Ezra chapter 2. I'll read verse 1 and then verses 64 down to verse 70. Again when we come back to this on another occasion of another message we will read these words. They are very precious and they are a great encouragement but we unite together in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we come to the reading of Thy Word. We pray, O God, that Thou wilt just give us help now. We thank you, God, for the truth of Thy Word. And, O God, we pray that it is the truth of Thy Word that will set men and women free. We pray, O God, that Thou wilt bless, undertake for me now, fill me with the Holy Spirit, make me to be a channel of blessing. And, Father, we pray as we go through this message today, Lord, come, touch our hearts, we ask, in Jesus' name. Amen. Now these are the children of Provence that went up out of captivity. of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away unto Babylon, and came again to Jerusalem, and Judah, every one unto his city." And then what you have from verse 2 onwards is the list of all those registered who came back. Notice verse 64, The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand, three hundred and threescore, beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand, three hundred thirty and seven, and there were among them 200 singing men and women their horses were 730 and 6 their mules 240 and 5 their camels 430 and 5 their asses 6720 and some of the chief fathers when they came to the house of the lord which is at jerusalem offered freely for the house of god to set it up in his place They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work, three score, and one thousand drams of gold, five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priest garments, and the priests and the lephites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethanims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. Amen. We know the Lord. Well that is blessing to the reading of his word. And considering a number of weeks ago the registry of the Lord's people in Ezra, and in Ezra chapter 2, we learn in previous chapters it is those whose spirit God had raised up to go and build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. We discovered that the registry recorded the number of the Lord's people. The registry that was taken recorded all those who came back. The total who returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel was 42,360 as Ezra chapter 2 verse 64 states. Also the registry recorded then the names of the people, not just their number, how many came back, but also they were all named as you have in verses 2 right through to 61. There are many names recorded. These are the heads of the families who returned in answer to the Lord's sovereign call uh by the decree the decree of cyrus king of persia we learn in chapter one verse three who is there among you of all his people his god be with him and let him go up to jerusalem which is in judah and build the house of the Lord, God of Israel. He is God, which is in Jerusalem." And so the Lord, people who were stirred up, they came to go back and rebuild. And as you know, as we've gone through already in previous studies, there were three returns back to Jerusalem. Both men and women, their name and number, involved in the Lord's work was recorded, but not just recorded there on earth, but also recorded in heaven. There are the spiritual applications that all who are justified by faith, reconciled by blood, have peace with God, they are numbered and named, known by the Lord, because firstly he has chosen them before the foundation of the world secondly he has given them to christ to save and thirdly their names are written in the lamb's book of life that is heaven's register heaven's rule book and when the role is called up yonder they will be there and that's the great joy you have as the people of God to spiritually make the application. You're the number of all God's people, and the names of all God's people are known by Him. And you who are saved today, when the roll is called up yonder, your name will be there. And so while we go through this book and these chapters and we give the literal meaning of what's taking place, a band of people who are in captivity, they're now going back to Jerusalem to build the temple of the Lord. Those who came back, there was a register of how many people came back and their names. And in every area that they took part when they came back, the work that they did. And so we make application to our hearts spiritually that there is a registry recorded by the Lord of all the names and the number of his people. Well today we want simply to make practical application. Not only did the registry record the number of God's people and the names of God's people, but the registry also recorded the need of God's people. Also recorded the need of God's people. There are four points I want to leave with you today. Make practical application of those who came back to build the work and the area that they were involved in serving the Lord. Again those words in first day of chapter one. Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build the house of the Lord God of Israel. He is God which is in Jerusalem. Remember Ezra is all about rebuilding the temple. restoring worship and then you come to the book of nehemiah and it's about restoring the walls around the temple because whenever nebuchadnezzar came and took the people captive the walls of jerusalem they were broken down the gates were on fire the temple was destroyed the city lay in rubble it lay in ruin there was nothing there but ruin So now Ezra records those who came back to build the temple, to repair the altar, again to offer up the sacrifices, to worship God again on the ground of the blood. And then Nehemiah came later on the third return, the book of Nehemiah, which we'll get to after Ezra. And that's all about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the walls around the temple. And there's one that I tell you, they're brilliant books. Of course, all God's word is brilliant books. But when you come to these, it's a real stir because you really see the work of God, how people came, stirred to do the work. and also you learn in these books of believers whose heart were not right with God backslidden how they caused trouble in the work terrible thing that God's own people would seek to cause trouble in the work because they're not right with God themselves and then you have the enemies who come in, those who unsaved married the saved and that caused trouble within the work and that's why believers should only marry believers. So all these things we have it in Ezra, we have it in Nehemiah, you can also count Esther there as well in other books. So we look today at the registry recorded the need of the Lord's people. Notice first of all that there was the need for priests. The priests were named in verses 36 and verse 39. There were 4,772 priests in all, about a tenth of the entire assembly. It's very important to see that when it came to the work of the priests, their names are recorded and their need is recorded because their ministry pointed to Christ's priestly ministry. Remember the priest in the Old Testament, the office of a priest, even their very garments, it was all a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now again keep in context, the temple is to be rebuilt, that was destroyed. The altar is to be repaired that was destroyed the altar must be put back in its central location that's why we have the pulpits in our denomination in the center of the church now unless you have a dodgy building where the things are you know it's a different shape you have to put the pulpit somewhere but that's why we always put the pulpit in the center of the room it's for the medal as for the preaching of the word. God's work was to be revived. Worship to God was to be revived. There had not been any worship in that 70 year period. There was no altar. There was no temple. And so God brought us people back, rebuild the temple. But the first thing to do is rebuild the altar. Have the priests minister again. Offer sacrifice again. The shedding of precious blood. God is to be worshiped by faith through his Son, the promised Savior. There's not one gospel in the Old Testament and another gospel in the New Testament. There's not one way to worship God in the Old Testament and a different way to worship in the New Testament. There's only one way to worship God through any age, and that's by faith, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Yes, in the Old Testament, It was done by types and shadows, pictures, object lessons, to show what Christ would do. But in the New Testament, they weren't needed anymore, because Christ came himself. He fulfilled them all. And so worship is always by Jesus Christ. God has chosen to worship him himself by the death of a substitutionary sacrifice that he accepts symbolizing the payment for sins penalty. And so for that reason God established the priesthood to offer those sacrifices to him by faith. and then to offer prayer to God by the sprinkling of that blood that was shed on the altar within the field to pray to God on behalf of the people he represented. And so the two main functions of the priest's ministry was to offer sacrifice and then to supplicate. and by doing so their ministry pointed to the one great high priest the lord jesus christ who fulfilled the ministry of the priest because christ came into this world and he offered himself as a sacrifice to god a substitutionary sacrifice and then he entered into heaven to appear with his own blood to then supplicate to intercede on the ground of his own precious blood. Christ prays in heaven for all whom he's represented of all ages past and future and so in leading worship and pointing the congregation in Ezra's day back to worship or those who came back on the different groups they were taught that worship is through Christ the only mediator between God and men and that worship was by the priests offering a sacrifice shedding the blood and praying on the ground of that sacrifice to bring the people into the presence of God. Now today while we don't need priests in that sense of the word yet we still need godly men in office with a priestly or a Christ-like ministry, to lead the congregation to worship God according to his word by faith in the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ, and to enter God's presence by prayer on the value, the victory, and the virtue of Christ's precious blood. We still need men in the pulpit that will uh bring forth the central message there's only one way why sinners can approach God and that's through the Lord Jesus Christ and I encourage you to pray for our nation pray for young men that God will raise up young men to stand in the gap young men that carry the preaching off the cross to lead the people in prayer, to lead the people in preaching the word. There's a great famine of the word of God of preachers today, churches today up and down this land that I know many that don't have a minister of the gospel. even our own denomination, as you know, in the mainland here in England and some other