WEBVTT

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 Lord, we stand or sit right now and we bless you.

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! We praise you for you are worthy.

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!

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 The Lamb that was slain for us.

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 The Lamb who shed His blood.

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 The spotless Lamb of God who purchased redemption for us.

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 Who made a way into the very throne room, into the very presence of God.

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 Through your mercy and compassion, by overcoming the oppression of sin,

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 by liberating us from the bondage and slavery of our own wickedness,

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 and leading us into freedom.

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 Making a way for us to have fellowship with God.

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 You've broken down the wall that has separated us from you and from your people,

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 by making a way through Jesus, by faith in you,

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 because of the work of your Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.

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 Lord, it is my prayer this morning that through our time in Nehemiah chapter 5,

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 and through looking into the scriptures, that you would help to call us into a greater appreciation of your worthiness.

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 God, in God, in expression and understanding, in reverence of your worthiness,

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 make us faithful and worthy vessels.

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 Help us to know your heart today.

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 May we echo the heart of Christ.

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 The heart of Christ to remove oppression.

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 First of sin, and then of every other oppression that we see in front of us.

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 As an evidence of the portrait of Jesus in the work of your ministry here on this earth.

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 So help us, Lord, to emulate your heart and your ultimate purpose for all nations

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 to be redeemed and ransomed and purchased back to you.

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 Lead us in our study this morning in your word.

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 Allow your Holy Spirit to have your way in us, we pray.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 Amen.

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 Well, it is very special to have all of you here, instead of just preaching to a camera.

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 It's nice to actually have some smiling faces.

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 It's good to be with you this morning.

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 That song expresses the pathway, the end point, really, of where we're going to go.

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 We're starting in Nehemiah chapter 5.

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 But the culmination of what we see in Nehemiah chapter 5 is to help us see a foreshadowing.

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 A foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus and the work that Jesus intends to accomplish.

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 The work of redemption.

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 The work of ransom.

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 The work to get us all back to that original purpose.

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 The purpose that he established at the beginning of creation in allowing us to have fellowship with him

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 in holiness and perfection.

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 We broke that.

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 Adam and Eve broke that in the garden.

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 We continue to break that every single day of our existence through our sin.

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 Through our rebellion against God.

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 But God, by his mercy, is made a way.

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 And his heart is to ransom all of creation to reset it back to its original design.

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 As John writes in Revelation chapter 5, 9 and 10,

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 they sang a new song saying,

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 Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals.

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 For you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people.

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 And here it is.

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 For God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

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 And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God.

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 And they shall reign on the earth.

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 Now that should sound really familiar because that's what God had established with Abraham

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 and with Moses and with the people when he built this covenant relationship with them at Mount Sinai.

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 Abraham, of course, was much earlier.

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 But they were the covenant people pulled and made distinct because of Abraham.

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 They were sons of Abraham.

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 But this covenant relationship, this contract that God wrote up for the people

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 that was to establish how this relationship was supposed to work,

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 was signed and sealed at Mount Sinai.

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 And at that time, God made his people a kingdom of priests.

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 That was the goal.

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 That was the plan.

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 But his people throughout history had broken that contract,

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 had violated God's purpose in their life.

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 And instead of saying,

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 what a privilege of welcoming the world,

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 welcoming the nations into this same relationship that we enjoy,

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 of featuring and being an illustration of the welcoming relationship of God,

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 the presence of God among his people,

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 they said, ha, we're distinct people.

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 We're set apart people.

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 We are God's people.

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 And you have nothing to do with him.

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 That was not God's plan.

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 That was not God's purpose.

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 God's purpose was to establish in Israel a welcoming cry,

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 a kingdom of priests that would call the nations to himself.

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 He will establish that purpose once and for all when the end has finally come.

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 That's his purpose, to welcome the nations before him.

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 And this morning, if you are a Gentile like me,

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 you are an individual who has experienced that mercy and compassion of God,

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 a part that has come through his son, Jesus Christ,

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 who is a part of Israel and a light to the Gentiles like God intended him to be.

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 That's what Israel was supposed to do.

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 That was their purpose.

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 Because God had in mind to set all things new,

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 to redeem all of creation,

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 to bring them back to himself.

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 We find in our passage this morning in Nehemiah chapter 5,

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 another breaking, another fracture,

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 oppression that is taking place among God's people.

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 That Nehemiah, who is a foreshadowing of the Christ figure,

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 who echoes the heart of God,

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 recognizes the oppression that is taking place

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 and demonstrates a righteous indignation and hatred for what he sees.

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 We don't have any points this morning.

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 I don't have any notes to share.

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 I don't have any three simple truths to convey to you today.

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 I just want to talk through this narrative.

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 I want us to look at the history

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 and to see the relevance of what is happening here in Nehemiah chapter 5.

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 And I don't think there's a better time for us to see this.

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 You know, by God's providence,

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 back in late October, early November of last year,

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 I started putting together the preaching schedule for 2020.

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 I had no idea what was going to happen on June 7th

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 in the couple of weeks leading up to this,

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 but God did.

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 He knew the fracture and the divide

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 and the racial tension that is happening across our country.

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 He knew that was going to happen.

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 He is not surprised.

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 And so he put us here in Nehemiah chapter 5

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 so we can understand that God has a hatred for oppression

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 and God has a remedy for oppression.

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 It comes through Jesus Christ

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 and it is a catalyst through his people.

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 We are representatives of God

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 to help remedy the oppression

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 that we see in the world around us.

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 God has called us to be agents of mercy and compassion,

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 kingdom of priests,

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 called by God to be a light to the nations,

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 to bring in the harvest of worshipers

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 who will sit before the throne

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 and say worthy is the Lamb.

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 What a privilege.

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 What an awesome privilege.

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 But what a tremendous responsibility.

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 It's not going to happen

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 unless we begin to recognize

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 the significance of this issue.

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 This is not a tangential issue.

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 This is not a superficial issue.

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 This is a gospel issue.

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 And we must understand

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 and have a heart for this issue

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 just the way that Nehemiah had a heart for this issue

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 and just the way that Jesus had a heart for this issue.

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 Nehemiah chapter 5.

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 We're going to begin our time in verse 6.

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 Nehemiah chapter 5, verse 6.

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 It says this,

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 I was very angry

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 when I heard their outcry in these words.

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 Now if you're wondering what words we're talking about,

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 it's the words of the people

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 who have come to present the problem

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 of their oppression

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 that they're experiencing.

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 Now I don't know if any of you

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 have ever experienced oppression

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 or some degree of being taken advantage of.

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 I was trying to think in my own life

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 how I've experienced some oppression

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 and it's very mild in comparison

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 with maybe some of the things

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 that you've experienced.

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 I thought about

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 how do authorities

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 or people who are put in positions

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 of honor,

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 how do they maybe abuse

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 their privilege?

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 And how have I experienced that for myself?

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 And I thought,

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 well, you know,

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 many, many years ago

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 when I went to buy a used car.

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 Anyone ever buy a used car?

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 Okay.

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 All right.

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 I think used car dealers,

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 you know, they kind of have,

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 there's a little title

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 that goes along with them.

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 They're kind of known as slippery,

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 kind of known as those

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 who want to take advantage.

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 And so if you're a used car,

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 Salmon, please forgive me.

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 It's not against you.

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 Just recognize that there's some

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 who are out there

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 who make a bad name for you.

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 Okay.

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 Well, so I went to buy

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 my first used car,

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 the first car I'd ever bought

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 before in my life.

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 And I walked onto the lot

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 and I'm sure

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 they could smell fresh blood.

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 Okay.

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 They know,

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 ha ha,

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 this guy is a novice.

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 He has never bought a car before.

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 Look at him.

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 And the sharks were swirling.

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 I could see them.

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 They could smell blood.

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 They came all after me

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 at the same time.

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 So I'm looking around

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 and this was the age

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 before the internet.

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 So I couldn't do some pre-shopping

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 and kind of look around.

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 So I showed up at the lot.

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 I expected,

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 you know,

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 kind of like the grocery store.

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 You go to the grocery.

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 I'm kind of a guy.

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 You go to the grocery store.

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 Shopping is you find something

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 you like and you take it home.

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 Not that you go to this lot

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 and then the next lot

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 and you find the best deal in town.

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 I didn't know how to do that yet.

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 So look at the sticker.

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 It was about the price I could afford.

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 Looked at the car.

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 Yeah,

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 that's about the car

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 that I want to have.

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 And so I went into the contract place

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 where you sign the forms

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 and the contract that they gave me

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 was $5,000 more

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 than the sticker I saw on the car.

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 I'm thinking,

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 what is happening here?

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 And, you know,

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 when they have costs like stereo system

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 and hubcaps and wheels

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 and like,

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 that's not included in the car?

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 A pole street.

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 You know, the back seat.

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 I'm kidding.

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 Those weren't on there.

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 But just the inflation of these prices

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 and then on top of it all,

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 because I didn't have credit yet,

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 the interest rate was like astronomical.

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 I said,

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 well, I guess this is what you do

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 when you buy a used car.

