日期： 09/28/08

經文：尼希米記 12:27-47; 13:1-3

講題：歡欣的敬拜

主旨：因為神是敬拜的核心，神的子民要熱切地參與

引言：

去年我拜訪了一個住在阿拉木圖的家庭，那位丈夫看見我來很很開心，他告訴我：「我們前一陣出了車禍，所以換了一台新車。現在我們需要一位牧師來替我們的新車禱告，如果你不能來的話，我打算邀請同一條街上那位東正教的牧師來替我們禱告。」就算我們不是同道中人，但我們都做過類似的事，是吧？我們期望神祝福我們的婚姻、孩子、房子和生意。

  相反的、我想到一些家庭在搬家後、新生意開張時、或有一新嬰兒時、就會舉行一個感恩聚會、為什麼 ? 他們願將自己的房屋、生意、或嬰兒奉獻給神、他們願神使用他們的房屋、事業、和兒女叫祂的名得到榮耀。我們將自己奉獻給神讓祂按照祂的心意來使用我們。這段經文所講的 就是這一點、尼希米和以色列人將剛重建好的耶路撒冷城牆奉獻給神。

我們先看一下到目前為止所發生的事。尼希米即將結束他管理猶太的第一年。在這一年中、他設計了重建城牆的藍圖，並將一群原本被迫離開家園、灰心喪志的人組織起來。在他的領導之下，這群人被動員起來，不但克服了重重的阻撓，還完成了耶路撒冷城牆的重建工作。就在城牆重建完成之際，透過以斯拉的協助，尼希米帶領這群人轉回到神的面前，他們省察到自己過去的悖逆並發誓不再犯同樣的錯。之後尼希米重新安排人口進駐到城市裡。對一年的時間來說，這樣的建設算是成果豐碩了。

目標完成了，那下一步呢？尼希米帶著眾人，把耶路撒冷的城牆獻與神，讓神接管、掌權；將城牆獻上的同時，也表示這是從神而來的禮物、願意讓神來使用、使祂的得榮耀。

  尼希米如何將城牆獻上？他把利未人和歌唱者從城外的不同村莊帶進城內，經過一番準備後，把歌唱者、利未人、奏樂者分為兩組，一組由以斯拉領隊，以逆時針方向行進；另一組則由尼希米帶頭，以順時針方向進行。兩行人在聖殿，也就是全國人民的精神中心之處會合。有一位評論者曾寫到，「當群眾沿著城牆，朝著聖殿方向行進的時候，聖殿同時也成為他們心思意念的重心。」你瞧，在神創造天地後的不久，人便開始想要取代神的神聖地位，他們築了聳入雲霄的巴別塔，想要讓自己聲名遠播，讓自己成為世界的中心。現在，當城牆重建完畢，尼希米希望他所率領的群眾明白，這座牆不是用來展現猶大人的能力有多強，而是要紀念神要保護、並且要彰顯祂不朽的聖名。神才是整件事的核心，而非城牆。正因如此，他們一行歡欣的隊伍，彷彿參與了一場隆重的敬拜。從這個角度出發，以下我有幾點關於敬拜的要點，要提出來和大家分享。

I. 我們當預備好自己來敬拜神

在第 27-30 節提到，利未人和歌唱者在聚集之後，就潔淨自己。祭司和利未人潔淨自己後，也潔淨百姓和城門。這個過程雖然沒有明確記載，但我們可以推知潔淨的過程包括了沐浴、禁慾、以血和水灑在城門上；在獻上城牆的儀式進行之前，他們先潔淨自己。

這個過程給我們什麼樣的教導？在職場上，我們在進會議室開會之前，總會花一段時間準備，思考並預備提議內容，尤其當我們身為會議主席，或者要上台報告時，我們需要更長的時間來整理思緒。這和我們到教會敬拜這位至高無上的創造者、救贖主的過程不該是相同的嗎？在敬拜前預備我們自己代表了下面的幾件事：首先我們要在敬拜開始前預先抵達，這讓我們在敬拜前有時間靜下心來，以利稍候敬拜時能專心一意。

