Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

The Lord has placed me in different leadership positions throughout my career both in the corporate world and here at Brookside.

I have never felt like I was completely prepared or deserving of the different opportunities that I have had, and I think that God planned it that way so that I would have a dependence on Him.

Because of and through my experiences in my different positions, the Lord has given me a burden for godly leadership in our churches and homes.

I have so much to learn and will continue to always learn, but I believe that we have a generation who is growing up today without the godly example of leadership that they need, and we are losing that generation.

The Millennials have surpassed the Baby Boomers as the larger and more influential generation in the United States at 78 million strong.

We see what happens in if we don’t raise, disciple, mentor, and lead the future generations in the ways of the Lord.

I believe that we need authentic and real leaders in our homes and churches today, who look to and allow God to develop their gifts, and who lead and influence their families and others to a life dedicated to honoring and glorifying God.

- if we don’t think generationally.

There is no success if the generations that follow us fall away from the Lord.

A godly leaders convictions - Nehemiah 13:8-24

I try to model servant leadership, getting my hands dirty, and a team first mentality, with everyone on the team playing an important role based on their gifts, skills, and positions that God has placed them in.

We see these examples in Nehemiah as the wall and people of Jerusalem are rebuilt.

One of my favorite leadership “sayings” is “Be a leader, not a boss,” and we are going to look at 4 area’s of being a leader - showing how it’s done, developing people, fixing the breakdown, and Asking (prayer) - in as Nehemiah encounters 4 problems in his return to Jerusalem.

Lets begin by reading .

There is No Success Without a Successor

When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem after his time with King Artaxerxes, he encountered 4 problems.

Compromising (vs.

1-9)

Eliashib the priest prepares and gives Tobiah a large room in the temple chambers.

Tobiah is an Ammonite and is not permitted to enter the temple.

Nehemiah takes action immediately, throws all of the household goods of Tobiah out of the room, commands that the room be cleansed, and brings back the grain offerings.

Do you see how decisive Nehemiah was?

Nehemiah would have none of the compromise.

Nehemiah SHOWS HOW ITS DONE!

Tobiah had taken advantage of the leadership vaccuum when Nehemiah left.

After Nehemiah’s absence in Jerusalem, order did not continue as he had planned.

Nehemiah had to continue to make political and religious reforms when he returned to Jerusalem.

He took immediate action and it did not take long for Nehemiah to take care of the situation.

A godly leader has a long-term and continual job.

Leadership is not limited to a small window of time.

Being effective as a leader takes continual growth, hard work, and commitment to the long term.

Neglect/Indifference (vs.

10-14)

The Levites are to live on tithes that are given but they weren’t receiving them, so they left.

They went to their fields and towns to try to make a living.

Nehemiah asks, “why is the house of God forsaken?”

So he gets everyone together and appoints reliable men who’s responsibility it was to oversee this business.

Nehemiah DEVELOPS PEOPLE!

Nehemiah develops others to carry on (13:13)

He had disciplined his people to serve the Lord according to the law

When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he learned the people had compromised Gods statutes.

Nehemiah had failed to develop and reproduce his vision in a team of leaders, and everyone drifted.