The work of rebuilding these walls of Jerusalem was a work that was absolutely vital for the well-being of that particular city. When Nehemiah determined to leave Shushan and return among the fellow Jews, he was not taking up a work that had no real purpose to it. He wasn't coming to engage in a worthless project. He wasn't planning to give himself to something that didn't really matter. When Nehemiah left Shushan and came to Jerusalem, his heart was set on doing one of the most important building programs of all time. There are certain reasons for that. This was an important work if the city was to be preserved. There is a repeated emphasis in the opening chapters of this book on the fact that the city was in reproach. That Hebrew word has the idea of something that has been stripped or exposed or something that is in jeopardy. That's exactly how it was with the city of Jerusalem. The walls had been broken down. The gates had been burned with fire. The defenses were in ruins. The walls had been breached and that meant that the people were open prey to their enemies. There was no defense. The city really was wide open to attack. The people were in constant danger and therefore if the city was to be protected, if it was to be preserved, the walls needed to be rebuilt. It wasn't really a matter of choice, it was a matter of absolute necessity. The protection, the safety, the security of the city demanded the rebuilding of the walls. It's a very important lesson there, of course, for the Church of Jesus Christ. If we're going to effectively defend the gospel of the cross and earnestly contend for the faith and stand against the encroachments of the enemies of the cross, we really must give ourselves to standing up for the Lord and defending the great doctrines of the gospel. We must give ourselves body, soul and mind to building up the walls of truth. If the gospel witness is to be preserved, then we must work the works of him that has sent us. The work of rebuilding was important if the city was to be preserved. But this was also an important work for coming generations. The work that Nehemiah was involved in was not something that focused solely on Nehemiah's own generation. The building of the walls of Jerusalem really was a work for the future. These men laboured for the good of their children and for their children's children. They were working to leave an inheritance behind them. Every stone that was put in place, every gate that was repaired, every tower that was raised up, every lock, every bar that was put back into its place had a bearing and would bring a blessing for years to come. This was not a short-sighted work. but a work for generations to come. I don't think I really need to make the application here. Our service for God at this present time will have an influence for generations to come. That's something vitally important. What we do now as servants of God and as the people of God in this place, in this day and generation, will have a bearing on the work in years to come. That's a sobering thought. No man lives on to himself. And the foundation that is laid now will have an influence, a bearing on the work of God for our children and our children's children. And we need to hand over to them a vibrant, evangelistic, separated church that stands for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The alternative doesn't really bear thinking about. And the work that Nehemiah was involved in here as he rebuilt these walls and these men labored with him was a work for the future. And believer, let's ever keep that in mind, that our generation will soon pass away, but we've got to hand on to the next generation, a church that's strong for God and that's well founded and established on the doctrines of grace. Let me say also that this work was important because it involved the glory of God. Why was the building of the walls such an important business? Why did Nehemiah go to such lengths to see it commenced and then continue? For the simple reason he knew the honour of Jehovah was at stake here. He was not labouring for his own name, he was labouring for the honour of his God. And that underscored to this man the importance of this work. And those are things that we should keep in the foremost part of our minds as we read the book of Nehemiah. The rebuilding of the walls, the establishing of the gates in Jerusalem was an absolutely vital work for that particular place in that particular generation and for the glory of the Lord. This was not child's play. It was not an insignificant development. It was not a worthless work. It was not something that could well be left unattended to. It was not a matter of shall we build, nor it was a matter of we must build at once. And that truth really applies to our service for God tonight. We must set ourselves for the defense of the gospel. This is not a day for careless indifference to the work of the Lord. I think that's the scourge of the Church of Christ in general. a careless indifference to the work of God. Rather this is a day that calls for earnest, urgent, unrelenting and dedicated service for God. The call to build you find in Nehemiah chapter 2 in verse 17 and the response that's found in verse 18 is just as vital tonight as it was back there in those days of Nehemiah. And Nehemiah chapter 3 introduces us to the actual rebuilding of the gates and the walls themselves. Tonight we come to verse 6, to the third gate, the old gate, the gate that was to be repaired. It's described there in verse 6 as the old gate. It's a very simple and yet a