Chapter 11. What we're looking at here, the walls of Jerusalem have been built. They've been rebuilt, you might say. After 70 years of captivity, 70 years previous to this, they had been torn down. Everything was just razed to the ground. So, Nehemiah had led a group and they had come back and they had started rebuilding the walls after the Babylonian captivity. It has happened and so now at this point, exiles are starting to return to the land. The law had been read and they heard the law of God read. They repented of their sins and they entered back into covenant with God. And so that's where we're at right here, but I want you to notice, hold your finger there and back up just a few chapters to chapter 7, and you're going to see the problem that we encounter in chapter 11 and 12. Notice it says in chapter 7 and verse 4, Now the city was large and great, but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. In other words, Jerusalem, it was a large city. It was walled now, but the problem is you ain't got nobody in the city hardly. I want you to notice what it says in verse 1 in chapter 11, "...and the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem." So the only ones that are dwelling at Jerusalem behind the walls are the rulers. All the other people are out farming. Because it's an agricultural society, they live off the land. Therefore, they wanted to make sure they had food. So everybody's out farming. They got their own land. All the land had been divvied out as far as according to lots. And here, if you think about it, if there's no people in the city but the rulers, if someone decided to invade Jerusalem, There's nobody there to protect it but the rulers. That ain't enough to protect it. So they've got to devise a plan whereby they can bring people back into the city. So the Word of God tells us in verse 1 and the second portion of that, it says, the rest of the people also cast lots. to bring one of 10 to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities. So they're casting lots, and one out of every 10, they're moving to Jerusalem. And then we read in verse two, and the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. So there were people who willingly, they desired to move to Jerusalem. This passage of Scripture is a long passage of Scripture. Many names. Many, many names. Names you've never heard, probably, if you haven't read through this passage of Scripture. But as we're looking at this, I want you to notice we want to try to pull from here some lessons we can apply to our life. Here are God's people. They're dwelling across the countryside. They're living in the country. so to speak. And nobody hardly is living in Jerusalem. But what we find is there are some that are willing to move to Jerusalem. Have you ever moved in your life to a different city? And in the process of moving to a different city, you did not take into account if there is a scriptural church there or not. A lot of people move because money, job. My job's moved me a certain place. And they don't even consider about serving the Lord in a local body. Oh, we'll figure that out when we get there. You know what? That shows where people's priorities are. In our day and time, there's a lot of people that don't have the priority of putting the Lord first when it comes to moving. Many people love to live in the country. And there's nothing wrong with living in the country. But I want you to notice the mindset here. Before you move, if you ever move, the priority should be upon the Lord. And how you can serve the Lord, and not on monetary or physical gain. Not on, boy, I'm gonna have a farm. and I can grow everything I want. But the number one thing you should seek, is there a place of worship? If there's not a place of worship, let me tell you, you're gonna suffer spiritually. Another thing you need to think about, are there people to minister to? As I think about cities, we think about big cities, and you think of the liberal avenue many have gone down, with all the anti-scripture and truth of God's Word. And what you find in large cities, you have more crime. What you find in more cities, large cities, you have more lawlessness. You have governments in those cities wondering how to meet the budgets with so many people, how to meet the needs, and there's always problem after problem. But should that hinder us from moving to a city? I want you to notice here it says that we're going to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem, the holy city. Jerusalem is called the holy city. That means it's sanctified. It's set apart unto God. I want you to notice a parallel passage of scripture I thought of over in the book of Acts. In Acts chapter 18, in Acts the 18th chapter, and notice what it says down in verse 10. Acts 18 in verse 10. In verse nine, then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision. Be not afraid, but speak and hold not your peace, for I am with you, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city. As the Lord is speaking to the Apostle Paul, he's telling him to go to the city. Why? Because there's people there. You know what? You cannot minister where there's no people. Therefore, Paul is given the command to go to the city. Don't flee the city. Go to the city because the Lord has many people there. In Lexington, there are many people that have not heard of the Lord Jesus Christ. They've not heard the gospel of Christ. That might sound