churches. There's no man there in Tavistock, no man there in Liverpool, no man there in Bristol. Some in Northern Ireland, pulpits fake and some ministers retiring. And there's a church there without a minister. Pray for God to raise up men to preach the word. because it is needed. Pray for this congregation, young men here, that God will take them, call them into Bible College, the Whitefield College of the Bible by the way, here in our own denomination, and preach the word. Pray for our ladies, for the mission field, Sunday school workers, the help in the ministry. Now to widen the application out, the service or ministry of believers is as a priesthood. Because Peter said in 1 Peter 2 verse 5, Ye are built up a spiritual house. and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Believer, when we come to worship the Lord, when you come to worship God Sunday by Sunday, that is a spiritual sacrifice on to the Lord. you give your offerings that is a spiritual sacrifice on to the lord it's acknowledging his mercy his grace When you come and give your talents to serve the Lord, that is a sacrifice unto the Lord. Whatever it is you can do, the piano ministry, the tech ministry, the Sunday school work, even getting a phone, whatever it may be, it's all a spiritual sacrifice by the Lord. You see, in and of ourselves, we're weak. In and of ourselves, our service is nothing. But when we offer that service on the value, the victory and the virtue of Jesus Christ, then our worship is accepted by God. Since our position as a spiritual priesthood rests upon our union with Christ, then His merit, His value, His blood makes them acceptable to God. God revived his work by raising up the laborers, the priests, to lead the congregation back to worship. That was the first thing that was done before the temple was built. We'll find in the next study, the altar was prepared. The worship to God was prepared, centering upon the blood. Can I ask, is the altar prepared in your life? Has it been abandoned? The altar in your family, has it been abandoned? There's no more worship. You don't read your Bible as you once did. Don't pray as you once did. Don't have a time of worship as you once did. It's been abandoned. It's been neglected. How long? The enemies of the world, devil in the flesh has come like Nebuchadnezzar and just destroyed it all. You must rebuild it now. Prepare the altar. to serve the Lord." Notice secondly, the need for partners. Not only the need for priests, the need for partners. With any work, helpers are needed. But helpers who are partners, labors together in the Lord's work. And those who came to help, they supported those who led the congregation in worship. There's three groups mentioned. Verse 40, the Lefites. Verse 43, the Nethanims. Verse 55, the children of Solomon's servants. Now I'll go through them briefly on a wee small application at the end. verse 40 the lephites in joshua chapter 3 verse 3 those who were from the tribe of levi why they were not uh priests but they were called lephites to distinguish them from the priests they did have a priestly function but they just were not official priests in that sense and so they were called lephites instead now you remember the sons of jacob were going through the life of And here is one of the sons, the son of Levi. Well, the Levi, or the tribe of Levi, they helped the priests. They were appointed under the law of Moses to serve in the house of God along with the priests. Their office, as the Bible says, was to wait on the sons of Aaron. the high priests for the service of the house of the lord their detail of their work is in first chronicles chapter 23 verses 3 to 5 and also 27 to 32 the lephites ministered along the priests to offer sacrifices which again pointed to jesus christ in the shedding of his blood The Lefites, they had no inheritance in the land, unlike the other tribes. Whenever they went into the land, they all had an inheritance. But the priests did not have an inheritance, because the Lord was their inheritance. The Lord was their portion, as Deuteronomy 10 verse 9 teaches. Moreover, the Lefites, they depended upon the support of the people to support them. And so it took genuine faith for the Lefites to step out, to go to Jerusalem, as there were few resources for them. But they were there to minister, to help the priests in offering sacrifices. Verse 43, the Nethanims. That is the word plural, the I am at the end, that is the Hebrew, and it means ones given. Again, Ezra chapter 8 verse 20 records that the Nithidims, they were appointed by David to assist the priests. and the lephites in the service of the temple. So here we have everyone helping others. They were given as servants to the priesthood lephites to assist in the work. Now there's much discussion as to their identity, to their background. Some believe that the Nithinims were the descendants of the Gibeonites. who were sentenced to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, as Joshua chapter 9 records. You can read Joshua chapter 9 and see how there was that disagreement and how they went back on their word. And so because of that, they were made hewers, carriers of water. And so because of that, many arrive at the conclusion because whenever the temple was built, And then the walls are restored in the days of Nehemiah. There was this group who carried water to the temple. Now, when you get to Nehemiah, which will be exciting, there are different gates in the book of Nehemiah. The dung gate, the sheep gate. Well, one of those is called the water gate. And so this group of people, they