Nehemiah 12 – Re‐dedication
Why do you come to church? Why do you meet at your church each Sunday? Why do you follow the service structure that you do? What is it you are actually doing there each week? Does it matter if you don’t turn up some weeks? Does what you do there on a Sunday morning make any difference in your lives? Does it mean anything to you?
Chapter 12 of Nehemiah is all about worship and worship is why we come Sunday by Sunday. William Temple, who was Archbishop of Canterbury in the middle of the 20th Century said this of worship:
“The most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable, and therefore the chief remedy for that self‐centredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.”
Worship is ‘worth‐ship’ and describes the act of the heart, the mind and the will whereby we acknowledge that God alone is worthy of our praise, our adoration, our worship. Whilst the Word of God does not lay down a set structure for public worship for all people for all time a careful reading does give us important characteristics of worship. Nehemiah 12 is one such part of Scripture which teaches us important truths concerning the nature of worship:
The Purpose of Worship
Why we worship is an important. How would you answer someone if they asked you why you came to worship on Sunday? If you look at verse 27 we see that the purpose of worship was to celebrate, to give thanks and to dedicate themselves to God.
Celebration – Look at verses 27 and 43 – celebration and joy are the primary aspects of worship. The celebration is not about us but about who God is, what God has done and what God has God has said. The people of Israel celebrated these three things and they should be the foundation of our celebration when we come to worship. The people had joy when they came to worship. Their songs on that day were a celebration and their joy was heard far away. Worship was never meant to be a doleful and dreary experience. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that because we come with heavy hearts and weary souls and we have no joy in the Lord. Sometimes people leave worship more weary and depressed than when they came in and that should not be. Worship is meant to be the natural overflow of our joyful hearts.
Thanksgiving (verses 27, 31, 40) – secondly they acknowledged God’s gifts to them and we should acknowledge God’s gracious gifts to us. What did they acknowledge? They gave thanks that Nehemiah met his brother and heard about the state of the walls of Jerusalem. They gave thanks that God enable Nehemiah to find favour in the eyes of Artexerxes who allowed him to travel to Jerusalem, who gave him letters for a safe passage and for the resources needed to rebuild the walls. They gave thanks for God’s hand of protection against their enemies, for uniting the people in the work and for its successful completion. I want you to note that they were specific in their thanks – as the old hymn encouraged us to do – we should count our blessings, name them one by one and you will be amazed at what God has done. In verses 45‐46 we read that thanksgiving was not a one off activity but something which was recurring in their worship.
Dedication – they dedicated themselves and the work of their hands to God. It was a symbolic and public passing of ownership back to God. Worship has that aspect to it – where we publicly pass ownership of our lives back to God.
Variety – look at verses 26‐29, 35, 41‐42 – there were a variety of instruments used in the worship of God and many different people participated in the leading of God’s praise. Not only was there a variety of instruments there was also a variety of voices – sometimes it was one of the two choirs, sometimes a lead singer and sometimes the people. The worship of God on this day was rich with variety and was for all to join in singing God’s praise.
Priority of Worship – look at verse 30. There is something very significant happening here. Do you notice what happens before
worship begins – purification. Here at the beginning the necessity for a clean heart and a contrite spirit is taught and emphasised to the people. Before they come to worship almighty God they seek His forgiveness and publicly, ritually go through an act of purification.
History and Tradition – look at verses 36, 45‐46. Sometimes worship can become a battle ground between what is new and what is old. Not so with Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem. They were prepared to make use in worship of the words of their forefathers. All the history of church worship is not to be rejected and everything new is not to be unquestionably accepted.
Public witness – read verses 31, 38 and 43. Their worship was a corporate testimony to Almighty God. They paraded around the walls and their worship was heard far beyond the confines of the city. Our worship is a public witness to almighty God – what does it say to a dark and unbelieving world? Would someone who has no faith in Christ know why we come to worship every Sunday? Would your children know why you have come by your conversation on the way here in the car? Or over dinner afterwards? Unfortunately they may not. Remember that worship is also a testimony of where our hearts are with Christ Jesus. Remember worship is part of our evangelism – so what does it say about us?
They were united in worship – verses 27‐28. The people were brought together from near and far to worship God. They were split into two groups going different directions around the walls praising God. They met at the foot of the Temple steps and proceeded to worship almighty God. Look around you this morning
– there are a variety of ages, backgrounds etc but we are united in the worship of Almighty God. One day we will join a throng before the throne of Christ drawn from every nation, every tribe and every tongue and we will be one in our worship of the Lamb who was slain. Church worship is supposed to be a foretaste of that unity – now ask yourself is it? Worship is a united act of the people of God
– it is not a divisive act and if you are here to worship without
fellowship with others around you then you have sin in your heart and you need to repent. If worship divides it is going against God’s divine plan and will.
Costly – verses 44‐47 – it cost the people of Jerusalem to worship God. They had to bring the tithes into the Temple so that worship could continue – we should remember that. But I want to broaden your horizon here and I want you all to take this on board,
Quality – this is the last but not the least point in the passage – look at verse 42. There was nothing haphazard in their worship – it was directed, it was led and it was of the very best that they could offer to almighty God. We should desire in all our worship to offer God our very best. The best of our abilities and talents. The best of our musical abilities, the best of our heart and voices in praise should be offered to God. When we come to read the Word of God it should not be haphazard, prayers should not be haphazard, music, choir, band whatever – it should be of our very best.
We come to worship because He alone is worthy of our worship.
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