of course they were all too willing in their participation with him, so that Paul had to tell them stop biting and devouring one another, watch out that you don't consume each other and have nothing left.
Is it any wonder whenever conflict occurs among believers that the devil remains neutral at that point and he just supplies ammunition to both sides? I believe that the greatest enemy of the church is often the church. The thing that often keeps the church from moving forward is the church. The thing that keeps the church from winning the world is that the world has won the church. The thing that keeps new believers from growing are older believers who refuse to grow up. The song that circulates among all those who allow the enemy to use them to divide, those who are deceived, those who sing the same mantra in it is something like this, me, myself, and I.
Me, myself, and I. Before we see how Nehemiah handled the selfishness of the Israelites, I want to define this dragon's lure as clearly as possible and ask God as we study it to just sort of motivate and challenge our own hearts, so I'd like you to read this with me. Selfishness is having the attitude that people exist merely to meet my agenda, my wishes, and my needs, thus the value of anything people, church, God, et cetera, is determined only in light of what they can do for me. This attitude is revealed not only in outward behavior but also in secret thought and left unchecked is ultimately destructive, and it is. It destroys marriages, it destroys ministries, it destroys churches, it destroys friendships.
It is destructive. I received phone calls from two missionaries serving on two different sides of the world, and they said, Stephen, our greatest challenge at this point in our ministry is what they referred to as people problems. Division among their team, division among the ministry outposts. I want you to listen to one news report that I got about a church that made the news, unfortunately, in Kenya, scores of worshipers were hurt in a brawl during Sunday worship at a Kenyan church, local newspapers reported. The church had become divided into rival congregations by a dispute over its management decisions after church elders dismissed some other church leaders on charges of financial irregularity. The Kenya Times said it took the intervention of police to stop part of the congregation from strangling a pastoral staff member appointed to take charge of running the church. The People newspaper said members of the congregation turned their backs on the pulpit when the pastor attempted to lead in worship, and for over four hours, many in the congregation booed, insulted, and heckled him, the newspaper said.
Eventually scores of faithful were left seriously injured when a free-for-all fist fight erupted. From the very beginning, the church in Jerusalem, to the church in Corinth, the church in Galatia, and here the church in Ephesus, and perhaps the church in Cary. Our greatest threat to ourselves is ourselves. Look at chapter 4 of Ephesians in verse 25, we have read some already earlier of that chapter. Paul writes, lay aside falsehood, seek truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry and yet do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger. Now notice these verses, these words jumped out at me from this verse, and do not give the devil an opportunity. In other words, the devil is at words watching. He longs for this kind of selfish activity that Paul is describing, and to him it is a wonderful opportunity to bring even further division. So he baits his hook with even more selfish advice. That's right, don't think about others.
Think about yourself, your desires, your life, your money, your plans, your career, your retirement, whatever. And repeat after me, he whispers, me, myself, and I. Me, myself, and I. Notice verse 29, let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification, according to the need of the moment that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice. The implication, ladies and gentlemen, is that the Ephesian believers were involved in bitterness and anger and clamor and wrath with all malice. But instead of acting like that, Paul says in verse 32, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as God and Christ also has forgiven you. These verses do not leave any room for secret thoughts of selfishness nor any outward deeds of selfishness.
Do you know who has a big problem living out these verses? I do. I do. You say, but Stephen, you're supposed to be good.
We pay you to be good. No, I have a problem. Stephen has a problem with selfishness. There is at the core of all of us this bent toward thinking about me, myself, and I. You go back to the garden, the very first sin, serpent, the dragon slipped in in serpent form and said in effect, Eve, think about yourself.
You like that? God would give it to you if he really cared. Think about yourself. Thomas Merton was right when he wrote to consider people and events and situations only in light of their effect upon yourself is to live on the doorstep of hell. There's a problem in Ephesus. There's a problem in Galatia. There's a problem in Jerusalem. There's a problem in Kenya.
There's a problem in Cary. Wherever you go, the enemy and part of the lore of this dragon is to divide the believers. No believer is exempt from this lore.
We are all terminally infected with this thing called selfishness and we must battle it. We must deal with it or he will use it in whichever way he can to destroy. Let's go find out what happened in Jerusalem when self-centeredness momentarily brought the work on the wall to stop. These are rather interesting words and shocking words to me to read in chapter five verse one, especially after we've studied chapter four. Everybody's united by families. They've strapped their weapons to their side.
It's let's go build. All of a sudden you read now that is at this time there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their enemies. No. There was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said we, our sons and our daughters are many therefore let us get grain that we may even live. There were others who said we are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine. Also there were those who said we have borrowed money for the king's taxes on our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children yet behold we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.