very significant title. It indicates that this was the oldest gate into the city. It was an old path, an old passageway. It was the oldest route into Jerusalem and it was vital that this old gate be repaired and be restored. These words in Nehemiah chapter 3 and verse 6 are very similar in theme to the rising words of Jeremiah 6 and verse 16 where we have the words of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the way, and see, and ask for the old path. Where is the good way? And walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." The old gate involved an old path. The old path into the city. The old gate into Jerusalem. And that gate needed to be repaired and to be restored. And no Christian And I think I can say this without fear of contradiction, no Christian who is anxious for God's blessing and for the furtherance of God's work will deny the need to see the old gate repaired and the old paths being re-established. There are three things when you come to look at verses 6 through to 12, three things that demand our close attention and I want to really underscore with you tonight. Notice with me first of all the genuine burden that was shown for the old gate. Nehemiah 3 in verse 5 finishes with the record, and we noticed this last time, the record of the inexcusable and shameful indifference of the nobles of Tekoa to the work of God. The refusal of those great men, and that's what the word noble signifies, the refusal of those great men to labour with the others and put their necks to the work really was a great sin. These men had no good reason for acting as they In fact, if anything, there was every reason in the world why those men should have led by example. The word noble, or the word nobles in verse 5, is used to describe one who is powerful or one who is mighty. In other words, these men had influence. These men were the principal men. These men were the leading figures of those people and therefore they ought to have led the way in this work for God. But instead of activity, they were marked with apathy. They displayed a very callous indifference to the work of God. It wasn't that they were unable to work with the others. It wasn't that there was no work for them to do or no opportunity for them to serve. It wasn't the case that there was no need for them to put their neck to the work. There was a work to be done, and all hands were needed on the walls of Jerusalem, but these men refused to do it. Consequently, their names are linked with a shameful sin. While others were noted for their service, the men of Tekoa are remembered for their slothfulness. Now that spirit of indifference That spread of carelessness had the potential to spread. I think it's true to say there's nothing more contagious in Christian service than idleness. Numbers chapter 32 and verses 6 and 7 you have the words of Moses to the tribes of Gad and Reuben. Those two tribes had decided to stay on the other side of Jordan. They had found an inheritance there. They wanted to stay there and raise their flocks and raise their families. And they put that proposal to Moses, can we not stay here while the rest of Israel cross the Jordan and fight for the land? And Moses remonstrates with them and he says, shall your brethren go to war and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? And Moses is saying to these people, if you sit here while others go to war and you're sitting idle on this side of Jordan, you're going to discourage the hearts of your brethren. You're going to cause these men to grow weary and they're not going to want to go over and fight for the land that God has given to them. Their desire to sit still was likely to discourage the other men. And that was a distinct possibility in Nehemiah's day. When these nobles of Tekoa did not put their necks to the work of the Lord, there was a possibility, the potential, that that carelessness would spread among the other workers. Men could lose their burden, men could lose the vision, men could lose the desire to see the work go on. But that was not the case. That potential was never realised. For even though there were some who did not care for the work, There were others who were still concerned for the work. And that's emphasized in the open word of verse 6. It says there, moreover, the old gate repaired Jehoiada, the son of Passaia. The word, moreover, suggests a contrast. In fact, it could be translated though. the old gate repaired Jehoiada. And there's a contrast there between verse 5 and verse 6. The nobles put not their necks to the work of the Lord, though the old gate repaired Jehoiada. Or moreover, these men still went on to the work. And it suggests that although there were some who did not work as they should have worked, there were other men there still concerned, other men still anxious, still burdened for the work. The men of Tekoa had no heart for the fish gate, but the men of Israel had a heart for the old gate. Here were men who wanted to see the old path established again. It had been broken down by the enemy. The old gate was in ruins, evidence of the enemy's work. It had been ruined and destroyed and left as rubble but there were individuals there that day and at that time in history who wanted to see it raised up from the dust and opened again so that people would walk in that old path once more. Now although this was the oldest gate there was no suggestion that it should not be repaired. There was no intention to do away with this ancient landmark. There was no discussion, there was no debate whether or not a new gate