will you pray with me
Lord we ask you this morning
that by your grace
Lord you would help us
to hear
and obey your word
Lord may the words of my mouth
and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in your sight
oh Lord
our rock and our redeemer
Lord would you make us all
have soft hearts
and ears that are alert
Lord help us to be
those who listen
and are changed by your word
oh Jesus be with us this morning we pray
in Jesus name
Amen
are we good Stephanie
okay
I can do this if you'd rather
yeah
let's do that
all right
is this better
all right good
so
question I want to ask you this morning is
what do you celebrate
and what does it look like
it was with great joy
that I watched the U.S.
women's national soccer team
celebrate their world cup championship
though not all of it was
perhaps the most God glorifying
there was wonderful celebration
of
their hard work and dedication
and their victory
in New York City
with a ticker tape parade
and
great celebration
crowds
and throngs of people
came
to celebrate
in this past month
we celebrated
the 4th of July
the founding of our country
and
the joy
of
living in a country
that does have
all of the blessings
that we have
in this country
it's also
July is a big
celebration month
in my family
there are celebrations
of birthdays
my daughter
turned 9
this
past month
as well as
other family members
and I know
there have been a few
weddings around here as well
and those are fun
celebrations
just to think about
all the different kinds
of celebrations
we have
big or small
there are things
that are common
to them all
people gather
and there is joy
often
with singing
and dancing
and good food
we celebrate
together
and declare
that something
is praiseworthy
something is
good
and worthy
of lifting up
and corporately
recognizing
and that's what
a celebration
is
now there are
some of us
who may struggle
to celebrate
some of us
for whom
today
or maybe
more broadly
that the pain
of our lives
are so great
that even
the best things
have dark hues
that hang
on our heart
sometimes
we struggle
to celebrate
because we don't
even see
the goodness
of the things
that are worthy
of celebrating
maybe in our
cynicism
we assume
that there must
be something
wrong with it
and therefore
are robbed
of the ability
to celebrate it
and sometimes
honestly
we're just
plain too
self-centered
to celebrate
anything else
that isn't
about ourselves
what do you
celebrate
this morning
we're going to
look at a passage
in scripture
where we see
the people of God
celebrating
a final act
of God
rebuilding
his people
if you've been
coming here
for a while
you know
we're preaching
through the book
of Nehemiah
and if you want
to turn there
you can turn
with me
to here
I'll look it up
for us
we're going to
turn to page
where is it
page 378
Nehemiah
we're going to
be looking at
chapters 11
and 12
and as you're
looking there
let me remind
you of where
Ezra and Nehemiah
fit in the bigger
story of the Bible
and where we are
in these books
in the story
of the Old Testament
we see that
after establishing
God's people
in his kingdom
they forsook
God
and worshipped
other gods
in their sin
and after
patiently
pursuing them
and warning them
finally God
brought them
in judgment
and took
the people of God
away in exile
the king
was dethroned
the city
of Jerusalem
the capital
was destroyed
the temple
where God's presence
was among his people
and where they worshipped
God
was raised
and the people
of God
were scattered
the books
of Ezra
and Nehemiah
are the story
of God
rebuilding
his people
after that
God
gathering
his people
from the nations
and bringing
them back
to the promised
land of Judah
God
rebuilding
the altar
and the temple
where they worshipped
God
rebuilding
the walls
of the city
God
restoring
his people
to holiness
and his submission
to the word
of God
as he taught
them and instructed
them again
as how to live
as God's people
and as we've come
through the book
of Ezra
and through the book
of Nehemiah
we're almost
at the end
we have seen
in Nehemiah
chapter 6
verse 16
that the wall
was finished
so the city
finally had
a wall again
which was common
in those days
that you needed
a wall
around the city
to protect it
it created
safety
and security
and it was
an important part
of what it meant
to be a city
so they built
the wall
and then in
Nehemiah
chapter 7
verse 4
