Western Hills Christian Church: “You are family here!”

2nd Corinthians 5:17-21
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Grace and peace be with you.

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Text: Nehemiah 5:1-19

I.  Nehemiah’s situation (Nehemiah 5:1-8)

1. What are some of the problems that Nehemiah faced?
   (high taxes,high interest rates against his countrymen, countrymen became indentured slaves) READ Nehemiah 5:1-5
2. How did Nehemiah react?
   (with anger, he thought about the situation,assessed the people who were guilty & addressed the issue promptly) READ Nehemiah 5:6-8
3. What was Nehemiah’s example? (Nehemiah 5:1-5)
   (dealt with living a life that was absolutely beyond reproach)

II.  Nehemiah’s example.

1. Be true to God’s Word.
2. Avoid worldliness
3. Moral standards.

III.  Nehemiah’s motives.
Nehemiah feared God more than he feared man. See: Hebrews 10:13 & James 1:22

Conclusion
Read: 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10

1. Have the proper attitude toward God.
2. Have the right motive to remain faithful to God.
3. Rely upon the power of God to help us overcome our weaknesses.

 
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again,he cannot see the kingdom of God ."
John 3:3

Entering a saving relationship with Christ is a life-changing experience. All things become new, not some things, but all things (2nd Corinthians 5:17).  For the first time in your life, Christ is  Lord; God is Master.  When you become a Christian, Christ’s presence will affect every part of you.  You will have new thoughts, new attitudes, new values, and new sensitivities.  New priorities will dramatically affect your relationships.  You will view everything in your life from a Christ-like perspective.  Christianity is not something you add to your life; it is life!

Nicodemus thought that salvation meant performing certain religious exercises and holding to particular religious teachings.  He had no idea of the all-encompassing nature of salvation!  When you become a Christian, God gives you a new heart so that everything becomes new!  God gives you a new mind, like that of Christ, so you think differently.  He gives you new emotions, so you feel deeply about completely different matters.  You become sensitive to sin, so you are no longer comfortable with it.  Your recreation will be affected as you are made aware of what is honoring to God and what is not.  Your relationships will now be guided by the Holy Spirit.  Destructive habits and attitudes, previously immune to change, will be transformed.

Have you noticed the changes God has brought to your life since you entered a vital relationship with Jesus Christ?  These changes should be very noticeable as a testimony of the new life you received when you trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
2nd Corinthians 7:10

There is a difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow, though both are deeply felt.  You can feel genuine sorrow over something you have done.  Your mind can become consumed with your failure and offense against God and others.  Judas felt this kind of sorrow.  He betrayed the Son of God for thirty pieces of silver, the standard price of a slave.  Yet his sorrow did not lead him to repent and to seek restoration with his fellow disciples, but rather to a lonely field where, in his anguish, he took his own life (Matthew 27:3-5).  Judas carried his sorrow to his grave.

How different Peter’s sorrow was!  Peter, too, failed Jesus on the night of His crucifixion.  Peter also went out and  wept bitterly (Luke 22:62).  Yet Peter returned to Jesus and reaffirmed his love for Him (John 21:15-17).  Peter was not only remorseful, he was also repentant.  Peter’s life changed. There is no record of Peter ever denying his Lord again, even when he was persecuted and threatened with death.  Peter repented, turned his life around, and never committed that sin again.

Don’t allow mere unhappiness over what you have done to rob you of genuine repentance.  You can blame yourself and be angry with yourself for the sins you have committed, but that is not repentance.  Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the gravity of your sins.  Ask the Spirit to clearly show you how God views your character.  When you see your sin from God’s perspective, you will experience godly sorrow.

Henry and Richard Blackaby
Experiencing God Day-by-Day