Nehemiah 3 describes ten gates that teach us so much about about who we should be as the church!
Psalm 24:7-9 So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you.
1. Sheep gate - lead by example! The priest worked with the people to show this was a task for everyone, even though it was opposite side of the where they lived.
Nehemiah 3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred…
2. Fish gate - This gives a great depiction of the call of the family, detailing out father’s sons and grandchildren working on this gate.
Nehemiah 3:3 The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana.
Ministry is about family! We’re not perfect, but we’re in this together.
3. Old Gate - Speaks of unity - again listing families, rich and poor, officials and even women helped in the building.
Nehemiah 3:12 And next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.
4. Valley Gate - Not everyone’s measure is the same.
Nehemiah 3:13 The Valley Gate was repaired …..They also repaired the 1,500 feet of wall to the Dung Gate.
5. Dung Gate - There is value in the dirty work.
Nehemiah 3:14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, the leader of the Beth-hakkerem district. He rebuilt it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.
6. Fountain Gate - Team work and doing what is inconvenient.
Nehemiah 3:20 Next to him was Baruch son of Zabbai, who zealously repaired an additional section from the angle to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. (who was working on the sheep gate where he was needed not where was most convenient)
7. Water Gate - Meet the need you see.
Nehemiah 3: 27 Then came the people of Tekoa, who repaired another section across from the great projecting tower and over to the wall of Ophel. (People of Tekoa also worked on the fish gate.)
Your concern is a clue to your call.
8 &9. Horse Gate & East Gate - Your house is your responsibility.
Nehemiah 3:28 Above the Horse Gate, the priests repaired the wall. Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house.
10. Inspection Gate - No one is above serving!
Nehemiah 3:31 …the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. (most likely these were the more wealthy of the group)
The change the world needs is a releasing of the people of God to do the work of God!
1 Corinthians 12:12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. (NLT)
The church’s job is to equip you to do what God has created you to do, not do it for you and let you help.
Matthew 10:7-8 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (NIV)
If you want to impress people, tell them your dreams; if you want to impact them, show them your heart.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Follow the sacrificial example of Jesus this week as you purpose to do something specific to help others experience God’s love.
OPEN THE GATES: GATEKEEPERS
Discussion Guide for Community Leaders
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
Psalm 24:7-9 So wake up, you living gateways! Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny! Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you. You ask, “Who is this Glory-King?” The Lord, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, invincible in every way! So wake up, you living gateways, and rejoice! Fling wide, you ageless doors of destiny! Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in. (TPT)
We are the gates through which the King of glory enters into our world. During this season we are learning how we don’t wait for a move of God. We are the move of God to the world around us.
We bring God’s presence to real life in every realm of society and on every level of community.
We are moving from merely having a Christian label to pursuing a Christian life. As we move toward a more basic understanding of the message, mission, and ministry of Jesus we come to a clearer understanding that we were born to be a gateway for the King. This starts first in our own home!
God’s plan is for us to hear his voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with this first and
primary question for discussion.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
Ezra records that 139 gatekeepers made the trip from Babylon to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:42).
When Nehemiah had finished the rebuilding of the wall around the city of Jerusalem, gatekeepers were some of the first positions he appointed (Nehemiah 7:1). This is significant because, productivity in any city involves purposing to let the right people in who will contribute to that city’s well-being causing the community to flourish.
Jesus, himself, is our gate. We have entered God’s Kingdom through our relationship with him. God’s plan is that we discover our role as gatekeepers as we follow his example.
John 10:9-11 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
2. Share how you came to know Christ.
Once we discover God’s purpose in our own lives we are then commissioned to help others find their way as well. We are to follow the sacrificial example of Jesus as we offer love and compassion for others. This is an invitational lifestyle of hospitality as an expression of God’s Kingdom in the earth.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
3. Share some ways you have experienced this kind of love from others.
4. Share a few ideas of how you see yourself implementing this week’s action point.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Follow the sacrificial example of Jesus this week as you purpose to do something specific to help others
experience God’s love.