其次，我們要在星期六晚上就開始在身體上預備我們自己。我知道有一些教會不在星期六晚上安排任何的會議，就算真的不可避免，他們也會確保聚會在晚上九點之前結束，所以大家可以早點回家休息，儲備精神參加隔天早上的敬拜。對我們當中那些家裡有幼童的弟兄姊妹來說，星期六晚上早點休息更是重要。我們應該把星期六晚上當作平常週間的晚上，為隔天的主日崇拜儲備自己的體力。

再者，要在心靈上預備好自己。這表示我們要在敬拜以先，將自己和家人、弟兄姊妹之間的衝突好好的解決。如果我們對他人還心有芥蒂、心裡存著苦毒，是很難來到神的面前專心敬拜的。並且我們應該思想，我們身上是否有我們不願意承認的罪呢？這讓我想到我認識的、在其他教會服事的某位弟兄，他在服事上很熱衷、活躍，但後來被發現他一直以來都有不為人知的外遇問題。若我們不願意在我們的罪上悔改，將很難來到我們聖潔的神面前敬拜。當我們在主日來到教會，我們要提醒自己，我們所崇拜的神是聖潔的，我們所進行的是一件嚴肅的事。

II. 我們當有次序地敬拜

除了在敬拜前先潔淨自己之外，在 31 至 42 節中提到，我們應當注意關於敬拜的所有細微末節。參與敬拜過程的尼希米與眾人被精心安排到兩個不同的組，他們的敬拜是有組織和次序的。在哥林多前書 14 ： 40 也有與之相呼應的經文：「凡事都要規規矩矩地按著次序行。」為什麼次序這樣重要？因為我們的神是一位有次序的神。創世記第 1 章中對於我們這位有次序的神提供了非常清楚地描繪。

我們不時聽到許多人對於教會的評論：「我喜歡我們教會的崇拜，因為一切都很有次序地進行。」敬拜讚美的領導人花了很多時間，只為了確保所領的詩歌是合宜的，並且在敬拜程序和時間點上都顯得適當。

III. 我們當歡喜快樂地參與敬拜

我要大家一定注意這一點，在第 27 節「 27 … 帶他們到耶路撒冷來，要他們稱謝、歌唱、敲鈸、彈琴鼓瑟，歡歡喜喜地舉行奉獻典禮。」第 43 節「 43 那一天，眾人獻上極大的祭祀，而且非常歡樂，因為 神使他們大大歡樂；連婦女和孩童也都歡樂；耶路撒冷歡樂的聲音在老遠的地方都可以聽見。」這裡面提到了一些重要並且令人無法忽略的詞：歡歡喜喜、歡樂這些詞前後共出現了六次。他們歡歡喜喜地舉行奉獻典禮、神使他們大大歡樂、耶路撒冷歡樂的聲音在老遠的地方都可以聽見。在經文的描述中，這樣重複地強調歡樂是絕無僅有的。

在他們的敬拜中使用了許多的樂器。在經文中提到了歌唱者，我想在現今的說法裡，指的就是我們的敬拜讚美團隊和詩班。這些人也在現場領導眾人歡樂地敬拜。我們也注意到經文中提到連婦女和孩童也歡樂，表示所有的人都參與了這場敬拜儀式。

這又告訴了我們什麼？幾年前，我拜訪了位於其他州的一個中國教會，其中一位執事告訴我，他們不久前才終於為少年團契購置了一整套的鼓，不過前提是不可以在主日崇拜的時候演奏。

感謝神，在我們的會眾當中，很多人有音樂的天賦，領導我們一起歡樂地敬拜；我們的敬拜團隊使用了風琴、鋼琴、合成樂器、鼓、定音鼓、還有許多我甚至不知道名稱的樂器。我們有敬拜讚美團和詩班，有成人、青少年和兒童一起協助領導敬拜。我們的敬拜歌曲有傳統也有現代，所有的選擇無關對錯，非關前衛或守舊、入氣或過時，也沒有優劣之分。只是不同的群體或年齡層對於不同的歌曲有各自的偏好。在這個教會裡，我們都有一樣的認知，知道表達這樣的歡樂沒有既定方法或模式。

蓋瑞 ‧ 湯瑪斯在他所著的「神聖的路徑」中提到了不同的人以不同的方式來愛神。有些人用感官的方式，用自發的、表達的方式，並且融合較多的肢體動作來敬拜；又其他人則屬於比較思考式的，不習慣帶有太多的肢體動作在敬拜中。有些人習慣以俯伏表達他們的喜樂，也有人習慣站立。換句話說，我們應用我們覺得最習慣的方式來敬拜。即便如此，我們也要記得，我們所用 的 敬拜方式仍應該遵循一定的次序和規範，不要擾亂別人的敬拜。

