Leadership: Learning From Nehemiah

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:16

INTRODUCTION:

1. In 1921 B.C. God made a promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3).
2. Approx. five hundred  years later, Israel was a great nation (Josh. 21:43-45).
3. Around 1931 B.C. Rehoboam divided the kingdom (2 Ki. 17).
4. In 722 B.C. Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyria.   Judah was taken captive by Babylon in 586 B.C.
5. In 536 B.C. Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their homeland, at which time Zerubbabel began a twenty year process of restoring the temple in Jerusalem.
6. Ninety one years later (445 B.C.) under the leadership of Nehemiah the walls of Jerusalem were restored in 52 days.  The city was secure.

DISCUSSION:  AN EXAMINATION OF NEHEMIAH’S LEADERSHIP REVEALS --

I. GOD’S PEOPLE MUST CARE (Neh. 1:1-4; 2:10).

II. GROWTH REQUIRES PLANNING (Neh. 2:12-16).

III. OTHERS NEED OUR ENCOURAGEMENT (Neh. 2:18).

IV. CRITICISM IS NOT ENOUGH TO STOP A LEADER (Neh. 2:19-20).

V. EVERY MEMBER HAS A JOB TO DO (Neh. 3).

VI. EVEN IF OTHERS REFUSE TO WORK, A LEADER WILL NOT QUIT (Neh. 3:5).

VII. WE SHOULD NOT GO LOOKING FOR A FIGHT BUT SHOULD BE READY JUST IN CASE (Neh. 4:7,8).

Conclusion: Nehemiah led the people to do in fifty two day, what had been delayed for nearly one hundred years.  Are there things being needlessly delayed in my life?

Leadership: Learning From Nehemiah