Sunday School Lesson - March 22

Focal Passage:

Nehemiah 5:1-16


What This Lesson Is About:

Internal injustices, magnified by external opposition and work demands, threatened to compromise the rebuilding task. Nehemiah learned that to successfully step up and serve the Lord, he had to act with justice and encourage others to do the same.


Spiritual Preparation Through Bible Study - by Bryan Beyer, professor of Old Testament at Columbia Biblical Seminary & School of Missions, Columbia, SC.

I married my best friend on June 21, 1975. My wife, Yvonne, and I have enjoyed a wonderful relationship for over 30 years. Early in our relationship, we established good communication patterns that have served us well to this day. We treat each other courteously and speak kindly to each other. When we have a disagreement, we clear the air quickly.

Many people tend to worry more about external threats, but often internal ones can make us the most vulnerable. Jesus said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25). Adults can recognize the truth of that statement, either from personal experience or observation. A husband and wife remain at odds with one another, and the result is divorce. One business partner feels he or she is carrying more than his or her share of the load, and soon the partnership may dissolve. An employee feels slighted at the office, and the result is tension and turmoil. A group at church doesn’t like the way a vote went at a business meeting, and as a result the church splits. How do we maintain internal strength so we can withstand external pressure?

Stepping up to serve the Lord does not give us permission to mistreat others. Indeed, as we will see in this lesson, as we serve God we need to make fair treatment of others a priority.


In which areas have you experienced internal conflict:

___ In business ___ At home ___ At church ___ Among friends

How did you deal with that conflict?