First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
Sunday Worship, May 31, 2026
Worshipful Giving

  • What does God desire more than sacrifice?

    Obedience

    1 Samuel 15:22 ESV
    22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

    Love

    Mark 12:33 ESV
    33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

    Justice, Kindness, and Humility

    Micah 6:6–8 ESV
    6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

    This is the heart of worshipful giving.

    God desires obedience, love, Justice, kindness, and humility. These are spiritual sacrifice that outweigh and physical gift we could ever give to God.
    This is the theme of our passage in Nehemiah today.
    Last week Jake came and shared from the first half of Nehemiah 5. Today we will look at the other half. In the first half of the chapter an internal problem of abuse was occuring. Those who had power and wealth were mistreating their fellow Jews through unfair business practices. This impeded the work as it laid heavy personal burdens on the people that distracted them from the work and gave them a bad reputation with outsiders. Let’s take a look at our passage in Nehemiah for today. In it we will see an example that Nehemiah set for the people to follow and one that we can learn from as well.
    Let’s Read
    Nehemiah 5:14–19 ESV
    14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

    Nehemiah the governor

    What were the rights of Persian governors?

    1. Tax Revenue

    Governors collected taxes and tribute on behalf of the empire and often received a portion for administration.

    2. Food Allowances

    The province supplied food, livestock, grain, oil, and wine for the governor's household.

    3. Labor and Service

    Local populations were often expected to support governmental operations through labor and supplies.

    4. Official Residence

    Governors generally occupied a government residence or palace.

    5. Military Protection

    Nehemiah traveled with cavalry and officers sent by Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2:9).

    6. Judicial Authority

    Governors acted as the king's representative, enforcing law, settling disputes, and overseeing local administration.

    7. Honor and Status

    Governors held one of the highest offices available in a province and exercised significant authority.

    What Nehemiah gave up

    The food allowance

    Nehemiah 5:14 ESV
    14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

    Tax Revenue

    Nehemiah 5:15 ESV
    15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

    Ease of life and increase of wealth

    Nehemiah 5:16 ESV
    16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

    Positional Perks

    Nehemiah 5:17–18 ESV
    17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people.

    Why did Nehemiah give up his rights?

    Nehemiah feared the Lord

    Nehemiah 5:15 ESV
    15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

    Nehemiah cared about the people

    Nehemiah 5:18 ESV
    18 Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people.

    Whose opinion mattered to Nehemiah?

    Nehemiah 5:19 ESV
    19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

    What does “fear the Lord” and “Care about the people” remind us of?

    What are the Greatest commandments?

    Matthew 22:36–40 ESV
    36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
    The question is not whether or not we believe these statements but whether or not we live them out.
    Jesus had just taught his disciples this lesson:

    Who is the greatest among you?

    Matthew 20:25–28 ESV
    25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

    The servant of all

    What does this mean for our ideas of giving and generosity?

    According to Ability

    Acts 11:27–30 ESV
    27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. 30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

    According to your heart

    2 Corinthians 9:6–9 ESV
    6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

    We sow according to our ability

    We reap according to our willingness to sow

    God is honored by our cheerful giving

    We get to participate in generosity and God is glorified

      • 1 Samuel 15:22ESV

      • Mark 12:33ESV

      • Micah 6:6–8ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:14–19ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:14ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:15ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:16ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:17–18ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:15ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:18ESV

      • Nehemiah 5:19ESV

      • Matthew 22:36–40ESV

      • Matthew 20:25–28ESV

      • Acts 11:27–30ESV

      • 2 Corinthians 9:6–9ESV

      First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
      fbchoquiam@outlook.com
      3605324887
      http://fbchoquiam.com
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