TITLE: DOORKEEPERS
SCRIPTURE: I CHRONICLES 15:24
I recognize and look forward with great anticipation to our celebration this afternoon of our Ushers and Nurses Ministry of this Church. However; I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity as the Pastor to share my appreciation and love for the Ushers and Nurses of this great Church. There are many roles of service for persons within the body of Christ. Today, we are focusing on our Ushers and Nurses. Ushers play an important role in our church. Let’s take time this morning to thank the Lord for their service, it is our desire that you will see that their work is truly for the Lord, Jesus Christ and His church. So Ushers and Nurses, we celebrate you all day today.
Throughout the Scriptures we can find ushers called by various titles –
• Watchmen - II SAMUEL 18:24-27
• Porters - I CHRONICLES 9:17-18
• Doorkeepers - I CHRONICLES 5:2-23
• According to 1 CHRONICLES 15:23 - BERECHIAH and ELKANAH were to be Gatekeepers for the Ark of the Covenant
• OBED-EDOM and JEHIAH also were Gatekeepers of the Ark
• The term Doorkeeper lasted for centuries
• Today Doorkeepers are called and understood to be Church Ushers
So the word USHER is referred to in the Bible as a GATEKEEPER - DOORKEEPER - or simply a KEEPER. The word is derived from USH, meaning “To Enter Into.” The usher had many duties in biblical times –
• Keeper of the city gates
• Announcer of dignitaries
• They went before high-ranking people to clear their way
• They directed individuals to their proper place
• They were in charge of who to admit or permit into the building
• They were the ones who made it possible for the speaker to be heard (not allowing disruptions in the room)
In the embodiment of ushering, the usher has to reflect the gifts of the Spirit in his or her demeanor and actions.
• The joy of the Lord must be present, and there needs to be a love and reassurance that comes forth in sincerity and care
• The usher must also use the proper discernment and wisdom to keep the peace and have the proper response to know what to do in emergency situations
• Ushers need to be sensitive to the needs of the people and dedicated to the tasks at hand with a positive attitude and to be a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ
Let’s examine our text briefly this morning to see what we can learn about the importance and value of the Doorkeepers. The historical background is -- King David prepares to bring the ARK OF THE COVENANT BACK INTO JERUSALEM, something shocking occurs. The Israelites were transporting the ark on a cart driven by oxen because that’s how they saw the Philistines do it. The problem was God commanded them to have the priests carry it on poles.
• When the ox stumbled, the Ark gets tipsy
• A guy named UZZAH nearby braces it with his hand and God strikes him dead
• This angers David
• Needless to say, David didn’t want the Ark near him anymore
• He responded based on his emotions
• Can I tell you when we respond based on our emotions instead of understanding what God is telling and teaching us we will suffer adversely every time
• We must take great care to harness our emotions
• EPHESIANS 4:26 “BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT….”
So what does David do? He instructs an unknown priest named Obed-Edom, who lives 10 miles outside the city, to take the Ark into his home. And the Ark, which just cost a man his life for touching it, is moved into Obed-Edom’s living room for 3 months.
• I know how hard it is to make my grandchildren not touch the remote or the electrical socket, or don’t touch something I put down for a moment
• Can you imagine trying to convince them not to put their little hands on the big shiny thing in the middle of the room?
As a few months went by, David heard God was blessing Obed-edom, and so he decided to bring the ark back to Jerusalem, but now, he would do it obeying God’s instructions.
• If we just follow God’s Instructions – Life would not be so difficult
• If we just follow God’s Instructions – Churches would be full again
• If we just follow God’s Instructions – We would truly love one another
• If we just follow God’s Instructions – And Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth
• If we just follow God’s Instructions – It is all recorded in ‘The Book’
David brings the ark into the city with much rejoicing and dancing and the presence of God is symbolically back in the center of God’s people where it rightfully belongs.
• Vs. 25 -- He made a great celebration out of the return of the Ark
• David, the elders of Israel, and the Captains over thousands, went to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obed-Edom with Joy!
