1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:00,961 Dr. Gregg Marutzky: 2 00:00:00,961 --> 00:00:01,950 Morning Church. 3 00:00:04,530 --> 00:00:07,530 Welcome to One Hour Less Sleep. 4 00:00:09,540 --> 00:00:10,440 Thank you, Sam. 5 00:00:11,790 --> 00:00:16,020 I don't know if you felt it, but, uh, nah, I didn't feel it. 6 00:00:16,890 --> 00:00:21,690 Every, every night seems like I need about one or two or three more hours. 7 00:00:21,690 --> 00:00:22,200 Amen. 8 00:00:22,410 --> 00:00:22,830 Amen. 9 00:00:22,830 --> 00:00:23,010 Didn't, uh. 10 00:00:24,944 --> 00:00:27,764 Uh, Kyle do an incredible job last week. 11 00:00:27,889 --> 00:00:29,775 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 12 00:00:30,525 --> 00:00:34,364 It's good to have an incredible, great, awesome, talented, gifted 13 00:00:34,605 --> 00:00:37,485 young campus minister in our midst. 14 00:00:37,815 --> 00:00:40,515 I, uh, I just wanna lower expectations, though. 15 00:00:40,515 --> 00:00:42,435 I won't be sitting on the stage. 16 00:00:42,465 --> 00:00:47,535 I, because, you know, might not be able to get back up, so, uh, uh. 17 00:00:47,925 --> 00:00:50,040 That, that was pretty cool last week though. 18 00:00:50,045 --> 00:00:52,710 That that really is a visual we can hold on to. 19 00:00:53,220 --> 00:01:00,269 We're back to Nehemiah and I'm preaching a sermon that, uh, almost wasn't, you 20 00:01:00,269 --> 00:01:05,820 know, uh, every once in a while you have what I call brain irregularities. 21 00:01:05,820 --> 00:01:09,150 Anybody have, these we're just something. 22 00:01:09,690 --> 00:01:10,920 Misfires up there. 23 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:17,910 You know, our brains are such a incredible complex computers that sometimes they're 24 00:01:17,910 --> 00:01:20,580 not always firing on every circuit. 25 00:01:20,580 --> 00:01:27,000 And, uh, you know, I had two weeks prepare this sermon and so I felt so prepared. 26 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,110 I was so excited. 27 00:01:28,289 --> 00:01:32,130 I was getting ready to send it in last night, and I decided to double 28 00:01:32,130 --> 00:01:34,289 check it and I looked it over. 29 00:01:34,380 --> 00:01:35,490 And guess what? 30 00:01:36,854 --> 00:01:37,995 This is the wrong chapter. 31 00:01:39,705 --> 00:01:39,945 Yeah. 32 00:01:39,945 --> 00:01:41,235 Nehemiah chapter six n. 33 00:01:41,445 --> 00:01:43,875 Next week's sermon's gonna be incredible. 34 00:01:43,875 --> 00:01:44,775 I can tell you that already. 35 00:01:46,785 --> 00:01:51,045 But thankfully I had the evening off and, uh, we were babysitting. 36 00:01:51,045 --> 00:01:54,104 So gave Kathy a little more responsibility. 37 00:01:54,104 --> 00:01:55,845 She's just such a great grandma. 38 00:01:55,845 --> 00:02:01,695 She took care of both kids long enough for me to, uh, work on this sermon. 39 00:02:01,845 --> 00:02:04,305 But this is a sermon that almost wasn't, and. 40 00:02:04,785 --> 00:02:12,045 Sometimes you sort of think, oh, Satan was involved in this, that maybe 41 00:02:12,045 --> 00:02:18,615 Satan didn't want me to address these things because next week it's about 42 00:02:18,615 --> 00:02:23,805 outside persecution and all these evil people that all these bad characters 43 00:02:23,805 --> 00:02:28,185 we really hate and we can, you know, really have a lot of fun going after. 44 00:02:28,470 --> 00:02:33,750 But this one's about internal, it's sort of family problems. 45 00:02:33,750 --> 00:02:38,100 It's, it's stuff that you don't always wanna share your dirty 46 00:02:38,100 --> 00:02:39,600 laundry, you know what I mean? 47 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:44,790 It's the kind of stuff that families keep secret, they keep 48 00:02:44,850 --> 00:02:47,429 from sharing with the outside world. 49 00:02:47,489 --> 00:02:52,859 And this is the sort of the, the behind the curtain of God's people. 50 00:02:53,655 --> 00:02:56,325 But you know, sometimes you need to have family time. 51 00:02:56,325 --> 00:02:57,765 You just gotta get down to it. 52 00:02:57,765 --> 00:03:01,275 You gotta look at the good, bad, and the ugly, right? 53 00:03:01,365 --> 00:03:05,295 And so turn your Bible to the Nehemiah chapter five, and we're 54 00:03:05,295 --> 00:03:11,060 gonna look at some internal struggles between God's people in the midst. 55 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:18,570 Of war in the midst of a building project, in the midst of needing to rebuild the 56 00:03:18,570 --> 00:03:21,450 kingdom of God spiritually and physically. 57 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,829 They're fussing with each other and they're taking advantage of 58 00:03:25,829 --> 00:03:28,770 each other, and it's just wrong. 59 00:03:28,829 --> 00:03:31,110 Oh, it's so wrong. 60 00:03:31,110 --> 00:03:35,520 And Nehemiah's even gonna say that, but we're gonna do our confession of faith. 61 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,950 If you have your Bible, raise it up. 62 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:38,520 All right. 63 00:03:38,865 --> 00:03:41,204 You can put it in your right hand or your left hand. 64 00:03:41,204 --> 00:03:42,075 I don't care. 65 00:03:42,285 --> 00:03:45,555 Maybe we should all raise our right hand, you know, in pledge, 66 00:03:46,125 --> 00:03:47,745 but let's say it together. 67 00:03:48,105 --> 00:03:50,715 Jesus is the Son of God. 68 00:03:51,435 --> 00:03:52,245 One more time. 69 00:03:52,454 --> 00:03:58,125 Jesus is the Son of God and Jesus is Lord. 70 00:03:58,125 --> 00:03:58,875 One more time. 71 00:03:59,175 --> 00:04:00,915 Jesus is Lord. 72 00:04:01,725 --> 00:04:03,795 That's what's called spiritual formation. 73 00:04:04,470 --> 00:04:07,350 By us saying it together as a community. 74 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,160 This is the bedrock of our faith, who Jesus is. 75 00:04:11,190 --> 00:04:15,000 We believe with all our hearts that he's divine, that he is the son 76 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,290 of God, that God sent him as the bridge, as the communicate, as the 77 00:04:19,290 --> 00:04:24,210 one mediator, as the savior of our souls, the savior of the world. 78 00:04:24,390 --> 00:04:26,760 We believe with all our hearts in Jesus Christ. 79 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,430 I believe that more than I even believe my own name. 80 00:04:29,970 --> 00:04:30,090 Amen. 81 00:04:30,330 --> 00:04:31,890 You know, because. 82 00:04:32,430 --> 00:04:35,940 Most people, I've had friends tell me, I spell my name wrong. 83 00:04:37,110 --> 00:04:39,480 It's not M-A-R-U-T-Z-K-Y. 84 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,870 It's SKI Greg, or it's SKY. 85 00:04:43,290 --> 00:04:45,330 I said, no, no, brother. 86 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:46,800 It's ZKY. 87 00:04:47,190 --> 00:04:48,900 No, that's not a Polish spelling. 88 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,690 I know what kind of spelling. 89 00:04:51,690 --> 00:04:57,539 It's, it's, it's Prussian, it's an area of the world that's been Polish. 90 00:04:57,539 --> 00:04:58,500 It's been German. 91 00:04:59,055 --> 00:05:00,164 It's been Russian. 92 00:05:00,525 --> 00:05:04,185 And so that way you can't be mad at me for anything. 93 00:05:04,245 --> 00:05:04,905 Okay? 94 00:05:06,135 --> 00:05:09,495 You know, I'll just claim the one you, you like, all right? 95 00:05:09,495 --> 00:05:11,594 That's what I, anyway. 96 00:05:11,594 --> 00:05:13,755 Jesus is Lord. 97 00:05:13,935 --> 00:05:14,685 Amen. 98 00:05:15,465 --> 00:05:18,375 And then I gotta give you a little bit of context. 99 00:05:18,555 --> 00:05:21,675 It's not good to read the Bible without a little structure. 