然而，為什麼有時候我們在敬拜的時候好像沒有辦法感受到會眾的參與、或者歡喜的讚美呢？可能我們對於詩歌不是很熟悉，或許有一些歌曲適合表演但不一定能朗朗上口。但是會不會有更深層的原因呢？我們在星期日的早晨來到教會，我們雖然身在這裡，但我們的心呢？我們的思緒呢？我們人在這裡，但是我們的心裡可能想的卻是我們的人際關係、想著明天的考試、想著我們的股票在股市危機中被套牢 、想著我們與配偶或孩子的爭執還沒解決；也或者雖然我們嘴裡唱著、附和著，腦中卻忙著評斷今天的音樂：「這首歌太過氣了、這一段詩歌太現代了、這一段歌詞我們已經重複唱了七遍了」；亦或是「我不喜歡這位領唱、我搞不清楚她要我們唱什麼」。當我們終於評審完畢，我們也終於把自己變成一個性情乖戾的老公公 / 老婆婆。

我在中國的時候，有過一些讓我覺得彌足珍貴的時刻。其中一個是當學生們在晨更時、他們沒有任何樂器的輔助，但是大家都開口唱著讚美詩歌。當時我喉嚨不適，無法與他們同聲開口歌唱，只好閉上眼睛欣賞他們獻給神的讚美。或者在每週的禮拜時間唱歌的景況，他們只有一個簡單的合成器，並且為了安全考量，他們必須把音量放低，但他們的歌聲卻是滿有能力，他們的敬拜深深地打動並且激勵了我；並且同樣的狀況也發生在我參加的另一個家庭教會的主日崇拜。我們當然不需要飄洋過海去才能體驗那樣的感動，但這樣的經歷卻提醒我們，應該要歡樂地敬拜我們的創造者、救贖主。這也是使徒保羅敦促我們該做的事：歌羅西書 3 ： 16 「 16 你們要讓基督的道豐豐富富地住在你們心裡，以各樣的智慧，彼此教導，互相勸戒，用詩章、聖詩、靈歌，懷著感恩的心歌頌 神。 」

若我們當時在那裡主導城牆的奉獻儀式，我們大概會以第 43 節終結這整件事。但尼希米卻沒有這樣做，因為他腦中還盤算著其他更重要的事。這也是我下面要向大家說明的最後一點。

IV. 我們應以實際的順服來彰顯我們的敬拜

第 44 節「 44 那時，有一些人被委派管理存放舉祭、初熟之物和十分之一供物的庫房，把各城的田地，照著律法所規定歸給祭司和利未人的部分收集到那裡。猶大人為侍立供職的祭司和利未人歡樂。」第 13 章 1 節「 1 那時，他們宣讀摩西的書給眾民聽，見書上寫著說：亞捫人和摩押人永遠不可進入 神的會，……」你有過這樣的經歷嗎？你參加了一場敬拜，詩歌、信息、一切都很棒，每個人都讚不絕口，你感覺很好，但是心裡確有一種莫名的空虛感，讓你不斷地問自己，就這樣結束了嗎？接下來呢？

尼希米深知完成重建城牆計畫的必要性。他也明白把城牆的主權獻給神、讓神掌管並將之用在保衛聖殿的事工是件重要的事；他知道該要歡樂地敬拜，然而，尼希米也知道除了歡樂地敬拜外，還有其他事非做不可。第 44-47 節中，他寫到人們如何將供物帶到聖殿獻上，利未人、歌唱者和守門的人也都得到他們應得的份。尼希米提到了在歡樂地敬拜之後，人們如何妥善的照顧聖殿。

在第 13 章 1-3 節中，尼希米提到宣讀摩西的書並且人們都遵守規範，他們聽見之後就把自己跟一切閒雜人分離。

歡樂敬拜結束後的當天還發生了什麼事？尼希米記錄了人們如何謹遵他們對神的承諾 ;10:29,39: 「 9 都堅持和他們的貴族兄弟參與發咒起誓，必遵行 神藉他僕人摩西頒布的律法，必謹守遵行耶和華我們的主的一切誡命、典章和律例……我們決不會疏忽供應我們 神的殿。 」 以色列人順服神並遵守他們對神的承諾。對尼希米來說，這件事很重要。是的，歡樂地敬拜是美好的，但是我們同樣也必須在行動上以順服神的話來彰顯我們對神的敬拜。