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 So I signed the dotted line.

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 I drove away out of the parking lot

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 with my brand new car

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 and immediately,

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 buyer's remorse.

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 Huh.

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 What was I thinking?

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 What an idiot.

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 Instead of having an advocate,

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 instead of having somebody

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 come alongside me

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 and put their hand on my shoulder

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 and say,

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 let me just tell you

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 how things are supposed to work

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 on a used car lot.

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 They inflate the prices on purpose

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 about 50%

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 so that they can negotiate a little bit.

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 That's what you're supposed to do

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 when you go to a used car lot.

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 You're supposed to negotiate.

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 Well, I didn't know about negotiating

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 and I didn't have an advocate.

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 So I walked out of that place

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 and they absolutely took me for a ride.

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 Taken advantage of.

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 Well, about a week and a half later,

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 I totaled the car.

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 Which made matters worse.

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 Fortunately, God allowed my insurance company

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 to cover the entire cost

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 of a car that the price was already inflated.

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 So God was kind

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 even though the dealer was not.

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 And so I never made that mistake again

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 because I understood

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 what oppression was like

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 and I recognized what to look for

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 in the midst of that issue.

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 And here we come

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 to Nehemiah chapter 5

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 and here is a group of people

00:15:37.579 --> 00:15:38.519
 who should know better.

00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:42.219
 They should know better.

00:15:43.359 --> 00:15:46.419
 They have experienced oppression firsthand.

00:15:46.419 --> 00:15:48.759
 It went all the way back to Egypt.

00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:51.099
 It went all the way back

00:15:51.099 --> 00:15:52.279
 to their captivity

00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:53.860
 for hundreds of years

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:54.799
 in Egypt.

00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:58.079
 So much so that Nehemiah prefaces

00:15:58.079 --> 00:15:58.839
 this chapter,

00:15:59.199 --> 00:16:00.639
 chapter 5, verse 1,

00:16:00.860 --> 00:16:01.979
 by talking about

00:16:01.979 --> 00:16:04.079
 an outcry of the people

00:16:04.079 --> 00:16:05.740
 which was reminiscent

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.039
 of the outcry,

00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:08.120
 same word,

00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:09.019
 of the people

00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:10.120
 who were under oppression

00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:11.120
 in Egypt.

00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:11.200
 Egypt.

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.960
 They should have known better.

00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:16.240
 And God,

00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:17.460
 by His mercy,

00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:19.120
 led them out of Egypt.

00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:20.860
 God,

00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:21.500
 by His mercy,

00:16:21.560 --> 00:16:22.460
 led them through

00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:23.460
 the Red Sea.

00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:24.580
 God,

00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:25.519
 by His mercy,

00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:26.460
 allowed them

00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:27.200
 to be preserved

00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.120
 in the midst of

00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.179
 40 years of wilderness wandering.

00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:31.820
 And by His mercy,

00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:33.120
 established a covenant

00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:33.679
 with them,

00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:35.700
 a kingdom of priests

00:16:35.700 --> 00:16:37.379
 to our God.

00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:40.500
 By His mercy,

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:41.440
 He established

00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:42.279
 a relationship

00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:43.220
 with them.

00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:44.919
 He gave them access

00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:46.580
 to His very self

00:16:46.580 --> 00:16:48.519
 through the tabernacle

00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:49.340
 at the time

00:16:49.340 --> 00:16:51.000
 and through the ordinances

00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:52.139
 that they celebrated,

00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.779
 the rituals of sacrifice

00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:55.580
 through the Lamb.

00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:57.139
 The Passover Lamb,

00:16:57.259 --> 00:16:58.879
 which was the very first thing

00:16:58.879 --> 00:16:59.860
 that they did

00:16:59.860 --> 00:17:00.879
 to demonstrate

00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:02.059
 that they'd been

00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:03.259
 ransomed as a people,

00:17:04.019 --> 00:17:05.279
 which was a foreshadowing

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.180
 of what Christ

00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:07.359
 would inevitably do

00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:08.099
 for them

00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:09.539
 in ransoming a people.

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.180
 That was the pathway

00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:12.880
 of freedom.

00:17:16.059 --> 00:17:17.539
 And their wilderness wandering,

00:17:17.700 --> 00:17:19.680
 the exile out of Egypt

00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.339
 and their entrance

00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:22.079
 back into the promised land

00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:23.500
 was marked

00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.740
 by the bookends

00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:25.519
 of Passover.

00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:28.099
 It was supposed to be

00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:29.779
 this clarion call.

00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.259
 You have been redeemed.

00:17:33.439 --> 00:17:35.240
 You are a set-apart people.

00:17:36.139 --> 00:17:37.259
 And you are intended

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:38.559
 to be the kinds of people

00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.059
 who will showcase

00:17:40.059 --> 00:17:41.539
 the wonder of your God

00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:43.179
 in calling the nations

00:17:43.179 --> 00:17:44.000
 to me.

00:17:45.219 --> 00:17:47.000
 My presence will mark you.

00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:49.119
 Be the kind of people

00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.799
 who will welcome others

00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:53.459
 into a relationship

00:17:53.459 --> 00:17:54.119
 with me.

00:17:55.179 --> 00:17:55.759
 You've given them

00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:56.719
 plenty of opportunities

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.120
 to do that.

00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:00.160
 Rahab being the first

00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:00.960
 in Jericho,

00:18:01.100 --> 00:18:01.660
 by the way,

00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:03.559
 who was in the lineage

00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:04.160
 of Jesus.

00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:05.880
 Another hallmark

00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:08.440
 of the redemptive work

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:08.900
 of God

00:18:08.900 --> 00:18:10.259
 in drawing the nations

00:18:10.259 --> 00:18:10.960
 to himself.

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:15.019
 Nehemiah, of course,

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:17.500
 understood the challenges

00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.720
 that this people faced.

00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:22.200
 His heart in Nehemiah chapter 1

00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:23.559
 breaks for the people.

00:18:24.660 --> 00:18:26.860
 We find him in Nehemiah chapter 1,

00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:27.460
 verse 4.

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.319
 There is a weeping

00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:30.380
 and a mourning

00:18:30.380 --> 00:18:31.600
 of fasting

00:18:31.600 --> 00:18:32.500
 and a praying.

00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:35.880
 His heart is absolutely

00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:37.940
 broken and shattered

00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:39.500
 over the oppression

00:18:39.500 --> 00:18:40.440
 that he sees

00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:41.920
 of this people.

00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:45.779
 He bleeds for them.

00:18:46.619 --> 00:18:47.880
 His heart is burdened

00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:48.720
 for them.

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:51.160
 He is interested

00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:53.099
 in their advancement

00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:54.279
 and helping to remove

00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:55.019
 the oppression

00:18:55.019 --> 00:18:56.200
 that they feel.

00:18:57.400 --> 00:18:58.720
 So Nehemiah begins

00:18:58.720 --> 00:18:59.279
 to pray

00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.839
 and God says,

00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:01.480
 Nehemiah,

00:19:01.579 --> 00:19:02.160
 you're the guy.

00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:04.299
 You want to see

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:05.200
 the oppression

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:05.859
 of this people

00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:06.519
 being removed?

00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:07.759
 Well, I'm going to use you

00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:08.539
 as a catalyst

00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:09.319
 to make it happen.

00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:10.480
 So I'm sending you

00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:11.319
 back to Jerusalem.

00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:13.539
 So Nehemiah goes

00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:15.359
 and he helps the people

00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:16.720
 begin to build the wall.

00:19:16.879 --> 00:19:17.879
 The wall which would be

00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:18.680
 an extension

00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:20.240
 of the temple.

00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:22.480
 The wall in Jerusalem

00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:23.259
 which was supposed

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:24.319
 to showcase

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.599
 the presence of God

00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:26.420
 among his people.

00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:27.960
 This was God's city.

00:19:28.700 --> 00:19:30.079
 This was Zion.

00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:31.980
 This is where God dwelt.

00:19:32.859 --> 00:19:34.700
 This is where you could enjoy

00:19:34.700 --> 00:19:35.840
 the presence of God

00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:36.580
 as a people.

00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:39.660
 So as Nehemiah

00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.620
 begins to build

00:19:40.620 --> 00:19:41.559
 these walls

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:42.180
 with the people,

00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:43.700
 they encounter

00:19:43.700 --> 00:19:44.340
 oppression

00:19:44.340 --> 00:19:45.500
 from the enemies.

00:19:46.840 --> 00:19:47.420
 It begins

00:19:47.420 --> 00:19:49.000
 with a small

00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:51.000
 set of

00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:51.700
 tidal waves

00:19:51.700 --> 00:19:52.620
 and opposition

00:19:52.620 --> 00:19:53.580
 and mounts

00:19:53.580 --> 00:19:54.100
 into this

00:19:54.100 --> 00:19:55.360
 great tidal wave

00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:55.920
 of oppression

00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.200
 by the entire

00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:58.039
 region

00:19:58.039 --> 00:19:59.140
 surrounding them.

