Prayer Meeting
Are you living in such a way that you sacrifice your own needs for the need of others?
Are you living in such a way that in the end God would say, “Well done”?
Pastor Tim preached on Nehemiah’s self-sacrifice for his people and how it relates to us today. (Nehemiah 5:14-19)
14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Nehemiah 5:14-19
15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
As Christians, we are called to sacrificially meet the need of others. However, it is very rare in the world. We are naturally predisposed to care for our own needs.
Christians should be different.
1. The Pattern of Sacrifice. Nehemiah 5:14-15
Nehemiah did not tax his people like the governors before him. He paid for the expenses of his own government.
2. The Expense of Sacrifice. Nehemiah 5:16-18
Nehemiah did not require money from the people because he thinks the people are already burdened.
3. The Proper Perspective of Sacrifice. Nehemiah 5:19
Nehemiah had a proper fear of God. He wanted God to think good upon him for what he had done for his people.
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