astounding, but that's truth. Therefore, we need to make it a priority to go where the Lord would have us to go. Are you willing to go wherever the Lord would have you to go? This land where they're dwelling in, the promised land, What we see here is that it was allotted in groups by the tribes, to the tribes, then to the clans, then to the families, and everybody had their plots of land. Everybody knew who owned what, and they kept very good records back in those days and time. these land allotments that go down to the heads of the families in Jerusalem, we see that in verses 4 through 9. So I want you to notice what the Word of God says, and we'll kind of go through this rather quickly, or depends on how well I read. Notice it says in verse 3, Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem. But in the cities of Judah dwelt everyone in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethanyims, and the children of Solomon's servants. And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, of the children of Judah, Athiah, the son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amoriah, the son of Shaphatiah, the son of Mehalaleel, of the children of Perez. and Maasaiah the son of Baruch, the son of Koheza, the son of Haziah, the son of Adiah, the son of Joarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Eshaloni. All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were 403 score and eight valiant men. All these are the sons of Benjamin, Sallu, the son of Mishlam, the son of Joed, the son of Padiah, the son of Koliah, the son of Maasaiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jessiah, and after him Gabii, Salii, 928. And Joel the son of Zechariah was their overseer, and Judah the son of Senua was second over the city. there what we have is the heads of the family being listed in verses 4-9. But when you get to verse 10 what you find, these are the priests. In verses 10-14 it says of the priest, Jediah the son of Joarib, Jachin, Saraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Mishulam, the son of Zadok, the son of Morioth, the son of Hithub was the ruler of the house of God. So here in verse 11 I want you to notice Saraiah is the ruler over the house of God. What that means, he supervises the whole house of God. Everything God has instructed them in how to do things decently in order. So there must be oversight because this is a vast responsibility. So Sariah has that responsibility. And their brethren that did the work of the house were 822. and Adaiah the son of Jorahim, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah, and his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred and forty-two. and Amashi, the son of Azariel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshilamoth, the son of Emer, and their brethren, mighty men of valor, a hundred and twenty-eight, and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men." Now these are talking about all the priests. In verses 15 through 18, what we see are the Levites. and notice what it says. Also of the Levites, Shemaiah, the son of Heshub, the son of Azraqam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunai, and Shabbathai. Josabath, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God. And Madaniah, the son of Micah, the son of Zabdiah, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer. And Bacbucaya, boy, that almost sounded like a Filipino city there, Bacbucaya. I'm talking Brother Mark, that just brings memories. And the second among his brethren, the Abdi, the son of Shemua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. Now here I want you to notice the name Madaniah. He is the one who actually started, it says, began the thanksgiving in prayer. In other words, he's the one that took the lead and started giving a thanks. Very important job there. Maybe we should have someone here starting leading in thanks. Every service. y'all give thanks unto the Lord." Notice in verse 18 it says, all the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and four score and four. Now then it talks about the porters. Now what is a porter? If you got a different translation or version of what you might have there is a gatekeeper and it says, moreover the porters are the gatekeepers. A cub Talmon and their brethren that kept the gates were 172. Now these are not the gates of the wall, these are the gates of the temple. And they'd go in shifts, and they'd go around the clock in shifts, so they had to have a lot as far as each keeping doors to the temple where people would go in and out. They would have multiple guards there. So they have 172 all manning the temple right there. Listen to what the Word of God says if you back up to 1 Chronicles 9, and down in verse 26. There we read, For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. You see, it's not the gates, it's the house of God. And there, it says, they lodged round about the house of God because the charge was upon them and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them. And certain of them had the charge of the ministering of the vessels that they should bring them in and out by tail. Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels and all the instruments of the sanctuary, the fine flour, the wine, the oil of frankincense, and the spices. So we see they have a very important job. In verse 11, no, not verse, must be verse, there is one name there, Saria. You remember Saria, he's the ruler of the house of God. He's over all the porters here, the gatekeepers you might say, Levites, and all the instructions that need to go out that things would be done decently in order. There is so much to oversee as far as with the temple here. So they've got it in an orderly fashion. What you find in verses 20 and 21 are the servants that serve in the temple. And notice what the word of God says, And the residue of Israel, of the priests and of the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. But the Nethanims dwelt in Ophel, and Zihah and Gispa were over the Nethanims. Now where is Ophel? Ophel was actually in Jerusalem very near to the temple. So here are the chief ones that are ministering in the temple. They were the temple servants. In verses 22-24, it's kind of like a running commentary I'm going through here, but I'm trying to get through a lot of scripture. I want you to notice what it says in verse 22. The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi, the son of Benai, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Madaniah, the son of Micah, of the sons of Asaph. The singers were over the business of the house of God. For it was the king's commandment concerning them that a certain portion should be for the singers due for every day. Now the king's commandment is talking about the king of Persia. The king of Persia has actually appointed certain ones over these matters. It says, So the king of Persia had appointed all these people. What you find in verses 25-36, which goes all the way to the end of the chapter, which we'll read those names to, these are the people who are on the outside of the city. Now the reason I'm reading over this, a lot of preachers will not go over a passage of Scripture. They would just say all these names as far as wrapping them up all in general. But let me tell you, God's got a purpose for these names. Or it wouldn't be in the Word of God. What is this purpose? Look at these people who are outside of the city. What do the people on the outside of the city do, mainly? I just mentioned right at the beginning. Farm, that's it. They're farmers. Agricultural society, remember that. Everybody has an important role, whether you're in the city or out of the city. Same way here. And you know what? It's important that we've got farmers. If we don't have farmers on the outside of the city, the inside of the city don't get fed. And you know what? If certain rich men buy up all the property, you know whoever controls the food controls the people. Uh-oh. And for the villages with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjarth-Arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jacobziel, and in the villages thereof, and at Jeshua, and at Moledah, and at Bethphilet. and at Hazar Shual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof, and at Ziklag, and at Mekona, and in the villages thereof, and at Enremnon, and at Zeria, and at Jarmuth, Zenoah, Adullam, and in their villages at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beersheba unto the valley of Hinnom, children also of Benjamin from Geba, dwelt at Michmash, and Asia, and Bethel, and in their villages, and at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittium, Hadad, or Hadid, Zebuam, Nebolet, Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen, and of the Levites were divisions in Judah and in Benjamin." So all these people here They've all got their particular roles. Everybody's got a job to do, you might say. Everyone is important when it comes to God's plan and it's His people. I want you to listen to something over in 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the Word of God says this, for as the body is one, and has many members. And all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we're all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, or have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I'm not the hand, I am not of the body, Is it therefore not of the body? Can you imagine your foot talking to you? I stink. Can you imagine your foot saying, I'm not part of you. I'm not part of your body. Notice here, is it therefore not of the body? You know what, if my foot could talk, I'm gonna tell you what, it's still part of my body whether it likes it or not. It just got stuck down to the soul. And if the ear shall say, because I'm not the eye, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? Can you imagine your eye being where your ear is and your ear where your eye is? Or your eye wanting to be where your eye is at? What is Paul doing here? Paul's writing a situation where there's members and each part of the member has its personal responsibility. ultimately to serve God. Here, he goes on to say, if the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? Can you imagine your pastor just being one big old eyeball? When I dismiss, I will just roll down the steps and roll down the aisle and roll out the door. See you later. See y'all later. Aw, that's pretty good. If the whole body were enough, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now God has set the members, every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And I cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. So see, God is the one who fashions the body. Our bodies should work together. If my body starts rebelling against another part of my body, we got chaos. Y'all gonna think I'm crazy. The body works