100 00:05:22,335 --> 00:05:25,155 You know, we're not God's given us great brains. 101 00:05:25,155 --> 00:05:26,055 A great mind. 102 00:05:26,415 --> 00:05:31,365 And we need to use them and we need to understand exactly where this fits in 103 00:05:31,365 --> 00:05:33,765 biblical history, and so it's so good. 104 00:05:34,710 --> 00:05:38,460 To know that this is not the Book of Ezra, read the book of Ezra. 105 00:05:38,460 --> 00:05:41,010 It's a, it's a backdrop for Nehemiah. 106 00:05:41,099 --> 00:05:44,849 It was before Nehemiah 5 38. 107 00:05:45,090 --> 00:05:49,050 And then Haggai and Zacharia are good books to read with along 108 00:05:49,050 --> 00:05:50,610 with this in your Quiet Times. 109 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:52,320 That was before Nehemiah. 110 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:56,430 And then for, for for BC is Nehemiah. 111 00:05:57,780 --> 00:06:01,500 But I think the world, and I hope I give this to you this morning. 112 00:06:02,835 --> 00:06:08,565 What the world needs is one big thing right now, and I think a lot 113 00:06:08,565 --> 00:06:11,955 of you need this one big thing. 114 00:06:12,525 --> 00:06:14,594 You may not even know you need it, but you need it. 115 00:06:17,205 --> 00:06:17,805 It's hope. 116 00:06:19,905 --> 00:06:22,155 Greg, that doesn't look like hope to me. 117 00:06:23,145 --> 00:06:24,915 That looks like despair. 118 00:06:25,995 --> 00:06:27,405 What's hopeful about that? 119 00:06:27,825 --> 00:06:29,534 That isn't the right picture. 120 00:06:38,159 --> 00:06:38,730 You got this. 121 00:06:38,820 --> 00:06:40,530 You got the wrong picture in there. 122 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,700 Well, we're gonna have to use our imagination then. 123 00:06:44,909 --> 00:06:45,630 All right. 124 00:06:47,820 --> 00:06:49,530 I don't know where that came from. 125 00:06:49,530 --> 00:06:50,820 That's not for me. 126 00:06:51,570 --> 00:06:52,110 All right. 127 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:56,880 Look it up on your phone. 128 00:06:56,970 --> 00:06:57,870 Look up. 129 00:06:58,770 --> 00:06:59,250 Uh. 130 00:06:59,325 --> 00:07:05,205 In painting of by Whitaker of, of Woman Hope. 131 00:07:05,265 --> 00:07:07,185 Of Hope, the hopeful woman. 132 00:07:08,085 --> 00:07:11,325 And what you'll get pulled up there is a picture. 133 00:07:11,325 --> 00:07:14,414 I'm gonna get that off the screen, get the, get the Easter. 134 00:07:14,414 --> 00:07:15,525 Off the screen please. 135 00:07:16,875 --> 00:07:24,044 Is a picture of a woman in a tattered green dress sitting on the globe, 136 00:07:24,105 --> 00:07:28,935 sitting on the world, and she's hunched over and she's blindfolded. 137 00:07:29,820 --> 00:07:33,810 And she got her arms above her and behind her head. 138 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:42,480 She's playing a harp, a liar, but there's only one string, and she has no shoes. 139 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:48,000 Her feet look like they're, they've been through a long journey. 140 00:07:49,675 --> 00:07:52,710 They're soiled with a lot of dirt. 141 00:07:54,510 --> 00:07:56,515 And you look at this, there it is. 142 00:07:56,955 --> 00:07:57,044 Yes. 143 00:07:57,734 --> 00:07:58,724 Good work guys. 144 00:07:58,724 --> 00:07:59,354 Good work. 145 00:08:03,705 --> 00:08:09,825 And Whitaker in the 18 hundreds painted this picture and he called it hope. 146 00:08:11,474 --> 00:08:15,315 And when I saw it displayed at a conference on spirituality, 147 00:08:16,185 --> 00:08:18,255 I'm like, that's not hope. 148 00:08:19,155 --> 00:08:22,185 That's despair, that's discouragement. 149 00:08:22,185 --> 00:08:24,974 That's what a lot of people in our world feel right now. 150 00:08:25,755 --> 00:08:26,625 They don't feel hope. 151 00:08:27,825 --> 00:08:31,515 But if you think about it, it is hopeful. 152 00:08:31,695 --> 00:08:36,765 She's hopeful at least because she still wants to change the world and 153 00:08:36,765 --> 00:08:40,755 she's still playing, even though there's just one string left. 154 00:08:40,875 --> 00:08:42,433 She, that's hope. 155 00:08:43,183 --> 00:08:48,615 She believes that she can make a difference and that she's gonna continue 156 00:08:48,615 --> 00:08:55,365 her journey of encouraging others with her music, even if there's just one. 157 00:08:55,740 --> 00:08:57,120 String left. 158 00:08:59,730 --> 00:09:04,560 I just happened to feel, feel this desire on Friday to call an old friend. 159 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,439 We used to work together in the ministry. 160 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:15,000 We were very close, our families, and he left the ministry. 161 00:09:15,540 --> 00:09:16,770 He got a divorce. 162 00:09:18,569 --> 00:09:21,060 He's, he's left our church. 163 00:09:21,060 --> 00:09:22,530 He goes to another church. 164 00:09:22,935 --> 00:09:29,415 He's struggling, his relationship with God, but he, he got some bad 165 00:09:29,415 --> 00:09:33,045 news just that morning, just right before I called him, his mother died. 166 00:09:34,185 --> 00:09:34,995 I said, where are you going? 167 00:09:34,995 --> 00:09:36,075 I'm going to the beach. 168 00:09:36,075 --> 00:09:37,575 I just have to walk and pray. 169 00:09:38,805 --> 00:09:41,655 And then he shared something else I'm not gonna share because it's 170 00:09:41,655 --> 00:09:45,195 confidential about someone in his family. 171 00:09:45,285 --> 00:09:46,485 But it was devastating. 172 00:09:46,485 --> 00:09:48,765 That's E even worse than his mother died. 173 00:09:50,370 --> 00:09:52,800 And I thought, oh brother, I'm so sorry. 174 00:09:53,790 --> 00:09:55,260 I could feel his pain. 175 00:09:55,260 --> 00:09:58,110 And it, and it hurt me 'cause we're, we're connected. 176 00:09:59,490 --> 00:10:02,189 And then yesterday I took my 4-year-old daughter. 177 00:10:02,189 --> 00:10:03,449 I was all excited. 178 00:10:03,510 --> 00:10:09,360 I, I got to take her to TaeKwonDo, you know, I mean, that's how she says it. 179 00:10:10,110 --> 00:10:10,650 T Papa. 180 00:10:11,550 --> 00:10:12,060 Alright. 181 00:10:13,199 --> 00:10:15,300 And she does all these things, you know. 182 00:10:18,795 --> 00:10:22,905 And she got her little uniform, her little white belt, you know? 183 00:10:23,595 --> 00:10:28,005 And so I go and I'm taking her and I, I'm watching her and, and, and I'm 184 00:10:28,005 --> 00:10:32,775 having a lot of fun just watching the kids, you know, I mean three, four, 185 00:10:32,775 --> 00:10:35,955 5-year-old kids trying to be athletic. 186 00:10:36,810 --> 00:10:37,100 Yeah. 187 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,420 And, and, and, and, and this instructor. 188 00:10:42,075 --> 00:10:44,535 He needed just a little more grace. 189 00:10:44,535 --> 00:10:48,285 He, he really, I think he was getting a little tired of teaching that age. 190 00:10:48,705 --> 00:10:50,175 Alright, I'm sorry. 191 00:10:50,685 --> 00:10:57,435 When I make those, uh, those, uh, quick mo movements, uh, my phone thinks I fell down 192 00:10:57,435 --> 00:11:01,695 and Notif notifies the, the authorities. 193 00:11:03,945 --> 00:11:05,145 So, okay. 194 00:11:05,145 --> 00:11:06,195 I'm all right. 195 00:11:06,285 --> 00:11:08,115 Do not call emergency. 196 00:11:09,585 --> 00:11:11,685 I'm gonna have to take this thing off when I preach. 197 00:11:11,865 --> 00:11:12,195 Alright. 198 00:11:13,995 --> 00:11:14,415 Okay. 199 00:11:14,925 --> 00:11:17,205 Hey Sam, will you take care of that for me, girl? 200 00:11:17,655 --> 00:11:17,925 Alright. 201 00:11:18,975 --> 00:11:22,215 Sam's my, he my volunteer assistant. 202 00:11:22,215 --> 00:11:25,365 I don't pay him anything, but he's asked to be my assistant. 