Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In the previous chapter, Nehemiah faces opposition from the outside forces. Now, Nehemiah faces internal forces. If the devil cannot convince you to give up as a result of external pressure, he will use a selfish spirit and the internal dissatisfaction that it causes. Here internal disunity raises its ugly head. It was a time of enormous pressure – famine, debt, oppression. We must sympathize with the hardships the rebuilders were experiencing. Yes, they were making great progress on the wall, but behind the scenes there was injustice and oppression. The trouble was fueled by a loss of generosity and obedience to the law of God regarding lending to your brethren. Often the worst enemy of the church, is the church itself… and her people who sin against one another. Why the disunity? Generosity died. There are always love killing influences latently lurking in the hearts of people in the church. What is their source? It is always the same thing: setting aside the commands of Word of God which is summed up in one word – love. In this case, it was the virus of selfishness that killed generosity. Jesus was very familiar with this problem, “And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?” Luke 6:34.

Here is the good news: they had many legitimate reasons to stop building, but they did not. They sought reconciliation.  There is a victory here in chapter 5: sin did not stop the building… they dealt with their sin and the joy rushed in.  While God is sanctifying sinners, the devil takes advantage of the situation.

Here is an outline: I. The outcry, v1-5. II. Nehemiah responds, v6-11. III. The oppressors repent and obey, v12-13. IV. The generosity of Nehemiah, 5:14-19.

Prayer will be held at the Burke home this week.

The songs are here:

• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
• More, More About Jesus
• Let It Be Said of Us
• Complete In Thee
• Grace Greater Than Our Sin
  
  

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy, never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise His name – I’m fixed upon it
Name of God’s redeeming love

Hitherto Thy love has blest me
Thou hast bro’t me to this place
And I know Thy hand will bring me
Safely home by Thy good grace
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wand’ring from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Bo’t me with His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

More, More About Jesus
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show,
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

   More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus,
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.

More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me.

More about Jesus in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in ev’ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine.

More about Jesus on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of Peace.

Let It Be Said of Us
Let it be said of us that the Lord was our passion
That with gladness we bore every cross we were given
That we fought the good fight that we finished the course
Knowing within us the pow’r of the risen Lord

  Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song
By mercy made holy, by the Spirit made strong
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song
Till the likeness of Jesus be through us made known
Let the cross be our glory and the Lord be our song

Let it be said of us we were marked by forgiveness
We were known by our love and delighted in meekness
We were ruled by His peace, heeding unity’s call
Joined as one body that Christ would be seen by all

Complete In Thee
Complete in Thee, no work of mine
Could take, dear Lord, the place of Thine.
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And I shall stand complete in Thee!

   Yea, justified, oh blessed thought!
And sanctified salvation-wrought!
Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,
And glorified I, too, shall be.

Complete in Thee, each want supplied,
And no good thing to me denied,
Since Thou my portion, Lord, will be,
I ask no more, complete in Thee!

Complete in Thee, no more shall sin
Thy grace has conquered reign within;
Thy blood shall bid the tempter flee,
And I shall stand complete in Thee!

Dear Savior, when, before Thy bar,
All tribes and tongues assembled are,
Among the chosen I shall be,
At Thy right hand, complete in Thee!

Grace Greater Than Our Sin
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt

Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within!
Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold
Threaten the soul with infinite loss
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! there is flowing a crimson tide
Whiter than snow you may be today

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face
Will you this moment His grace receive?