THE TRUE HOUSE OF GOD
AIM: Your body is the true house of God, keep it holy for Him.
TEXT: 2Sam. 7:4-7, 12-16.
MEMORY VERSE: Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet-Acts 7:48.
INTRODUCTION:
King David enjoyed the rest that God gave him; he thought it wise to appreciate God by building a temple Him. He reasoned that it is inappropriate for him to live in house of cedar while the ark of God is in a tent.
David's intention to build a house for God was good. God took notice of that intention, He knows what is in humans (John 2:24, 25); and He was well pleased with the idea, as appeared in (1 Kings 8:18), God stopped David from going on with the idea for reasons which include: (a) Humans cannot build a house that God would live in (2Sam. 7:5). (b) David being a man of war was not permitted to build a house for God (1Chr. 22:8). (c) The house that would be called a house of God must be built without the noise of hammers, axe, or any tool (1 Kings 6:7, 28:3), (d) Because David's hands are stained with blood (1Chr. 22:8), (e) But above all, God does not live in a house that is built with hands (Acts 7:48; Heb. 9:24).
Nothing is more hypocritical like cleaning the church we call the house of God yet, our lives are unclean; building a church hall for God, when God is nowhere in our lives.
LESSON PRESENTATIONS:
1. THE HOUSE OF GOD: Isaiah 56:7; Heb 7:27.
2. WE ARE THE HOUSE OF GOD: 1Cor 3:16-17
3. BUILD YOUR TEMPLE: 1Pet. 2:5.
1. THE HOUSE OF GOD: Isaiah 56.7; Heb 7.27.
Can a Church building be called "God's House"? By
Can a calling a church building "God's House," you are setting the tone that the building is a place where sacrifices could be made (2Chr. 7:12); because right from when the tent was used as the temple, till its permanent building in Jerusalem, the house of God has been a house of prayer and sacrifices (Isaiah 56:7). The word, 'altar' is from a Hebrew word 'mizbe'ah', meaning "to slay". It is a table- like structure, on which sacrifices and incense were offered, it was usually built of various materials, usually of stone, but sometimes of brass. This goes to say that every house of God must bear an altar and on it, certain animals must be slain. This generation of Christians need to upgrade their
knowledge on what is meant by 'the the house of God'
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament temple..
Thousands upon thousands of sacrifices had been
offered in this temple for the forgiveness of sins. Now, with Jesus' ultimate sacrifice of Himself, there would be no more need for temple sacrifice (Heb 7:27)
But the most important sacrifice is the one done with our
bodies (Rom. 12:1;6:13).
2. WE ARE THE HOUSE OF GOD: 1Cor. 3:16-17.
Through His death not only would Jesus cleanse the temple, He would replace it.
We are the replacement of the temple of God (Eph 2:19- 22). How are we the temple? (a) Every individual is a temple of God, because God has chosen to five in us and no more in a structure built with human hands (1Cor 3:16). (b) Whenever we gather together as a church, we become a habitation of God; a Church in which God shall be worthily worshipped, and in which He will dwell continually (Matt. 18:20). Each of us believers makes up the stones with which the true house of God is built (1Pet. 2:4, 5). This becomes necessary so that no one would have to go to Jerusalem temple in order to worship God (John 4:20-22). The church is designed as the special residence of the Holy Spirit on earth. How holy should that church be? How pure should every Christian be in order to become an appropriate habitation for such a guest?
3. BUILD YOUR TEMPLE: 1Pet. 2:5.
God wants us to build our bodies as a temple for Him (1Pet. 2:5); we are God's Temple in more than one sense; (a) we do what took place at the Temple (we pray and sacrifice). (b) We participate in the building of God's Temple.
The New Testament teaches us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, yet there remains the danger of polluting this temple (1Cor. 3:17); many of us are contaminating it. Many of us are making room for sin in our hearts and are defiling the Lord's temple with fleshly lusts and desires, yet we claim to be cleaning the church building as a house of God. It is good to build a house for God; it is good to clean, sweep, mop and beautify the church physical building; but most importantly is building our bodies in such a way that it will glorify God (Eph 2:19-22). Is it any wonder why the scripture demands that we build our bodies for God (Rom. 12:1)?
CONCLUSION:
God Dwells in the heart of his people who are United to Him through faith and love, and thus each believer is His temple (Isaiah 57:15; John 14:23; 17:21, 23, 26). In the
same way He dwells in His church, which is made up of believers that are united before Him and to each other, and thus the church and not material building is a temple. A tent of God's approval is better than a temple of our own invention. A tent of spotless believers is better than a cathedral of crooked Christians.
More value should be placed not on the show, but on the substance.
TEST YOURSELF:
1. What is the true house of God?
2. Can a building be referred to as the temple of God?
3. How should the real house of God be built?
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