we read this
the city
was wide
and large
but the people
within it
were few
and no houses
had been rebuilt
and so though
God had brought
his people back
and God had done
all this rebuilding
there was yet
a little more work
to be done
as God finishes
his work of rebuilding
we're going to look
at how God did that
we're going to look
at the celebration
of God doing that
we're going to look
at how he did that
in Nehemiah's day
we're going to look
at what it is
that they celebrated
in God's larger work
in the world
and then we're going
to look at what
that means
for us
today
so we start
in Nehemiah
chapter 11
now here's a
here's a heads up
Nehemiah chapter 11
verse 3
all the way through
to Nehemiah
chapter 12
verse 26
is a list of names
I'm not going
to read them
I will describe
to you what there is
but I'm not going
to read it
so I'm going to read
verses 1 and 2
of chapter 11
and then I'm going
to skip ahead
and read
in chapter 12
verse 27
and following
when we get
to that section
so that's what
we're going to do
as we look at
what God was doing
in Nehemiah's day
so look with me
at Nehemiah 11
verses 1 and 2
now the leaders
of the people
lived in Jerusalem
and the rest
of the people
cast lots
to bring 1 out of 10
to live in Jerusalem
the holy city
while 9 out of 10
remained in the other towns
and the people
blessed all the men
who were willing
who willingly offered
to live in Jerusalem
so the final movement
of God rebuilding
his people
is actually
populating the city
now the walls
are up
the gates
are in place
but the city
has been empty
that's what we saw
in chapter 7
verse 4
there wasn't enough
people there
and so God
moved the people
the leaders
had already committed
and moved
to be there
they had already
moved into the city
to commit
to being there
but there was a need
for more people
and so there was
a lottery
and 1 out of 10
people
were called
to move
from the surrounding
area
to move
into the city
and you notice
as you look ahead
in verses 3
through 24
that the people
who came in
were from all
the active
peoples of God
who are still there
all the tribes
the tribes of Benjamin
and the tribes of Judah
and the priests
and the Levites
all the people
who were actively
engaged in this
rebuilding project
1 out of 10
of them
moved into the city
and you have to
recognize
that this was
a big deal
this was a costly
move for them
because living
in a city
in those days
was actually
dangerous
it's like
you were putting
a target
on your back
for marauding armies
if you were
an invading army
you're not going
to march
through the countryside
and attack
random farmhouses
here and there
you're going
to go to the city
and you're going
to raise it
that's how you
conquer another country
and so to move
to the city
was to put yourself
in greater danger
not only was it
costly for that reason
but it was also costly
because you were
leaving farmland
that either had to be
tilled by someone
else on your behalf
or you were leaving it
and having to find
another means
of providing for yourself
while you lived
in the city
and so we see
that in verse 6
and verse 8
and verse 14
those who moved
to the city
were called valiant
or those with valor
they had courage
to take this step
and to move
into Jerusalem
one commentator
said that these
people who moved
were those
who were willing
to put God's program
over their
individual desires
and security
and so what we see
in the rest of this chapter
is in verses 3
through 24
we see an account
of the people
who moved to Jerusalem
and who lived
in the cities
and then we see
in chapter 11
verses 25
through 36
we hear
an accounting
of the people
who lived
around Jerusalem
in the surrounding
areas
in what had been
the land of Judah
and Benjamin
in the past
and then in the beginning
of verse 12
you have an account
of the priests
and the Levites
again those who served
in the temple
many of them lived
in the city
but many of them
did not
there was a rotation
for the Levites
where they would come
to the city
for two weeks
to serve in the temple
but most of the time
they would be out
living in the villages
and living somewhere else
the Levites
would come together
would come in
to do the service
that they were supposed
to do in the temple
in the worship
to serve the rebuilt nation
and part of what
I want you to see
in this long section
that's mostly feeling