The implication to other Jews. There are three problems represented here if I could summarize them. The three problems are these. Hunger, debt and high taxes. Four groups of people were involved in the crisis. In verse two we're introduced to people who were going hungry because they didn't own any land upon which to farm. In verse three we're introduced to the people who owned land but had mortgaged their property in order to buy food. And then we're introduced to a third group of people who owned land but were so financially strapped that they were forced to borrow money in order to pay taxes. And the fourth group who aren't mentioned until later are the wealthy Jewish leaders who loaned their kinsmen money, who loaned their kinsmen goods but for collateral took their land and even took their sons and daughters and forced them into slavery so that the people were having to decide between starvation and sending their sons and daughters into servitude to other Jewish people. The leaders and wealthy Jewish people were selfishly exploiting the poor Jewish people in order to make themselves even richer.
It was as one author commented an epidemic of selfish greed. Notice verse six. Then I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
And Nehemiah will do three things. First of all he says I consulted with myself. Literally I took counsel within my own heart. You've done that before haven't you? Maybe you're driving down the street in your car and you're faced with a challenge or some conflict or some issue, some emergency and you're just talking away. Your lips are moving.
Hopefully cars don't come up beside you and stare. But you're consulting within yourself. Now it could be even something deeper than that. Perhaps because all of the leaders and the wealthy Jewish people here were guilty of this extortion that Nehemiah had no one else to talk to in leadership. This was his burden that he was bearing.
I took counsel within my own heart. The second thing he did was confront the citizens of Jerusalem. By the way before we dig any deeper this is quite a risky thing for him to do. At the very time the enemies have surrounded Jerusalem Nehemiah is going to confront the very men who could cripple this project should they choose to be angry and offended at Nehemiah's confrontation of their sin. If they packed their bags and left the loss of morale would only add to Nehemiah's challenge.
In other words I say that to say this. Nehemiah had every reason to sort of stuff their sin under the carpet. Sort of ignore the problem. Do anything but confront the leaders who had sinned and just tell the people we'll come up with something different.
We'll get you food somehow. Don't worry about it. For Nehemiah he was willing to confront them and thirdly challenge their selfishness and he challenges them on several fronts. First of all he challenges their selfish disobedience to the law of God. Look at verse seven. And I contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them you are exacting usury or interest each from his brother.
Therefore I held a great assembly against them. The Old Testament made it very clear that Jewish people could loan as Nehemiah was even doing goods and money to their brethren but they were not allowed to charge interest. They couldn't take advantage of a Jew who was in need.
They could give them the food they needed and whenever they could repay them they could repay them with that food and no more. In fact every 50 years they had a Jubilee. That was the practice where every Jew wiped off of their record books any debt from another Jew. Anything any other Jew owed them they would wipe it off. And they had this Jubilee.
What better word could he come up with when all your debts are erased but Jubilee. And they had a celebration. And yet here is the exact opposite of that practice. They were violating this. These nobles and leading citizens have been charging interest.
Later in the passage we're told that it's around 12 percent. Nehemiah said in effect in verse 7 you're breaking the law and you're doing it at the expense of your own brethren. By the way you could circle brethren that appears several times it's as if Nehemiah is reminding them you're doing this awful thing and disobeying the law of God but you're doing it against your family.
This is family. They evidently didn't care how they mistreated family. He challenged secondly their selfish violation of God's purpose for Israel. Verse 8 I said to them we according to our ability have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations. How would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us. In other words God redeemed us from slavery as a people and he's brought us back to Jerusalem. Now how can you turn God's redemptive purpose upside down and enslave us to yourselves. The text says then they were silent and could not find a word to say. It's a good place to stop isn't it?
These men know they've been greedy and selfish and in front of the assembly they are stumped. Good place to stop. No. Not Nehemiah.
He isn't finished. He challenges their selfish failure to represent God before unbelievers. Verse 9 again I said the thing which you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies. In other words won't you walk with God because if you don't the nations will look down on us as a people and ultimately reflect poorly on the character of God. Isn't that at the heart of the greatest loss by believers who mistreat believers that God's honor is defamed in the community. When this news hit in Kenya don't you understand the greatest loss is not even to that church but it is to the honor and reputation of God.
The thing which you are doing is not good. Verse 10 and likewise I my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain please let us leave off this usury. Please give back to them this very day. Now here's how their extortion had become so deeply part of their community. Look at what they'd taken in their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, their houses. Also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.
Now Nehemiah finishes his speech. How will they respond? It would be an amazing thing for their hearts to be softened and turned. Would they put their loyalty back to one another?
Over and above the tremendous wealth that they are extorting from people in their own community. I mean it would be one thing for them to say, oh you're right Nehemiah. Okay I'll tell them I'm sorry. It'd be another thing for them to say I'm sorry and I'll give it back. Now there is a sign of repentance and that's what Nehemiah's asked them to do.
Not just stop but give it back. Now look at verse 12. Then they said, here it is, we will give it back and will require nothing from them.
We will do exactly as you say. Thus they called for smelling salts upon observing that Nehemiah had fainted dead away. It's in between the Hebrew lines there. So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. They made a promise to Nehemiah. They made an oath to the priests and there was submission to God's authority. But Nehemiah now isn't quite finished.