203 00:11:26,805 --> 00:11:30,975 But in the midst of TaeKwonDo, I got a call. 204 00:11:32,070 --> 00:11:33,480 And it was from Kathy. 205 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,060 She said, Kathy, did you, Greg, do you see this text? 206 00:11:36,075 --> 00:11:37,290 I said, yeah, I saw the text. 207 00:11:37,290 --> 00:11:39,030 I was gonna answer it after TaeKwonDo. 208 00:11:39,690 --> 00:11:41,220 She goes, well, I think you need to answer it. 209 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:46,080 So I went outside and I called another person back, another friend, another 210 00:11:46,410 --> 00:11:51,360 person that had been in the ministry and got out of the ministry and just, just 211 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,060 some devastating news in his family. 212 00:11:54,060 --> 00:11:58,200 Again, so confidential, I can't even share it with you, but. 213 00:11:58,590 --> 00:12:01,740 We had several conversations with him and his wife yesterday on the 214 00:12:01,740 --> 00:12:08,010 phone, and I just, I always believed that all these things tie together 215 00:12:08,010 --> 00:12:12,210 that God wants me to understand how people are feeling and thinking. 216 00:12:12,210 --> 00:12:17,160 Whenever I get up here and preach and there's a lot of hurting people and 217 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:23,400 Satan's on the attack, he's trying to destroy people I love and you love. 218 00:12:24,150 --> 00:12:28,620 He's trying to disrupt their lives, not just a little but a lot. 219 00:12:29,610 --> 00:12:32,430 And we've got to hold on to hope. 220 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,780 And one thing we're gonna learn from this sermon this morning is we've gotta be 221 00:12:36,780 --> 00:12:39,540 united or we can give the world nothing. 222 00:12:39,690 --> 00:12:40,950 We can give the world nothing. 223 00:12:41,430 --> 00:12:44,070 Lemme tell you the story before we even get into it. 224 00:12:44,070 --> 00:12:44,640 Okay? 225 00:12:45,210 --> 00:12:49,650 And the story of chapter five is there's a famine in the land in 226 00:12:49,650 --> 00:12:51,960 Israel and the poor people are hungry. 227 00:12:53,115 --> 00:12:57,075 You know, people that are powerless and marginalized and barely getting by. 228 00:12:57,285 --> 00:13:02,055 They're the ones that usually suffer the most from any kind of economic hardship. 229 00:13:02,415 --> 00:13:06,615 And the bad thing is the rich Jews are extorting the poor Jews. 230 00:13:07,065 --> 00:13:11,145 They're taking advantage of the situation, and so they're offering 231 00:13:11,145 --> 00:13:17,115 them food if they'll sign over their lands because everybody's got land 232 00:13:17,115 --> 00:13:18,855 that's part of God's plant for people. 233 00:13:19,844 --> 00:13:21,944 It's always supposed to stay in the family. 234 00:13:21,944 --> 00:13:27,885 It gets passed along and after ever gets traded, 50 years of the year of Jubilee, 235 00:13:27,915 --> 00:13:30,255 it's given back to the original owners. 236 00:13:31,064 --> 00:13:31,755 All right? 237 00:13:31,814 --> 00:13:34,395 But the rich Jews are distorting the poor Jews. 238 00:13:34,395 --> 00:13:41,444 The rich Jews are making indentured servants of the children of the poor Jews. 239 00:13:41,685 --> 00:13:45,525 They're having to give up their children to be slaves and servants to the 240 00:13:45,525 --> 00:13:48,915 rich Jews, and Nehemiah's ticked off. 241 00:13:49,860 --> 00:13:55,980 We're gonna read a passage where he says, no, and I'm sorry if my loud voice 242 00:13:55,980 --> 00:14:00,900 bothers you, but sometimes you gotta experience what the scripture says. 243 00:14:01,770 --> 00:14:08,610 And he just said, no, no, this is wrong. 244 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,600 And so Nehemiah rebuked them publicly. 245 00:14:16,395 --> 00:14:20,444 And he says, Hey, we need to be neighbors. 246 00:14:20,594 --> 00:14:22,334 We're family, we're kin. 247 00:14:22,995 --> 00:14:26,564 And he says, you must pay them back in full. 248 00:14:27,314 --> 00:14:32,025 And Nehemiah sets him an example of, he doesn't, he uses his salary as 249 00:14:32,025 --> 00:14:34,964 governor to feed 150 people every day. 250 00:14:34,964 --> 00:14:37,515 And he doesn't take any land from anyone though. 251 00:14:37,515 --> 00:14:39,495 All the other governors had done that. 252 00:14:40,005 --> 00:14:41,199 And he, uh. 253 00:14:42,180 --> 00:14:46,830 Sets an example of being righteous and spiritual. 254 00:14:46,830 --> 00:14:48,660 So let's get into this. 255 00:14:48,840 --> 00:15:00,180 Number one, unity is hard to maintain in a family, in a marriage, at work, in the 256 00:15:00,180 --> 00:15:03,825 church, in our country, in our world. 257 00:15:06,085 --> 00:15:07,650 And now you're really dreaming, Greg. 258 00:15:10,185 --> 00:15:11,535 But you gotta have unity. 259 00:15:12,314 --> 00:15:13,425 But it's hard. 260 00:15:13,454 --> 00:15:15,555 It's hard to maintain. 261 00:15:15,555 --> 00:15:16,334 It's hard. 262 00:15:16,605 --> 00:15:18,915 And one of the reasons is scarcity. 263 00:15:19,185 --> 00:15:24,465 When there's famine, when things are tight and there's economic hardship. 264 00:15:24,465 --> 00:15:25,635 Let's read verse one. 265 00:15:26,265 --> 00:15:26,505 Now. 266 00:15:26,505 --> 00:15:32,715 The men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 267 00:15:32,775 --> 00:15:33,194 Why? 268 00:15:33,975 --> 00:15:37,755 'cause they were hurting and God always listens to hurting people. 269 00:15:37,755 --> 00:15:42,735 If you don't think God's been listening to you enough, you probably are, aren't being 270 00:15:42,735 --> 00:15:48,194 real with the depth of your emotions and feelings, but he always listens to a cry. 271 00:15:48,645 --> 00:15:51,074 And then in verse two, it's because of this famine. 272 00:15:51,375 --> 00:15:56,050 Some were saying we are our, we and our sons and daughters are numerous. 273 00:15:57,074 --> 00:16:01,485 For us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain. 274 00:16:02,115 --> 00:16:06,795 And the Bible teaches the Jews in, in Deuteronomy 23 and Leviticus 275 00:16:06,795 --> 00:16:09,285 25, that you charge no interest. 276 00:16:09,285 --> 00:16:13,245 You don't take advantage of your neighbor, that you always 277 00:16:13,245 --> 00:16:14,564 treat your neighbor as you. 278 00:16:14,775 --> 00:16:18,615 You would yourself do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 279 00:16:18,615 --> 00:16:20,235 That's the golden rule. 280 00:16:20,745 --> 00:16:23,385 But too much of the world practices the iron rule. 281 00:16:23,385 --> 00:16:25,395 Do unto others before they do unto you. 282 00:16:26,459 --> 00:16:30,660 All right, but Jesus taught a whole different ethic. 283 00:16:31,170 --> 00:16:32,130 One of love. 284 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,319 How many of you have ever lived in the Midwest? 285 00:16:38,130 --> 00:16:41,100 It is some of the most barren land in the world. 286 00:16:42,839 --> 00:16:46,079 I mean, it was called the dust bow at one time in our history. 287 00:16:46,500 --> 00:16:47,640 It is flat. 288 00:16:48,329 --> 00:16:49,635 It gets cold in the winter. 289 00:16:50,594 --> 00:16:55,005 The snow comes in November, December doesn't leave until 290 00:16:55,064 --> 00:16:58,604 March, and it gets dark early. 291 00:16:58,635 --> 00:17:01,814 It can be dreary and the roads. 292 00:17:01,935 --> 00:17:04,003 It is an ice, it isn't snow packed. 293 00:17:04,034 --> 00:17:05,115 It's ice packed. 294 00:17:06,284 --> 00:17:09,270 The first year Kathy and I moved Tooma, Nebraska. 295 00:17:10,260 --> 00:17:15,523 I, I I, I'm sorry to have to say this, but I got in three auto accidents. 