like it's administration
is that
as God was rebuilding
his people
it was not a superficial thing
that he was doing
in their lives
but that it was asking them
to orient their lives
around worshiping him
and being a part
of what he was doing
such that
some people
had to actually
uproot their lives
and move somewhere else
not because of their own
personal desires
but for the sake
of the kingdom
and for the sake
of the rebuilding
of God's people
this leads us then
to chapter 12
verse 27
and following
which I'm going to read
and if you want to read
along with me
that would be great
Nehemiah chapter 12
verse 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
and the sons
of the singers
gathered together
from the districts
surrounding Jerusalem
and from the villages
of the Nido-Faithites
and from Beth Gilgal
and from the region
of Geba
and from Asmaveth
from the singers
for the singers
had built
for themselves
villages
around Jerusalem
and the priests
and the Levites
purified themselves
and they purified
the people
and the gates
and the wall
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
after them
went Hoshiah
and half of the leaders
of Judah
and Azariah
Ezra
Meshallam
Judah
Benjamin
Shemiah
and Jeremiah
and certain of the priest's
sons
with trumpets
Zechariah
the son of Jonathan
son of Shemiah
son of Mataniah
son of Micaiah
son of Zechur
son of Asaph
and his relatives
Shemiah
Ezra
Melali
Gilali
Ma'ai
Nathanael
Judah
and Hanani
and with the musical
instruments of David
the man of God
and Ezra the scribe
went with them
at the fountain gate
they went up
straight before them
by the stairs
of the city of David
at the ascent
of the wall
above the house
of David
to the water gate
on the east
and the other choir
of those who gave thanks
went to the north
and I followed them
with half the people
on the wall
above the tower
of the ovens
to the broad wall
and above the gate
of Ephraim
and by the gate
of Yashana
by the fish gate
and the tower
of Hananel
and the tower
of the hundred
to the sheep gate
and they came
to a halt
at the gate
of the guard
so both choirs
of those who gave thanks
stood in the house
of God
and I
and half of the officials
with me
and the priests
Eliakim
Maaseah
Miniamen
Micaiah
Eliohani
Zechariah
and Hananiah
with trumpets
and Maaseah
Shemaiah
Eleazar
Uzi
Jehohanan
Malkijah
Elam
and Ezer
and the singers
sang with
Jezrehiah
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
so we didn't
escape the lists
did we
whoo
not only
did the people
orient their lives
around the rebuilding
to the point
where they would move
but then they gathered
they gathered
to have
a celebration
of joy
and you see
that
remember
the Levites
and priests
lived out town
so Nehemiah
called the Levites
and the priests
to come in
from the surrounding cities
called the singers
to come in
to be a part
of this grand celebration
he called the people
to gather together
because the wall
was finished
and he purified
the people
and the priests
and the Levites
and even the space
even the place
the walls
and the gates
they purified themselves
to set themselves apart
to worship God
and to give him thanks
and he divided
the two people
in the choirs
and it would be like
if you
we gathered here
and we split you up
into the left
and the right
and half of you
walked down
State Street
and then walked
down Chapel Street
all the way
across town
to say
Howe Street
and then you walked
up to Elm Street
and walked back
and the other half
would take Grove Street
and walk down
and would go down
to Elm Street
and would walk back
and they met
in the middle
at the house of God
in the plaza
outside the temple
and they sang songs
and they didn't just
sing songs
but they brought instruments
and they had a great celebration
and did you notice
verse 43
if you made it
through all those names
did you notice
verse 43
they offered great sacrifices
that day
and rejoiced
for God
had made them rejoice
with great joy
and the women
and the children
also rejoiced
this is like
the second time
in the whole two books
that the women
and children
are mentioned
and the writer
makes sure
to make sure
the whole people
gathered
to rejoice
in what God
had done
and this joy
was so great
that the joy
of Jerusalem
was heard
far away
what did they sing
when they gathered
well we don't know
for sure
but it's possible
that they sang
Psalm 48
