Date: February 5th 2012

[formatted PDF Version Attached]

LAUGH 'N LEARN
An Encouragement Ministry of Verde Valley Christian Church Of Cottonwood Arizona
http://vvchristianchurch.net
February 5, 2012
LAUGH
BROWN PAPER JAKE
A sheriff walks into a saloon and shouts for everyone's attention. "Has anyone seen Brown Paper Jake?" he asks.
"What's he look like?" asks one shoddy-looking cowboy.
"Well", replies the Sheriff, "he wears a brown paper hat, a brown paper waistcoat, a brown paper shirt, brown paper boots, brown paper pants, and a brown paper jacket."
"So what's he wanted for?" asks the same cowboy.
"Rustlin'."

LEARN
Jim’s Manuscript
February 5, 2012
“TACKLE Your Problems!”
Nehemiah Series
Text: Chapter 13

I chose the word “tackle” today not just because it is Super Bowl Sunday. I chose the word tackle because sometimes you have to be that aggressive with problems. With many problems you can’t tip toe around them or merely tag them; you have to tackle so that they stop running away with your life.

I also chose the title “Tackle Your Problems!” because Nehemiah shows us how to do this in the last chapter of Nehemiah. He doesn’t dance around a subject. He doesn’t call a committee meeting to talk about problems. He gets aggressive and tackles 4 big problems in the last chapter. Since this is Super Bowl Sunday, I want you to think of these 4 problems as 4 plays the enemy was running successfully the whole time Nehemiah was gone. But once Nehemiah was back, this linebacker stopped tackled all 4 plays in just 4 downs. The enemy had to punt, and Israel was back up and running in the right direction with their lives. Turn to Nehemiah chapter 13.

Focus: Don’t tip toe around or merely tag problems when they are running away with your life; tackle them!

The 4 plays the enemy was gaining such yardage with.
I. Compromising Relationships (13:1-9; 1 Corinthians 15:33)
Nehemiah 13… (NIV)
{1} On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, {2} because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) {3} When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent. {4} Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,
[a compromising relationship] {5} and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests. {6} But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission {7} and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God. {8} I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room. {9} I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.

They say, when the cat leaves, the mice begin to play… that is what happened when Nehemiah left.

{6} But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission {7} and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.

They say, when the cat leaves, the mice begin to play…and in this case the mouse invited a rat! We’ve met Tobiah before. He was himself an Ammonite enemy and he was constantly opposing Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 2:10, 19; 4:3, 7; 6:1, 12, 14, 17, 19).

So how did an Ammonite enemy gain residency in the Temple precinct? He had “friends” in high places.

Nehemiah 13:4 (NIV) …Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,

He was married to the daughter of an important Jewish official.

Nehemiah 6:17-18 (NIV)
{17} Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. {18} For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

I want us to focus on a couple things here.

First, let’s focus on the powerful role of a leader. When a visionary leader stops overseeing the vision, many things are often overlooked, and the vision begins to veer off course. Nehemiah was not gone that long, (I have no idea how long) but in the short time he was gone, we see in chapter 13 that problem after problem had cropped up as a result. The visionary leader looks at the big picture and course direction.

The mice look for the cheese—what’s in it for me. They don’t usually see the big picture and how their selfishness affects the whole, and those around them.

Parents, please watch your children. Watch the big picture. Watch for and explain long term consequences of behaviors.

Second, let’s recognize the danger of a compromising relationship.
{4} Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah,
[a compromising relationship]

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

So often, people compromise their character because they are hanging around and influenced by a bad character. It is something we need to watch out for. If you want godly character, make sure you have some godly companions. If you want to see your character fail rapidly, hang around with characters who care little about God, and neglect the fellowship of believers.

Parents, know your children’s friends. Know who they associate with. Watch carefully who is influencing whom. So many times, the wrong turn starts with the wrong companion.

I am not saying we should never associate with any non believers. You need to follow in the steps of Christ who became a friend to sinners. But beware. Watch yourself. See who is influencing whom. All of Jesus’ relationships were secondary to his primary relationship—and that to his heavenly Father. And his relationship to others was secondary to his relationship to his disciples.

Don’t tip toe around this one, it can be costly! Tackle the problem.
II. Financial Neglect (13:10-14; Matthew 6:20)
{10} I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields. {11} So I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts. {12} All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and oil into the storerooms. {13} I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because these men were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their brothers. {14} Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.

Do you know how much money John D. Rockefeller left when he died?
His accountant was actually asked this question. And the accountant didn’t have to calculate long to give an answer. He said, “He left all of it.”

