Boundary Markers – 5

Boundary Markers – 5

Subject:  The Gates

By Rick Welborne

Deuteronomy 19:14 (NLT) 

14 “When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession, you must never steal anyone’s land by moving the boundary markers your ancestors set up to mark their property. 

Nehemiah 7:1-3 (NLT)
¹  After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
²  I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
³  I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes.” 

--A couple of weeks ago we looked at the importance of completing the wall but also making sure that the gates were secure. We cannot leave an opening for the enemy.

Ephesians 4:27 (NIV) ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.

--The most important thing to remember about the gate or the door is that Jesus is not only the Keeper of the door or the gate, He is the Door.

John 10:7-10 (NKJV)
⁷  Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
⁸  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
⁹  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
¹⁰  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

--Nehemiah built the walls and he set up the doors…what’s next? Maybe you say I have asked Jesus to forgive and to save me…I have boundaries thru His Word and Jesus is my Door…what’s next?

1. Keep a close eye on the Gate (on Jesus).

--Building a wall and installing doors are not a once and your done proposition…I believe somewhere in the Word it says for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  It takes maintenance.

--People were appointed by Nehemiah to watch the gates around the clock…to stand on the walls and to even stand in front of their homes…now that will preach!

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
¹  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 

²  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
³  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

--Realize many are watching…Realize what hinders you and get rid of it…Realize you have to run with perseverance…Realize your eyes must be on Jesus…Realize what Jesus went through.

--Nehemiah was saying the only way you will remain safe within the boundaries of the city is to keep your eyes focused on the gates and to make sure they are maintained and guarded. 

--What the writer of Hebrews was saying was for you to maintain a consistent walk with Jesus is to keep your eyes on Him…lay aside the other junk and live in safety. 

--Today many Christians want to know how much junk can we pick up and still be Christians? Keeping your eyes on Jesus means staying close to Him.

--The question arises, Am I a friend of God or a friend of this world? What’s fun today can be bondage tomorrow. 

--Do you think the person who takes there first drink ever believes they will be an alcoholic some day?  The person who smokes…addicted with lung cancer. 

--Here’s a test for all of us today…if you could choose one thing in this life, what would it be?  David says:

Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) ⁴ One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 

2. We must look to the Word of God to remain within the boundaries of safety.

Nehemiah 8:1-2&5-6 (NLT)
¹  all the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had given for Israel to obey.
²  So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.
⁵  Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.
⁶  Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 

--The first thing that the people asked for (what they desired) after the walls were built, the gates were in place and secured, they wanted to hear the Word of God. God, what are you saying to us?

--Do we love the Word of God?  A few years ago a man approached me and asked me did I realize that in that one sermon I had read 50+ Scriptures…obviously thinking that it was a little overkill. 

--I quickly thanked him that he felt he should keep a count of how many verses I read. I quickly told him nothing I said was more important than the Word of God. This is a Christian church.

--The people of Jerusalem stood for the Word, they listened for hours to the Word, they said Amen to the Word, and they bowed down and worshiped as the Word was read…God help us love the Word.

--God’s Word is transforming and it brings peace, direction, and comfort like nothing else.

Psalm 19:7-14 (NIV)
⁷  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
⁹  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 

¹⁰  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
¹¹  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²  Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³  Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
¹⁴  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

--May we find with the psalmist the value and great worth of the Word of God. See where the Word of God led:

Nehemiah 9:2-3 (NLT)
²  Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.   Wait a minute…God did not want them mixing with other people!
³  They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God. 

Nehemiah 10:35 (NLT) ³⁵  “We promise to bring the first part of every harvest to the LORD’s Temple year after year—whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees.

Nehemiah 10:39 (NLT) ³⁹  …“We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”

3. We are to invite and bring more people to live and remain within the boundaries of safety.

--Nehemiah came and built the wall, restored the gates, led the people in repentance, and began the mission of getting people inside the gates of protection.  Kind of like what Jesus told us.

Matthew 22:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
⁹  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'
¹⁰  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

--We must go and compel them to come in…we catch the fish but we let God clean them.

--If every family can win a family we can easily be past one thousand in less than a year.

--Yippee, you are saved, you are in God’s Kingdom, your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, but what of those who are unsaved?  We must get them in the boundaries of God’s protection.

--Here is an exciting thought…imagine 220 missionaries all around the globe and here in the US and all who they are leading to Christ…see how the Church is growing thru your efforts!

--Jesus said that all of those who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved…let’s give them that chance.