as a part of it
and I just want to read
a part of this psalm
the whole psalm
is a rejoicing
about Zion
Jerusalem
but I'm just going to read
verses 9
through 14
this might have been
part of what they sang
as they gathered
we have thought
of your steadfast love
oh God
in the midst
of your temple
as your name
oh God
so your praise
reaches to the ends
of the earth
your right hand
is filled
with righteousness
let Mount Zion
be glad
let the daughters
of Judah
rejoice
because of your
judgments
walk around
Zion
go around her
number her towers
consider well
her ramparts
go through
her citadels
that you may tell
the next generation
that this
is God
our God
forever
and ever
he will guide us
forever
this was
perhaps
one of the songs
that they sang
rejoicing
in what God
had done
rejoicing
in his faithfulness
to rebuild
his people
and to rebuild
this city
and the joy
resounded
I was trying to think
when in our
modern world
has joy
resounded
like this
throughout the world
the best example
I could think of
is if you were alive
in 1989
if you were
aware
of what was going on
as
with the fall
of communism
and particularly
in the city of Berlin
as the Berlin Wall
fell
there was a celebration
and a joy
in the freedom
and the breaking down
of what had been
a horrible
breaking
of the community
there
that there was
a restoration
of the nation
and of the city
that rang out
not just there
but reverberated
throughout the world
there are probably
others
but in Jerusalem
they were rejoicing
not just the rebuilding
of a nation
not just the rebuilding
of a city
but they were rejoicing
in the rebuilding
of a people
and the restoration
of God's purposes
centered here
in this time
in God's redemptive history
in the city
of Jerusalem
and they rejoiced
with great joy
and what I want
to do next
in the next few minutes
is to spend
a little bit of time
answering the question
why
why was rebuilding
Jerusalem
such a big deal
for the people
of God
I'm going to look
at the Bible
to talk a little bit
about the significance
of Jerusalem
we're going to go back
in its history
leading up to this point
in Nehemiah
and then we're going
to look ahead
and see what God
has to say
about the theology
of Jerusalem
and its significance
in God's plan
as we do so
we're going to be
flipping through the Bible
I don't necessarily
expect you to keep up
because we're going
to be looking
at a lot of verses
but if you just want
to write down
the references
I'll try to repeat them
so you can write them down
and look them up later
if you want to
so the first place
that we see
Jerusalem becoming
really significant
apart from back
in Genesis
where Abraham
meets a guy
who's the king
of Salem
which is Jerusalem
Melchizedek
but that's a whole
other story
so that you kind
of have a
there's something there
but the first time
you really see
the city begin
to take a big place
is in 2 Samuel
chapter 5
verses 6 through 10
where David
the newly risen
the newly appointed
king
of the people
of Israel
after the failure
of Saul's kingship
as David
is ascending
to his throne
as he is
consolidating
the people
and as he is
establishing
the kingdom
of Israel
in a profound way
in verses 6 through 10
he conquers
the city
of Jerusalem
which the Jebusites
said he could never do
and he said
the city was
they said the city
was so strong
that the lame
and the blind
could protect them
and David
would have no chance
well
God was with David
and in fact
they did
conquer Jerusalem
that day
and they settled it
as a capital city
and David
made Jerusalem
the seat
where the king
sat
and ruled
over God's people
and then you see
further on
in the story
in 2 Chronicles
chapter 7
you see that
not only was it
the seat of the king
was established
but then in Jerusalem
as Solomon
David's son
built the temple
there
they had been
using a tabernacle
portable worship
service
type of thing
and God said
no
now Solomon
was going to
build the temple
where there would be
a permanent place
where God would dwell
with his people
and so we read
in 2 Chronicles 7
3
when all the people
of Israel
saw the fire
come down
and the glory
of the Lord
on the temple
they bowed down
with their faces
to the ground
on the pavement
and worshipped
and gave thanks
to the Lord
saying for he is good
and his steadfast love
endures forever
for in that temple
God manifested
his glory
on the earth