You’ll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul. You can’t take it with you.

But Jesus tells us a surprising truth. And this is what Randy Alcorn calls the Treasure principle. You can’t take it with you, but you CAN send it on ahead! Anything we try to hang on to will be lost. Anything we put in God’s hands will be ours for eternity. And it is insured for infinitely more than $100,000 by the real FDIC, the Father’s Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Adapted from Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle p. 18
Randy Alcorn: The Treasure Principle
Imagine you’re alive at the end of the Civil War. You’re living in the South, but you are a Northerner. You plan to move home as soon as the war is over. While in the South you’ve accumulated lots of Confederate currency. Now, suppose you know for a fact that the North is going to win the war and the end is imminent. What will you do with your Confederate money?

If you’re smart, there’s only one answer. You should immediately cash your Confederate currency for U.S. currency—the only money that will have value once the war is over. Keep only enough Confederate currency to meet your short-term needs.
As a Christian, you have inside knowledge of an eventual worldwide upheaval caused by Christ’s return. This is the ultimate insider-trading tip: Earth’s currency will become worthless when Christ returns—or when you die, whichever comes first. (And either event could happen at any time.”
…
[Jesus tells us to switch investment vehicles.] The funds we use now are volatile and ready to take a permanent dive. He asks us to switch to heaven’s currency which is totally dependable, insured by God Himself, and is coming soon to forever replace earth’s economy. Christ’s financial forecast for earth is bleak—but He’s unreservedly bullish about investing in heaven, where every market indicator is eternally positive!
There is nothing wrong with Confederate money, as long as you understand its limits. Realizing its value is temporary should radically affect your investment strategy. To accumulate vast earthly treasures that you can’t possibly hold on to for long is equivalent to stockpiling Confederate money even though you know it’s about to become worthless.
According to Jesus, storing up earthly treasures isn’t simply wrong. It’s just plain stupid.
Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle p. 13-14
A treasure Mentality
Jesus doesn’t just tell us where not to put our treasures. He also gives the best investment advice you’ll ever hear: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20).
If you stopped reading too soon you would have thought Christ was against our storing up treasures for ourselves. No. He’s all for it! I fact, He commands it. Jesus has a treasure mentality. He wants us to store up treasures. He’s just telling us to stop soring them in the wrong place and start storing them in the right place!
“Store up for yourselves.” Doesn’t it seem strange that Jesus commands us to do what’s in our own best interests? Wouldn’t that be selfish? No. God expects and commands us to act out of enlightened self-interest. He wants us to live to His glory, but what is to His glory is always to our good. As John Piper puts it, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle p. 15

What is this “Treasure in heaven”? It includes power (Luke 19:15-19), possessions (Matthew 19:21), and pleasures (Psalm 16:11). Jesus promises that those who sacrifice on earth will receive “a hundred times as much” in heaven (Matthew 19:29). That’s 10,000 percent—an impressive return!
Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle p. 16

If we give instead of keep, if we invest in the eternal instead of in the temporal, we store up treasures in heaven that will never stop paying dividends. Whatever treasures we store up on earth will be left behind when we leave. Whatever treasures we store up in heaven will be waiting for us when we arrive.
…Every day is an opportunity s in His kingdom.
Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle p. 18-19


Don’t tip toe around this one, it can be costly! Tackle the problem.
III. Ignoring Priority Principles (13:15-22; Matthew 6:33)
{15} In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. {16} Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. {17} I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing--desecrating the Sabbath day? {18} Didn't your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath." {19} When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so t
hat no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. {20} Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. {21} But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. {22} Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

Nehemiah didn’t shake his head and passively say, “Hey guys, we need to have a meeting and talk about the Sabbath problem.”
{17} I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this wicked thing you are doing--desecrating the Sabbath day?

He did not tip toe around this one, he knew how costly such compromises were!
{18} Didn't your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath."

He tackled the problem! Was he nice? Being tackled does not feel nice.
{20} Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. {21} But I warned them and said, "Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.

Why is Nehemiah so aggressive? The whole kingdom is at stake! This is not just a personal matter. These are not merely personal choices and personal preferences. The kingdom of God is being damaged by the lack of obedience to kingdom principles.

The Old Covenant kingdom was different than the New Covenant Kingdom. In the Old Covenant, the nation was being damaged at a critical rebuilding period. Wrong precedents would destroy them, and Nehemiah knew it.