00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:00.380
 So they're

00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:01.620
 totally encompassed

00:20:01.620 --> 00:20:02.940
 by opposition

00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:04.400
 all around them.

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:07.100
 I'm sure Nehemiah

00:20:07.100 --> 00:20:08.299
 expected this kind

00:20:08.299 --> 00:20:08.860
 of opposition

00:20:08.860 --> 00:20:10.200
 but he wasn't prepared

00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.880
 for what he was going

00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:11.200
 to hear

00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.259
 in chapter 5.

00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:14.900
 He wasn't prepared

00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:15.960
 for the fact

00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:17.140
 that the people

00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:18.180
 would oppress

00:20:18.180 --> 00:20:18.960
 themselves.

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.220
 Of course

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:21.779
 the enemies

00:20:21.779 --> 00:20:22.580
 would oppress them

00:20:22.580 --> 00:20:24.100
 but their own brothers?

00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:25.960
 How could it be?

00:20:27.059 --> 00:20:27.880
 Nearly takes

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:28.680
 his breath away.

00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:29.500
 You can see that

00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.420
 in Nehemiah

00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:31.279
 chapter 6

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:31.879
 excuse me

00:20:31.879 --> 00:20:33.299
 5 verse 6

00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:35.519
 I was very angry

00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:36.359
 he says

00:20:36.359 --> 00:20:37.440
 when I heard

00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:38.339
 their outcry

00:20:38.339 --> 00:20:39.599
 in these words.

00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:42.099
 There were three

00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:43.160
 groups of people

00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:44.519
 that came

00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:45.240
 to Nehemiah

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:46.220
 to express

00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:47.500
 the kind of opposition

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.639
 that they were experiencing.

00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.399
 The first group

00:20:50.399 --> 00:20:51.139
 of individuals

00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:51.519
 is those

00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:52.660
 they didn't have

00:20:52.660 --> 00:20:53.299
 any property

00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:53.980
 so they didn't have

00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:55.180
 anything to barter with

00:20:55.180 --> 00:20:56.500
 but they did have

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:57.379
 large families.

00:20:58.379 --> 00:20:59.059
 They were merchants

00:20:59.059 --> 00:21:00.279
 they were tradesmen

00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:01.399
 they may have been

00:21:01.399 --> 00:21:02.160
 shepherds

00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:03.119
 they were trying

00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:03.960
 to do business

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.819
 in Jerusalem

00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:06.000
 but their

00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.899
 trade was shut down

00:21:07.899 --> 00:21:08.859
 because there wasn't

00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:09.539
 anyone coming

00:21:09.539 --> 00:21:10.920
 through Jerusalem anymore.

00:21:11.779 --> 00:21:13.000
 All of the tradesmen

00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:14.240
 from the surrounding regions

00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.559
 avoided that place

00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:16.099
 because they knew

00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:16.779
 it was a hotbed

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.500
 of controversy

00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:19.119
 a hotbed of conflict

00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:20.259
 not to mention

00:21:20.259 --> 00:21:20.799
 the fact that

00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:21.139
 there was

00:21:21.139 --> 00:21:21.980
 a lot of work

00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:22.599
 going on

00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:23.339
 for the last month

00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:23.740
 and a half.

00:21:24.359 --> 00:21:24.519
 So

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:26.019
 their merchandise

00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:27.399
 and their ability

00:21:27.399 --> 00:21:28.139
 to buy

00:21:28.139 --> 00:21:28.639
 and to sell

00:21:28.639 --> 00:21:29.660
 was shut down.

00:21:29.660 --> 00:21:30.540
 They had no

00:21:30.540 --> 00:21:31.820
 access to money.

00:21:33.300 --> 00:21:34.279
 To make matters worse

00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:34.940
 their families

00:21:34.940 --> 00:21:35.500
 were large

00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:35.960
 and so

00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:36.880
 trying to

00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:38.279
 make a way

00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:39.180
 for their family

00:21:39.180 --> 00:21:39.779
 to survive

00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:41.100
 was difficult

00:21:41.100 --> 00:21:42.120
 if not impossible.

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:43.800
 Certainly

00:21:43.800 --> 00:21:44.220
 they would have

00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:45.200
 gone to the nobles

00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:45.900
 and to the wealthy

00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:46.320
 to say

00:21:46.320 --> 00:21:47.480
 can you please

00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:48.380
 spare us a little

00:21:48.380 --> 00:21:49.019
 funds

00:21:49.019 --> 00:21:49.779
 can you just

00:21:49.779 --> 00:21:50.460
 loan us a little

00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:51.100
 cash

00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:52.220
 but because

00:21:52.220 --> 00:21:52.740
 there was nothing

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:53.320
 in it

00:21:53.320 --> 00:21:54.360
 for the nobles

00:21:54.360 --> 00:21:55.320
 they were unwilling

00:21:55.320 --> 00:21:57.620
 to share

00:21:57.620 --> 00:21:58.620
 they were unwilling

00:21:58.620 --> 00:21:59.279
 to help.

00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:01.340
 They had not

00:22:01.340 --> 00:22:02.980
 been gripped

00:22:02.980 --> 00:22:04.980
 by the reality

00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:06.320
 of God's mercy

00:22:06.320 --> 00:22:07.220
 in their own life.

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:08.380
 They had not

00:22:08.380 --> 00:22:09.740
 really come to terms

00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:10.700
 with how

00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:11.660
 God had called

00:22:11.660 --> 00:22:12.400
 them to be

00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:13.620
 a kingdom of priests.

00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:14.720
 They had not

00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:15.540
 really understood

00:22:15.540 --> 00:22:16.680
 the image

00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:17.720
 bearing testimony

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.259
 they were supposed

00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:18.600
 to have

00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:19.779
 among the nations.

00:22:21.220 --> 00:22:22.040
 They didn't really

00:22:22.040 --> 00:22:22.759
 care about that

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:23.100
 anyway.

00:22:24.300 --> 00:22:25.440
 The second group

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:26.140
 involves those

00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:26.620
 who did own

00:22:26.620 --> 00:22:27.220
 some property.

00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:29.220
 vineyards

00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:30.120
 and fields

00:22:30.120 --> 00:22:30.680
 and homes

00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:31.600
 we find

00:22:31.600 --> 00:22:32.500
 them in

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.100
 verse 3.

00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:34.839
 They used

00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:35.720
 this as collateral

00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.680
 these vineyards

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.180
 and farms

00:22:37.180 --> 00:22:37.839
 as a collateral

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:38.279
 in order

00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:39.500
 to get some

00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:40.440
 money in their

00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:40.779
 pockets

00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:41.960
 to buy some

00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:42.279
 food

00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:42.839
 to buy some

00:22:42.839 --> 00:22:43.259
 grain.

00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:45.319
 They figured

00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:45.900
 that as long

00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:47.100
 as the harvest

00:22:47.100 --> 00:22:47.460
 came

00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:47.740
 and it was

00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:48.759
 just a month

00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:49.279
 away

00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:49.960
 they knew

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.480
 that as soon

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:51.000
 as the harvest

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:51.539
 would come

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:52.160
 they'd be able

00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:52.680
 to pay off

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.339
 those debts.

00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:55.639
 the challenge

00:22:55.639 --> 00:22:56.720
 again was

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.419
 compounded

00:22:57.419 --> 00:22:58.740
 by two factors.

00:22:59.879 --> 00:23:00.839
 The first factor

00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:01.480
 was a famine

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:01.959
 that you see

00:23:01.959 --> 00:23:02.480
 there in

00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:03.039
 verse 3.

00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:04.319
 Now the famine

00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:05.720
 isn't a famine

00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:06.279
 as you and I

00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:06.699
 would think

00:23:06.699 --> 00:23:07.240
 where there's

00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:08.259
 no access

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:08.779
 to water

00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:09.899
 and everything

00:23:09.899 --> 00:23:10.480
 is parched

00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:10.839
 and dry.

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:11.500
 The famine

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:12.099
 that is talked

00:23:12.099 --> 00:23:12.639
 about here

00:23:12.639 --> 00:23:13.799
 in Nehemiah

00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:14.259
 chapter 5

00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:14.659
 verse 3

00:23:14.659 --> 00:23:15.159
 is the kind

00:23:15.159 --> 00:23:15.599
 of famine

00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:16.579
 that the crops

00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:17.379
 just don't

00:23:17.379 --> 00:23:18.359
 produce the way

00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:19.459
 they would

00:23:19.459 --> 00:23:20.139
 in a healthy

00:23:20.139 --> 00:23:20.439
 year.

00:23:20.440 --> 00:23:23.940
 famine has

00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:24.240
 come

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.000
 the crops

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.360
 are not

00:23:25.360 --> 00:23:25.840
 producing

00:23:25.840 --> 00:23:26.160
 the kind

00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:26.480
 of yield

00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:26.980
 they need

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.500
 to pay

00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:28.160
 off the debts

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:28.880
 and to make

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.500
 matters worse

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:30.320
 there is interest

00:23:30.320 --> 00:23:31.019
 put on top

00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:31.559
 of everything

00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:32.120
 they could

00:23:32.120 --> 00:23:34.000
 never undo

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.880
 or turn

00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:35.259
 this thing

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:35.640
 around

00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:36.840
 without a

00:23:36.840 --> 00:23:37.100
 banner

00:23:37.100 --> 00:23:38.400
 bumper crop.

