Bulletins - Sunnyside First Baptist Church

— Lessons from Nehemiah 12.
— Of course you can find this in your own bible or app.
— There are bibles located in the rack in front of you.
— Nehemiah 12 is found beginning on page 407.
Let’s Pray as we begin
— Father God as we come before you today
— We ask that you accept our Sacrifice of Praise
— Whether in song, in prayer, in the Word or in in our private worship.
— Lord we Worship only you, our BIG ‘G’ God.
— We set aside all of the other distractions in our lives and focus only on you.
— Nehemiah 12 depicts a grand celebration as the people rejoiced in the Lord. In our own lives, we can create moments of celebration and joy by gathering with friends and loved ones to thank and praise the Lord for His faithfulness.
— Let's plan gatherings that focus on rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord and finding joy in His presence.

— We are going to begin this morning in Verse 27.

Principle #1 Remembering God's Faithfulness
— Remember what God has done for you… How he has had your back; how He has gotten you through the tough times in your life.
Anyone can do the possible; add a bit of courage and zeal and some may do the phenomenal; only Christians are obliged to do the impossible.
A. W. Tozer

Let’s look at V.27

Nehemiah 12:27 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.
— It’s 444 BC, this is about 100 years since the Israelites returned from captivity.
— This could have been 3 generations of people AFTER the return from Babylon.
— Many of the people had no idea of the wall, or the people that built the wall.
— How much do know of the people, the circumstances and the struggles of our ancestors from 100 years ago… from 1924?
Here are some events from our 1923-1925. Let’s see what we remember about them.
- Teapot Dome Scandal (1923-1924)
- Calvin Coolidge Becomes President (1923)
- The Johnson-Reed Immigration Restriction Act of 1924
- The Scopes Monkey Trial (1925)
- Publication of "The Great Gatsby" (1925)
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— These events from 1923 to 1925 reflect a period of significant political, social, and cultural change in the United States, with lasting implications for the nation's and our identity.
— Yet, I don’t nor do many of us know these significant dates and events in our country.
The people of Judah, the Israelites, could not have known or understood the implications of finishing and dedicating wall.
—It’s vital that we keep in focus our Returning, Rebuilding and Restoring —- First and most importantly… Our spiritual lives, and our church.
— Let’s take a closer look at our first passage for today.
Nehemiah 12:27 (ESV)
27a And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites...”
— The Israelites sought out those who would have some knowledge of the origins of the wall.
— The Priests or the Levities… they would have written about it.
— The origin, the struggles, the finished product and the return of the Worship of Yahweh to Jerusalem.
— Once they found the Levities… they gathered…
Nehemiah 12:27 (ESV)
27b “…to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.”
— Gladness, thanksgiving, signing, cymbals, harps and lyres
— Now that sounds like WORSHIP!! ON STEROIDS!!
— This sounds like the JOY, JOY, JOY of the Lord
Question: Do you know/practice this ‘Joy of the Lord?”
— God is doing great things in our world… In spite of where we are personally, as a church, as a community, as a nation and as a world.
— God desires our returning, our rebuilding and our restoring of our spiritual lives… This would make Him very glad, very happy, even jumping up and down excited.
Application #1: How do we acknowledge God’s Faithfulness? Personally? Corporately? Do we do it Quietly? Reverently? Loudly? Prayerfully? Or not at all?
— Verse 27 highlights the joyous occasion of the dedication of the wall.
— The people gathered together with thanksgiving and celebration, recognizing God's faithfulness in the restoration of the wall in Jerusalem.
— Just as the Israelites celebrated the completion of the wall, we are reminded to reflect on God's faithfulness in our lives. Despite challenges and setbacks, God remains steadfast in His promises listen to 2Corinthians1.
2 Corinthians 1:20 ESV
20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
The dedication of The Wall was a testament to God's sovereignty and provision. Our worship should be an acknowledgment of God’s faithfulness to us.
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Principle #2 The Role of Worship and Praise.
— It is our responsibility, our demand, our necessity that we Worship.
Psalm 100:4 ESV
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
— We must, as creatures created by God, give to Him, Thanksgiving and PRAISE.
— This is how we worship him!!