carried water to the water gate. for the priests in offering sacrifices. And so that's why people conclude that these Gibeonites then became known as the Nethanam, because they were the ones who carried the water and helped the Lefites. You may take that, you may leave that, but that is just suggestions that have been given. But if they were Gibeonites, coming back to Judah indicates that though they were not Jews in the flesh, Yet they were Jews in the faith, identifying themselves, associating themselves with God's people. Verse 55, you have the children of Solomon's servants. Solomon built the first temple that had been destroyed. The children or the sons of his servants would have been aware that in serving the Lord and building the house, they did so with dedication and they did with devotion. And so here we have the building now of this temple in the days of Ezra. Later on after that temple had been destroyed and the sons of Solomon, they're now taking part. in building. So if you take all these groups together, the priests, they, all these groups together, they supported the priests, they labored alongside the priests, they were partnered in the Lord's work, they did what each one could to advance the Lord's work, help in offering sacrifice, help in building, help in carrying the water. There was something for each one to do. These are the partners, these are the helpers, these are the groups, the different individuals who got part in the work of the Lord. And so to make application to yourselves, there's something for everyone to do here in the work of God. As little as you may think it may be, yet there's something for you to do in the work of the Lord. Even the smallest thing is still precious in the Lord's sight. The Lord's working here in his cause of redemption and revival and rebuilding the work here in London. And it needs helpers to reach boys and girls, whether the children's ministry, to reach parents, whether the toddler ministry, something you can do to give your time. I said it the other week, God's work involves sacrifice, having to give our time, having to do things. Why? because the ministry of Jesus Christ was sacrifice. And so for a believer to say, well, my time's my time, that shows we don't have the mind of Christ, because Christ was sacrificial in his labors. And so can you help in the ministries, in the audio ministry, in the Sunday school ministry, Setting up the toddler group again, whatever it may be, to do something to reach parents, people with the gospel. Again, different ministries with food, bringing food on Sunday afternoons for people who gather, help cleaning after. So many things to do, but there's something for everyone to do in the house of the Lord. Notice thirdly, the need for praise, here we go, for verse 41, the singers, the children of Asav. Asav was one of the leaders of God's praise in former times under David and under Solomon. In fact, Nehemiah chapter 12, verse 46 says, in the days of David, and Asaph of old were their chief of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving on to God. Remember whenever the children of Israel were in captivity in Babylon for that 70 year period there was not much singing, they didn't feel like singing the Lord's song in a strange land. In fact Psalm 137 verse 1 and verse 2 says by the rivers of Babylon When we remembered Sion, we hanged our harps Upon the bellows and the mets thereof. Israel had greatly sinned against the Lord, which resulted in that captivity. They lost their song, but now they're being brought back. They've been set free by the Lord. And so as things are being put in place, the priests, and then to build the altar, they offer sacrifice and all the different people to do their part. Now we need singers. Now we need people to lead the praise and God's worship. When it came to the temple being rebuilt, there were singers to lead in worship. Those who praised the Lord, that includes you as well. The congregation, that's why you should come Sunday after Sunday, if it's any reason why you should be here. There's many reasons why God's people should be in church on a Sunday, both services, but let me say this here. it's to offer praise unto God by singing you are a singer there you may find nothing else today well I can't play the piano I can't either well I can't do this I can't either I can't do the audio I can't either I would press delete or something else but listen we can sing we can praise the Lord hallelujah and so if anything When you're not here, the singers are not here. When you're not here, where's the people to praise the Lord? When people listen online, they want to hear singing, praising the Lord together. So if anything you can do, it's to sing and praise the Lord. Because in the days when they built the temple, they looked for the singers. Those who led and worshipped. Again, Nehemiah chapter 7 verse 1. The singers were appointed. Do you know what I wish we had in this congregation? What we do in some of our churches in America, a good person to lead the music, who could sing proper, not like me making a joyful noise unto the Lord, but someone who could actually sing well and lead the music, even help my voice as well for preaching. Here we have Nehemiah 7 verse 1. The singers were appointed. Notice Nehemiah 11 verse 22. The singers were over the business of the house of God. Nehemiah 12 verse 42. The singers sang aloud. with Jezariah their overseer. 