he said
I will come
and dwell
in the midst
of my people
in a unique way
by manifesting
his glory
in the temple
and so not only
was Jerusalem
the place
where the king
reigned
but it was also
the place
where God
lived among
and with his people
and yet as we
recounted earlier
that kingdom
did not last
that kingdom
failed
the people
failed
and ultimately
God
raised
allowed the city
to be destroyed
in judgment
and so Ezra and Nehemiah
were seeing God
rebuilding that
and restoring that
and all the hopes
of the people of Israel
were in this restoration
and we read a little bit
in the prophet Isaiah
it's fascinating
reading the book of Isaiah
through the lens
of what is God
doing in Jerusalem
that's an assignment
for extra credit
if you want to read
Isaiah
through the lens
of Jerusalem
it's a fascinating read
but what you see
at the end of Isaiah
is that he began
to talk of Jerusalem
not just as
the physical city
but he began
to cast a vision
for what it might be
in the future
and so in Isaiah 62
10 through 12
Jerusalem is not just
the place
where God's people
gather
but it's a place
where God's people
not just the nation
of Israel
but from all nations
gather
not bounded
but expanding
to include peoples
from all the world
and so Isaiah 62
verses 10 through 12
say this
go through
go through the gates
prepare the way
for the people
build up
build up the highway
clear it of the stones
lift up a signal
over the peoples
behold
the Lord has proclaimed
to the ends
of the earth
say to the daughters
of Zion
behold
your salvation comes
behold
his reward
is with him
and his recompense
before him
and they shall be
called the holy people
the redeemed
of the Lord
and you shall be
called
sought out
a city
not forsaken
now if you're
wondering where
Jerusalem was
in that sentence
or in those verses
recognize that
Zion
is a synonym
for Jerusalem
in the Old Testament
when the Old Testament
talks about Zion
they're talking
about Jerusalem
this place
this city
on a hill
that God
has established
to be the center
of his work
in the Old Testament
and Isaiah
then
a few chapters
later
in Isaiah 65
continues to expand
his vision
for what Jerusalem
is
as he speaks
the words
of the Lord
to his people
for behold
I create
new heavens
and a new earth
and the former things
shall not be remembered
or come to mind
but be glad
and rejoice
forever
in that which I create
for behold
I create
Jerusalem
to be a joy
and her people
to be a gladness
I will rejoice
in Jerusalem
and be glad
in my people
no more
shall be heard
in it
the sound of weeping
and the cry
of distress
and this was
the message
of hope
that Isaiah
was bringing
during the end
of the kingdom
right on the brink
of the exile
he was saying
God will not
abandon his people
but there is a Jerusalem
yet to come
that is going to be
even greater
than this one
that you are seeing
being destroyed
Isaiah began
to see that
Jerusalem
wasn't just
a town
and a geopolitical
entity
but it was
also an idea
it was a symbol
it was a picture
of what God
was doing
in building
his kingdom
and so then
we read
in the history
Ezra and Nehemiah
and the rebuilding
of this physical
place
and this
reestablishment
of this physical
kingdom
and reestablishing
of the worship
in a physical
temple
and yet
it seems
that the New Testament
or the Old Testament
has pointed us
to something
greater
and that's
exactly what
we see
in the New Testament
without it being
a major theme
all of Jesus
significant redemptive
work
his birth
his death
his resurrection
all happen
in Jerusalem
it is there
that God
does his work
of redeeming
people from sin
through the death
of his very son
and what we see
flowing out of that
in the hope
of the gospel
in the people
of God
that is created
by faith
in Jesus
as God
is gathering
a people
as God
is expanding
his people
is that they
recognize
that their
citizenship
is no longer
in a nation
here or there
but their primary
and ultimate
citizenship
is to be a part
of the people
of God
their citizenship
is in heaven
and as we read
earlier in Hebrews
11
their hope
was to be a part
of a heavenly kingdom
that God
would establish
and so
Hebrews
picks up this
theme
richly
Hebrews 11
16
as we read
earlier
but as it is
they desire
a better country
that is a heavenly
one
therefore God
is not ashamed
to be called
their God
for he has
prepared for them
a city
and we see