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:40.940
 So now

00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:41.320
 they're looking

00:23:41.320 --> 00:23:42.860
 at a mortgage

00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.680
 that is upside

00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:44.200
 down.

00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:45.400
 They're looking

00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:46.980
 at property

00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:47.340
 that they're

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:47.700
 going to be

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:48.660
 handing over

00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:49.320
 to these

00:23:49.320 --> 00:23:50.420
 wealthy nobles.

00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:51.580
 who are going

00:23:51.580 --> 00:23:52.180
 to now take

00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:52.900
 it from them

00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:53.480
 because of

00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:54.539
 the exchange

00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:54.940
 that they made

00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:55.519
 in this mortgage

00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:56.180
 deal.

00:23:57.580 --> 00:23:58.340
 As a result

00:23:58.340 --> 00:23:58.840
 they have no

00:23:58.840 --> 00:23:59.620
 hope of inheritance

00:23:59.620 --> 00:24:00.900
 to pass on

00:24:00.900 --> 00:24:01.460
 to their children.

00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:02.640
 They have no

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.559
 hope of future

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:04.019
 income.

00:24:04.320 --> 00:24:04.720
 They're looking

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:05.340
 at a life

00:24:05.340 --> 00:24:05.980
 of poverty

00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:07.059
 from this point

00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:07.259
 on.

00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.180
 They were stuck.

00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:10.039
 The third

00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:11.080
 group is the

00:24:11.080 --> 00:24:11.680
 group that

00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:13.019
 also had

00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:15.559
 vineyards

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.279
 and farms

00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:16.920
 and property

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.420
 and because

00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:19.140
 of the heavy

00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:19.820
 taxation

00:24:19.819 --> 00:24:20.559
 taxation

00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:21.480
 of about

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.819
 40%.

00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:23.799
 Now

00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:24.419
 we just

00:24:24.419 --> 00:24:24.779
 went through

00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:25.579
 tax season.

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:27.519
 Were your

00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:27.919
 taxes

00:24:27.919 --> 00:24:28.980
 something that

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:29.299
 you really

00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:29.720
 look forward

00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:29.980
 to?

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:30.980
 Yippee!

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:31.939
 I get to

00:24:31.939 --> 00:24:32.419
 pay my

00:24:32.419 --> 00:24:33.539
 taxes this

00:24:33.539 --> 00:24:33.859
 year!

00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:34.659
 Alright!

00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.179
 It's about

00:24:36.179 --> 00:24:37.139
 15%.

00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:38.279
 I love

00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:38.839
 saying goodbye

00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:39.500
 to that money

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:41.240
 and I don't

00:24:41.240 --> 00:24:41.500
 think there's

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.019
 anybody in

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:42.299
 this room

00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:42.519
 that would

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:42.879
 raise their

00:24:42.879 --> 00:24:43.399
 hand on that

00:24:43.399 --> 00:24:43.599
 one.

00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:44.519
 Imagine

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:45.579
 we think

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:46.500
 15%

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.160
 is bad.

00:24:47.400 --> 00:24:47.940
 Imagine

00:24:47.940 --> 00:24:48.900
 40%

00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:50.000
 and 50%

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:51.019
 half of

00:24:51.019 --> 00:24:51.799
 your income

00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:52.639
 gone!

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:56.839
 This is a

00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:58.400
 dire time.

00:24:59.220 --> 00:24:59.559
 This is a

00:24:59.559 --> 00:25:00.519
 strained time.

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:01.900
 And so in

00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:02.440
 order to pay

00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:03.099
 their debts

00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:04.180
 their solution

00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:04.720
 is we

00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:05.819
 understand we

00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:06.420
 need this

00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:06.900
 property.

00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:07.779
 We want to

00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:08.319
 hand it down

00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:08.980
 as an inheritance

00:25:08.980 --> 00:25:09.779
 to our

00:25:09.779 --> 00:25:10.140
 children.

00:25:11.420 --> 00:25:12.640
 Maybe we

00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.180
 can just

00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:14.299
 exercise the

00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:14.980
 option built

00:25:14.980 --> 00:25:15.339
 into the

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:16.019
 law that

00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:16.539
 says our

00:25:16.539 --> 00:25:17.039
 kids can

00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:18.420
 be indentured

00:25:18.420 --> 00:25:19.839
 servants for

00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:20.240
 the next

00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.220
 several years

00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:21.860
 until we pay

00:25:21.860 --> 00:25:22.440
 off our debt

00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:23.360
 or until the

00:25:23.360 --> 00:25:23.640
 year of

00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:24.000
 jubilee.

00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:26.000
 Every seven

00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:27.440
 years things

00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:28.059
 would reset

00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:28.860
 back to the

00:25:28.860 --> 00:25:29.480
 beginning and

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.620
 regardless of

00:25:30.620 --> 00:25:31.220
 what that debt

00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:32.299
 might be the

00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:33.360
 servants would

00:25:33.360 --> 00:25:33.839
 be returned

00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:34.519
 back to their

00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.660
 original position.

00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:36.980
 That might not

00:25:36.980 --> 00:25:37.720
 be so bad at

00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:38.759
 least in

00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:39.359
 seven years

00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:39.879
 from now

00:25:39.879 --> 00:25:40.500
 we'll all

00:25:40.500 --> 00:25:40.900
 be free.

00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:45.400
 There was a

00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:45.859
 problem though.

00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:48.420
 Again interest

00:25:48.420 --> 00:25:49.119
 rates were too

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:49.359
 high.

00:25:51.200 --> 00:25:51.720
 And again

00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:53.660
 the children

00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:54.480
 that were

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:56.279
 given to

00:25:56.279 --> 00:25:57.879
 these nobles

00:25:57.879 --> 00:25:59.640
 were then

00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.960
 sold as

00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:01.779
 property to

00:26:01.779 --> 00:26:02.279
 the nations.

00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:04.779
 There was no

00:26:04.779 --> 00:26:05.900
 opportunity now

00:26:05.900 --> 00:26:06.940
 for them to

00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:07.759
 be redeemed

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.460
 for them to

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:09.019
 be reclaimed.

00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:10.180
 The year of

00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:10.860
 jubilee didn't

00:26:10.860 --> 00:26:11.539
 matter anymore.

00:26:11.880 --> 00:26:12.140
 They were

00:26:12.140 --> 00:26:13.380
 exercising these

00:26:13.380 --> 00:26:14.279
 nobles, were

00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.140
 exercising the

00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:16.799
 option of, which

00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.799
 wasn't really an

00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:18.579
 option allowed in

00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:19.420
 the law, they

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:19.960
 were exercising

00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:20.900
 their option of

00:26:20.900 --> 00:26:21.700
 selling these

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.620
 kids now into

00:26:22.620 --> 00:26:24.100
 slavery and

00:26:24.100 --> 00:26:26.240
 making good on

00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:27.819
 this exchange.

00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:31.939
 sons and

00:26:31.939 --> 00:26:33.539
 daughters sold into

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:34.019
 slavery.

00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:35.200
 Notice what it

00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:35.799
 says in verse

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.179
 five.

00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.419
 Yet we are

00:26:38.419 --> 00:26:39.179
 forcing, this is in

00:26:39.179 --> 00:26:39.539
 the middle of the

00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:40.799
 verse, our sons and

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.599
 daughters to be

00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:42.779
 slaves and some of

00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.839
 our daughters have

00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:44.839
 already been

00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.379
 enslaved.

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:48.359
 The repetition

00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:49.559
 that you see there

00:26:49.559 --> 00:26:51.059
 is intentional

00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:54.379
 because Nehemiah is

00:26:54.379 --> 00:26:55.679
 describing an

00:26:55.679 --> 00:26:56.899
 enslavement that

00:26:56.899 --> 00:26:57.940
 is in addition to

00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:58.779
 the enslavement

00:26:58.779 --> 00:26:59.379
 that is happening

00:26:59.379 --> 00:27:00.240
 to sons.

00:27:00.899 --> 00:27:01.779
 Which means that

00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:02.639
 these daughters

00:27:02.639 --> 00:27:04.119
 also have been

00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:06.519
 sold into slavery

00:27:06.519 --> 00:27:07.399
 in the sense that

00:27:07.399 --> 00:27:08.000
 they've been given

00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.000
 as wives to

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:10.779
 these nobles.

00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:12.539
 You can almost see

00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:13.099
 them around the

00:27:13.099 --> 00:27:13.419
 table.

00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:15.819
 And I almost

00:27:15.819 --> 00:27:16.980
 hate to, maybe I

00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:17.279
 shouldn't.

00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:19.759
 It's too late now.

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:20.480
 I guess I will.

00:27:21.819 --> 00:27:22.519
 They could have

00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:23.180
 written the book

00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:24.460
 The Art of the

00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:24.740
 Deal.

