How is our worship up to God also a witness out to others?: Nehemiah 12

  • We believe the Bible is the only book that God wrote
  • The Bible is for us, but not mainly about us. “in the beginning, God”
  • It’s all about Jesus! John 5. End of Luke
  • We believe that if God says something, it’s important.

= So we study books of the Bible & let God set our agenda

Today we look at a worship service almost 2500 years ago

You Can Be Clean 

Nehemiah 12:30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

Bible: =? dozen words stained soul “defilement, filth, uncleanness”

  1. Places “wall” &            2. Things “gates”

Heb 13:4 “marriage bed pure/undefiled”

-Trauma trigger

-Temptation trigger

= Remove or Purify? = OUR MOVE

  1. People –
  1. Sinner: We sin against God & ourselves
  2. Victim: They sin against God & us

Unclean = Shame – Genesis 3 fig leave- covering, hiding, lying, blaming

  1. Navy Seal: Ignore & Override – I’ve moved on
  2. Tough Cookie: I’m tough enough to handle it – hardened, angry, cold
  3. Life of the Party: make a joke, pretend ur great, self-medicate
  4. Hypocrite: hide secrets hoping never found out
  5. Pride Person: my identity – celebrate since I cannot change
  6. Victim: worst day of my life defines every day of my life
  7. Holy Roller: good religious person – verses, works, help “lesser” people

=We know how to wash everything gut our soul!

OT: People would stop 1. Wash 2. Wear clean white = then go up worship meet w/God

This was before Jesus came. After Jesus came!!!!

I John 1:7-9 “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

  1. You are not defined by the worst things you have done
  2. You are not defined by the worst things others have done to you
  3. You are defined by what Jesus has done
  1. for you (took your place)  = sacrifice
  2. & to you (put you in His place
  • Over 300X Bible refers to “sinners”
  • Only 3X does Bible “possibly refer to XN as “sinners”
  • Over 200X Bible XN saints/holy/righteous = set aside for God’s purpose

Sinner is some of what you do & ur past. Saint is who you are & ur future.

= Sacraments: means grace 1. Wedding White. 2. Communion 3. Baptism

INVITATION

You Can Be Glad

Nehemiah 12:27-28, 40-43 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. And the sons of the singers gathered together… [I] appointed two great choirs that gave thanks…with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them…So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God…And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. 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.

  • COVID – 25% global spike in anxiety & depression
  • Worst for younger people. Worst for women.

= EVERYONE WORSHIPS SOMEONE/THING? WHO OR WHAT “LORD”

  1. Worship the unholy spirit of fear

2 Tim. 1:7God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

  • Drags you down
  • Brings out the worst version of you (scared, stressed, tired, joyless, vulnerable)

These people had lots to fear. Financial. Political. Physical. Emotional. Spiritual.

  1. Worship the Holy Spirit of faith
  • Lifts you up
  • Brings out the best version of you (“celebrate…gladness…thanksgiving… rejoice w/great joy)

Worship –

  1. Worship our way into trouble (141 yrs). Worship our way out trouble. (COMM 1-2)
  2. We worship God how HE wants
  3. Gathered – learning singing, cheering, kneeling, raising hands, clapping, “amen”,

XN worship = everyone is in the “band”. Your soul needs the exercise (esp. men)

=BC – Anticipation 1st XMAS!              2nd Coming!

You Can Be Generous  

Nehemiah 12:44, 47-48 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….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.

  1. “Firstfruits” – gross not net, God is the 1st priority, act of faith

WORSHIP = SACRIFICE

  1. “Tithes” – 10%

-No one in the Bible comes to worship empty handed.

Christmas Wise men & gift giving

  • # unknown. 3 gifts travelled 100 miles (months)
  • Magi/Magicians – pagans from “EAST” BABYLON/PERSIA – SUSA?
  • Respected in their nation, from the days of Daniel (2:48; 5:11)
  • “worshipped” young Jesus gave “treasures” (Matt. 2)
  1. Gold – king
  2. Frankincense – priest (e.g. purity & prayer)
  3. Myrrh – sacrifice (spice embalm dead Jn 19:39)

John 3:16 “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus Christ =God’s gift to you. Will you receive HIM?

In Nehemiah 12, Pastor Mark preaches on a huge worship service the people had, giving thanks to God for His favor in their rebuilding efforts. Through this story, he preaches that you can be clean, glad, and generous, as the people were in Nehemiah 12.

TRANSCRIPT

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