— I’d like to look at Verse 31
Nehemiah 12:31 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.
== These are the worship leaders that were appointed by Nehemiah to lead the Thanksgiving service
== The dedication of the wall was accompanied by music, singing, and rejoicing.
== Our worship should be marked by joy and exuberance, as we rejoice in the salvation and victory found in Christ.
== Listen to Psalm 95.
Ps95.1-2 (Psalm 95:1-2).
Psalm 95:1–2 ESV
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
== It’s pretty clear what the “ask” here is…
==sing to the Lord
== make a joyful noise to the Lord
== praise Him as the ROCK of our salvation.
== The dedication of the wall was accompanied by music, singing, and rejoicing.
== Likewise, our worship should be marked by joy and exuberance, as we rejoice in the salvation and victory found in Christ.
== Let’s look at a New Testament reflection of this
== John4.23-24
John 4:23–24 ESV
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
== Just as the Levities led the people to Worship we are called to lead the world to the worship of God, through a relationship with Christ
== God is pleased when we worship and offer ourselves up to God
Romans 12:1 ESV
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
— Paul is asking here; by the mercies of God or with all of the strength we have that comes from God
— To worship God FULLY and COMPLETELY!
—- To offer our bodies… Every part physical, emotional, spiritual to God as a living sacrifice
Application #2: We are to worship. We are to worship God, the creator, His Son Jesus, in Spirit and Truth.
— Whether your worship is loud or soft, physically active or quiet
— As long as it is recognizable to The Father, The Son and to The Spirit… it is Worship!
— Listen carefully God is going to fill in the blanks were you are missing.
— Verse 38
Nehemiah 12:38 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,
— So one choir to the north and the one choir to the south
Principle #3 There is Unity in our Diversity
— Despite their different routes, both choirs converged at the house of God, symbolizing unity amidst diversity.
— The diverse nature of the choirs illustrates the beauty of unity within the body of Christ.
— Regardless of our backgrounds [Anglo, Hispanic, Dutch, Heinz 57] or church experiences [Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Pentecostal, Heinz 57] or individual differences, [Some of us raise our hands, some of us don’t, some sing, others simply listen and focus]. All is acceptable…
—But we all MUST worship… It’s NOT optional
— We are united in Christ, because of our differences
Galatians 3:28 ESV
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
== Just as the choirs joined together in worship after they circled the wall, we are called to pursue unity and reconciliation within the body of believers.
== Our diversity reflects the Grace of God given each of us and enhances our collective witness to the world.
1 Corinthians 12:12–13 ESV
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Application #3: Be excited that we Worship differently but We Worship together.
— I love to worship… I connect with God when I’m singing, I feel I am in His presense when I am worshiping!
— Don’t be mistaken; don’t be lead astray; Worship is NOT what draws people… It is the cherry on top of the sundae
— Our relationships, our connections, our opportunities to serve and be apart of a local family of God. Hearing the Word, Using the Word, Pouring our lives into others, using our giftedness to help someone… that what fills our sanctuary up.
— And Finally #4
Principle #4 Celebrate, Celebrate, Celebrate!
— Can we celebrate God, Jesus and The Spirit to much?
— I am trying to tell you this… NO YOU CANNOT CELEBRATE GOD TO MUCH!
— Listen to Neh 12.43.
Nehemiah 12:43 ESV
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.
—A joyous celebration followed the dedication of the wall.
— The people offered sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy.
Our faith is ultimate victory secured through Christ's death and resurrection. As believers, we have reason to celebrate and rejoice in the salvation offered to us
— Rejoice in your salvation
— Celebrate your salvation
— Celebrate in each new breath you get
— Celebrate each day as a gift
Application #4: Celebration is the natural outgrowth of our salvation.
—Just as a team celebrates together after winning a hard-fought game, we can come together as a community to rejoice in the Lord.
— Our victory is the joy we find in His presence and provision in our lives.
Today we looked at Nehemiah 12. The pattern that is laid down here and throughout scripture is that of Worship of our God, With His people. Yes, worship can be done alone! But in community, worship is powerful!
— Prayer
— I’m ready to worship… Let’s GO!!!!