He has about eight minutes left. Verse 13. I also shook out the front of my garment and said, thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise, even thus may he be shaken out and emptied. And all of the assembly said amen, which basically means so be it. Be it according as you have spoken. That's what amen means. And they praised the Lord. What began in chapter 5 as a great outcry becomes now a great celebration. And they praised the Lord. People who live unselfish lives tend to leave a trail of spiritual confetti behind them wherever they go. And we who are impacted by them praise our God for their lives. Nehemiah lived like that.
In fact, the end of this chapter is just nothing more than an explanation of how he continued the example of unselfish service. Let's quickly read verse 14. Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be the governor, did you catch that?
He's now the governor in the land of Judah from the 20th year to the 32nd year of King Artaxerxes for 12 years. Neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance. Now that speaks volumes. There's a famine going on. People are hungry. He has an allowance. Because of the people's hunger, he will not eat what the governor usually eats.
He could have chowed down legally. No one could have ever accused him, but he was unselfish. But the former governors who were before me, verse 15, had laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine beside 40 shekels of silver. Even their servants domineered the people.
Imagine how bad it used to be. But I did not do so because of the fear of God, my honoring of God's character. I also applied myself to the work on this wall. We did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
You get the picture here? Nehemiah was no ordinary ruler who lived off the labor of his people, who took advantage of his position. He had every right to kick back in some ivory palace and take advantage of all of the perks.
He had them coming. Success in his day and in our day is when you arrive at a certain level, success is revealed by how many people are serving you. If you have all of the perks, take them and treat people on some other level of strata, perhaps in a way that you believe is beneath your own differently. When you go out to eat, perhaps today, treat the waitress as if she were your servant. It is your right.
No one would ever complain. And I have asked waitresses in the past what the worst day of the week is for them, and they say, Sunday, it's when we get the least amount of tips. When the church goes out to eat, they get the least. Well, if you notice, even verse 16 makes it clear that Nehemiah is mixing mortar and hauling rock. He's helping them right along with the rest of the people.
And that would be as rare back in those days for the governor to do that as it would be for a young man to give a baseball to a guy who hit it out of the park. You just don't do that unless you're going to sing something other than me, myself, and I. The most moving verse in this chapter is the last one to me. Remember me, oh my God, for good, verse 19, according to all that I have done for this people. And I had to use the word worship because worship seeks the pleasure of God above all else. He wanted God and the attention of God. Selfish people want the attention of who?
Other people. Nehemiah wanted to be noticed only by God. Did you notice Nehemiah did not say here, oh God, make these people around me appreciate what I'm doing for them. Oh Lord, help my family to respect my decision to live for Christ. They don't understand.
Help them to make it easier for me. God, make my friends and my coworkers and my classmates respect and admire my decision to live a holy life before you. No. Oh God, you alone remember me. And if you do, if you acknowledge and if it is pleasing to you, I am satisfied.
That's enough. Dr. Campbell in his book on Nehemiah, in fact, he used to be the president of Dallas Seminary, told the story of a young brilliant musician, a violinist who was being taught by a world renowned master teacher. This young protege was exceptionally brilliant and capable. There came the time when his teacher decided it was appropriate for his public debut. It was arranged at a concert hall and the place was packed with expectant music lovers and the media was there. Backed up by a full orchestra, this young man stepped forward and he began to play with great skill and beauty. When he finished his first piece, the crowd erupted in applause and they noticed that he stood there rather silently unsmilingly looking off toward the balcony. The next song began and he played again with great skill and it went that way song after song and even after the ending number where the bravos were the loudest and the cheers were the greatest, he stood there looking off to the balcony until an old man smiled back at him and nodded at approval.
He immediately relaxed and beamed with satisfaction. The applause of the people meant nothing compared to the applause of his master. The cure for selfishness is living in that same kind of light that nothing would please us more. We seek nothing other than to please our God and to see as it were his smile of approval.
And the most magnificent thing is going to happen when we finish our race as we have been faithful to him we will hear him say smiling, well done, good and faithful servant. For those of us who will like Nehemiah live with that objective, selfishness is battled against successfully and the red dragon is defeated once again. Remember the battle against selfishness is constant. We all have those me myself and I tendencies lurking inside but if we want to build strong families thriving churches and even a truly caring world it begins by changing our own hearts.
Thankfully God can help us shift our focus outwards as we trust him seeking to serve others like Nehemiah did we contribute to building something lasting and beautiful. This is Wisdom for the Heart with Stephen Davey. Visit us at wisdomonline.org. While you're at our website claim your free membership in what we call Friends of Wisdom. Once you do you're going to begin receiving resources from Stephen that will help you walk wisely through life. Friends of Wisdom receive an email from Stephen each Tuesday.
He might send an encouraging article to help you better apply God's word to your everyday life. At least once a month our Friends of Wisdom receive a free resource. Joining Friends of Wisdom is both free and easy. All you need to do is visit wisdomonline.org forward slash friends. You'll fill out a brief form and that's it. You'll be signed up and you'll start hearing from Stephen very soon. And when you sign up you'll receive two free resources immediately. So do that today. Then join us back here next time to discover more wisdom for the heart.