296 00:17:16,125 --> 00:17:16,214 Oh, wow. 297 00:17:16,635 --> 00:17:18,075 I have very good insurance. 298 00:17:18,869 --> 00:17:19,140 Okay. 299 00:17:19,980 --> 00:17:26,940 It only costs a lot, but I would slide a whole block and bump into a car. 300 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:30,660 I thought I, I'm, I'm gonna break plenty of time. 301 00:17:30,660 --> 00:17:32,040 I'll have, and I didn't. 302 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:33,900 And they got out and they're so nice. 303 00:17:33,900 --> 00:17:34,950 I'm so sorry. 304 00:17:34,950 --> 00:17:35,940 You hit me. 305 00:17:38,035 --> 00:17:39,210 We saw you coming. 306 00:17:39,210 --> 00:17:40,980 I saw you in the rear view mirror. 307 00:17:41,010 --> 00:17:42,210 I knew you were gonna hit me. 308 00:17:42,210 --> 00:17:46,320 I was hoping you could stop, but you know, I slid that far too. 309 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:47,850 But there was just no one in front of me. 310 00:17:48,645 --> 00:17:49,515 I'm so sorry. 311 00:17:49,515 --> 00:17:50,085 You hit me. 312 00:17:51,315 --> 00:17:55,725 The nicest people in the world live in the Midwest. 313 00:17:56,295 --> 00:18:00,765 I mean, you get these three feet snowstorms and you'd come out in the 314 00:18:00,765 --> 00:18:07,275 morning and your driveways, snow blowing all the, all the snow's off, and you go 315 00:18:07,275 --> 00:18:09,195 around, you ask your neighbors, oh yeah. 316 00:18:09,465 --> 00:18:11,805 Oh, Fred did that for all of us this morning. 317 00:18:13,575 --> 00:18:15,135 And so then there's a race. 318 00:18:15,165 --> 00:18:17,445 Who gets up first to do each other's? 319 00:18:17,940 --> 00:18:25,110 Snow and, and I bought, I bought, I went to the store to get a snowblower, 320 00:18:25,590 --> 00:18:30,600 and the only one left was the most expensive, and I went ahead and bought it. 321 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:32,700 And first year I used it. 322 00:18:32,700 --> 00:18:35,130 I'm like, oh, this is so worth it. 323 00:18:35,130 --> 00:18:36,660 I would've should've bought two. 324 00:18:37,050 --> 00:18:37,290 You know? 325 00:18:38,340 --> 00:18:41,460 I mean, but, but in the Midwest. 326 00:18:41,879 --> 00:18:47,670 It's cold, it's dark, it's dreary, but people are neighbors. 327 00:18:48,420 --> 00:18:49,500 They're neighbors. 328 00:18:51,629 --> 00:18:54,750 And this is what Nehemiah was so upset about. 329 00:18:55,260 --> 00:18:58,440 You don't charge your interest. 330 00:18:59,340 --> 00:19:03,360 Now, in America, there's people that charge interest, especially credit 331 00:19:03,360 --> 00:19:06,990 cards, but I don't want to get negative, so I'm gonna just keep moving on. 332 00:19:07,170 --> 00:19:07,650 All right. 333 00:19:08,970 --> 00:19:10,725 But here's something we're dealing with inflation. 334 00:19:11,745 --> 00:19:16,605 Others were saying we are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, our homes 335 00:19:16,875 --> 00:19:20,025 to get grained during the famine. 336 00:19:20,295 --> 00:19:26,115 And unfortunately, just like it's sometimes now, there was price gouging. 337 00:19:27,375 --> 00:19:29,025 People were raising the price. 338 00:19:29,895 --> 00:19:34,395 You know, I, I go a long way from the interstate to get my gas. 339 00:19:34,395 --> 00:19:34,935 How about you? 340 00:19:36,284 --> 00:19:40,185 There's, I either go to Costco, it's the cheapest, and then right across the 341 00:19:40,185 --> 00:19:45,495 street from Guy Costco in my town is a Sinclair and they match Costco's price. 342 00:19:45,495 --> 00:19:52,604 So I can do either one, but you anywhere off of one of these interstates, it's like 343 00:19:52,784 --> 00:19:55,844 50 cents a dollar, at least 75 cents more. 344 00:19:56,895 --> 00:19:59,625 And ooh, do I get an attitude when I have to pay that? 345 00:20:00,825 --> 00:20:02,535 And I only put $20 in. 346 00:20:02,595 --> 00:20:03,675 I don't fill up my tank. 347 00:20:03,675 --> 00:20:06,615 I always fill up my tank at the cheap places. 348 00:20:07,515 --> 00:20:08,025 All right. 349 00:20:08,085 --> 00:20:13,515 But not those price gougers, but it, the people were hurting, they were hungry. 350 00:20:13,515 --> 00:20:16,575 They were having to eat and do whatever they did. 351 00:20:16,605 --> 00:20:17,685 They went into debt. 352 00:20:17,685 --> 00:20:22,305 Verse four, still others were saying we have had to borrow money to pay the King's 353 00:20:22,305 --> 00:20:25,455 tax on our fields and our vineyards. 354 00:20:25,845 --> 00:20:30,195 See this Persian king that had given Nehemiah all these supplies, 355 00:20:30,345 --> 00:20:31,725 he was taxing the people. 356 00:20:31,725 --> 00:20:34,635 He was getting a return in his investment. 357 00:20:34,665 --> 00:20:39,285 He wasn't just being a benevolent, there isn't too many worldly leaders 358 00:20:39,585 --> 00:20:46,095 that are that benevolent, and so people were becoming indentured servants and 359 00:20:46,095 --> 00:20:48,885 unfortunately, when there's scarcity. 360 00:20:49,274 --> 00:20:56,024 Then there is in extortion, although we are the same flesh and blood as our 361 00:20:56,024 --> 00:21:01,274 fellow Jews, and though our children are as good as theirs, we have to subject 362 00:21:01,274 --> 00:21:03,314 our sons and daughters to slavery. 363 00:21:03,314 --> 00:21:08,445 Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless because our 364 00:21:08,445 --> 00:21:12,495 fields and our vineyards belong to others. 365 00:21:14,085 --> 00:21:16,185 And so what did Nehemiah say? 366 00:21:16,185 --> 00:21:16,845 Verse six. 367 00:21:17,775 --> 00:21:23,805 When I heard this outcry and these charges, oh, I was just a little upset. 368 00:21:25,065 --> 00:21:26,295 That's not what the Bible says. 369 00:21:27,195 --> 00:21:28,725 I was very angry. 370 00:21:30,615 --> 00:21:33,225 Jesus got very angry at times. 371 00:21:33,525 --> 00:21:34,995 Oh, you shouldn't get angry. 372 00:21:35,685 --> 00:21:36,915 Oh, never get angry. 373 00:21:37,305 --> 00:21:38,325 No, it's an emotion. 374 00:21:39,465 --> 00:21:40,305 It's natural. 375 00:21:40,305 --> 00:21:46,635 Even it's used for protection at times, you know, especially in war. 376 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:52,110 There's some things to get righteously indignant about, and when the greedy 377 00:21:52,110 --> 00:21:57,120 or exporting exploiting the poor, and there was corruption in the 378 00:21:57,120 --> 00:22:01,770 Jewish nation, Nia Maya was angry and then he did something about it. 379 00:22:01,770 --> 00:22:02,790 He was a good leader. 380 00:22:02,790 --> 00:22:03,990 He confronted it. 381 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:05,910 He engaged the problem. 382 00:22:06,270 --> 00:22:10,530 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. 383 00:22:10,530 --> 00:22:11,190 I told them. 384 00:22:11,565 --> 00:22:15,375 You are charging your own people interest. 385 00:22:15,825 --> 00:22:21,105 So I called together a large meeting to deal with them, a public meeting. 386 00:22:21,795 --> 00:22:25,005 Some sins are public and so they have to get dealt with publicly. 387 00:22:25,005 --> 00:22:29,565 I don't believe in public shaming, publicly humiliating people, but 388 00:22:29,565 --> 00:22:31,815 sometimes it's already out in the open. 389 00:22:31,815 --> 00:22:35,115 Everybody knows it, and it's gotta get reconciled. 390 00:22:35,115 --> 00:22:40,725 It's gotta get resolved, it's gotta get confronted, and that's what Nehemiah. 391 00:22:41,085 --> 00:22:41,475 Does. 392 00:22:41,475 --> 00:22:47,355 He sets us an example, and then verse eight, he says, as far as possible, 393 00:22:47,355 --> 00:22:52,785 we have brought back our fellow Jews who were sold to Gen, to the Gentiles. 