• That’s how we should enter the Sanctuary every Sunday with Praise, Worship, and Joy if we believe the Spirit of the Lord is here in this Sanctuary, this Holy of the Holies
Who Is This Obed-Edom? His choices and his life led to blessings for himself and his family. Let us, together, examine who Obed-Edom was and what we can learn from his life. Obed-Edom was a faithful servant of the Lord who was willing to do whatever was necessary in order to serve his Lord.
• His job as a doorkeeper was certainly not a high visibility position
• He wasn’t asked to speak to large crowds of people
• He was not in the spotlight
• Yet, he faithfully served his Lord
We need more men like Obed-Edom - more doorkeepers. We need men and women who will be willing to serve the Lord, and be content with not receiving the accolades of men, but knowing also that their labor is not in vain as far as God was concerned. I appreciate the men and women at our church that do the things that people tend not to notice, but are very important and necessary for the cause of Christ to move forward.
• I thank God for President Jackie Roberts who shows up every Sunday about 9:45 a.m. to begin preparing Sanctuary for 11 a.m. Worship
• I thank God for the Ushers that stay behind after Worship to straighten out the stuff we leave behind and allow our children to tear up
• I thank God for the Ushers that travel with me during Afternoon Services
• They do so without looking for Fanfare or Accolades
Did I mention to you Obed-Edom was also a Levite?
• Ushers originated from the Levites
• They were the overseers that David had assigned for service at the gates in the Lord’s temple
• They made sure the proper reverence was used in worship of the Lord when entering the temple
There should be, for us, a value when we approach the Lord. When we grow in our relationship to the Lord, we also should have some reverence to our view of God and in our worship of Him.
• The Levites also assisted the priests in the temple and they also were overseers of the collection of the funds
• The Levites were already highly regarded as priests in their own right
• They were entrusted to supervise the work on behalf of the Lord and in His temple
• They were operating as overseers and gatekeepers operating within the body in their service
• DAVID and NEHEMIAH relied on the Levites as Gatekeepers to serve the Lord in their various capacities
• But even with all of this, “EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER”
So the ark of God remained with Obed-Edom for three (3) months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he owned. When it came time to move the Ark to Jerusalem, (this time correctly) Obed-Edom had a choice -
• He could have stayed where he was and lived off of his past relationship with God
• Or move with the Ark of God, staying in God’s presence and in relationship with God
Obed-Edom had a desire for the Lord and moved with God. His desire for the Lord caused him to do whatever it took to be close to the Lord.
• He became a Gatekeeper
• He became a Musician
• And He became a Doorkeeper for the Ark
Due to his desire and love for the Lord and his faithfulness, God begins again to bless him and promote him. You do know that’s how God blesses us don’t you? The more we bless him, the more God Blesses and Elevates us. I heard somebody say, we can’t Bless the Lord, we can Serve Him but we can’t Bless Him. I beg to differ because the Scriptures say –
• PSALMS 34:1 “I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES: HIS PRIASE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH”
• PSALMS 16:7 “I WILL BELSS THE LORD, WHO HATH GIVEN ME COUNSEL….”
• PSALMS 26:12 “MY FOOT STANDETH IN AN EVEN PLACE: IN THE CONGREGATIONS WILL I BLESS THE LORD”
• PSALMS 115:18 “BUT WE WILL BLESS THE LORD FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOR EVERMORE. PRAISE THE LORD”
• PSALMS 145:2 “EVERY DAY WILL I BLESS THEE; AND I WILL PRAISE THY NAME FOR EVER AND EVER
• PSALMS 103:1 “BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL: AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME”
• PSALMS 103:2 “BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HS BENEFITS”
Obed-Edom becomes a Worship Leader and is mentioned along with ASPAH the Chief Musician. He and his 68 associates minister regularly before the Lord in worship. yet, he still continues to keep the gates.
• In spite of his elevation from the Lord
• He is now also playing the instruments for Worship Service
• He is now also the Worship Leader for Worship Service
• But he still Ushers for the Church because this is his ‘First Love’
He is not only blessed in ministry and relationship with the Lord, his family is also blessed.
• God gives him eight (8) sons
• His sons and grandsons also worshiped the Lord and were blessed by the Lord
• They were all leaders, capable men, with strength to do the work
• There were 62 men in all
• Obed-Edom, along with his other duties, was put in charge of the Southgate
• His sons were keepers of the storehouse
We oftentimes hear of those Saintly Grandmothers and Spirit Led Grandfathers say they see ministry and Preaching in their grandchildren.