would be better. There was not the slightest hint here that these men were unwilling to build it up and make it good again. Rather there was a genuine burden. I want you to understand that, especially focusing on that word moreover, the old gate repaired. There was a genuine burden to see the old path set up and the old gate back where it belonged. These men of Jerusalem were not modernisers. They were not in the revision business. They were in the restoration business. They were not looking for a new way. They were happy with the old way. They were not looking to replace something, they were looking to re-establish something. That's very important in the church of Jesus Christ. This is an age where many call for the church to move with the times. Many call for the church to change their standards. Many call for the church to adopt a different confession, to adopt a different kind of trend in worship. It's true in regard to our message. That's what people say in regard to the gospel message. Don't mention just so much about the blood. Don't mention so much about the doctrines of hell and God's wrath and retribution and judgment. It's true in regard to the music of the church. There's a tendency with some to say that we've got to move away and move on to something more catching, something more modern. It's true in regard to the ministry of the church. Let's do away with the regular kind of service. Let's introduce something different, something more appealing to the flesh. It's true in regard to the motive of the church. Let the church move away from being so spiritual. Let it become a little more social in its outlook. And the argument really is, if the church is to survive in this age, it needs to be modified. It needs to be moulded. It needs to move with the times. And the devil comes along and he argues, don't you know that people have changed? Don't you want something different? Are you not tired of the old way? Don't you know that there are new ways out there? A new approach to things. And people want a new theme. And I tell you, many have succumbed to it. They have their new Bibles. They have their new hymn books, they have their new formats, they have their new creeds, they have their new functions, they have their new things. But tell me, what has it amounted to? The blessing of the Lord? A revival of true religion? The extension of the church? Not at all. It has resulted in the withdrawal of the Lord. and a church that has become so like the world that it's impossible to tell the difference. I heard and I've since read the advert of a church in Londonderry, a Presbyterian church in Londonderry, seeking to cater for young people by having dances in the church on Saturday night. They've opened a kind of club, a night club, called Somewhere Else. And the advert for that, I was going to call it a service, it's not a service, the advert for that event reads like this. This is designed to give our young people somewhere where they can meet up with their friends, dance to popular beats and listen to live bands. If you don't like the band, then you can dance the night away with the resin DJs. That's the modern trend. That's the modern idea. Do you know what it is? It's a doing away with the old. No more authorised version. No more blood theology. No more separation. No more preaching of the cross. No more prayer meetings. No more old gait. Something new. Something different. No burden for the old paths of God's Word. Something more modern. Something more in keeping with the desires of the flesh. I tell you tonight, that's the wrong way to go. We need to be extremely careful lest we're inclined to go the same way. That's especially so in days of declension, days of hardness, days when people are not coming to church in the numbers that they used to. That's when the temptation to do away with the old gate really comes into play. People are not coming, so what do you do? Well, you enter just something new. You bring something different in. You move away from the old gate. You move away from the old path of simply preaching Christ. You try to make the service a little more attractive. I tell you this, there's a grave danger in that. Here were men, and although these nobles of Toccoa were not concerned for the fish gate, and as we remarked last time, that fish gate has to do with evangelism, service for God, going out and bringing people in, fishing for souls. They weren't concerned for that. But here were men with a burden, a genuine burden, to see the old gate repaired. Whenever Elijah was on top of Carmel in his battle with the prophets of Beal, He didn't build a new altar, he just repaired the old one. There was a repairing work done, a re-establishing of the place of sacrifice. In Proverbs 22 verse 28 I read these words, Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set. It's in a different context than what we're thinking of in Nehemiah chapter 3, but the principle is the same. They were men, and this old landmark, this ancient landmark was in ruins. But nobody suggests, well, let's just do away with it. There was a burden to repair it. Proverbs 24 and 21, My son, fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. Christian, we need a burden for the old deeds, a burden for the old past. I trust that God, in his mercy, would ever keep this church in the old gate. That God would ever keep this denomination in the old path. As time goes on, the pressure to change is going to increase. We need to rebuild the old gate again. A genuine burden for the old gate. Notice the godly builders who were