00:27:25.339 --> 00:27:25.960
 They could have

00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:26.640
 written that book

00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:27.140
 because they're

00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:27.900
 sitting around

00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:29.519
 talking to one

00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:30.259
 another, hey

00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:31.259
 have you seen

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:32.559
 the deal that I

00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:33.359
 did yesterday?

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:35.640
 Doggy, it was

00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:36.180
 amazing.

00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:38.940
 I saw this mom

00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:39.819
 and dad walk up

00:27:39.819 --> 00:27:40.640
 to me, they were

00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:41.559
 asking for access

00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:42.420
 to some money and

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.279
 I said, I'm sorry,

00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:44.720
 just don't have

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:45.379
 anything to give to

00:27:45.379 --> 00:27:45.980
 you right now.

00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:48.619
 I could tell it

00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:49.140
 had been at least

00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:49.740
 a week since

00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:50.559
 they'd eaten last,

00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:52.559
 kind of an emaciated

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.000
 bunch and so I

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:55.640
 knew they were

00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:56.120
 desperate.

00:27:56.819 --> 00:27:57.559
 Because if they

00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:59.039
 were looking sick

00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:01.799
 and thin, then I

00:28:01.799 --> 00:28:02.700
 can only imagine

00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:03.740
 how thin their

00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:04.220
 children are.

00:28:05.140 --> 00:28:07.180
 So I told them,

00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:08.180
 tell you what,

00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:09.859
 you know, you

00:28:09.859 --> 00:28:10.339
 mortgage your

00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:11.059
 property and maybe

00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:11.759
 I can find some

00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.180
 cash.

00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:14.339
 And now the

00:28:14.339 --> 00:28:14.819
 interest rate is

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:16.279
 going to be 20%

00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:18.319
 but it's better to

00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:18.859
 have some food in

00:28:18.859 --> 00:28:19.740
 your tummy than

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.259
 to all starve,

00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:20.480
 right?

00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:22.879
 Or I got another

00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:23.700
 option for you.

00:28:25.539 --> 00:28:26.339
 Your sons and your

00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:26.960
 daughters, they look

00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:28.200
 pretty strong.

00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:29.480
 I can put them to

00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.899
 work in my fields and

00:28:30.899 --> 00:28:31.599
 they can make me

00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:31.940
 some money.

00:28:32.940 --> 00:28:34.180
 I understand that

00:28:34.180 --> 00:28:35.180
 you have your own

00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:36.139
 harvest to do but

00:28:36.139 --> 00:28:38.339
 your crops aren't

00:28:38.339 --> 00:28:39.339
 that good anyway.

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:42.659
 And again, if you

00:28:42.659 --> 00:28:43.459
 want your kids to

00:28:43.459 --> 00:28:45.039
 survive, then at

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:45.419
 least they'll be

00:28:45.419 --> 00:28:47.220
 getting a good meal

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:48.039
 every single day if

00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:48.559
 they're working for

00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:48.740
 me.

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:52.639
 Or, you know, your

00:28:52.639 --> 00:28:53.099
 daughter's pretty

00:28:53.099 --> 00:28:55.279
 attractive and my

00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:56.259
 wife's kind of sick.

00:28:57.659 --> 00:28:58.319
 She's not been able

00:28:58.319 --> 00:29:00.699
 to do her normal

00:29:00.699 --> 00:29:03.279
 wifely duties for the

00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:04.139
 last several months.

00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:07.220
 I could use a good

00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:07.839
 looking young girl.

00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:09.579
 why don't you give

00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:10.240
 her to me as a

00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:10.799
 second wife?

00:29:13.779 --> 00:29:14.819
 That's the kind of

00:29:14.819 --> 00:29:15.579
 abuse we're talking

00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:17.059
 about in this

00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:17.480
 passage.

00:29:18.500 --> 00:29:19.439
 And there's no

00:29:19.439 --> 00:29:21.099
 wonder why

00:29:21.099 --> 00:29:23.019
 Nehemiah is so

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:23.919
 enraged.

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:26.819
 They should have

00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:28.399
 known better.

00:29:29.879 --> 00:29:30.599
 They should have

00:29:30.599 --> 00:29:31.779
 understood and

00:29:31.779 --> 00:29:32.519
 thought about the

00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:33.399
 oppression that they

00:29:33.399 --> 00:29:34.299
 had personally

00:29:34.299 --> 00:29:35.399
 experienced and the

00:29:35.399 --> 00:29:36.199
 oppression of their

00:29:36.199 --> 00:29:36.740
 ancestors.

00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:38.299
 They should have

00:29:38.299 --> 00:29:39.159
 known about the

00:29:39.159 --> 00:29:40.679
 160 years of

00:29:40.679 --> 00:29:41.919
 slavery that they

00:29:41.919 --> 00:29:43.199
 have been experiencing

00:29:43.199 --> 00:29:44.279
 up to this point.

00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:46.199
 For 160 years,

00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:46.779
 they've either been

00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:48.559
 under Babylonian rule

00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:50.220
 or Persian rule or

00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:51.539
 underneath the mob

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.740
 rule there in Judah.

00:29:53.919 --> 00:29:55.319
 Their parents and

00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:57.519
 grandparents breathed

00:29:57.519 --> 00:29:58.699
 and lived the

00:29:58.699 --> 00:29:59.679
 adversity and

00:29:59.679 --> 00:30:01.000
 opposition, the

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:02.899
 prejudice that was

00:30:02.899 --> 00:30:04.919
 built in to that

00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:06.320
 region.

00:30:06.320 --> 00:30:07.200
 They should have

00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:07.920
 known it best.

00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:08.380
 It should have

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:09.600
 created in them a

00:30:09.600 --> 00:30:10.800
 heart of mercy and

00:30:10.800 --> 00:30:11.960
 compassion for their

00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:12.779
 fellow brothers, but

00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:13.300
 it didn't.

00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:15.840
 They were too

00:30:15.840 --> 00:30:17.800
 interested in their

00:30:17.800 --> 00:30:18.880
 own profit.

00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:22.160
 Injustice was a

00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:23.300
 means to an end for

00:30:23.300 --> 00:30:23.480
 them.

00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:25.380
 They had their own

00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:26.019
 families to think

00:30:26.019 --> 00:30:26.259
 about.

00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:27.740
 They had their own

00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:28.900
 future to secure.

00:30:29.600 --> 00:30:30.500
 They had their own

00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:32.320
 portfolio to advance.

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:35.200
 So taking advantage of

00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.000
 their brothers was

00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.159
 just natural.

00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:39.079
 Adding to their

00:30:39.079 --> 00:30:40.419
 distress was just a

00:30:40.419 --> 00:30:42.779
 necessity.

00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:45.960
 Profiting off of

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:48.059
 their misfortune was

00:30:48.059 --> 00:30:50.220
 a necessary commodity.

00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:52.480
 But Nehemiah presses

00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:53.500
 in in verse 7.

00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:55.619
 He says, I took

00:30:55.619 --> 00:30:57.059
 counsel with myself

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:58.200
 and I brought

00:30:58.200 --> 00:30:59.519
 charges against the

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.279
 nobles and the

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:00.559
 officials.

00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:01.419
 I said to them,

00:31:01.420 --> 00:31:03.360
 you are exacting

00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:04.779
 interests, each from

00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:05.340
 his brother.

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:06.700
 And I held a great

00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:08.080
 assembly against

00:31:08.080 --> 00:31:08.340
 them.

00:31:09.420 --> 00:31:10.940
 You see, Nehemiah

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:12.440
 was familiar with

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.259
 the Mosaic law.

00:31:14.300 --> 00:31:15.380
 Nehemiah understood

00:31:15.380 --> 00:31:17.080
 it and probably had

00:31:17.080 --> 00:31:17.980
 much of it memorized.

00:31:18.259 --> 00:31:19.420
 In his prayer in

00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:20.900
 chapter 1, much of

00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:21.660
 that is lifted

00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.980
 directly out of

00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:23.519
 Deuteronomy.

00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:25.660
 It's clear that he

00:31:25.660 --> 00:31:27.100
 has a great

00:31:27.100 --> 00:31:28.420
 appreciation and

00:31:28.420 --> 00:31:29.680
 understanding of the

00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:29.980
 law.

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:30.019
 law.

00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:31.920
 And he applies it

00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:32.220
 here.

00:31:32.620 --> 00:31:34.059
 He understands that

00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:35.319
 interest on your

00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.360
 fellow brother is

00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:37.440
 forbidden from the

00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:37.720
 law.

00:31:38.680 --> 00:31:39.440
 Deuteronomy chapter

00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:41.720
 23, 19 to 20 would

00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:42.420
 have guided him.

00:31:42.700 --> 00:31:43.900
 You shall not charge

00:31:43.900 --> 00:31:45.480
 interest on loans to

00:31:45.480 --> 00:31:45.940
 your brothers.

00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:47.480
 Interest on money,

00:31:47.819 --> 00:31:48.500
 interest on food,

00:31:48.860 --> 00:31:49.620
 interest on anything

00:31:49.620 --> 00:31:50.519
 that is lent for

00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:50.920
 interest.

