PRAISING GOD AT THE DUNG GATE
Neh. 12:27-43
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. A kindly old preacher married a couple and as he did, told the groom, “Son, God bless you. You’re at the end of all your troubles.”
2. A year later, the groom returned and said, “What a year I’ve gone through! It was extremely difficult! And you told me I was at the end of my troubles!
3. To which the old preacher replied, “Yep, I sure did. But I didn’t tell you which end!”
4. There are many things about life that no one told us about! Troubles, hardships. In tonight’s message we see Nehemiah’s response of praise to the difficulties of his life.
B. TEXT
1. 27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28 The musicians also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem—from the villages of the Netophathites, 29 from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the musicians had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall. 31 I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials ….43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
C. THESIS
1. The title of this message is “Praising God at the Dung Gate.”
2. We look at the Story, the Symbol, the Value, and the Rewards of the Dung Gate.
I. STORY OF NEHEMIAH’S CELEBRATION
A. BACKGROUND HISTORY
1. Israel had come back from captivity. We have no concept of what it would be like to have our country invaded, our military defeated, and to be all taken as prisoners to a foreign country and resettled. What would it be like to then, 70 years later, be able to come back to your own and and home town? Amazing!
2. Then after 3 efforts to reestablish the city of Jerusalem, they finally succeeded. Rejoicing in all God had done, Nehemiah gathers the people and forms them into two processions:
a. One led by himself;
b. The other led by the priest Ezra.
B. THEY HAD SOMETHING TO PRAISE GOD FOR!
1. Nehemiah and Ezra had been released. They had all been in captivity. Many of us know what it means to be in spiritual captivity. Do you remember the day that Jesus set you free? When He took your load of sin and guilt?
2. Not only that, but God guided them back safely to Israel, some 900 miles. There were NO good roads, NO law enforcement. Bandits roamed that vacant area robbing the travelers, but God had kept them safe.
3. And just before this celebration, they had just completed the walls and gates of Jerusalem. God helped them to do it in 52 Days! In spite of opposition and the mountains of rubble piled every where.
4. Previously, while building the Temple, God had given a vision to Zechariah of an endless supply of Oil being poured down on those doing the work. God said, “It’s not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of Hosts.”
C. RESPONSE
1. In response, Nehemiah divided the people and sent them off to worship, on top of the walls, in two directions.
2. One group was sent to worship at the Dung Gate.
II. THE SYMBOL OF THE DUNG GATE
A. A STRANGE PLACE TO WORSHIP GOD
1. There were better gates to end their worship at.
a. There were 11 gates in Nehemiah’s time.
b. There were more important and historic gates than the Dung Gate; there was the King’s Gate, the Beautiful Gate, Sheep Gate, Water Gate, Fountain Gate, etc.
c. Nehemiah (& God) said, “Those Gates are glorious, but I want you to even worship Me at the Dung Gate!”
2. PURPOSE OF THE GATE
a. Holman’s Bible Dic.: “Used for the disposal of refuse, garbage, and dung” (human). They had no sewage pipes.
b. It led to the Valley of Hinnom, the place of Baal worship, idol worship and human sacrifice.
c. An inglorious gate. It could have been called the “Port-A-Potty Gate.” If a guard who worked there were asked, “Which gate do you work at?” He might cover his mouth and cough when answering.
3. Sometimes God calls us to worship in places that don’t appeal to our pride, ego, or our logic. I’m sure some thought, “I want to go worship with the other group! Can I switch?”
B. TODAY’S PREFERRED GATE
1. Paul addressed the Corinthians, “[Now] You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us 9….for we [Apostles] have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now” 1 Cor. 4:8-13.
2. The Corinthians had a Gospel of Self and they were “full.” Paul’s experience contradicted that; “We worship at the Dung Gate! That’s where we’ve been assigned.”
III. EX./VALUE OF SUCH WORSHIPERS
A. PAUL
1. God had told him, “I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name.” Paul had accepted his lot in life and rejoiced in his sufferings.
2. Because he did, he learned that when he was weak, God was strong! It brought him closer to God.
3. Many of us do all we can to avoid suffering, trials, and difficulties. In the U.S. we pray, “Lord, make me to have less troubles to bear.” In many persecuted areas the Christians pray, “Lord, make my back stronger to bear my troubles!”
B. ANNA
1. “There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage” Lk. 2:36.
2. Anna had lost her husband and never remarried. She had a Dung Gate experience. She lost her plans, dreams, and future.
3. She didn’t blame God; she didn’t pray for another Gate. Instead, she clung to God and in the end, saw Jesus as a child and recognized Him! She was one of the few privileged!
IV. REWARDS OF SUCH PRAISE
A. EARTHLY TESTIMONY
1. If you want true words from Christ, if you want comfort – go to those who have suffered. They have the ability to see Christ in everything.
2. Think how Paul and Silas touched the Philippian Jailor; by praising God in their sufferings!
3. Think how the 3 Hebrew Children in the fire, touched the King by praising God in their sufferings!
4. God hasn’t called you OUT of where you are, but to PRAISE HIM where you are!
5. So when you sit at the unemployment office and others are wringing their hands, you can have confidence in your God who cares for you!
6. It’s easy to praise God when everything is going well –
a. when there’s no bills going unpaid;
b. when there’s no fears at home;
c. when you have no illnesses in your body.
But only a few can praise God when things seem to be going bad.
B. HEAVENLY REWARD
1.Paul said, “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it” 1 Cor. 12:22-24.
2. In Heaven, those who were first shall be last, and the last first. Heaven will honor the unhonored! You may have no glory this side of eternity.
3. And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ Rev. 7:14-17. What wonderful promises to the suffering!
4. Don’t complain about your lot in life. The Israelites praised God at every Gate, even the Dung Gate!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: True Story
1. While assembling their new water bed, Vickie and her husband, Everett, realized they would need a hose. Everett went and bought one.
2. He attached it to the bed, then ran it through the apartment to the kitchen tap and hooked it up. The water pressure was very low, so Vickie and Everett went to get some Starbuck coffees, while the bed filled with water.
3. About an hour later they came back and checked on its progress. That's when they discovered Everett had bought a sprinkler hose. [Reader's Digest, March, 1993, p. 123.]
B. ILLUS. # 2
1. Joe Scriven was a missionary from Ireland to Canada, working among the Iroquois Indians. He was joined by his fiancé who was also from Ireland.
2. Just before the wedding, she was killed in an ice accident. Joe buried her with his own hands, and a broken heart. A year later, in a letter to his mother, he reflected,
3. "What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer."
4. Joe was on the road to triumph, even though there were times when the road was rough. [Source Unknown]
C. THE CALL
1. When you feel like things are over your head – remember – they’re UNDER GOD’S FEET!
2. “Jesus I’m holding to the hem of your garment! This flood will not drag me down.”
“I will praise you in this place and experience all Your self-sufficiency. Even in the fire of my life, I will praise You!”
3. If you’re having a tough time, come to the front. We want to pray for God’s strength to be yours. Prayer.
[This message is a rewrite of Carter Conlon’s message of the same title.]