394 00:22:52,995 --> 00:22:58,605 Now you're selling your own people only for them to be sold back to us. 395 00:22:58,695 --> 00:23:02,355 They kept quiet because they could find nothing to say. 396 00:23:03,165 --> 00:23:04,935 When you're wrong, you're wrong. 397 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:11,100 Unfortunately, sometimes when we're wrong, we don't keep quiet, do we? 398 00:23:12,510 --> 00:23:18,810 We give an excuse, we get defensive, we raise our voice, we fight back, 399 00:23:19,230 --> 00:23:24,480 but thankfully, they knew what they were doing was wrong and somebody 400 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,450 righteous needed to just confront it. 401 00:23:28,650 --> 00:23:30,240 Do we all need accountability? 402 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:33,150 You're thinking. 403 00:23:35,340 --> 00:23:37,320 Yes, we all need accountability. 404 00:23:38,310 --> 00:23:42,810 You know, we all need some partnership to help us to be our best. 405 00:23:42,810 --> 00:23:43,860 We need some coaching. 406 00:23:43,860 --> 00:23:44,940 We need some mentoring. 407 00:23:44,940 --> 00:23:47,610 We need some discipling to be our best. 408 00:23:47,730 --> 00:23:50,070 We have all have blind spots. 409 00:23:50,070 --> 00:23:51,630 We all lose motivation. 410 00:23:51,810 --> 00:23:56,610 But if you pair up two or better than one, you know, if you have somebody 411 00:23:56,610 --> 00:23:58,410 that encourages you in doing it. 412 00:23:58,470 --> 00:23:59,370 Together. 413 00:23:59,490 --> 00:24:02,850 So many weight loss things don't work because people try to do it 414 00:24:02,850 --> 00:24:07,560 by themselves, but if they have a partner to exercise with, to, to 415 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,080 watch their diet together, it works. 416 00:24:10,650 --> 00:24:14,610 But by yourself, you're that target for Satan. 417 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:21,780 And so there needs to be at times some good healthy, not abusive 418 00:24:22,020 --> 00:24:25,380 accountability, but accountability parents, you gotta parent. 419 00:24:26,115 --> 00:24:27,375 You always got a parent. 420 00:24:28,065 --> 00:24:28,815 All right. 421 00:24:29,205 --> 00:24:30,465 Teachers gotta teach. 422 00:24:30,465 --> 00:24:31,784 Coaches need to coach. 423 00:24:31,784 --> 00:24:34,995 Leaders need to lead, all right? 424 00:24:35,925 --> 00:24:37,935 Because otherwise, what happens? 425 00:24:37,935 --> 00:24:38,805 We drift. 426 00:24:39,825 --> 00:24:40,695 We drift. 427 00:24:42,225 --> 00:24:44,895 And God's people we're taking advantage of each other 428 00:24:46,970 --> 00:24:47,835 at the same time. 429 00:24:47,835 --> 00:24:51,075 They're trying to rebuild the city, rebuild the wall, rebuild the 430 00:24:51,075 --> 00:24:53,835 spirituality, provide a place to meet God. 431 00:24:54,765 --> 00:24:58,935 And some of the Jews were taking advantage of one another. 432 00:24:58,935 --> 00:25:00,045 So what does he do? 433 00:25:00,045 --> 00:25:01,395 A public rebuke. 434 00:25:01,965 --> 00:25:03,225 So I continued. 435 00:25:03,645 --> 00:25:05,115 What are you doing? 436 00:25:05,265 --> 00:25:07,065 What you're doing is not right. 437 00:25:07,545 --> 00:25:15,225 Shouldn't you walk in fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our gentile enemies? 438 00:25:15,825 --> 00:25:18,315 You're hurting the reputation of God. 439 00:25:19,335 --> 00:25:22,725 You know, I am so glad I'm in the ministry. 440 00:25:24,195 --> 00:25:29,325 Because I'm gonna be judged more strictly, and I, I need that. 441 00:25:30,195 --> 00:25:31,845 I'm a very passionate person. 442 00:25:31,875 --> 00:25:34,305 I'm a very, you know, reactive person. 443 00:25:35,145 --> 00:25:41,415 And so by being in the ministry, I, I, I just feel so much accountability. 444 00:25:41,415 --> 00:25:42,645 I can't let you down. 445 00:25:43,005 --> 00:25:44,445 I can't let my family down. 446 00:25:44,865 --> 00:25:45,920 I can't let God down. 447 00:25:47,100 --> 00:25:48,960 I mean, I love that accountability. 448 00:25:48,990 --> 00:25:53,040 I need it, it makes, it brings out the best of me. 449 00:25:53,045 --> 00:25:53,465 Come on, Greg. 450 00:25:53,610 --> 00:25:53,940 Come on Greg. 451 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,670 You know some people, they don't wanna be in the mid, I 452 00:25:56,670 --> 00:25:57,930 don't want that responsibility. 453 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,240 You know, I, I need that pressure. 454 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:05,490 I always rose to the pressure when I was an athlete and practice, I'd slough off. 455 00:26:06,570 --> 00:26:11,850 I was a receiver and a running back half of the practices my senior year. 456 00:26:11,879 --> 00:26:15,810 My coach made me a guard because. 457 00:26:16,245 --> 00:26:19,815 I'd, they, I'd run past patterns and they'd throw me the ball and I'd drop it. 458 00:26:21,585 --> 00:26:23,295 You know, I'd do that about three times. 459 00:26:23,295 --> 00:26:27,945 He said, Maki, you know, bill Havens, go over there, play Greg's position. 460 00:26:28,125 --> 00:26:29,715 Greg, you play Bill's position. 461 00:26:29,715 --> 00:26:31,155 You just blocked today, Greg. 462 00:26:31,155 --> 00:26:32,535 'cause you can't catch anything. 463 00:26:33,495 --> 00:26:34,695 Oh, Phi Beta Kappa. 464 00:26:34,695 --> 00:26:38,715 You let see, I was a smart kid, so that was his nickname for me. 465 00:26:38,715 --> 00:26:39,675 Five Beta Kappa. 466 00:26:41,175 --> 00:26:44,595 I never dropped a pass in a game ever. 467 00:26:46,575 --> 00:26:50,955 I dropped passes in practice all the time because I wasn't paying attention. 468 00:26:51,045 --> 00:26:52,305 I wasn't focused. 469 00:26:52,935 --> 00:26:54,315 I was sloughing off. 470 00:26:54,764 --> 00:26:56,024 I was tired. 471 00:26:56,385 --> 00:26:57,915 I didn't wanna be out there. 472 00:26:58,485 --> 00:27:02,475 You know, this is in Fruit of Colorado. 473 00:27:02,535 --> 00:27:07,335 Right across the tracks of the football field was a sugar beet factory. 474 00:27:07,365 --> 00:27:09,135 It stunk. 475 00:27:10,365 --> 00:27:14,535 You'd be out there and you'd be smelling that and you just wanted to. 476 00:27:15,015 --> 00:27:16,545 You know what you wanted to do. 477 00:27:16,785 --> 00:27:22,725 You know, it was gross and there are just some days I just didn't have it. 478 00:27:24,195 --> 00:27:28,725 And so I got made a guard and I liked being a guard 'cause you could hit people 479 00:27:29,715 --> 00:27:31,185 instead of getting hit all the time. 480 00:27:33,255 --> 00:27:34,635 And so he didn't know that. 481 00:27:34,635 --> 00:27:37,365 He was just bringing a dream come true for me. 482 00:27:41,265 --> 00:27:43,695 When you're not right, you're not right. 483 00:27:44,804 --> 00:27:51,675 Some sins are worthy of rebuke and then repentance, you know? 484 00:27:52,364 --> 00:27:57,614 And there's times in our history that that's all we did was repent. 485 00:27:57,614 --> 00:27:58,455 Repent, repent. 486 00:27:59,385 --> 00:28:00,699 Rebuke, rebuke, rebuke. 487 00:28:03,254 --> 00:28:07,754 I remember sitting in the audience once and say, if he tells me to repent 488 00:28:07,754 --> 00:28:09,705 one more time, I'm gonna scream. 489 00:28:11,355 --> 00:28:14,595 I've repented of everything I can think of and I can't think of anything else. 490 00:28:14,595 --> 00:28:16,365 And so stop telling me to repent. 491 00:28:18,105 --> 00:28:21,165 And then Kathy saw something was going on with me and she 492 00:28:21,165 --> 00:28:22,965 just put her hand on my knee. 493 00:28:23,205 --> 00:28:24,075 Calm down, Greg. 494 00:28:24,315 --> 00:28:24,825 Calm down. 495 00:28:25,965 --> 00:28:27,735 Started reading the Psalms. 