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.420
 You may charge a

00:31:52.420 --> 00:31:53.200
 foreigner interest,

00:31:53.420 --> 00:31:54.360
 but you may not

00:31:54.360 --> 00:31:55.099
 charge your brother

00:31:55.099 --> 00:31:55.599
 interest.

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:57.299
 that the Lord your

00:31:57.299 --> 00:31:58.579
 God may bless you

00:31:58.579 --> 00:31:59.899
 in all that you

00:31:59.899 --> 00:32:01.240
 undertake, in the

00:32:01.240 --> 00:32:02.639
 land that you are

00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:03.839
 entering to take

00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:05.319
 possession of it.

00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:08.719
 Charging interest was

00:32:08.719 --> 00:32:10.779
 forbidden by the law.

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:14.240
 In understanding the

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:15.419
 law would be to

00:32:15.419 --> 00:32:16.619
 understand the heart

00:32:16.619 --> 00:32:17.039
 of God.

00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:18.700
 because at the

00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:19.799
 nature of it,

00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:21.460
 at the very core of

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:22.720
 this issue was not

00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:23.779
 just checking a

00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:25.339
 punch list of doing

00:32:25.339 --> 00:32:26.319
 things that God has

00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:27.240
 asked them to do.

00:32:28.099 --> 00:32:29.079
 Because the Mosaic

00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:30.980
 law was not just a

00:32:30.980 --> 00:32:33.920
 list of good

00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:35.339
 suggestions in order

00:32:35.339 --> 00:32:37.500
 to be a happy

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:37.980
 people.

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.819
 The law was a

00:32:39.819 --> 00:32:41.180
 living illustration

00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:43.400
 of God among the

00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:43.740
 nations.

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:46.080
 The law was a

00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:47.279
 portrait of his

00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.440
 holiness, his

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:49.640
 righteousness, his

00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:50.799
 character in his

00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:51.220
 heart.

00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:53.200
 To follow the law

00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:56.440
 was to worship

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:58.279
 God and to recognize

00:32:58.279 --> 00:33:00.160
 the pathway to

00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:01.259
 fellowship with him.

00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:04.279
 To enter in and to

00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:05.759
 express their

00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:07.180
 relationship with him

00:33:07.180 --> 00:33:07.720
 as a covenant

00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:08.080
 people.

00:33:09.779 --> 00:33:11.160
 And thus, to break

00:33:11.160 --> 00:33:12.580
 the covenant was

00:33:12.580 --> 00:33:14.040
 to misrepresent

00:33:14.040 --> 00:33:15.420
 God's divine

00:33:15.420 --> 00:33:15.660
 order.

00:33:16.460 --> 00:33:17.240
 To break the

00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:18.820
 covenant was to

00:33:18.820 --> 00:33:20.240
 misunderstand God's

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:20.460
 heart.

00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:22.200
 To break the

00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:23.120
 covenant was to

00:33:23.120 --> 00:33:24.580
 pervert God's image

00:33:24.580 --> 00:33:24.980
 in the world.

00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:26.420
 And from an Old

00:33:26.420 --> 00:33:27.380
 Testament perspective,

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:28.660
 it was a gospel

00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:29.740
 issue because it was

00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:31.180
 a covenant issue.

00:33:31.540 --> 00:33:33.000
 It was a Godward

00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:33.500
 issue.

00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:37.960
 Nehemiah understood

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.380
 this.

00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:41.100
 He understood the

00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:42.359
 significance of the

00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:42.599
 law.

00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:44.219
 He understood that

00:33:44.219 --> 00:33:45.319
 it echoed the

00:33:45.319 --> 00:33:46.619
 heart of a

00:33:46.619 --> 00:33:47.199
 compassionate,

00:33:47.619 --> 00:33:48.139
 merciful,

00:33:50.179 --> 00:33:50.819
 oppressive,

00:33:51.419 --> 00:33:52.019
 removing,

00:33:52.679 --> 00:33:53.459
 powerful God.

00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:56.659
 That is God's

00:33:56.659 --> 00:33:56.919
 heart.

00:33:58.099 --> 00:33:59.039
 It was a portrait

00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:00.599
 of his personhood.

00:34:01.259 --> 00:34:02.319
 It was a window

00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:03.699
 into his holiness.

00:34:04.959 --> 00:34:05.859
 And through the

00:34:05.859 --> 00:34:06.519
 law, God

00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:08.000
 describes how the

00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:09.360
 people should relate

00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:11.139
 to him and how

00:34:11.139 --> 00:34:12.300
 they must relate

00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:13.420
 to one another.

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.960
 Both were a

00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:18.679
 reflection of the

00:34:18.679 --> 00:34:19.079
 God that they

00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:19.800
 served, the God

00:34:19.800 --> 00:34:20.420
 that they worshipped.

00:34:20.940 --> 00:34:21.860
 Both were a

00:34:21.860 --> 00:34:23.219
 welcoming invitation

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:25.199
 to the nations to

00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:26.980
 say, here's how

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:28.579
 God's people look

00:34:28.579 --> 00:34:30.260
 because here is how

00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:31.380
 their God looks.

00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:33.539
 Here's what their

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:35.159
 God does, what their

00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:36.780
 God values, who their

00:34:36.780 --> 00:34:37.740
 God is.

00:34:38.740 --> 00:34:41.320
 Will you be one of

00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.980
 them and represent

00:34:42.980 --> 00:34:44.220
 their God the same

00:34:44.220 --> 00:34:44.420
 way?

00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:47.740
 And it is God's

00:34:47.740 --> 00:34:49.160
 heart as creator

00:34:49.160 --> 00:34:52.500
 and sustainer, as the

00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:54.060
 originator of life, who

00:34:54.060 --> 00:34:56.200
 imparted his image into

00:34:56.200 --> 00:34:58.360
 us as his people.

00:34:58.540 --> 00:35:00.060
 We are image bearers of

00:35:00.060 --> 00:35:00.400
 God.

00:35:00.780 --> 00:35:01.440
 We have the

00:35:01.440 --> 00:35:02.920
 responsibility then to

00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:04.100
 preserve the dignity

00:35:04.099 --> 00:35:05.759
 of the image that God

00:35:05.759 --> 00:35:07.059
 has set upon every

00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:08.880
 person, wherever they

00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:10.119
 might be on this

00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:10.500
 earth.

00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.920
 It's God's intention to

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:15.920
 preserve the people,

00:35:16.299 --> 00:35:17.539
 the image, as image

00:35:17.539 --> 00:35:19.460
 bearers of him, and to

00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:21.000
 protect them rather

00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:22.079
 than to injure them.

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:24.159
 Now Nehemiah

00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:25.239
 understands that heart

00:35:25.239 --> 00:35:26.619
 and seeks to preserve

00:35:26.619 --> 00:35:27.199
 that dignity.

00:35:27.339 --> 00:35:28.219
 We see that in verse

00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:28.500
 eight.

00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:32.039
 I said to them, we as

00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:33.259
 far as we are able have

00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:34.940
 brought back our Jewish

00:35:34.940 --> 00:35:36.080
 brothers who have been

00:35:36.080 --> 00:35:37.140
 sold to the nations.

00:35:37.900 --> 00:35:39.020
 But you even sell your

00:35:39.020 --> 00:35:40.140
 brothers that they may be

00:35:40.140 --> 00:35:40.840
 sold to us.

00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:43.340
 They were silent and

00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:45.020
 could not find a word to

00:35:45.020 --> 00:35:45.240
 say.

00:35:46.780 --> 00:35:47.560
 Nehemiah committed

00:35:47.560 --> 00:35:48.820
 himself personally to

00:35:48.820 --> 00:35:49.180
 ransom.

00:35:49.560 --> 00:35:51.520
 He echoed the heart of

00:35:51.520 --> 00:35:52.920
 his future Messiah.

00:35:53.040 --> 00:35:55.680
 He was a future picture

00:35:55.680 --> 00:35:57.040
 of what Christ would

00:35:57.040 --> 00:35:57.540
 accomplish.

00:35:59.380 --> 00:36:01.880
 He personally redeemed

00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:03.099
 those who were sold

00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:03.940
 into slavery in the

00:36:03.940 --> 00:36:05.300
 nations, redeemed them

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:07.820
 back so that they

00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:08.300
 could be free.

00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:09.960
 But you can almost see

00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:10.940
 the cycle happening.

00:36:12.579 --> 00:36:14.500
 Poverty, it leads to

00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.980
 indentured service to

00:36:15.980 --> 00:36:17.059
 the nobles who then

00:36:17.059 --> 00:36:18.320
 sell them to slavery to

00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:18.840
 the nations.

00:36:19.260 --> 00:36:21.480
 Nehemiah sees it, rescues

00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:22.220
 them, and the cycle

00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:23.740
 continues all over again.

00:36:25.220 --> 00:36:27.380
 And Nehemiah, who's now

00:36:27.380 --> 00:36:28.500
 made aware of this issue,

00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:30.599
 he says, enough is

00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:31.099
 enough.

