A Dedication To Celebrate

What this episode covers

US: 40M adults (18.1%) suffer from anxiety disorder. 18M major depressive disorder. The first year of Covid increased prevalence of depression 25% worldwide.Barna (2011): Almost 1/5 young adults leave church because their faith isn’t helping them cope with depression or other emotional problems.If church is a refuge, it won’t ignore genuine emotional tensions or paper over them with platitudes.Remember how book began? Neh. 1:1-3God raised up Nehemiah, supplied resources + volunteers to rebuild the wall > Revived interest in hearing and obeying God’s Word > Commitment to give and participate.Spiritual highs often followed by spiritual lows. Quick turnaround often followed by quick downfall. They needed a reformation of worship. The problem the church faces in every age is that our worship naturally becomes cold, empty, and eventually misdirected.Reformation requires ongoing dependence upon God blessing our celebration of the ordinary means of grace. Read Nehemiah 12:27-47. I. Celebration Involves Anticipation (27-30) Gathering together to give thanks. Required packing + traveling. Musicians brought their instruments. Purifying: The priests and Levites > the people > gates and wall. Ceremonial cleansing (washing body/clothes, ritual sprinkling, sin-offering, fasting, abstinence—Exod. 19; Lev. 16; Num. 8). Set apart for sacred purpose.The people experienced glad anticipation as they gathered Levites and ascended to Jerusalem. Social Impact of Technological Advancements Technological advancements have had a tremendous social impact. Marshall McLuhan, “the medium is the message.” Discussed impact of shifting from oral to written culture. Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death, focused on the social impact television. Crave passive entertainment.Technological advancements in travel has significant impact upon community life. Transient. Travel much further for much shorter stays. Increasingly automated (Tesla). We’re on the fast track to Wall-E (isolated in personal pods).When folks went to Jerusalem they weren’t planning on turning around an hour later. They stayed awhile, wanted to. No other plans for day of dedication. Happy, thankful, anticipation of great celebration. Anticipate An Encounter With God We don’t have to join an Amish community to experience a warmer more joyful community? But we should think about how to build anticipation within ourselves and our homes for the Lord’s Day.Preparing to meet with a holy God is not to be done flippantly. We must be cleansed by the blood of Christ. A solemn seriousness reflects reverent hearts. What do you anticipate when you prepare for worship? How do you build excitement in your family? Do you prepare your heart for an encounter with God?Whenever God speaks to us through his word something always happens! Expect it! Prayerfully anticipate it! Without anticipation, hope wanes.Heb 12:1-2. Future joy establishes present hope! The pinnacle of future joy is surrounding the throne of God among the great throng of witnesses.May God enable us to experience a foretaste of that heavenly throne room this morning, and until we gather in glory. We will only engage in proper anticipation if it is routinely satisfied in worship. II. Celebration Involves Jubilation (31-43) “Rejoice” & “Joy” have the same root in Hebrew occurring 5x in v.43.Choir #1 (31-37) traveled counter-clockwise along the southeast portion of the wall. Led by Ezra.Choir #2 (38-43) traveled clockwise along the northwest portion of the wall. Followed by Nehemiah.Both choirs seem to have started at the valley gate and ended at the guard gate—nearest to the temple. Each traveled roughly 2/3 mi (30mins). Singing, playing, and celebrating until they met each other and entered into the temple (Ezra first, Nehemiah last). There they stood with the leaders and led the community.Possibly sang Psalm 48 (especially vv.12-14). Our Implicit Worship Manual Frozen chosen = seriousness that overwhelmed an

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