together when each one works in its own area. My hand has designated jobs my feet cannot do. You know what? As long as my feet don't want to rule where my hands are, I'm doing all right. Same way with you. There are designated parts. When the foot wants to be the eye, you got a problem. Can you imagine your foot being where your eye's at? Man, that'd be rough, looking at y'all in the foot. God's got a purpose, and he is a God of order. As we look at Nehemiah chapter 11, what we see, there's about 3,000 that are numbered here. The majority of them, it does not give names. There are some that have names, but some of them, they're nameless. You'll never know, this side of heaven, who these people are. But, God knows, and it's important because they're numbered in there. And whether they are named or not named, it's like Brother Mark said this morning, God's not done with them yet as they were living upon this earth. You know, when you think about that principle, our names might never be famous. We might not be renowned. You might want to be known by certain people and you're not. But you know where you can find great comfort? God knows you. And you know what, God knows your name. Though people you might want to know your name don't know your name, that's not that important. Who would you rather know your name, God or people? You see, God knows His own and He calls them all by name. So what is their purpose? Their purpose is ultimately to glorify God, to live for the glory of God, to serve the Lord where God has Him. Here, I want you to notice what is it required as far as to serve the Lord. Number one thing, which we've just read, is faithfulness. What does that mean, faithfulness? Faithfulness very simply means true to the one you love. If you love the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be faithful to Him. Whether your name's printed in the book or whether your name's not in the book, nobody ever knows you. If you're faithful to the Lord, that's what God has called us to. Notice, I believe here, there's also gotta be a focus. When it feels like nobody notices you, listen to what the Word of God says. over in Hebrews chapter 6. In Hebrews chapter 6, down in verse 10, the Word of God says this, For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and you do minister. People might forget you, people might never know you, but God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which you have showed toward his name, and that you minister to saints, and you still do minister to saints. Who matters most, who knows you, ultimately is God. What is most important as far as your focus is your relationship with God, then with others. God knows our names. Therefore, you know what we need to do? We ought to be building relationships. We ought to reach out to people. Get to know people. Talk to people. Invite people to your home. Invite them out for a cup of coffee. Talk to people. You know what? Somebody's got to break some barriers down to talk. If you don't, the barriers will still be there. You've got to build relationships. We could focus upon this building, but you know what? God's not in the business of saving buildings. He's in the business of saving souls. How can that happen? It's as we build relationships with others and we share Christ with them. One of the things I like what Brother Mark mentioned this morning, he talked about how he would deal with people on a personal level, such as if they're hungry, they try to feed them with what little bit they've got. And then they share the gospel with them. You show people that you really care for them. And then you show how much you care by giving them the gospel. As we come to chapter 12, y'all thought I was through in the scripture. I'm not, I'm just getting started. Hang on. In chapter 12 what we've got is a list of priests. The list of priests in verses 1-9. Then there's a list of priests that were in the days of Jehoiakim that goes all the way down to verse 26. Listen to these priests. Here we go. Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel. These are the first ones. 1-9 is when Zerubbabel came to Jerusalem. These priests followed him. the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, and Sariah, Jeremiah, Ezra, Amariah, Malak, Hattush, Shekiniah, Rehum, Merimoth, Edo, Genetho, Abijah, Maimen, Maidiah, Bilgah, Shemiah, and Joarib, Jediah, Salu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jediah, these were the chief of the priests, and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua. Moreover, the Levites, Jeshua, Benuai, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Madaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren, also Bakbukiah and Unai, their brethren, were over against them in the watches. Now those came with Zerubbabel. Here are the other ones. Notice what it says, these names. In Jeshua begat Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim begat Eliashib. And Eliashib begat Joyada. And Joyada begat Jonathan. And Jonathan begat Jaduah. And in the days of Jehoiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers of Sariah, Mariah, of Jeremiah, Hananiah, of Ezra, Mishelm, and of Amariah, and Jehohanan. of Melikku, Jonathan, of Shebaniah, Joseph, of Haram, Adna, of Meraoth, Helkiah, I, of Idu, Zechariah, of Genethon, Meshillam, of Abijah, Zichriah, of Menai, Amen, of Mo'odiah, Piltai, of Bilgah, Shamuah, of Shimei, Jehonathon, and of Joyarib, Madani, of