• Pastors try to raise their sons and daughters to Preach
• Preachers try to instill Preaching and Pastoring in their grandchildren
• Obed-Edom thought all that was good
• However, He Raised Ushers
• He raised them to understand - PSALMS 84:10 “FOR A DAY IN THY COURTS IS BETTER THAN A THOUSAND. I HAD RATHER BE A DOORKEEPER IN THE HOUSE OF MY GOD, THAN TO DWELL IN THE TENTS OF WICKEDNESS”
When you look through the Bible you will quickly realize it begins to describe the people in charge in caring for the ark and the temple - Obed-edom’s name comes up time and time again.
• He is listed as a Worship Leader on the Lyre - I CHORNICLES 15:2
• He is listed as a Gatekeeper to the Ark - I CHRONICLES 16:38
• He is listed as Ministering in the Tabernacle - I CHRONICLES 26:4/12-15
• And he is mentioned as doing so much more
He is the kind of Church worker every Church wish they had. He is absolutely everywhere! Remember, he lived 10 miles away. He couldn’t just hop in the SUV and make a 10 minute trip there to perform all those duties. He made provisions to be on his post at the appointed time and you could count on him.
• It did not make a difference if it were Raining – He was on His Post
• It did not make a difference if it were too Cold – He was on His Post
• It did not make a difference if there were Severe Weather Warnings – He was on His Post
• It did not make a difference if he had company for the weekend – He was on His Post
• It did not make a difference if the Church were full or almost empty – He was on His Post
I believe the Ushers and Nurses here at ‘First Church’ have the same spirit as Obed-Edom, you are always on your post here and in worship with other Churches and programs. You too can be counted upon. Here’s what we must take from his ability to serve –
• Once someone truly experiences the presence of God, he cannot settle for less ever again
• PSALMS 34:8 “O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD: BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN HIM”
• After worshiping the Lord at such a close proximity for 3 months, Obed-Edom was addicted to being near God
• He couldn’t do without God’s presence
• He probably uprooted his family and moved cities so he could be close to the One he loved the most
Unfortunately we can get addicted to many things in this life –
• Addicted to Smoking
• Addicted to Drugs
• Addicted to Pain Killers
• Addicted to Alcohol
• But if you ever get Addicted to the Lord and being in His Presence
• You will be the first person to Church
• You will be the first person every time the Church Doors Open
• You will be the first person on your Post in whatever capacity you serve
• You will really understand what the Psalmist meant when he wrote - PSALMS 122:1 “I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID UNTO ME, LET US GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD”
Rather than being the least important task in the House of the Lord, as we so often think of it, being a doorkeeper was, in fact, an awesome privilege. It is highly likely that you will never hear a sermon or attend a Bible study where these names are given any mention, but don’t forget they have been given their props in the eternal Word of God.
• My point is, it takes a team to do the work of the Kingdom
• I am convinced there are leading characters on the Kingdom team
• But it’s still a team
• Mostly of unnamed, unsung heroes who are typically forgotten—except by God
• God never forgets
• He appreciates the contributions of each and every one—even the lesser lights
• And he has stored up indescribable recognition and rewards for them in the Kingdom to come
• And the chronicler’s mention of them here is an important reminder to us of their contribution to their efforts and of their value to God
Maybe you are one of those unnamed, unsung heroes who goes unnoticed by everyone else, but your faithfulness is noticed by God. Perhaps you are an OBED-EDOM - OTHNI – REPHAEL – OBED - ELZABAD - or even one the other sixty-two of their clan who didn’t even get their name in the movie credits that roll on the film long after the audience has left the theater, and you wonder if you really matter. My response to you is, “Yes, you matter.
• We wouldn’t be effective in building God’s Kingdom without you!
• It takes a team—and no matter what you do, you are an integral part of that team!”
--But more important than my acknowledgement is God’s
--He has written your name in a book, too—one that’s even better than 1 Chronicles
--It’s the Book of Life
--And God himself will celebrate your name all eternity long
--How’s that for recognition
--So just be faithful doing what you’re doing
--Your day is coming!