496 00:28:28,215 --> 00:28:31,545 If you ever feel that way during one of my sermons, just start reading the Psalms. 497 00:28:31,545 --> 00:28:32,055 All right? 498 00:28:32,505 --> 00:28:32,985 Just read the. 499 00:28:35,490 --> 00:28:40,740 But sometimes the pendulums can swing and we never engage and we never confront sin, 500 00:28:40,740 --> 00:28:42,720 and we never hold each other accountable. 501 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:45,330 We gotta have that right balance, right? 502 00:28:46,470 --> 00:28:49,650 And when we need to repent, we should repent. 503 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,540 And then Nehemiah talks about his own personal example, verse 10. 504 00:28:54,540 --> 00:28:59,760 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. 505 00:29:00,090 --> 00:29:02,970 But let us stop charging interest. 506 00:29:02,970 --> 00:29:07,470 Let's not take advantage of the situation and of one another. 507 00:29:07,740 --> 00:29:11,429 And then he goes on to say in verse 11, give back to them immediately. 508 00:29:11,429 --> 00:29:15,149 Their field vineyards, olive grows and houses and the interest you're 509 00:29:15,149 --> 00:29:20,070 charging them 1% of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil. 510 00:29:20,220 --> 00:29:24,360 The commentaries say that they were probably charging about 12%. 511 00:29:24,750 --> 00:29:26,790 12% in the ancient world was a lot. 512 00:29:27,925 --> 00:29:28,145 Wow. 513 00:29:28,149 --> 00:29:32,610 And so he's rebuking them and he wants them to repent. 514 00:29:32,670 --> 00:29:37,139 He wants 'em to give it back corporate repentance, and then he wants them. 515 00:29:38,025 --> 00:29:44,535 Not only to give it back, but he also says, I also shook out the folds of 516 00:29:44,535 --> 00:29:50,685 my robe and said, in this way, may God shake out of their house and 517 00:29:50,685 --> 00:29:55,845 possessions anyone who does not keep this promise, so may such a person 518 00:29:55,845 --> 00:29:58,575 be shaken out and emptied at this. 519 00:29:58,575 --> 00:30:02,595 The whole assembly said, amen and praise the Lord, and the 520 00:30:02,595 --> 00:30:05,535 people did as they had promised. 521 00:30:06,540 --> 00:30:07,980 You know what he did there? 522 00:30:08,340 --> 00:30:12,120 He says, you keep your oath, you keep your vow, or God's gonna curse you. 523 00:30:13,350 --> 00:30:16,950 There are always consequences for going against God. 524 00:30:18,780 --> 00:30:20,250 There's always consequences. 525 00:30:20,580 --> 00:30:25,050 Now, Greg, don't guilt people out and don't shame people into doing right. 526 00:30:25,140 --> 00:30:27,330 You know, sometimes we gotta tell the truth. 527 00:30:28,170 --> 00:30:31,470 You can either be blessed by God by trying to be obedient 528 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:33,270 or you can be opposed by God. 529 00:30:34,530 --> 00:30:35,939 And I want us to be blessed. 530 00:30:35,939 --> 00:30:36,449 Amen. 531 00:30:37,169 --> 00:30:39,810 I'm saying these things, not to guilt you out and to shame 532 00:30:39,810 --> 00:30:42,240 you, but to help you be blessed. 533 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:42,870 Amen. 534 00:30:43,470 --> 00:30:45,090 Keep your oaths to God. 535 00:30:45,149 --> 00:30:48,000 Keep even the oath we made at the beginning of this service, 536 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,699 that Jesus is Lord of your life. 537 00:30:50,699 --> 00:30:52,500 Don't struggle with that every day. 538 00:30:52,679 --> 00:30:53,399 I don't know. 539 00:30:53,399 --> 00:30:56,220 I don't know if I want Jesus to be the Lord of my life today. 540 00:30:56,399 --> 00:30:59,280 Today I think I'll take a day off from Jesus's Lord. 541 00:30:59,850 --> 00:31:00,389 No. 542 00:31:01,185 --> 00:31:01,935 You made it. 543 00:31:01,935 --> 00:31:04,425 It's about do it the rest of your life. 544 00:31:04,425 --> 00:31:05,264 You'll be blessed. 545 00:31:05,264 --> 00:31:05,774 Amen. 546 00:31:06,705 --> 00:31:11,504 And then Nehemiah sets an example of sacrifices servant leadership. 547 00:31:11,504 --> 00:31:16,215 Moreover, from the 20th year of King Art of Xerxes, when I was appointed to be 548 00:31:16,215 --> 00:31:21,885 the governor of the land of Judah until the 32nd year, 12 years, my brothers 549 00:31:21,885 --> 00:31:25,905 nor I ate food allotted to the governor. 550 00:31:26,340 --> 00:31:27,870 He earned his own keep. 551 00:31:27,870 --> 00:31:29,490 He raised his own food. 552 00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:31,980 He didn't take advantage of his position. 553 00:31:31,980 --> 00:31:33,330 He was a servant leader. 554 00:31:33,540 --> 00:31:38,160 He didn't have this entitled mindset, verse 15, but the earlier 555 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,180 governors, those preceded me, placed a heavy burden on the people and 556 00:31:42,180 --> 00:31:44,490 took 40 shekels of silver from them. 557 00:31:44,490 --> 00:31:46,230 In addition to the food and the wine. 558 00:31:46,500 --> 00:31:51,750 Their assistance also lorded it over the people, but out of reverence for God. 559 00:31:51,750 --> 00:31:52,830 There's a key word. 560 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,470 I did not act like. 561 00:31:55,965 --> 00:32:00,345 That Nehemiah was a spiritual leader. 562 00:32:01,095 --> 00:32:02,504 He revered God. 563 00:32:03,014 --> 00:32:05,175 He honored God, he loved God. 564 00:32:05,175 --> 00:32:08,865 He did what was right, regardless of what any other governor 565 00:32:08,865 --> 00:32:10,544 or any other leader did. 566 00:32:11,355 --> 00:32:12,945 It's between me and God. 567 00:32:12,945 --> 00:32:15,825 You and God do what's right, always. 568 00:32:15,825 --> 00:32:16,814 Can I get an amen? 569 00:32:16,814 --> 00:32:16,965 Amen. 570 00:32:17,625 --> 00:32:18,465 Yeah. 571 00:32:18,825 --> 00:32:19,034 Yeah. 572 00:32:20,490 --> 00:32:21,240 Because why? 573 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,520 We want to be blessed by God. 574 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:25,860 We don't wanna be opposed by God. 575 00:32:26,340 --> 00:32:30,060 And he goes on He, he says He what a sacrificial leader he was. 576 00:32:30,060 --> 00:32:34,230 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. 577 00:32:34,230 --> 00:32:37,170 All my men were assembled there for the work. 578 00:32:37,230 --> 00:32:40,320 We did not acquire any land. 579 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:44,970 And so this reminded me, this attitude of work, these 580 00:32:44,970 --> 00:32:47,550 different brothers and sisters. 581 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:52,440 That I've been watching work, work, work around here. 582 00:32:53,580 --> 00:32:55,590 They just, I mean, Gary ridden out. 583 00:32:55,590 --> 00:32:56,400 Gary, stand up. 584 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:57,240 You're in the back row. 585 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:57,960 I saw you. 586 00:32:57,990 --> 00:33:03,510 He's so humbly, he, he's gonna hate this, he's gonna hate this, but he's 587 00:33:03,510 --> 00:33:08,490 been putting together children's chairs and tables and helping Kathy 588 00:33:08,490 --> 00:33:10,200 out with the children's ministry. 589 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,550 He's devoted himself to the, to the fundraising ministry 590 00:33:14,550 --> 00:33:15,870 and the bingo ministry. 591 00:33:16,215 --> 00:33:20,085 What a precious brother, Stewart Stewart, you're in the sound booth. 592 00:33:20,085 --> 00:33:21,135 Stand up a minute. 