00:36:33.079 --> 00:36:35.119
 Don't you understand the

00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:36.059
 significance of this

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:36.659
 issue?

00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:38.739
 Don't you see how this is

00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:41.019
 a perverted picture of

00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:42.719
 the gospel, a perverted

00:36:42.719 --> 00:36:44.300
 picture of how God called

00:36:44.300 --> 00:36:45.679
 you to be his covenant

00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:46.139
 people?

00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:50.400
 But his initial

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:51.599
 confrontation is met with

00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:53.420
 silence in verse 7.

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:56.440
 Met with silence again in

00:36:56.440 --> 00:36:57.099
 verse 8.

00:36:58.980 --> 00:37:01.079
 And in verse 9, Nehemiah

00:37:01.079 --> 00:37:03.159
 brings it to the

00:37:03.159 --> 00:37:05.440
 preeminent place.

00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:07.960
 He wants to bring the

00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:08.880
 real issue to the

00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:09.200
 forefront.

00:37:09.300 --> 00:37:09.900
 He wants them to

00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:11.179
 understand the real

00:37:11.179 --> 00:37:12.340
 reason why this is

00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:12.820
 significant.

00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:15.480
 In verse 9, he says

00:37:15.480 --> 00:37:16.619
 this, the thing that you

00:37:16.619 --> 00:37:17.780
 are doing is not good.

00:37:18.639 --> 00:37:20.539
 Ought you not to walk in

00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:22.619
 the fear of our God to

00:37:22.619 --> 00:37:24.420
 prevent the taunts of the

00:37:24.420 --> 00:37:25.720
 nations, of our enemies?

00:37:26.440 --> 00:37:29.059
 You see what's taking

00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:29.539
 place there?

00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:31.320
 You see what Nehemiah

00:37:31.320 --> 00:37:32.940
 understands as the

00:37:32.940 --> 00:37:33.980
 foundation for this

00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:34.260
 issue?

00:37:35.700 --> 00:37:37.840
 You are disrupting the

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:39.840
 image of God among the

00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:40.300
 peoples.

00:37:40.760 --> 00:37:43.240
 You are making a mockery of

00:37:43.240 --> 00:37:44.920
 God by your oppression of

00:37:45.820 --> 00:37:46.599
 the poor class.

00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:49.059
 Instead of removing

00:37:49.059 --> 00:37:50.679
 oppression, you are

00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:53.179
 compounding it and thus

00:37:53.179 --> 00:37:55.220
 perverting the gospel, thus

00:37:55.219 --> 00:37:56.359
 perverting the image of

00:37:56.359 --> 00:37:57.519
 God among the peoples.

00:37:57.719 --> 00:37:59.639
 Don't you have any fear

00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:00.239
 in you at all?

00:38:00.319 --> 00:38:01.319
 Don't you know what God

00:38:01.319 --> 00:38:02.239
 did to the Egyptians?

00:38:03.379 --> 00:38:04.259
 Don't you know how he

00:38:04.259 --> 00:38:05.199
 crushed them?

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:06.619
 You put yourself in the

00:38:06.619 --> 00:38:08.099
 same path of discipline

00:38:08.099 --> 00:38:10.719
 when you refuse to follow

00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:12.980
 the pathway of God to

00:38:12.980 --> 00:38:13.739
 remove oppression.

00:38:15.500 --> 00:38:17.719
 He is the God of mercy, not

00:38:17.719 --> 00:38:18.599
 of selfishness.

00:38:18.599 --> 00:38:20.500
 He is the God who

00:38:20.500 --> 00:38:22.199
 redeems, not sells into

00:38:22.199 --> 00:38:22.639
 slavery.

00:38:23.739 --> 00:38:24.900
 He is the God who removes

00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:27.279
 oppression, not compounds

00:38:27.279 --> 00:38:27.579
 it.

00:38:29.719 --> 00:38:30.679
 Nehemiah understood the

00:38:30.679 --> 00:38:31.199
 heart of God.

00:38:31.539 --> 00:38:33.599
 He elevates the primary

00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:35.599
 purpose for obedience in

00:38:36.299 --> 00:38:37.099
 the midst of their

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:37.440
 attention.

00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:39.299
 You have been called the

00:38:39.299 --> 00:38:40.139
 kingdom of priests.

00:38:41.179 --> 00:38:41.980
 You have been called a

00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:43.360
 light to the Gentiles.

00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:45.380
 But all they are doing

00:38:45.380 --> 00:38:46.960
 now is laughing at you.

00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:49.240
 They see a God that looks

00:38:49.240 --> 00:38:50.519
 just like their God.

00:38:51.120 --> 00:38:52.079
 They see a people that

00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:53.300
 looks just like them.

00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:54.660
 There is no distinctiveness

00:38:54.660 --> 00:38:54.980
 at all.

00:38:57.780 --> 00:38:59.000
 You are called to draw

00:38:59.000 --> 00:39:01.160
 attention to the wonder of

00:39:01.160 --> 00:39:02.000
 a compassionate,

00:39:02.660 --> 00:39:03.400
 merciful God.

00:39:04.740 --> 00:39:05.820
 You have been called to

00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:08.120
 remove oppression, not to

00:39:08.120 --> 00:39:08.620
 compound it.

00:39:08.619 --> 00:39:11.359
 We would expect that if

00:39:11.359 --> 00:39:13.319
 this is God's standard in

00:39:13.319 --> 00:39:15.799
 the past, that this would

00:39:15.799 --> 00:39:17.279
 be a feature of the

00:39:17.279 --> 00:39:18.659
 ministry of Jesus when he

00:39:18.659 --> 00:39:20.199
 steps foot on this

00:39:20.199 --> 00:39:21.219
 planet, and certainly it

00:39:21.219 --> 00:39:21.519
 is.

00:39:24.460 --> 00:39:25.639
 Let me just draw your

00:39:25.639 --> 00:39:28.819
 attention briefly to the

00:39:28.819 --> 00:39:32.059
 person and the description

00:39:32.059 --> 00:39:33.859
 of Jesus' ministry when he

00:39:33.859 --> 00:39:37.559
 first steps into the

00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:38.059
 public view.

00:39:38.619 --> 00:39:40.279
 It is found for us in

00:39:40.279 --> 00:39:41.739
 Luke chapter 4, verses

00:39:41.739 --> 00:39:42.819
 18 and 19.

00:39:43.819 --> 00:39:45.779
 How does Jesus describe

00:39:45.779 --> 00:39:46.739
 his ministry?

00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:50.500
 How does Jesus help to

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:52.480
 set forth the purpose of

00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:53.339
 what he came to

00:39:53.339 --> 00:39:53.799
 accomplish?

00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:56.380
 How do we understand from

00:39:56.380 --> 00:39:58.779
 Jesus what he intends to

00:39:58.779 --> 00:40:00.219
 do through his ministry?

00:40:00.359 --> 00:40:02.239
 Well, we see it right at

00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:02.699
 the beginning.

00:40:03.719 --> 00:40:07.759
 The first stepping into,

00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:09.340
 the spotlight of Jesus

00:40:09.340 --> 00:40:10.520
 here in Luke chapter 4,

00:40:11.160 --> 00:40:13.220
 we find in verse 18,

00:40:13.960 --> 00:40:15.520
 the spirit of the Lord is

00:40:15.520 --> 00:40:17.520
 upon me because he has

00:40:17.520 --> 00:40:18.900
 anointed me to proclaim

00:40:18.900 --> 00:40:20.080
 good news to the poor.

00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:22.280
 He has sent me to

00:40:22.280 --> 00:40:24.060
 proclaim liberty to the

00:40:24.060 --> 00:40:26.460
 captives and recovering of

00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:29.300
 sight to the blind, to set at

00:40:29.300 --> 00:40:30.980
 liberty those who are

00:40:30.980 --> 00:40:34.040
 oppressed, to proclaim the

00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:36.259
 year of the Lord's favor.

00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:39.300
 You see Nehemiah?

00:40:40.860 --> 00:40:43.579
 The reminiscence of that

00:40:43.579 --> 00:40:45.219
 Christ-like figure in the

00:40:45.219 --> 00:40:47.119
 Old Testament now showing up

00:40:47.119 --> 00:40:49.039
 in the real deal, the real

00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:49.900
 image of God.

00:40:50.380 --> 00:40:52.159
 God made flesh and dwelling

00:40:52.159 --> 00:40:54.340
 among his people and brings

00:40:54.340 --> 00:40:57.259
 his purpose to bear in his

00:40:57.259 --> 00:40:58.259
 ministry through his son,

00:40:58.340 --> 00:41:00.420
 Jesus Christ, to set at

00:41:00.420 --> 00:41:01.579
 liberty those who are

00:41:01.579 --> 00:41:02.000
 oppressed.

00:41:03.059 --> 00:41:04.340
 That's the heart of our

00:41:04.340 --> 00:41:04.639
 Savior.

00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:08.659
 But what is the greatest

00:41:08.659 --> 00:41:09.119
 oppression?

