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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NEHEMIAH 2:17-20
WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER?
LESSON #5
MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 4:19
READ NEH 2:17-20 NEHEMIAH MOTIVATES THE PEOPLE
[PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP]
REVIEW #1-#3:
[1] ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OUT OF PERSONAL CONCERN (1:2)
[2] SERIOUS PRAYER (1:4)
[3] PERSONAL SUBMISSION TO GOD’S WILL (1:11)
NEW PRINCIPLES:
[4] COMMITMENT TO A TASK (2:5)
NEHEMIAH WAS COMMITTED TO ACCOMPLISHING THE JOB EVEN THOUGH IT MEANT GIVING UP ACOMFORTABLE POSITION IN THE PALACE.
[5] BE PROPERLY SUBMITTED TO THOSE IN AUTHORITY WHETHER THEY ARE CHRISTIANS OR NOT.(2:7)
NEHEMIAH HAD RESPECT FOR THE KING EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NEITHER A JEW NOR A BELIEVER IN GOD.
SOMETIMES GOD USES NON-BELIEVERS TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES.
[6] KNOW WHAT YOUR AUTHORITY IS (2:8)
AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE MORE AUTHORITY THAN WE USE.
[7] KNOW WHAT YOUR RESOURCES ARE (2:8)
A GOOD LEADER WILL KNOW THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF HIS PEOPLE AS WELL AS HOW TO BESTUSE THE MATERIAL RESOURCES AT HIS DISPOSAL.
[8] MAKE A QUIET, PERSONAL EVALUATION OF THE SITUATION (2:12-13) PRO 18:13
A GOOD LEADER KNOWS THE PROBLEMS AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL.
[9] COMMUNICATE THE NEED TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE (2:17)
HE WENT TO THE JEWISH NOBLES. A LEADER OFTEN FACES TWO FAITH DEFEATING OBSTACLES. IF THEJEWISH NOBLES PRESENTED NEHEMIAH WITH THESE TWO OBSTACLES, THE BIBLE DOESN’T TELL US. THETWO OBSTACLES:
A. “WE TRIED THAT BEFORE AND IT DIDN’T WORK.”
B. “WE LIKE THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE!”
OFTEN GOD SENDS SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE IN ORDER TO BRING A FRESH VISION TO THE PEOPLE. THATWAS WHAT GOD DID IN SENDING NEHEMIAH.
[10] ENLIST THE NECESSARY HELP (2:17b)
A LEADER CANNOT DO THE JOB ALONE. HE NEEDS PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK WITH HIM AND BE WILLING TOSUBMIT TO HIS LEADERSHIP.
[11] HAVE FAITH IN THE FACE OF RIDICULE (2:20)
RIDICULE IS ONE OF SATAN’S TACTICS FOR DEFEAT. A GOOD LEADER WILL KNOW THAT: SATAN HAS NOPORTION = NO CLAIM ON YOUR LIFE.
SATAN HAS NO RIGHT = NO AUTHORITY
SATAN HAS NO MEMORIALS = NO SIN PATTERNS OF THE PAST OF WHICH TO REMIND US.
APPLICATION:
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO DEVELOPING GOOD LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, BUT WE MUSTALSO BE GOOD FOLLOWERS. TO ACCOMPLISH A JOB, IT NEEDS A GOOD LEADER AND GOODFOLLOWERS WHO WORK TOGETHER. A CHURCH CAN HAVE A FANTASTIC LEADER BUT UNLESS THE PEOPLECOOPERATE, GOD’S WORK IS FRUSTRATED AND WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL BECAUSE OF DIVISION ANDDISCOURAGEMENT.
DISCUSSION:
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
1. DO YOU SHARE THE BURDENS OF THOSE IN LEADERSHIP?
HOW CAN WE DO THAT?
2. DO YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR LEADERS?
HOW CAN WE DO THAT?
3. ARE YOU A BUILDER OR DESTROYER OF GOD’S WORK?
HOW CAN YOU AVOID BEING A DESTROYER?
4. DO YOU COOPERATE WITH THE ENEMY AND THOSE WHO DO THE WORK OF THE ENEMY TO DESTROY GOD’SWORK?
IN WHAT WAYS DO CHRISTIANS COOPERATE WITH THE ENEMY TO DESTROY GOD’S WORK?
HOMEWORK FOR NEHEMIAH 3
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF NEHEMIAH 2:17-21
WHICH NEW PRINCIPLES OF A LEADER CAN YOU PUT INTO PRACTICE IN YOUR POSITION AS A LEADER INYOUR HOME, AT WORK, ETC.
IN WHAT WAYS CAN YOU BETTER COOPERATE WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUR CHURCH? (BE SPECIFIC)
WHAT THINGS DO YOU DETERMINE TO DO THIS WEEK TO BE:
A BETTER LEADER?
A BETTER FOLLOWER?
PREPARATION FOR NEHEMIAH 3
READ NEHEMIAH 3. REFER TO YOUR MAP FOR THE DIFFERENT PLACES LISTED. DON’T WORRY ABOUT ALLTHE DIFFICULT NAMES
BUSINESS CENTER:
(1) SHEEP GATE
READ JOHN 1:29
(2) FISH GATE
READ MATTHEW 4:19
CIVIC CENTER:
(3) OLD GATE
READ ROMANS 6:4-10
(4) VALLEY GATE
READ 2CORINTHIANS 5:17
(5) DUNG GATE
READ 1JOHN 1:9
(6) FOUNTAIN GATE
READ JOHN 7:37-39
KING’S POOL
READ 1TIMOTHY 6:14-15 AND EPHESIANS 5:18b
(9) EAST GATE
READ EZEKIEL 40
MILITARY CENTER:
(7) WATER GATE
READ EPHESIANS 5:26
(8) HORSE GATE
READ EPHESIANS 6:12-13
(10) MUSTER GATE (ACCOUNTING)
READ 2CORINTHIANS 5:10
MEMORY VERSE: PHILIPPIANS 4:13
