Page 41 - Principles of Leadership - Nehemiah

Let me elaborate a bit more on the fact that he did not mention his own name by using this analogy. Again,
Nehemiah did not mention himself in this entire description of the building process, and many commentaries
wonder why. “When a group picture is taken with you in it, who is the first person you look for when you see
the picture? Yourself. How do you determine if it’s a good picture? It usually depends on how good you look in
it. After checking your own image, you begin looking at everyone else’s picture. Teamwork demands that we
focus a little less on ourselves and a little more on how the team looks. To succeed, we must value completing
one another more highly than competing. If we want the team to win, we can’t be like the man in the comic
strip who says to his friend. “There may not be an ‘I’ in the team, but there is an ‘M’ and an ‘E,’ and that spells
me!”

Nehemiah (4:1-23)
The servant’s confidence

In his commentary on Nehemiah, Dr. Barber writes, “There is an attitude abroad today, particularly among
evangelicals, that nothing can or will go wrong if we live right. This frame of mind is contrary to the Scriptures.
(Matther18:7; John 16:33)” 136 Chapter 4 reminds us of the spiritual truth that conflict is inevitable for any
spiritual leader who tries to move God’s people onto God's agenda. There will always be opposition when God’s
people attempt to do God’s work in God’s way. James Montgomery Boice believes that “Opposition is almost
always caused by success and not failure." 137 If we are trying to achieve anything for God's glory, conflict is
inevitable. Sanballat was angry because the wall was being rebuilt, and Nehemiah's success threatened him.
Sanballat and the other governors became jealous and therefore began to oppose the success of the Jews
openly. "The easiest way to oppose something you do not like is to ridicule it, and this is the first thing Sanballat
and Tobiah did.” 138 Warren Wiersbe calls “ridicule the language of the devil… Ridicule is paper bullets of the
brain, but those bullets have slain many a warrior." 139

We must understand that ridicule is not used to restore and unify but is a tool of the enemy used to divide and
discourage. In Nehemiah chapter 4, we will also see that groupthink begins to kick in once ridicule is used. Once
groupthink begins to kick in, camps are formed between them and us. Nehemiah saw that the enemy was
gaining some momentum. Therefore, this forced Nehemiah to take a stronger stand than he had ever taken.
Nehemiah’s driving passion was to keep the people on God's agenda. Leadership’s greatest goal is to keep
people on God's agenda for God's glory. Leaders must also realize that the natural tendency of the flesh is to
resist God's agenda. Galatians 5:17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is
against the flesh; these are opposed to each other so that you don’t do what you want. (HCSB)

Before we move on, I am compelled to remind us once again about God's agenda. I believe that the Scriptures
teach us that the number one agenda for every church is to become a World Mission Strategy Center.
(Matthew 28:19-20) The tool that God has given us to accomplish this mission is the love of Christ. (John 13:34-
35) Our focus is not just on taking care of our wants, needs, and desires but also on becoming a World Mission
Strategy Center. Timothy Keller calls the human heart an “Idol Factory.” 140 Idols of our hearts keep business as
usual in the Christian life and in the church as a whole. Both Timothy Keller and David Platt cry out in their
writings that it is time for the church to take back its faith from the American dream. But Keller asked, “Why
can't anyone in the grip of greed see it?" 141 He answers his own question by stating," You don't compare
yourself to the rest of the world. You compare yourself to those in your bracket." 142 We will discuss this topic of
greed extensively when we come to chapter five. But remember that greed is what caused the ridicule in this
chapter as Sanballat and Tobiah see their power and control slipping away.

1. Conflict is inevitable (4:1-3)
Nehemiah 4:1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the
Jews 2 before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria, and said, “What are these pathetic Jews
doing? Can they restore ⌊it⌋ by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring

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