then in
Hebrews 12
as Jeff
read some
earlier
18 through
24
that the
kingdom
of God
established
in Christ
the new
people of
God
that we
are joined
to by faith
have come
to a new
Jerusalem
a new
city
a new
citizenship
a new
place
where we
live
he casts
a vision
for a
Jerusalem
that is a
heavenly
and a future
creation
where we
will enter
into the
fullness
of joy
and enjoy
the fullness
of the fruit
of Christ's
death
and resurrection
for us
finally
we turn
to the very
end
of the
Bible
Revelation
21
gives us
a vision
as the
apostle John
received it
a vision
of the
God's
future
work
that will
echo
and establish
what Isaiah
had foretold
so in
Revelation
21
verses 1
through 3
we see
this
then I saw
a new
heaven
and a new
earth
for the
first heaven
and the
first earth
had passed
away
and the
sea
was no
more
and I
saw
the
holy
city
new
Jerusalem
coming
down
out of
heaven
from
God
prepared
as a
bride
adorned
for her
husband
and I
heard a
loud
voice
from the
throne
saying
behold
the
dwelling
place
of God
is with
man
he will
dwell
with them
and they
will be
his people
and God
himself
will be
with them
as
their
God
apostle
John
goes on
and describes
the city
he describes
its perfect
proportions
he describes
it as
a city
adorned
with a
beauty
that is
greater
than the
most
precious
of metals
and gemstones
that its
glory
is an
unimaginable
beauty
and then
he writes
this
at the
end
starting
in verse
22
chapter
21
and I
saw
no
temple
in the
city
for the
temple
is the
Lord
God
the
Almighty
and the
Lamb
and the
city
had no
need
of sun
or moon
to shine
on it
for the
glory
of God
gives it
light
and its
lamp
is the
Lamb
by its
light
will the
nations
walk
and the
kings
of the
earth
will bring
their glory
into it
and its
gates
will never
be shut
by day
and there
will be
no night
there
and they
will bring
into it
the glory
and honor
of the
nations
you see
friends
the city
of Jerusalem
in the
Old Testament
where the
king sat
and reigned
where the
presence of
God was
manifested
among the
people of
God
where the
nations were
called
to come
and to
know
this
God
and to
worship
him
all of
those
themes
then
accomplished
through the
life and
death and
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ
will find
their
fulfillment
in a
heavenly
Jerusalem
where God
will reign
where God
will live
with his
people
and his
people will
live with
him
and there
will be no
more temple
because God
himself
will be the
temple
but the
nations will
come and
they will
give him
glory
and they
will worship
him
the future
of God's
redemptive
people is
not a
return to
the garden
of paradise
but it is
a future
in a city
with God
that will be
more beautiful
and more
glorious
than we can
even imagine
so Jerusalem
is a place
where God's
redemptive
purposes are
worked out
where his
people are
gathered
to celebrate
and worship
him
and this
is why
the people
in the
time of
Ezra
and Nehemiah
celebrated
the building
of the
wall
because this
was the
step
in redemptive
history
that they
were at
to rebuild
this place
and yet
as we sit
here now
we see
that God
was doing
so much
more
than just
rebuilding
that place
so what
about us
how do we
apply this
for us
today
a couple
of quick
thoughts
first of all
the Jerusalem
that we are
looking for
in this age
is not the
Jerusalem
of this
world
though we
may honor
the Jerusalem
that sits
in Israel
and Palestine
today
we may
remember
that it
was the
location
where God
worked
faithfully
in years
past
it is not
that city
that we
have put
our hope
in
for God's
kingdom
is no
longer
a political
one
a social
one
a physical
one
but God's
kingdom
is a
transnational
community
spread
throughout
the world
of people
from every
tribe
and tongue
and nation
who are
gathered
solely by
their faith
in Jesus
Christ
as their
savior
and king
God's
people
in the
new
testament
is not
a nation
state
to be
rebuilt
but it
is a
people
of God
that is
built
through
the
proclamation
the
preaching
of the
good
news
of Jesus
throughout
the
world
this
leads us
to the
second
application
if we're
not looking
for
that
what are
we
looking
for
friends
it is
the
church
that is
the
instrument
of God's
redemptive
purposes
in this
age
as we
await
the heavenly
Jerusalem
that is
to come
we gather
here and
celebrate
God's
faithfulness
in Jesus
Christ
to his
people
and the
work
that he
is
doing
we
come
to see
that
God
is
building