Jediah, Uzzi, of Salii, Calii, of Amok, Eber, of Hilkiah, Hashabiah of Jediah, Nethi, and Neel. The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaguah were recorded chief of the fathers, also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian. The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the Chronicles even until the days of Jehonan, the son of Eliashib, and the chief of the Levites, Hashabiah, Sherabiah, and Jeshua, the son of Cadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise and to give thanks according to the commandment of David, the man of God, ward over against ward. Madaniah and Macbucahiah, Obadiah, Mishulam, Talmon, Echub were porters, keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates. These were in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Jeshua, the son of Josedach, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest and the scribe. So here we have the list of priests. It goes all the way down to Jehoiakim. You find in verses 27-30 the wall has been built, so what they're going to do is they're going to dedicate the wall. So the Word of God tells us, and at the dedication of the wall in Jerusalem, they sought the Levites out of all their places to bring them to Jerusalem. Now listen to how they're dedicating the wall. All the Levites all across the land, they're bringing all the Levites in. That's a lot of people. To keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving, with singing in cymbals and psalteries, and with hearts. And the sons of singers gathered themselves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophithi, also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and Asmaveth. For the singers had built them villages round about Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people and the gates and the walls. I want you to notice here. These are people who are in service for the Lord. And what is the first thing they do when they're called into service? They purified themselves and purified the people. If you want to serve the Lord, you need to serve the Lord out of a pure heart. Hear what I say. If you're living in sin, if you're living in adultery, let me tell you something. Don't tell people you're a Christian. Don't bring shame to His name. You need to purify yourselves if you're going to serve the Lord. You need to have a pure heart is what the Word of God is teaching us here. Notice also there needs to be a worshipful heart. All these have come together. They're singers. Imagine people from all over the land coming to sing. That means they are wanting to worship. In verse 31, the Word of God says, Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate. And after them went Hoshiah, and the half of the princes of Judah, and Azariah, Ezra, and Meshulam, Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets, namely Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Madaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Asaph, and his brethren, Shemaiah and Azariel, Mil-Ali, Gil-Ali, Me-Ali, Nethaniel, Judah, and Hananiah, with the musical instruments of David, the man of God, and Ezra, the scribe before them. And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward. They are marching on top of the wall. And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces, even into the broad wall. So they're coming around, and they're going around in a circle, and they're singing around the walls of Jerusalem. And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananiel, and the tower of Miah, and even into the sheep gate, they stood still in the prison gate. So stood. the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I and the half of the rulers with me, and the priest, Eliakim, Maaseah, many a men, Micaiah, Eleonai, Zechariah, Hananiah, with trumpets, and Maaseah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzziah, Jehohanan, and Melchizedek, and Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang loud with Jezrehiah their overseer." They sang loud. Here's these groups, I mean large companies of Levites going around both sides of the wall until they meet in the middle and they're singing and they ain't shy about singing. Let me tell you something, it don't really matter how you sound in your song, in your singing. If you sing totally out of tune, if you're with a large group, ain't nobody can hear you because it's just one massive loud chorus of singing. That's all the more reason we all need to sing louder and cover up some of our singing. Sorry about that. Here, notice what the Word of God says. You've got to worship and serve with a pure heart and with a worshipful heart. Worship precedes your work. You worship and out of that worship flows the work. Notice verse 43. Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced. For God had made them rejoice with great joy. The wives also and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off." In verse 43, what's the main word that you hear over and over and over? joy, joy, rejoice, rejoice, they rejoiced and they had joy and God gave them joy and joy, joy, joy. It was so much joy going on that you could hear them from a far way off. Now you know what, I live just a few blocks from the University of Kentucky football stadium. One of the neat things about that is that when they have a football game, I can go out on my deck and if I hear the crowd going, You know, just hooting and hollering and everything. You know, I know something good happened. If it's real quiet, I notice ain't much going on there. They ain't doing too good. But if I step back out there, and it just about echoes through the air. You know what I know is going on in that football stadium? Something great and joyous as far as football games go. In other words, joy can be heard. I'm wondering if people can hear us when we sing outside these walls. Do we have joy that resounds, like it says here, even afar off with the thing that was going on across the street this morning? I had no idea that was going on across the street this morning, but you know what? There was a church group running that thing, which I thought kind of odd, but that's all right. But you know what, they ought to hear our joy inside this building. They ought to know that we've got great joy because we know Christ as our Lord and Savior. In other words, what it takes to serve the Lord God, it takes a pure heart, it takes a worshipful heart, and it takes a joyful heart. So loud that others can hear that joyful heart. And notice the final thing it mentions here. As it continues on in verses 44 through the end of the chapter, 44 through 47, you see how many verses we've gone over this evening. That's quite a few verses. But I want you to notice what it also takes concerning your heart to serve the Lord. The Word of God says, And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them Out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and the Levites. For Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. Both the singers and the porters kept the word of their God according to the commandment and the ward of the purification according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son. And in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters every day's portion and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron. What we see in this passage of scripture is closing out this chapter in this section. We're not going into chapter 13. But notice here's the kind of heart it takes. Not just a pure heart, a worshipful heart, and a joyful heart, but there's gotta be a giving heart. One thing I am thankful for in new life is people are givers. They love to give. You know what? How many of y'all like to be around stingy people? Don't you like to be around people that just don't want to give nothing? No, no. You know what the Lord loves? A cheerful giver. You know what the word cheerful means? Hilarious. In other words, you just enjoy giving. I say this to miss one of the crowns in heaven, but I gave Brother Mark a Bible. And you talk about thrilled? He was so thrilled to get a Bible from me that he wanted me to write a passage of scripture in it and put my name. I'm going like, okay. Then he wanted me to take a picture with him and the Bible. I'm going like, he's excited about getting a Bible. You know why? Because it's hard to get that in the Philippines. You know what? You can be a blessing to people by giving. When we leave this earth, you're gonna leave a lot behind if you're not a giver. And you know who's gonna get it? Ain't no tellin'. If the Lord loves a cheerful giver, does the Lord love you? You think about, here's a servant of the Lord. These people served the Lord. They were ready, they were open. They had a pure heart. They purified their hearts. They had a worshipful heart. They sang, and boy did they sing. They sang so well, it just resounded on down through the walls. And they had giving hearts. May God bless us. to be servants of the Lord, not looking for a name that's renowned, but even one of these numbers. All of them were necessary. All of them had a purpose. They sought to glorify God. May you in your life seek the Lord's will, just simply being obedient, living out day to day, seeking to glorify God day by day. That's being faithful. May the Lord find us faithful as we focus upon him. We're going to give a hymn of invitation. Some people can't sing with joy because they ain't got no joy. You know what? If you ain't got joy in your heart, you can't sing with joy in your heart. I say you need the Lord. The Lord can put joy that no man can take away. and oh how we need to rejoice in him that others might come to a saving knowledge. Let's stand and go to the Lord in prayer. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. And Lord, there are many, many, many names there. Many people we've never heard of, have no clue what they look like, what they did. Many people without names. We don't know what they did. We don't know how they served you other than what we looked at as a brief description tonight. They didn't seek popularity. They didn't seek to be put on a pedestal. They just wanted to be obedient and follow you. So Lord, we pray that you would give us faithful hearts focused upon Christ that we might purify our hearts, worshiping you. Lord, as our worship goes forth, may there be great joy, so much so that we desire to give to help others. We thank you for what you've done in our midst. Lord, we pray that you do a wondrous work to magnify your holy name. For Christ's sake, amen. We're gonna sing a different song instead of the hymn we put up on the wall. We're gonna sing page 465, so that means you gotta get a hymn book. We're singing old-fashioned tonight on a hymn as far as an invitation. Let us sing only trust him. That's true for unbelievers as well as believers. You need to trust the Lord.