2nd Chronicles chapter 20 during the time of Jehoshaphat and you remember that time whenever the enemy came to battle and you have that great statement from Jehoshaphat neither we know what to do but our eyes are upon thee our eyes are upon the lord well whenever the enemy was coming for battle what did Jehoshaphat he did many things but what was the one thing Jehoshaphat did and let me ask you before we go to it if you were to enter into battle what would you do or maybe not do notice what we have second chronicles 20 verse 21 22 and when Jehoshaphat had consulted with the people He appointed singers on to the Lord and that should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army. There you have people getting into battle to sing. and to say praise the lord his mercy endureth forever that was their song it was not as wish-washy nonsense you get today repetitive silky nonsense there's nothing in it at all they went out a group of singers to praise the lord in battle the lord is his mercy endureth forever praise the lord praise the lord praise the lord his mercy endureth forever And when they began to sing and to praise the Lord, set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten. So here we have, again remember whenever Saul was beginning to lose his mind, King Saul in the Bible, he called for David to play the harp to minister on to him in song. So there is, yes I understand, there is that soothing thing with music. Sometimes when I have a sore head, I listen to some nice hymns and somehow it takes the headache away. Just there's something to do there with nice singing, praising the Lord, having your mind filled with the Lord. When one sings about the mercy of God, they sing about God's providence, God's covenant dealing with His people. And that's what won the battle. Because when the people went out to sing, praise the Lord, His mercy endureth forever, they were basically singing, God has entered into a covenant. He will be faithful, his people cannot be destroyed. And God give the victory. Again, Ephesians 5 verse 18 and 19, when Paul says be filled with the Spirit, he said speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always, for all things on to God and the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. The devil hates the work of God and the devil hates God's people praising him. I said to the young people yesterday why it is important to be at church because the devil will want you to be anywhere else. But church, you will have the greatest peace when you're not at church. Why? Because the devil will have his way. Because when you miss church, you miss the word from God. You miss taking part in worshiping God, exalting God, because the devil wants to be exalted. When you miss church, you exalt the devil. because he wants all the praise. But when you come to church and you sing praise, and you hear the word of God praised, and you hear Christ uplifted, he is receiving all glory, honor, and praise. And so when you miss the singers, you are not giving the glory to the Lord. And besides today, my singers are missing. The choir is missing. Praise is missing. And therefore it's important to be in the house of the Lord. Because whenever the work was being repaired, being restored, being re-set up again in Jerusalem, everybody had a place. The priests were needed, the groups that we have mentioned were needed, and the singers were appointed as well. Therefore, come next week again. Come with voice, come with tune, come sing unto the Lord. Wouldn't it be a day? I don't know, again, when we, I don't know what the church, the history of this church, going back to previous ministers, what it was, remember when I was in children's meetings, there would have been a church bus back then, so I don't know if they had the same thing here years ago, church bus people coming to children's meetings, but in the children's, going to the children's meeting, we used to be singing in the bus. children's courses and all the rest. I remember even hearing about days in Northern Ireland when people even came to church, they came together singing. Wouldn't that be something? Coming next week, walking down the top of the road, just to the bottom of the road, coming to church, singing, praising the Lord together, singing a psalm, singing something from the word of God, singing a hymn, coming into God's house, praising. The singers were appointed for a reason. Notice finally, very briefly, the need for porters. Verse 42, also chapter 7, verses 7 and 24, you have the children of the porters, and then you have the porters. The word porter means doorkeeper, gatekeeper and janitor. So the porters in worship, their worship, their service to God centered all around the temple within Jerusalem. These porters were needed to serve at the door of God's house and then they took care of items inside the house of God. These porters, they had great responsibility because they prepared the temple for people to gather and worship. It was their duty to guard the entrance and to defend the temple. since their tasks involved the house of the Lord. It meant whenever they did their work, at times their work was not seen by others, because they were getting busy to prepare things for people to come to worship. Or they were out doing these other things, but it was not maybe seen by others. But I tell you, it was seen by the Lord. In 1st Chronicles chapter 9, whenever David had that burden to build the temple off the Lord, you know it was in his heart, but he'd never got to build it. In fact, Solomon, his son, built the temple. Well whenever David at that time was making preparation in first chronicles chapter 9 verse 21 to 29 there were the door keepers mentioned they lodged about round about the house of God because the charge upon them and the opening thereof every morning pertained unto them." They opened the house of God every day for people coming to worship. Again, you can read 2 Chronicles 23 verse 19, 2 Chronicles 35 verse 15, how more of their ministry. The rule was vital. It gives security to the house of God. In Nehemiah's day, they helped set up the gates. They were appointed to prepare and care for the house of God. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke off the porter or the doorkeeper. in Mark chapter 13, verse 34. But also you will know John chapter 10, verse 1 to 3. You will know this well. John chapter 10, verse 1 to 3. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. Now notice verse 2. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep first three to him the porter openeth that's the same word the doorkeeper openeth and the sheep hear his voice and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out you see in the work of god the porter is needed They have a ministry like Christ. Christ is the greatest doorkeeper, the greatest porter. Christ is the one who welcomes his people. Christ is the one who makes preparation for his people. Now I say to you, while you serve in this church, there's a lot of people in this room who does things that maybe other people do not know. And they do not say, I know about it because I'm the minister. or I'm with them. Even this past week a lot of stuff took place that maybe people didn't see. The late nights, the early mornings and things. And while people don't know about it, yet the Lord knows about it. And the Lord takes note of it. And so you may do something for the Lord and invite someone into this church. And no one may ever know you've invited someone in, but they may come in one day. God has used you. That's why I always say, and I make this point, whenever someone comes into God's house, or a visitor, whatever it may be, or looking for a church, the welcome and the farewell are very, very important. Make people feel welcome in the house of God. Make them feel welcome, because always remember this, you're not welcoming them in the name of me, though I want to see them there. You're not doing it for the name of this denomination. Why do we want to see this work grow? You're welcoming people into this church in the name of Jesus Christ. Now that ought to take a different aspect. That ought to raise the bar a lot higher. When I shake someone's hand saying, good to see you today in God's house, you're doing that as an ambassador of Jesus Christ. You are a representative of Christ. You are a doorkeeper for Christ, a porter for Christ. And you are saying, I welcome you in the name of Jesus Christ. And you welcome them then, and you want to see them coming back again. Can I also say as well, that's why we need to have our singers in the congregation. Because see, when people do come into God's house, and I've said this before, there's nothing more discouraging to come into God's house and see hardly anybody in it. Hardly anybody. It must give people outside a thing, well, they're God and here, it mustn't be very important to them. They don't worry about coming to gather. When people come in they ought to see a body of God's people praising the Lord together, a band of people gathered desiring to hear because it gives the evidence God is at work, God is at move. And so everything you do, when people come in, maybe they don't know the hymn book. Maybe they can't get my accent, and I try to have to change the words to the 88 and whatever else, but maybe they're flicking through it. You help them, go over, get a hymn book for them. Maybe they've walked in without a Bible, without anything, and you see them, they're struggling. I know a few weeks ago, there was someone who came in, we said, turn to the hymn book, and they were flicking through the Bible, or vice versa, and someone came and helped, and that's what it is. Help one another. Oh, the opening off the gates, the cleaning, everything. Porters are needed. So, out of everything we have mentioned, there's something you can do. Be here to sing every Sunday, to praise the Lord. Be here to hear the Word of God. Be here to help the minister, the session, in serving the Lord. Sunday schools, toddler groups, saying God's work, go forward. The registry, it recorded the number of everybody who came back. It recorded the names of everyone who came back. And it recorded the needs of everybody who came back, where they were all placed and how they served. Can I ask you, will you rise to the challenge? Who is there among you of all his people His God be with him. Let us go up to Jerusalem. Let us go up to Wathamstow and build the house of the Lord. Build God's house in this place. Make this place to be a mighty fortress in a day of darkness. Closed with this, wasn't going to, but I see a lot of stuff on Facebook today. It breaks my heart. Now some of this is done in badness, but I see these certain groups going to their certain places of worship, packed out with people, and then they get their wee phone and they come round to the church that's closed or locked up, or two people coming outside, and they write these messages about it to mock May that not be in this place. When people in this street see people coming out of God's house, may they see a multitude coming out. May they see an army coming out. May they see something's happening in that place that's real. God is at work. God is on the move. So pray about these matters and pray that God will move among us for his own honor and his own glory. Amen.