We have kingdom principles and kingdom priorities also. The people in Nehemiah’s day were wanting to make money on the Sabbath. It was part of what they thought was their survival strategy. God said it doesn’t work that way. Put me first then you will put me in a position where I can bless you and take care of you. When you don’t put me first, you get what you are asking for…a life without me. Is that what you want?

Jesus said the same thing,
Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
…seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
IV. Yoked Together With Unbelievers (13:23-31; 2 Corinthians 6:14)
{23} Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. {24} Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah. {25} I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. {26} Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. {27} Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?" {28} One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high p
riest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me. {29} Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. {30} So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task. {31} I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, O my God.


2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV) {14} Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? {15} What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? {16} What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." {17} "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." {18} "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

If you are a believer, don’t marry a non believer!

In the case before Nehemiah, the children were not raised in the faith. They were raised with paganism, pagan values, and a foreign language.
{24} Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.

He did not tip toe around this one, he knew how costly such compromises were! The safety and integrity of their whole nation was at stake.

{26} Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. {27} Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?"
Do you think you are smarter than Solomon? Do you think you can avoid compromise here? He couldn’t, and you won’t. This is disastrous. Don’t do it.

He didn’t just talk…He Tackled!!!
{25} I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.

Is this a good example or a bad example? Is this violence really necessary? Is Nehemiah wrong here?

There is nothing in the text to indicate that Nehemiah is overreacting. There is nothing in the text that indicates that a more gentle approach was more appropriate.

In fact, the zeal I see here is similar to the zeal Jesus demonstrated in the Temple when he expressed anger for turning the house of worship into a marketplace den of thieves.

Jesus was not passive.

Why is Nehemiah so aggressive? The whole kingdom is at stake! This is not just a personal matter. These are not merely personal choices and personal preferences. The kingdom of God is being damaged by the lack of obedience to kingdom principles.

The Old Covenant kingdom was different than the New Covenant Kingdom. In the Old Covenant, the nation was being damaged at a critical rebuilding period. Wrong precedents would destroy them, and Nehemiah knew it.


John Ortberg spoke on the damaging power of entropy. Neglect and passivity is very dangerous to our faith.
John Ortberg: Lessons from Vineyard
A little while ago, my wife kidnapped me and took me to Napa Valley for a romantic, overnight getaway for just the two of us. I had never been to Napa Valley before. It's lovely. What struck me as I was going past the vineyards was all of the thought and action that went into the rows of vines. A fruitful, productive vineyard is a thing of beauty. But here's the thing about vineyards: they don't just happen by themselves. Vineyards don't just spring up by accident. Someone is behind them.
The writer of Proverbs 24:30–34 says: I was going past a vineyard, and it was a mess. There were thorns all over the place, the grounds were covered with weeds, and the walls were falling down.
To understand the angst behind this proverb … you have to understand that in the ancient Middle East, a piece of land capable of growing crops was one of the most valuable things in the world. To be the owner of a vineyard was to be blessed with the opportunity of a lifetime. …
Everybody gets a vineyard. When you were born, you got a vineyard. You got your body, your mind, your will, and some relationships. You got financial resources and the chance to do some good work. You got a soul. Everybody gets a vineyard, and that vineyard is your one and only shot on this planet. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, and you don't even have to care for it on your own. God will partner with you.
Nonetheless, God never forces anybody to take action and care for their vineyard. The writer of this Proverb says, "I was walking past a vineyard, and I thought of what it might have been." He sees that the vineyard could have been a thing of beauty. It could have been a source of pride, joy, and income to the owner. It could have been a blessing to everybody around it, because in ancient cultures, a place that grew things that people could eat or drink from was a blessing to everybody. But the vineyard the writer observed wasn't any of those things. It fell tragically short of what it might have been. The writer wonders why: Was there some catastrophe? Was there a drought, flood, fire, or some other disaster? No. It was just sheer negligence on the part of the owner of the vineyard. He had no idea what he had. He was throwing away the opportunity of a lifetime. That's the strange power of entropy. It's not even a thing. It's sheer neglect, and people throw their lives away b
ecause of it everyday. …
People have these fantasies: I want the perfect marriage, I want the perfect circle of friends, I want the perfect career and the perfect education; if I can't have that, then I won't do anything. The writer of Proverbs says we must start with reality. Work the land that is your land—your body, your life, your relationships, your work—because that vineyard is all you have. If it's ever going to be different, it won't be because the vineyard fairy comes and sprinkles fairy dust on it. It will be because you asked God to help you. It will be because you've asked him, "What's the next step that you want me to take?"
John Ortberg, in his sermon "Intercepting Entropy," www.preachingtoday.com







(C) Jim Hammond
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