我很珍惜我們每週的敬拜。我的心常常被敬拜的音樂溫暖並感動著，我和其他的牧師們也時常因圓滿完成的服事而備受激勵。然而，更重要的是我們各自解散之後，我們自己和神之間的關係。敬拜固然將我們的心靈帶進神，但是唯有我們在生活中、學校裡、職場上順服並實踐神的話語，我們的敬拜才得以完滿體現。

結語：

尼希米知道完成城牆不是結束，城牆得以完工是神所賜的禮物；他知道若不是神的建造，一切的勞力付出也顯枉然。這座城牆也是神賜給眾人以保衛並延續神的聖名之用。是以整件事的重點不再只是神賜與的物件本身，而是這位賜與者。為了這個理由，尼希米計畫了這場隆重並歡樂的敬拜來榮耀這位賜與者，以色列最終極的創造者、救贖主。

從這場兩千四百年前的崇拜裡，我們也瞥見自己應當如何敬拜這位同樣賜與我們一切的神。我們要以預先的適當預備和歡樂的心來敬拜祂。

我記去年在國內教課時的某一個下午、當我正準備去課室時、聽見從課室傳來很大聲敲桌的聲音。走進課室後發現同學們已在那裡開聲盡情的在唱歌、因沒有任何樂器的緣故、所以在那裡大敲桌子、這是他們喜樂的歌唱。

我們也學到我們對神的敬拜必須加上對神順服的行動。 我們非常高興今天、還有其他的每個主日大家都能來到這裡一起敬拜神、然而，我們如何在這主日與下主 日 之間順服神是更重要。因為沒有順服的生活，主日崇拜也是枉然。

Date:   09/28/08

Text:   Nehemiah 12:27-47; 13:1-3

Title:   Since God is the focus of worship, his children are to whole-heartedly participate in it.

Introduction:

  When I visited a family in Almaty last year, the husband was so happy to see me. He said, “We had a car accident recently and we just brought a new car. We need a priest to come to pray and bless this new car. If you are not here, I'd have to ask one of the Orthodox priests down the street to come and bless it.” Well, we may not go that route, but we do something similar to this, right? We want God to bless our marriage, our children, our house and business.

In contrast, I think of families holding thanksgiving service after moving into a new house or apartment, or beginning a new business, or with a new baby. What is the purpose? They want to dedicate their house, business, baby to God. They want God to use house, business and children to bring glory to His name. We dedicate ourselves to God so he can use us in whatever way he wants to. This is what this passage is all about. Nehemiah and the Israelites dedicated the newly built Jerusalem wall to God.

  Let's first take a look what happened so far. Nehemiah now is at the end of his first year as governor of Judah . During this time, he devised the plan to rebuild the city wall. He united a divided and dispirited people. Under his leadership, the people were mobilized, overcome various oppositions and completed the rebuilding of the Jerusalem city wall. Upon it's completion, with the help of Ezra, Nehemiah brought the people back to God. They saw their disobedience and vowed never to repeat that again. Nehemiah then reorganized the people and repopulated the city. This was quite a list of accomplishments within one year.

  With his goals accomplished, what is next? Nehemiah led his people to dedicate the wall of Jerusalem . To dedicate means to offer this to God and let him take control. To dedicate the wall means acknowledging that this a gift from God, and now they want to offer it to God and let God use this wall for his glory..

  So how did Nehemiah and his people dedicate the Jerusalem wall? He brought in the Levites and the singers living outside the city, in different villages. After preparation, he divided the singers, Levites and musicians into two groups. One group, led by Ezra went the counter clockwise route; while Nehemiah led another group, and went clockwise. The two groups converge at the Temple , the spiritual center of the nation's life. One commentator wrote: “when people march on the walls to the temple, they once again placed the temple at the center of their thoughts. You see, soon after the creation, men desired to be great just like God. Later when they built the tower of Babel , the purpose was that their names would be known among all nations. They wanted to be the center of the world. Now, having rebuilt the city wall, Nehemiah wanted his people to know that it is not a monument to the strength of Judah ; but God's gift for the protection and perpetuation of his name in the world. You see, God is the focus, not the wall. And because of this, it was a joyous procession; it was a grand worship service. From this narrative, I would like to point out to you several important truths about worship.