593 00:33:21,135 --> 00:33:23,504 Stewart Stewart's been here. 594 00:33:24,735 --> 00:33:30,165 There's times I come here and somebody's here, or I'm up in my 595 00:33:30,165 --> 00:33:34,065 office and I hear noises and I'm like, somebody's in the building. 596 00:33:34,815 --> 00:33:38,534 And I come down and I'm looking all over and the auditorium for some 597 00:33:38,534 --> 00:33:42,735 reason the last place I come into and I come in here and Stewart's in here. 598 00:33:43,455 --> 00:33:46,995 And he's setting up the stage and he's setting up the sound 599 00:33:46,995 --> 00:33:50,355 and he's put so many hours in. 600 00:33:50,955 --> 00:33:52,125 He's worked so hard. 601 00:33:52,125 --> 00:33:55,515 DA van, he's probably out in the hall or he is in the back. 602 00:33:55,515 --> 00:33:55,905 Yeah. 603 00:33:55,995 --> 00:33:56,054 Woo. 604 00:33:56,564 --> 00:33:57,375 With the ushers. 605 00:33:57,375 --> 00:33:58,245 He working. 606 00:33:58,245 --> 00:34:00,314 So he's texting me all the time. 607 00:34:00,465 --> 00:34:04,304 Greg, I need a, I need a closet for, for, for, for the ushers. 608 00:34:04,439 --> 00:34:05,804 I, I need some storage. 609 00:34:05,895 --> 00:34:07,395 Greg, can we do this, Greg? 610 00:34:07,455 --> 00:34:10,424 I said I after a while, I think, I'm sorry, dad. 611 00:34:10,424 --> 00:34:12,464 I think dad leave me alone. 612 00:34:16,779 --> 00:34:18,645 But it's 'cause he is so devoted. 613 00:34:18,645 --> 00:34:19,694 He's a worker. 614 00:34:20,384 --> 00:34:25,005 And Charlie, did you see those beautiful white leather chairs out front? 615 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:25,259 Yeah. 616 00:34:25,859 --> 00:34:27,179 Steve and Charlie brought those. 617 00:34:27,179 --> 00:34:30,750 You, you, they, they cost so little. 618 00:34:31,230 --> 00:34:35,909 Some, some, uh, big doctor's office was closing down and they, they went and 619 00:34:35,909 --> 00:34:38,129 they got 'em for such a cheap price. 620 00:34:38,129 --> 00:34:39,330 Money ain't gonna tell you. 621 00:34:39,330 --> 00:34:41,040 You might think it was extortion. 622 00:34:41,279 --> 00:34:41,909 All right. 623 00:34:43,859 --> 00:34:48,029 And they've done so much to Beau, Charlie and Steve have done so much. 624 00:34:48,418 --> 00:34:49,230 Jesse. 625 00:34:49,679 --> 00:34:50,699 What a workhorse. 626 00:34:50,699 --> 00:34:51,089 Amen. 627 00:34:51,089 --> 00:34:52,679 We honored him last week. 628 00:34:53,370 --> 00:34:53,938 Michael Wooten. 629 00:34:55,110 --> 00:34:57,210 Michael Wooten works for the LA church. 630 00:34:57,210 --> 00:34:59,070 He doesn't work for the Orange County Church. 631 00:34:59,070 --> 00:35:01,890 All the work he does for the Orange County Church is because he is a 632 00:35:01,890 --> 00:35:03,630 member of the Orange County Church. 633 00:35:04,650 --> 00:35:05,760 But we don't pay him. 634 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:11,040 The, the rest of the church is pay him, but he does so much and 635 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:15,420 he's here and he's calling me and, and Mike, I'm not gonna say it. 636 00:35:15,510 --> 00:35:17,160 You can bug me as much as you need to. 637 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:22,710 'cause everything he bugs me about is very important and that he's so devoted. 638 00:35:23,835 --> 00:35:24,885 And Kyle. 639 00:35:25,455 --> 00:35:28,635 Oh, we couldn't even have service without Kyle guys. 640 00:35:30,015 --> 00:35:30,975 Oh my goodness. 641 00:35:31,335 --> 00:35:33,165 All that he's doing, and praise God. 642 00:35:33,165 --> 00:35:34,515 He has a pickup too. 643 00:35:34,845 --> 00:35:37,455 All right, Matt Stone. 644 00:35:38,025 --> 00:35:41,685 Matt flies in, he's out of town where he flies in. 645 00:35:41,714 --> 00:35:43,875 He's got a day to be with his family. 646 00:35:43,904 --> 00:35:49,785 He's here for hours, setting up the lights and stuff and programming things for us. 647 00:35:49,904 --> 00:35:53,955 And he gets on a plane and goes back and he comes back and he gets got one day 648 00:35:53,955 --> 00:35:56,895 and he spends half of it here helping us. 649 00:35:57,315 --> 00:35:58,875 I mean, sometimes I walk out. 650 00:35:58,875 --> 00:36:01,785 I think I'm not worthy of these people. 651 00:36:02,595 --> 00:36:06,375 I mean, they, they're such good Christians. 652 00:36:07,065 --> 00:36:12,045 And Monica Lee, she's doing so she's not just an elder's wife, she's in charge 653 00:36:12,045 --> 00:36:14,325 of our fundraising ministry and bingo. 654 00:36:14,325 --> 00:36:15,585 And she's done so much. 655 00:36:15,765 --> 00:36:21,885 And Daniel Samo, he is, he, he's, he's only part-time, but you never know 656 00:36:21,885 --> 00:36:23,895 what he's doing more than full-time. 657 00:36:24,075 --> 00:36:24,975 And Hailey Thomas. 658 00:36:25,629 --> 00:36:30,555 And, and Erica Parker, they made that, that teen lounge back there. 659 00:36:30,555 --> 00:36:32,174 It's so beautiful. 660 00:36:32,325 --> 00:36:38,115 And Steve and Kathy, my wife's been here almost every day working so hard. 661 00:36:38,444 --> 00:36:43,995 You know, she, she showed me her blister yesterday, you know, and I'm gonna have to 662 00:36:43,995 --> 00:36:49,529 get her some gloves, you know, but she's been turning that screwdriver so much. 663 00:36:50,265 --> 00:36:51,435 That she got a blister. 664 00:36:51,645 --> 00:36:58,185 And Jasmine, she's made some, some of the, yeah, that food you ate this morning 665 00:36:59,115 --> 00:37:02,835 and Moses, he, he's cleaning up after us. 666 00:37:03,165 --> 00:37:05,205 He keeps this building so beautiful. 667 00:37:05,205 --> 00:37:06,855 And it smells good too. 668 00:37:06,975 --> 00:37:07,455 Amen. 669 00:37:08,115 --> 00:37:08,805 Amen. 670 00:37:09,705 --> 00:37:14,475 And I could go on and on and I'm sorry I can't take more time, but 671 00:37:14,924 --> 00:37:18,225 so many great workers in verse 17. 672 00:37:18,225 --> 00:37:19,605 A couple verses left. 673 00:37:20,355 --> 00:37:25,154 Furthermore, 150 Jews and officials ate at my table as well as those who 674 00:37:25,154 --> 00:37:28,005 came to us from surrounding nations. 675 00:37:28,755 --> 00:37:33,945 So leaders, and I'm saying this for myself, we need to set an example 676 00:37:35,565 --> 00:37:39,795 and you know, since I got down here, guys, I haven't taken, I take some 677 00:37:40,005 --> 00:37:42,255 hours off, but I don't take a day off. 678 00:37:42,765 --> 00:37:47,175 There's been too much work to do and I know how to pace myself and I know. 679 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:52,109 You know, when I need to slow down, but I don't have that much 680 00:37:52,109 --> 00:37:56,220 time left, so I'm gonna use as much of it as I can for the Lord. 681 00:37:56,850 --> 00:37:59,460 And my kids hate me, hate it when I say that. 682 00:37:59,460 --> 00:38:00,089 They don't hate me. 683 00:38:00,089 --> 00:38:01,650 They hate it when I say that. 684 00:38:01,650 --> 00:38:03,270 You know, dad, you're gonna live a long time. 685 00:38:03,565 --> 00:38:06,660 I, I don't know, but I wanna burn out. 686 00:38:06,690 --> 00:38:08,520 I don't want to dry out, you know? 687 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:12,750 I mean, I'm gonna go out fast and hard. 688 00:38:12,750 --> 00:38:14,009 That's, that's me. 689 00:38:14,279 --> 00:38:15,000 All right. 690 00:38:15,330 --> 00:38:16,140 That's me. 691 00:38:16,695 --> 00:38:23,325 We need to set an example and then we need to be empathetic to one another. 692 00:38:23,325 --> 00:38:25,424 That's what bothered Nehemiah the most. 693 00:38:25,424 --> 00:38:26,924 You're not loving each other. 694 00:38:27,855 --> 00:38:30,015 You're not putting yourself in each other's shoes. 