involved at the old gate. Who did God use to rebuild this most important place? Well you have the names mentioned there in verse 6 through to verse 12. It's interesting just to note how many of the Jews were involved here. One of the most labour intensive parts of the wall you'll find here at the old gate. A lot of names mentioned, a lot of people involved and that indicates something to me, just how eager the Jews were to see this gate functioning again. that here are a lot of people. And you'll notice the variety of professions that are here. There are men in verse 6 there, the son of one of the Apocathuris. He's involved. There are men who are the rulers in verse 9. The son of her, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. And they were involved. The men of Gibeon are involved. Even the daughters of a ruler in verse 12 are involved. There's a vast range of people. vast range of professions, vast range of different kind of individuals all working on this part of the wall and this old gate and that suggests to me that every believer has a part in the work of the old gate. Holding on to the old paths is not just the work of the minister. It's important that he does. vitally important that he does. Don't leave it to the minister. Every father should care for the old gate at home. Every Christian should repair the old gate of their own lives. Every church member should do their utmost to walk in the old paths as they identify with the work of God. It's not just the work of one. It's the work of us all. In fact, repairing the old gate is the work of every believer in every situation. But having said that, there were principal men involved in this work, and these men at least to my mind, reveal the kind of men that God uses to guard and to build the Old Gate. I want to mention two especially, two that are mentioned for us in verse 6, the leading men of this work. Moreover, the Old Gate repaired Jehoiada, the son of Pasea, and Meshulam, the son of Besodea. Jehoiada, his name means Jehovah known, or God knows. And I'm convinced that that's how this man worked. He laboured at the old gate with the thought that God's eye was upon him. He laboured at this gate with all his strength, with the understanding that God knew his labours and that God's gaze was upon him. He was conscious like Hagar of old, thy God sees me. That proof prompted this man to work. to work with dedication, to work with diligence, to work with determination at the detail of the wall. He's not working here to be seen of men but he's working with the knowledge that he is seen of God and that God knows him and God knows his labour. In question that's how we are to repair the old Walking in the old path is not a popular thing. Certainly not in this generation. Many will question your motives. Many will question your methods. Many will question your message. In a wider church context, many will question the ministry. And I'm talking about Christians now. But the point is not what do men think. The point is what does God think? What does God see in our lives? What does God think? And we ought to content ourselves with the truth that God knows. God knows the struggle of repairing the old gate. God knows the difficulty that there is in walking the old path. God knows the problems, God knows the tears, God understands what it is when his people are faced with temptation on every side and yet under God and with God's help they try to steer that straight course through the old gate. God knows. That ought to make the difference for us. In Revelation chapter 3 in verse 8 you have the record there of the church of Philadelphia. It was a church with little strength, but a church that sought to do what was right by God. And the Lord had this encouraging word for them in verse 8. He says, I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it, for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. What were they doing? They were building the old gate. They had kept the Lord's word. They had not denied his name. They had little strength. They hadn't much power, but they were using what power they had, what strength they had in the service of the Lord. And the Lord says, I know thy works. And they laboured with that thought. Let us build the old gate with the knowledge that God knows. God knows our hearts. God knows the burden that we have. There's another man mentioned there in verse 6, the man Meshulam. His name can mean many things. It means friendly. And it's encouraging to know that as Jehoiada worked there at the gate, he had a friend. He had many enemies of course, but he had a friend as well. And as you labour at the old gate, there's a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. His name means to be safe. And there's safety in the old paths. There's safety in the old gate. His name also means to be rewarded. And God rewards those who build the old gate. But it also has the idea of making an end. or finishing or making good. And in that connection it's clear from the passage here that he was a man who was prepared to work to the end. Now Shulam did not start well and then change direction or lose heart. He didn't start in union with this man Jehoiada and then think to himself, well the nobles of Tekoa haven't bothered themselves too much, why should I bother? Not at all. He finished as he started. He kept at the work in hand. And those two qualities, laboring with the thought that God knows and we're under God's gaze, and laboring to the very last, faithful to the end, faithful unto death, those two qualities are needed