a
people
throughout
the
world
not
just
here
in
New
Haven
or not
just
here
in
America
but
throughout
the
world
he is
building
his
church
and
it
is
church
is
the
place
where
God's
reign
is
being
established
and
lived
out
in
this
world
it
is
in
the
church
where
God's
presence
through
the
Holy
Spirit
is
dwelling
among
his
people
and
it
is
in
the
church
where
we
worship
and
celebrate
this
God
as
we
live
as
exiles
and
strangers
in
this
world
longing
for
the
heavenly
kingdom
that
is
yet
to
come
if
this
is
true
friends
let me
ask
you
some
questions
do
you
believe
that
what's
going
on
in
the
church
is
more
important
than
anything
that
the
New York
Times
would
put
on
its
headlines
as
we
gather
here
as
one
little
expression
of
the
broad
church
of
God
do
you
treasure
it
do
you
look
forward
to
coming
and
being
a
part
of
God's
people
week
in
and
week
out
or
has
it
become
a
casual
option
for
you
depending
on
how
nice
the
weather
is
do
you
see
your
participation
in
the
church
and
in
its
mission
in
the
world
as
a
part
of
this
grand
theme
of
God
redeeming
a
people
for
himself
with
this
great
future
where
he
will
dwell
with
us
and
we
will
dwell
with
him
how
are
you
engaged
in
that
mission
how
are
you
seeking
to
live
under
God's
rule
how
are
you
seeking
to
overflow
to
those
around
you
with
the
love
and
the
grace
of
Jesus
Christ
so
that
others
may
know
and
come
and
join
in
this
heavenly
celebration
how
are
you
loving
a
fallen
and
broken
world
that
doesn't
know
where
to
put
their
hope
and
doesn't
know
what
to
celebrate
when
you
have
the
best
thing
in
the
world
to
celebrate
and
one
note
about
this
as
we
continue
in
this
local
church
as
we
begin
a
building
project
Lord
willing
in
a
month
we
want
to
keep
saying
this
over
and
over
again
that
building
when
it's
built
we
will
celebrate
it
because
it
will
be
a
sign
of
God's
faithfulness
and
God's
provision
for
our
church
but
that
is
not
the
church
that
is
an
instrument
it
will
be
a
place
whereby
we
might
continue
to
do
the
mission
that
God
has
called
us
to
of
lifting
up
Jesus
Christ
in
this
city
and
in
this
world
so
as
God
is
rebuilding
his
church
as
God
is
building
his
people
in
this
age
the
physical
structure
is
not
the
end
the
physical
structure
is
just
a
means
to
something
greater
finally
friends
let us
bring
let
let me
bring you
back to
where we
started
which is
celebration
the
singing
the
praise
the
rejoicing
that
we
gather
have
you
ever
thought
about
why
we
do
it
have
you
ever
thought
about
how
weird
it
is
that
we
gather
together
and
sing
corporately
on
Sunday
morning
it's
because
God
has
given
us
something
worth
celebrating
God
has
called
us
to
be
his
people
and
to
know
his
salvation
God
has
called
us
to
respond
to
all
that
he
has
done
with
worship
that
controls
all
of
our
lives
worship
that
flows
from
the
Holy
Spirit
that
lives
in
all
who
have
faith
in
Christ
worship
that
honors
God
as
our
King
and
our
Savior
worship
that
reminds
us
that
the
world
that
we
live
in
as
we
go
out
from
this
gathering
every
Sunday
is
not
the
end
and
it's
not
the
place
where
we
put
our
hope
or
find
our
ultimate
joy
but
it's
when
we
come
here
that
we're
reminded
of
the
heavenly
kingdom
and
the
Jerusalem
that
is
to
come
that
we
will
be
a
part
of
forever
do
you
come
every
Sunday
morning
anticipating
the
joy
of
worshiping
together
in
line
with
the
people
of
God
in
the
past
who
celebrated
his
faithfulness
and
his
building
of
his
kingdom
throughout
the
ages
in
light
of
the
future
hope
when
we
will
gather
around
his
throne
forever
and
we
will
sing
of
his
praises
friends
in
light
of
this
let's
pray
together
Lord
we
thank
you
we
thank
you
for
a
heavenly
Jerusalem
that
is
yet
to
come
and
we
thank
you
for
Christ
who
is
the
light
of
it
and
who
is
the
redeemer
of
it
and
is
the
one
who
will
establish
it
Lord
thank
you
for
this
gathering
this
morning
we
pray
that
you
might
fill
our
worship
with
the
joy
that
you
filled
these
Old
Testament
saints
with
Lord
as
you
filled
them
with
joy
the
rebuilding
of
that
Jerusalem
Lord
fill
us
with
joy
of
the
Jerusalem
that
you
are
building
and
that
awaits
us
in
heaven
we
pray
this
in
Jesus
name
amen
well
there's
no
more
fitting
way
to
respond
to
this
passage
than
to
stand
and
to
sing
together
how
firm
a
foundation
to
sing
of
the
foundation
of
the
work
that
God
is
doing
so
let's
stand
and sing
love
to
god
to
the
people
see
the
gallery