Nehemiah 12:27-47 | Our Response Is Always Worship

INTRODUCTION: Cambridge Dictionary: “to love, respect, and admire someone or something very much...”

We all worship something: ILLUSTRATION: Clip of sports

What should our response be to God working in our midst? Worship.

TENSION: What makes this sermon difficult is when I talk about marriage, money, etc. People know they need help, but when I talk about worship we feel like when I’m good or even worse we don’t think it was important enough to worry about it.

CONTEXT: They have finished the wall and ready to dedicate it.

Nehemiah 12:27-30 - Preparation for Worship

Nehemiah 12:27–30 ESV

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

V27 -

Dedication of the wall - Everything was done, just to do dedicate. Give it to the Lord.

Levites - They did the practical work of the temple.

in all their places - They brought people in (mostly hit in next verse)

celebrate the dedication with gladness -

singing....lyres

They used singers, just like us cybals: drums, harps: piano. Lyre: guitar.

V28 and 29-

sons of the singers - these were the musical peole

netophathites…Azmaveh- they had their own villages. - living in a weird disney movie. Worship leader joke??

V30 -

purified themselves - It always has to start here. Before moving on. Purify yourself.

ILLUSTRATION - haha as a kid- I took a bath everyone Saturday night. Now I usually take at least 2 showers a week.

purified the people - Then move to your relationship with others.

gates and the wall. - Then make sure everything else, the atmosphere around you also point to God.

We prepare for worship by showing up and cleaning up

Something special happens when God’s People gather. You must actually show up to worship.

How do we clean up? Does this mean you can’t come into worship if you have sin. No, but by the act of coming into worship should inspire us to follow God better: Confession,

CLEAN UP VISUAL?

Nehemiah 12:31-43 - Procession for worship

Nehemiah 12:31–37 ESV

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate. 32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah, 33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 and certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph; 36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. 37 At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.

V31 -

up onto the walls - The enemy mocked these walls saying a fox could knock it down.

to great choirs that give thanks -

dung gate - Rough neighborhood haha

They started on top of the walls then walk around it singing and playing instruments.

Nehemiah 12:38–43 ESV

38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, 39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. 40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; 41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

v38

other choir went north - Two choirs singing and celebrating. Becuase God just did the impossible.

I followed them - Notice the humility shown by Nehemiah. He certainly earned the right to be leader, but instead, he just followed along. Knowing it wasn’t him, but it was God.

All the places - I would be a little nervous if it was the part of the wall I built. Thinking I hope this holds up!

Gate of the guard - Likely very close to the temple.

v43 -

Great sacrifices - Worship always involves sacrifices. It is saying that I am putting you above myself. So back then it was giving animals. Maybe today it is giving gift, it is singing when you don’t feel like it.

Rejoice - That usually isn’t my response to sacrifice, but it was for them because of what God was doing.

rejoice with great joy - Soccer Video - Fight my battles. Look like the video! - not going to lie it is depressing to watch some of you sing.

Run Around giving high fives! whoo! hoo! God is alive!

joy heard far away - This means all their enemies also hear it.

Soccer field - I always say to yell it loud enough that you going to scare the other team.

Not there singing but their joy.

Have you ever seen someone who sees another person for the first time in a long time. Their joy!

Let your sole focus of worship be to bless God, let God worry about blessing you.

I didn’t like the music, ok, we weren’t singing it for you anyway.

People who sing in a group breathe together and their hearts start beating in the same rhythm. Singing releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in our brain. And, because your body is your instrument, deep breathing draws more oxygen into your blood for better circulation that improves mental alertness.

Singing reduces cortisol in your blood stream (it’s called the stress hormone)

Singing strengthens the immune system

Singing is a natural anti-depressant

Singing improves mental alertness

Singing improves self - confidence.

According to the movies elf, the best way to sperad Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear!

Singing helps with sleep/reduces snoring

Nehemiah 12:44-47 - Provision for continued worship

Nehemiah 12:44–47 ESV

44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. 45 And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. 46 For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron.

On that day - the very day of rejoicing. They didn’t wait. They didn’t say lets not spoil the good party day . No they say we will obey.

To gather portions - to give freely . They were rejoicing, while giving!

rejoiced over the priests - time to rejoice over me. JK. We are all priests. No one thing that we want to celebrate is when each one of you serve.

All israel - They were once again giving daily portions. Not jus tsometimes, but daily they were giving voer to God.

Levites - They were giving to the work of God.

Don’t let your worship be a one time event, let your worship continue.

Worship will sustain you.

Title: Our response is always worship.

That is easy to do on great days!

Determine tday that we are going to worship in the best days and the worst days.

CONCLUSION:

Nehemiah 1:3–4 ESV

3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Paul and Silas Acts 16 -

What in your life is in ruins right now? That one day you are going to be used in your victory!!!!

Hebrews 4? Greater rest?

What Happens when life isn’t good. We worship.

worship fail story???