I •  We are to prepare ourselves properly when we worship God.

In 27-30 we are told that after gathering the Levites and the singers, they purified themselves. The people and then the wall were also purified. We are not given the details of this process. Most likely it involved taking bath, abstain from sexual activity, and sprinkling the gate and wall with blood and water. Prior to the dedication ceremony, they prepared themselves.

What does it mean to us? Before you go into a meeting at work, you would spend a few moments to prepare yourselves, thinking through some of the discussion items. Especially if you are to lead or do a presentation, you want some quiet time to collect your thoughts. Isn't this also true when we come to worship this almighty God, our creator and redeemer? To prepare ourselves before the worship could mean the following. First we need to come to service a little earlier, before it starts. This is to have time to quiet our hearts so we can concentrate in our worship.

Secondly, we need to start preparing ourselves physically on Saturday evening. I know churches that would not schedule any Saturday evening meetings; if they do, they want to make sure it would finish by 9pm so people can be home earlier and get adequate rest for Sunday worship. For those of us with little children, it is especially important not to stay out late on Saturday evenings. We should treat Saturday night just like any other school night, so we can all get rested for Sunday worship. during these past few years I have noticed that whenever there was some events lasted late into Saturday night, some individuals would miss church on Sunday mornings because couldn't get up on time. Preparation for Sunday worship begins on Saturday.

Thirdly, preparing ourselves spiritually. This means that we need to resolve conflicts with family members and brothers and sisters prior to worship. It is hard to worship God when we are still bitter or holding a grudge towards someone. Are there sins that we refuse to confess and ask forgiveness? I think of an individual who was a leader in another church. He was active in serving, and later it was discovered that all that time, he was having an affair. It is hard to worship the holy God when we refuse to repent. When we come to church on Sundays, we're to remind ourselves we are here to worship this holy God. It is a serious event.

II •  We are to worship God in an orderly manner

Besides purifying themselves prior to the worship, in vs.31 to 42, we also see the meticulous planning that go into the worship event. Those involved in the process were carefully divided into two groups. There was order in their worship. This is echoed in 1Corinth 14:40, “ 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.” Why such emphasis on order? Because our God is a God of order. Genesis 1 provides a clear picture of God's orderliness.

From time to time, we hear individuals commenting about this church: “I like the worship service, because everything is in such good order.” The worship leaders spend much time to make sure the songs are appropriate and to be sung at the right moment in the worship service. We do our best to coordinate music, sharing with the message.

III •  We are to worship God with great Joy. Participate

I want to make sure we notice this: vs 27, “ 27 ………to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.” Vs.43, “ 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.” What stands out here? I don't think anyone can miss it. It's Joy. The words joy, rejoice, gladness appeared 6 times. They worshipped with great joy, God made them rejoice, their joy was heard far away. It is unparallel in the scripture where there is such emphasis on joy.

They used different instruments in their worship. They had the singers, I guess in today's terms, this would be the worship team and choir. They were there to lead the people in this joyous worship.

We also notice that women and children also rejoiced. Meaning everyone was taking part in this joyous worship. They all participated.

What does this mean to us? Several years ago, I visited a Chinese church in the south. One of the deacons told me that the youth department just bought a set of drums. However, there is one condition; the drum set cannot be used during the Sunday morning worship.

We thank God that in this congregation we have many gifted musicians and singers, helping us to worship with joy. When we worship here, we use organ, piano, synthesizer, drums, timpani, and instruments I don't even know what they are. We have worship teams and choirs, adult, youth and children, helping us to worship. We use traditional and contemporary songs in our worship. It is not an issue of right or wrong, nor an issue of outdated or in trend. It is not one style is better than the other. It is just different songs that different age groups may prefer. In this church, we acknowledge that there is no one way, no one style to express this joy.