695 00:38:30,015 --> 00:38:34,299 You wouldn't enslave each other's kids if you had the right heart. 696 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:40,260 He says in verse 18, each day, one ox, six choice, sheep and some poultry were 697 00:38:40,260 --> 00:38:44,280 prepared for me and every 10 days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. 698 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,870 In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor because 699 00:38:48,870 --> 00:38:52,950 the demands were heavy on these people. 700 00:38:53,580 --> 00:38:54,660 We're not gonna burden you. 701 00:38:54,660 --> 00:38:55,260 Folks. 702 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:58,920 We're gonna be treat you the way we want to be treated. 703 00:38:59,310 --> 00:39:03,750 Verse 19, remember me with favor. 704 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:05,640 And he closes with a prayer. 705 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:08,310 This chapter, remember me with favor? 706 00:39:08,340 --> 00:39:14,250 God, my God, for all I have done for these people. 707 00:39:14,759 --> 00:39:16,230 He wasn't a politician. 708 00:39:16,259 --> 00:39:17,279 He was a shepherd. 709 00:39:17,670 --> 00:39:21,960 He was a spiritual leader and he had godly motives. 710 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:22,470 Amen. 711 00:39:22,470 --> 00:39:25,380 So what morals do we learn from this story? 712 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:27,390 Thank you for staying with me. 713 00:39:28,890 --> 00:39:32,070 Greed leads to extortion of people. 714 00:39:32,430 --> 00:39:35,310 And disregards decency. 715 00:39:35,430 --> 00:39:37,109 It just was indecent. 716 00:39:37,859 --> 00:39:39,480 It was just wrong. 717 00:39:39,779 --> 00:39:42,120 Some things that are wrong are wrong. 718 00:39:43,170 --> 00:39:49,950 Price gouging and inflation destroys security and long term solvency. 719 00:39:50,970 --> 00:39:53,520 The inflation that our country has gone through the last 720 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:55,920 couple years, it's so wrong. 721 00:39:57,345 --> 00:39:58,335 It's so wrong. 722 00:39:58,335 --> 00:39:59,415 I don't know all the MEChA. 723 00:39:59,415 --> 00:40:03,975 I've studied economics, macro and micro from one of the brightest in 724 00:40:03,975 --> 00:40:08,745 the world, and I don't understand what went on, but I know it was wrong. 725 00:40:09,674 --> 00:40:16,935 I know it's wrong the way prices have gone up, economic hardship occurs due 726 00:40:16,935 --> 00:40:20,145 to famine, natural disasters, and. 727 00:40:20,505 --> 00:40:27,195 Probably mostly greed, godly leadership, de displays, anger, sometimes 728 00:40:27,195 --> 00:40:30,135 confrontation, accountability, and rebuke. 729 00:40:30,135 --> 00:40:35,055 Hopefully you don't have to see that much from US leaders, but 730 00:40:35,055 --> 00:40:37,095 if it's it needed, it's needed. 731 00:40:37,095 --> 00:40:41,475 Godly leadership also exhibits this, and this is what we prefer. 732 00:40:41,565 --> 00:40:45,410 Empathy sacrifice, benevolence. 733 00:40:46,095 --> 00:40:46,995 Service. 734 00:40:47,505 --> 00:40:53,055 Godly leaders have motivation, motives to glorify God, not popularity, 735 00:40:53,115 --> 00:40:56,745 not politics, not personal gain. 736 00:40:57,945 --> 00:41:00,105 You're not gonna hear politics from me. 737 00:41:00,825 --> 00:41:02,625 Politics don't save the world. 738 00:41:03,195 --> 00:41:04,395 Jesus saves the world. 739 00:41:06,435 --> 00:41:12,165 Worldly leaders, exhort, abuse, gouge, and practice corruption. 740 00:41:12,585 --> 00:41:16,515 That's why I'm not for either party right there, right? 741 00:41:16,995 --> 00:41:18,345 I'm just gonna lay it out. 742 00:41:18,705 --> 00:41:24,674 Neighbors help one another and never take advantage of the situation. 743 00:41:25,785 --> 00:41:29,174 California used to be one of the most neighborly places I've lived 744 00:41:29,174 --> 00:41:32,955 here four times, maybe five. 745 00:41:33,915 --> 00:41:36,915 I always forget the time I was in San Diego, four times 746 00:41:36,915 --> 00:41:38,235 in la, once in San Diego. 747 00:41:39,015 --> 00:41:41,235 Most over half of my adult life. 748 00:41:42,015 --> 00:41:43,275 I love California. 749 00:41:43,785 --> 00:41:47,235 It's a land of milk and honey, it's a promised land. 750 00:41:48,225 --> 00:41:49,695 Well, we've gotten colder. 751 00:41:49,995 --> 00:41:54,135 I remember moving from San Diego to Boston think, Ooh, these people are cold. 752 00:41:54,135 --> 00:41:55,365 They're not very even friendly. 753 00:41:55,365 --> 00:41:57,045 I like the Western people. 754 00:41:57,525 --> 00:41:59,715 You know, I like Western United States. 755 00:41:59,715 --> 00:42:03,435 These Easterners, man, they're the weather's cold and they're cold, you know? 756 00:42:04,875 --> 00:42:10,155 And I'm so glad when I came back west, you know, and so. 757 00:42:10,740 --> 00:42:12,000 Let's be neighbors. 758 00:42:12,975 --> 00:42:15,390 Let's, let's, let's give our hearts to each other. 759 00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:18,990 You know, I've been making friends with my neighbors. 760 00:42:18,990 --> 00:42:24,450 I went over to a neighbor the other day and he had this dragster in his garage, 761 00:42:25,170 --> 00:42:27,000 and I go, what are you doing with that? 762 00:42:27,540 --> 00:42:29,430 He goes, oh, it's just a replica. 763 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:31,470 I've, I've never drag raced it. 764 00:42:31,470 --> 00:42:33,300 It, I just take it to shows. 765 00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:38,580 It's, it's a replica of one of the most famous dragsters in America. 766 00:42:39,465 --> 00:42:41,355 I say, so you've never drag race? 767 00:42:41,385 --> 00:42:41,745 Oh no. 768 00:42:41,745 --> 00:42:42,525 You can't do that. 769 00:42:42,525 --> 00:42:47,625 That's against the rules, against the, the, you know, but, but, but it sounds 770 00:42:47,625 --> 00:42:49,695 like you could go drive it like that. 771 00:42:49,695 --> 00:42:51,435 I mean, you've made a lot of noise lately. 772 00:42:51,435 --> 00:42:55,815 I got a baby over there sleeping, you know, he goes, oh, I'm sorry. 773 00:42:56,025 --> 00:42:57,285 Yeah, it's just for fun. 774 00:42:57,285 --> 00:42:59,745 I just do it for fun, you know? 775 00:43:00,255 --> 00:43:04,185 And then I went to the other neighbor and he was trying to fix his truck. 776 00:43:04,605 --> 00:43:08,745 And so I went and opened up all my tools and tried to help him with it. 777 00:43:08,745 --> 00:43:11,805 And you know, he, he didn't want my help. 778 00:43:11,924 --> 00:43:15,255 I wasn't very helpful, you know, but I was a good neighbor. 779 00:43:15,464 --> 00:43:16,305 I was a good neighbor. 780 00:43:17,085 --> 00:43:21,975 And I went to the other guy and, you know, he walks his dogs and, you know, 781 00:43:21,975 --> 00:43:25,095 he, he just, he, he just needs to talk. 782 00:43:25,154 --> 00:43:28,605 You could just tell every time I've stopped this guy, he talks to me 783 00:43:28,605 --> 00:43:30,165 for, I'm late for appointments. 784 00:43:30,194 --> 00:43:32,025 'cause he talks, you know. 785 00:43:33,254 --> 00:43:34,274 But I don't shun him. 786 00:43:34,274 --> 00:43:37,154 I go over and talk to him, even though I know he is gonna make me lay. 787 00:43:37,515 --> 00:43:40,064 'cause there's something in his life he needs to talk. 788 00:43:40,995 --> 00:43:45,495 Doesn't have as many relationships as I do guys. 789 00:43:46,245 --> 00:43:47,444 What's the point of this? 790 00:43:47,475 --> 00:43:50,805 Hope and loving one another. 791 00:43:51,165 --> 00:43:51,794 God bless you. 792 00:43:52,185 --> 00:43:52,575 Amen.