00:41:10.759 --> 00:41:12.579
 What's the greatest means by

00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:13.360
 which we need to be

00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:13.900
 delivered from?

00:41:14.259 --> 00:41:15.840
 What's the thing that

00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:18.119
 enslaves us all, all of

00:41:18.119 --> 00:41:19.460
 mankind, for all of

00:41:19.460 --> 00:41:21.199
 history has enslaved us?

00:41:22.259 --> 00:41:22.719
 Sin.

00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:26.259
 We need God to liberate us

00:41:26.259 --> 00:41:26.940
 from sin.

00:41:27.319 --> 00:41:28.579
 He did that through his

00:41:28.579 --> 00:41:29.900
 son, Jesus Christ.

00:41:29.900 --> 00:41:31.619
 Jesus who was sent to

00:41:31.619 --> 00:41:33.920
 proclaim good news and to

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:36.960
 liberate mankind by allowing

00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:38.440
 us to enjoy the freedom that

00:41:38.440 --> 00:41:40.519
 comes through relationship

00:41:40.519 --> 00:41:41.300
 with himself.

00:41:42.099 --> 00:41:44.900
 That is the first and foremost

00:41:44.900 --> 00:41:46.900
 oppression that must be

00:41:46.900 --> 00:41:47.559
 resolved.

00:41:47.920 --> 00:41:49.720
 And Jesus came to resolve that

00:41:49.720 --> 00:41:50.079
 oppression.

00:41:51.240 --> 00:41:53.639
 Have you experienced freedom

00:41:53.639 --> 00:41:55.519
 from that oppression?

00:41:56.400 --> 00:41:57.720
 Liberation from that slavery?

00:41:57.719 --> 00:42:03.639
 But in order for Jesus to

00:42:03.639 --> 00:42:06.039
 demonstrate a commitment to

00:42:06.039 --> 00:42:08.879
 that eternal reality, Jesus

00:42:08.879 --> 00:42:10.139
 wanted to showcase or

00:42:10.139 --> 00:42:11.739
 illustrate that through a

00:42:11.739 --> 00:42:12.579
 physical reality.

00:42:13.279 --> 00:42:14.500
 He did that through his

00:42:14.500 --> 00:42:15.379
 ministry on earth.

00:42:15.679 --> 00:42:17.779
 To set at liberty those who

00:42:17.779 --> 00:42:19.059
 are oppressed in a physical

00:42:19.059 --> 00:42:19.759
 way.

00:42:20.919 --> 00:42:22.419
 To set at liberty those who

00:42:22.419 --> 00:42:24.119
 are oppressed by blindness,

00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:31.099
 by leprosy, and by demonic

00:42:31.099 --> 00:42:31.699
 activity.

00:42:32.619 --> 00:42:35.019
 Jesus illustrated his ability

00:42:35.019 --> 00:42:37.719
 to set people free.

00:42:38.099 --> 00:42:41.440
 He did that physically to help

00:42:41.440 --> 00:42:43.980
 to feature and point to that

00:42:43.980 --> 00:42:46.119
 spiritual reality he intends to

00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:48.839
 do for us through his son,

00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:50.259
 Jesus Christ, through faith in

00:42:50.259 --> 00:42:50.539
 Jesus.

00:42:50.539 --> 00:42:50.699
 Jesus.

00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:53.579
 But notice how this happens.

00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:57.699
 It must happen through a

00:42:57.699 --> 00:42:59.119
 relationship with God.

00:42:59.980 --> 00:43:04.960
 You cannot be a catalyst for

00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:07.420
 removing oppression if you have

00:43:07.420 --> 00:43:09.420
 not personally experienced that

00:43:09.420 --> 00:43:09.659
 freedom.

00:43:11.219 --> 00:43:13.019
 Do you know Jesus this morning?

00:43:14.279 --> 00:43:15.440
 Have you asked Jesus for

00:43:15.440 --> 00:43:16.599
 forgiveness for your sins?

00:43:16.599 --> 00:43:20.019
 Have you come to the place

00:43:20.019 --> 00:43:22.199
 where you recognize the

00:43:22.199 --> 00:43:25.659
 bondage that sin has brought

00:43:25.659 --> 00:43:27.279
 to your life and you've said,

00:43:27.420 --> 00:43:29.619
 Jesus, please be my Savior.

00:43:30.319 --> 00:43:32.039
 Please forgive me for sin and

00:43:32.039 --> 00:43:35.059
 to free me into slavery to you

00:43:35.059 --> 00:43:36.719
 because your yoke is easy.

00:43:36.980 --> 00:43:37.980
 Your burden is light.

00:43:40.460 --> 00:43:42.519
 And notice, secondly, that it

00:43:42.519 --> 00:43:44.460
 must happen through the power of

00:43:44.460 --> 00:43:45.460
 the indwelling Holy Spirit.

00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:47.960
 It was the Holy Spirit that

00:43:47.960 --> 00:43:50.679
 empowered Jesus to speak this

00:43:50.679 --> 00:43:51.099
 text.

00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:53.220
 It was the power of the Holy

00:43:53.220 --> 00:43:54.659
 Spirit working through Jesus

00:43:54.659 --> 00:43:56.780
 to provide that freedom.

00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:59.980
 That same power dwells in every

00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:02.400
 person who has a relationship

00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:04.280
 with God through faith in Jesus

00:44:04.280 --> 00:44:04.699
 Christ.

00:44:05.579 --> 00:44:08.139
 You can only be a catalyst for

00:44:08.139 --> 00:44:10.960
 removing oppression if God is

00:44:10.960 --> 00:44:12.599
 indwelling you with his Holy

00:44:12.599 --> 00:44:13.599
 Spirit.

00:44:13.599 --> 00:44:16.880
 But as those who follow in the

00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:19.000
 footsteps of God, we have been

00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:21.299
 given this great privilege and

00:44:21.299 --> 00:44:22.079
 great responsibility.

00:44:23.279 --> 00:44:25.599
 The privilege and responsibility of

00:44:26.219 --> 00:44:28.519
 recognizing oppression and

00:44:28.519 --> 00:44:30.900
 seeking to remove oppression

00:44:30.900 --> 00:44:32.739
 wherever it may show up.

00:44:32.739 --> 00:44:38.019
 especially in this day and age as it

00:44:38.019 --> 00:44:39.359
 relates to racism.

00:44:42.279 --> 00:44:45.000
 I don't know how that looks, but it

00:44:45.000 --> 00:44:46.039
 begins with a heart.

00:44:47.039 --> 00:44:49.079
 A heart like Nehemiah that desires

00:44:49.079 --> 00:44:54.000
 to be used of God to change the world

00:44:54.000 --> 00:44:54.599
 around them.

00:44:56.019 --> 00:44:58.179
 Empowered by the Spirit, armed with the

00:44:58.179 --> 00:45:01.500
 gospel so that we can be used of God

00:45:01.500 --> 00:45:04.460
 to remove the greatest oppression, but

00:45:04.460 --> 00:45:06.179
 that God works in our heart to create a

00:45:06.179 --> 00:45:08.460
 sensitivity to remove oppression

00:45:08.460 --> 00:45:09.619
 wherever it may be.

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:12.259
 May God help us to do that.

00:45:12.460 --> 00:45:12.799
 Let me pray.

00:45:16.899 --> 00:45:20.839
 Father, I feel so inadequate to be used

00:45:20.839 --> 00:45:24.379
 of you in this way, but I know that you

00:45:24.380 --> 00:45:27.240
 have given your Holy Spirit to us to

00:45:27.240 --> 00:45:28.760
 accomplish the impossible.

00:45:30.519 --> 00:45:33.519
 Paul is praying for the church of

00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:36.780
 Ephesus in Ephesians chapter 1, and he's

00:45:36.780 --> 00:45:38.500
 praying that that church would come to

00:45:38.500 --> 00:45:41.280
 understand the riches of your power

00:45:41.280 --> 00:45:42.680
 towards those who are in Christ.

00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:47.380
 God, may we come to really appreciate the

00:45:48.119 --> 00:45:50.240
 great wealth of your power that's

00:45:50.240 --> 00:45:51.960
 accessible to us through your Holy Spirit.

00:45:51.960 --> 00:45:58.340
 Give us a heart of Jesus to address the

00:45:58.340 --> 00:46:00.619
 oppression that we see all around us.

00:46:01.820 --> 00:46:02.880
 May we be useful.

00:46:04.320 --> 00:46:08.940
 May we be a portrait of our beautiful

00:46:08.940 --> 00:46:10.639
 Savior, we pray in Jesus' name.

00:46:11.039 --> 00:46:11.260
 Amen.

00:46:12.199 --> 00:46:13.519
 Thanks for coming this morning.

00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:15.059
 Good to see all of you.

00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:16.019
 Hope you have a great week.

00:46:16.519 --> 00:46:17.240
 Blessings as you go.

00:46:18.059 --> 00:46:18.059


00:46:18.059 --> 00:46:18.059


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00:46:18.059 --> 00:46:18.059


00:46:18.059 --> 00:46:48.039
 Thank you.