if we are to maintain the old gate. It's those who know the Lord that are strong and do exploits for him. Believer, that's what we need to pray for, that God would give us grace, as he gave these men grace, grace to build the Old Gate. The Old Gate is the centre of many battles, but we must build it for God's glory and for our own good. You have not only the genuine burden for the Old Gate, but you have the godly builders involved at the old gate. Notice the great blessing that was associated with the old gate. This gate was important. I know the sheep gate was important and the fish gate was important and this gate is no exception. And the rebuilding of it was extremely pleasing to God. I want you to see from the chapter here that the repairing of the old gate is spoken of in connection with the strengthening of the wall. If you look at the end of verse 8, it says next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apocrypharies and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall or they left Jerusalem unto the broad wall the old gate had connections with the broad wall with the place of strength It was connected to the strong part, to the thick part of the wall. And the idea is that this old gate had added strength to the wall. It was part of that wall that was fortified and was used for the fortification of Jerusalem. Now that's true spirituality. The old gate in the church, the old gate of preaching, the old gate of prayer, the old gate of the old ways of God's truth. brings strength to the cause of Jesus Christ. You think of those churches that have introduced all the modern things. Has it really strengthened the church? Has it really built the church up? Has it made it a strong defence of the gospel? Not at all. Not at all. In fact, it has weakened the church. It is only added to the decline of it, and to the destruction of it, but the building up of the old gate is the way to the strengthening of the Church. The Church of Christ is built through the preaching of God's Word, the presentation of the Gospel, the ministry of the Word, and the prayers of God's people, and that which brings glory to the Lord. You'll notice also that the repairing of the old gate is spoken of in connection with a sweetness before the Lord. In verse 8 you have that statement, Next unto him also repaired Hananiah, the son of one of the apocrypharies, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. The apocrypharies, those were the men who had to do with the fragrances and the perfumes. Here's a man and he's working there and the whole idea of his labour is that it is a sweet savour unto the Lord it's rising up before the Lord as something that's well pleasing and when God sees the old gate being repaired it pleases the Lord the old path Jeremiah spoke of there in Jeremiah 6 and 16 is the good way it's the way that God would have us to go Thus saith the Lord." Notice the authority there. It's not Jeremiah saying this. It's not some other prophet. It is the Lord. Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths. Where is the good way? It's good before the Lord. It's good in the eyes of the Lord. It's good for the glory of the Lord. It's good for the name of the Lord. It's something that has a sweet savour unto God. But that's what really matters. What does it really matter what the world thinks of us? What really counts is that we please God. And I tell you this, the building of the old gate pleases God. Do you know why? Because it's God's gate. It's God's gate. Notice lastly there that the repairing of the old gate is spoken of in connection with security in verse 11. They repaired the other piece on the tower of the furnaces and there's another tower in connection with the wall. They marked this with the sheep gate. They were the two walls beside the sheep gate that spoke of protection, how the sheep gate needed to be defended. And here in this part of the wall where the old gate, there was a tower. It defended Jerusalem. It was for the protection of the people. There was a blessing here. A blessing with this building. That's true with the old gate. It's true of the old paths of true Christianity. You know when we talk about the old gate and the old ways, it's not just nostalgia. It's not some sort of sentimental harking back to the past just for the sake of it, for old times sake, that's not the thought here. The old path is going back to the way God established it to be. And when that happens, when the old gate is repaired and the old paths are walked, then God has promised to bless. We need to build the old gate. Maybe some of the stones have fallen out of it. Maybe the beams are hanging down a little. Maybe the bars and laps are out of place. Maybe there's some rubble in the pathway. Maybe there's been a breach in the old gate. to be not just as strong as we ought to be, or should be, or once were, we need to repair the old gate. It's the way to blessing. It's the way to blessing. It's the way to see the Church of Christ built. You can have quick, quick solutions, you know, and bring people in by the lorry load. He's entered just all kinds of things. But where's the Lord in it all? Let's build the old gate, and let's enjoy the blessing of the Lord. I trust that God will bless His Word to our hearts tonight for Jesus' sake, and the Lord will write His Word upon our souls. We're going to sing a hymn, at least a verse or two of a hymn. This is by special request. 343, 343, O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free-rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness.