1. What’s your idea of a musical extravaganza?  Half-time at the Super Bowl?  100-piece orchestra?  Jazz band?  Mormon Tabernacle choir?  Rock the Desert? Illustrate some favorite experience you have had, then have a couple of folks share theirs.  You will probably have to move the group on, as everyone has some favorite memory and story.
2. How do you express your joy when you finish a project?  A meal, shopping, just pausing and resting, give a standing ovation for yourself, calling someone? What’s your favorite way of celebrating?  What styles of worship have you experienced? This is kind of like ordering at Starbucks, the responses may go from a-z.  Caution:  Someone may climb onto a soapbox here.
3. Be prepared to share your experience if you have ever climbed the walls of a city, or on top of a city wall. Historic forts, seawalls, old cities around the world.  You are headed into the scripture now.

Nehemiah 12

27  At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28  The singers also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem–from the villages of the Netophathites, 29  from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30  When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall. 31  I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks.

37  At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

38  The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people–past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall,

40  The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials,

41  as well as the priests–Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets–

42  and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah.

43  And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.

Digging Deeper

1. What specific actions did the priests, Levites, and singers take? The purification rites, (12:45) singing (the choirs); the Levites had the job of inviting everyone (12:27).
2. What was the purpose of the procession?  It was a part of the dedication day. It had the practical person of begin sure there were people around the entire wall. Who was included in each group? The “band” and singers.   Who led each group?  There was a choir director, Jezrihiah who led the two choirs.  The “leaders”  (12:31) How is this different from chapter 1 when Nehemiah circled the city at night?
3. If you were there, what would you see, hear, feel, smell, touch? Persons of all ages.  Levites and priests in their robes, the city from the top of the wall, the surrounding countryside.   Feeling of great joy.  Smell? Animal sacrifices (12:43)   Just imagine.  Touch?  The purification ritual.
4. What steps of appreciation do the people take to ensure that those who serve at the temple are cared for? Read 12:44, to compensate the Levites, priests, and—maybe the singers and gatekeepers.  Ezra had paid a director to lead his choir. (Book of Ezra).
5. Scanning the book of Nehemiah, what themes do you pick up?  What/Who stands in the way of the rebuilding of the wall? Jews began to doubt and complain and get tired..  Tribal leaders from around Jerusalem.
6. Can you recall a time when a project was so big that it could be completed only with the help of God?  Was the rebuilding of the wall more of God’s doing—or of Nehemiah’s doing? 
7. Ezra and Nehemiah are together one story.  See Nehemiah 8:1. What was the impact of hearing the scriptures read from the Books of Moses? 8:1, 5, etc.

Take It Home

1. What situation/experience/event are you celebrating today? Birthdays, anniversaries, births, spiritual high moments?
2. What “mood” do you bring to our worship services?  Would it be good to have more of that kind of a “mood”?—or less? A variety of answers, from angry to happy.
3. When you attend worship this week, look for elements in the service that express praise to God. 
4. What is God calling you to lead for His people? Is it time for you to step into a role that leads people to worship, celebration, service, compassion?  What are you considering—or what role have you enjoyed in the past in the church (or a previous one.)