Nehemiah
– Becoming A Disciplined Leader
Lesson 8: "Conflict Resolution" Nehemiah 5:1-13
"Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God…?" Neh. 5:9
An intense internal problem
- Are we "enthusiastic"?
- Troubles between fellow Jews, complex problems that had been building for a long time (5:1)
- First, some were running out of food (5:2)
- Second, those who had food were mortgaging their property (5:3)
- Third, Jews were charging high interest rates to their fellow Jews (5:4)
- Fourth, Jews were being sold into slavery, even to Gentiles (5:5)
The straw that broke the camel’s back
- Double trouble – Nehemiah had already been waging a psychological battle with Israel’s enemies, now this! (5:6)
- Righteous anger, but Nehemiah "consulted with himself" (5:7)
- What does God have to say?
- "You shall not charge him interest" (Exod. 22:25)
- "You shall not subject him to a slave’s service" (Lev. 25:35-36,39-41)
Serious Action
- the sin was widespread knowledge, so a public assembly (5:7)
- right is right and wrong is wrong, God’s reputation was at stake (5:9)
- Nehemiah sets the example (5:8,10)
- Restitution, and right now, and mean it (5:11-13)
4 Principles
#1) Internal problems are inevitable
#2)
We must not ignore internal conflicts
- A test for the early church (Acts 6:1-7)
- Guidelines to preserving the peace (Eph. 4:25-32, the Book of Unity!)
#3)
We must handle negative emotions properly – counsel ourselves!
- Powerful Proverbs! (Prov. 11:12,14:29.15:1,15:18) What do they have in common?
#4)
In solving conflicts among people, we must lead by example
For next week, read Nehemiah Ch. 5:14-19