Gary Thomas in his book, “Sacred Pathways” writes about different individuals loving God in different manners. Some with senses, being more spontaneous, expressive and with much body movements, including prostrating themselves on the floor. Some are more thoughtful in their worship and not comfortable with too much movements. There are those who express their joy in worship by kneeling, other by standing. In other words, we are to express our joy in worship in ways that we feel most comfortable. Having said this, it is also important to keep to the principle that whatever form we use to express our joy in public worship, it is to be orderly and not becoming a distraction to others.

However, why sometime we seem to be lacking in congregation's participation in singing and singing with joy? May be we are not familiar with the music. May be some music are good for listening but not necessary for singing. Could there be a deeper problem than this? I wonder when we come to church on Sunday mornings, yes, our body is here, but how about our mind and heart? We are here, but we are thinking of something else. It could be about relationship with another person, or a test tomorrow, or how our stocks are holding up during this Wall Street crisis, or repair after Ike, or an unfinished quarrel with spouse and children at home. Or while our body is here, we are very busy critiquing? The music is too old fashion, too contemporary; it's the 7 th time we sing this phrase. I don't like this worship leader, I could hardly understand her. By the time we finish our critique, we've become a grumpy old man/woman. No wonder, there is no joy.

There are certain moments I treasured most when I was in china. One of such moments was the students' singing during their group morning devotion. There was no instruments, yet everyone sang. Or during their weekly chapel time. Since I was still coughing, I could only close my eye and enjoy their adoration of God. They had one simple synthesizer. For security reasons, they could not sing too loud, yet it was full of expression. In one classroom, the bang on their desks since there were no instruments. Their worship greatly touched and encouraged me. The same can be said about the Sunday services I attended in different house churches. Certainly we don't have to go overseas to experience this. But they will serve as a good reminder that we are to joyously express our adoration for our creator and redeemer. This is what Paul exhorts us to do: Colossians 3;16, “ 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

If we were there and wrote about the temple dedication, most likely we will conclude this section with vs.43. Not with Nehemiah, for there is something else in his mind. This brings us to the last point in this passage.

IV •  Our worship is to be manifested in Obedience.

In vs. 44, “ 44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the first fruits, 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 then in 13:1, “ 1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,…” Have you ever experienced this? You went to a worship service, the music, the message were great. Everyone gives a thumb up. You felt great, but somehow there was an empty feeling, wondering is that all, what's next?

Nehemiah knew very well the importance of completing the wall project. He knew the importance of dedicating the wall to God, letting God control and uses it to protect the temple. He knew the importance of great joy in worship. Yet, Nehemiah also knew there is more to a joyous worship. In vs.44-47, he was writing about how people brought their tithing to the temple; Levites, the singers and those who worked in the temple were taken care of. He was saying that after that joyous worship, people was taking care of the temple.

In 13:1-3, Nehemiah wrote about reading the law of Moses and people obeyed. They did according to the Law, separating themselves from the foreigners among them.

So, what was happening on that day, after the joyous worship? Nehemiah recorded how the people kept their promise to God: 10:29, 39, “ 29 join with their brothers, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God's Law that was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord and his rules and his statutes…. We will not neglect the house of our God.” The Israelites were keeping their promise of being obedient to God. You see, to Nehemiah, this is important. Yes, joyous worship is great, but this worship must also be expressed in our obedience to God's command. Joyous worship is not an emotional catharsis, but also be followed by obeying God's word.

I treasure our weekly worship. Very often I have moments when my heart is warmed and greatly touched by the music. I and others pastors are encouraged when we have a great service. Yet, what is more important is our walk with the Lord after we are dismissed from here. Worship can certainly lift our souls to God. But this worship must be accomplished with obedience to God at home, at work and school.

Conclusion:

  Nehemiah knew that the city wall was not the end. This completion of this rebuilding process is a gift from God. He knew that unless the lord builds, the builders labor in vain. The city wall is a gift from God to protect and perpetual God's name in the world. Therefore, the focus is no longer on the gift, but the gift Giver. For this reason, he organized this magnificent and joyous worship to honor the gift Giver, their Creator and Redeemer God of Israel.

  From this particular worship over 2400 years ago, we also catch a glimpse of how we should worship God, who is also our gift Giver. We are to worship him with proper preparation and with great joy. However, equally important is that our worship must be followed up with acts of obedience.

We are so glad that we are here today and on other Sundays to worship God together. Yet, what is even more important is our obedience to him between the Sundays. You see, without obedience this Sunday worship is really meaningless.