1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:06,120 Good morning. I hope you rested well and so 2 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,200 grateful that our brother prayed. 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:12,160 But it's just a habit sometimes, to pray before we open God's 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,080 Word again. And so join me as we bow our 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,480 heads and our hearts, more importantly before the Lord. 6 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,680 Lord, we are overwhelmingly grateful that You have sustained 7 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,600 us through our sleep and that our eyes open this morning. 8 00:00:28,270 --> 00:00:31,790 We have every reason to believe that because we are alive today, 9 00:00:32,390 --> 00:00:36,790 you have a purpose for us. And, Lord, we are eager to know 10 00:00:36,790 --> 00:00:41,510 your purpose as we expound the Word and hear your voice through 11 00:00:42,350 --> 00:00:46,990 your established revelation. And so, Father, we asked for a 12 00:00:46,990 --> 00:00:51,630 special grace your hand upon the delivery of this Word. 13 00:00:52,430 --> 00:00:56,990 Lord, your mercy upon our hearts to receive and to discern your 14 00:00:56,990 --> 00:01:00,180 voice. Let every obstruction, any 15 00:01:00,180 --> 00:01:04,140 interference be cancelled by your power and Lord. 16 00:01:04,140 --> 00:01:07,580 May the living Christ be made more known, more alive, more 17 00:01:07,580 --> 00:01:12,780 real to us as we come into your presence, as God's people, your 18 00:01:12,780 --> 00:01:15,700 temple that you are creating and working on. 19 00:01:15,700 --> 00:01:18,340 As we speak In Jesus name we pray. 20 00:01:18,740 --> 00:01:22,820 Amen. The nation of Israel has 21 00:01:23,180 --> 00:01:28,160 undergone many administrations. During their interesting history 22 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,280 as a people, they have endured many monarchs, many kings, many 23 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:37,800 rulers, and generally those rulers have failed to inspire 24 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,200 the spiritual prosperity of the nation of Israel, and as a 25 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:47,840 result they have not prospered in virtually every other area as 26 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,120 a nation and as a people. And now there were early signs 27 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:56,420 for Israel to see a shaky future because they couldn't last past 28 00:01:56,420 --> 00:02:01,060 the third king established to see unity. 29 00:02:01,300 --> 00:02:05,740 What was one government up to the third king became two 30 00:02:05,740 --> 00:02:09,500 different kingdoms in one land. That was never God's plan. 31 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:14,420 But man, sin, selfishness, pride, idolatry unfortunately 32 00:02:14,420 --> 00:02:17,780 interfered with what the Lord designed initially. 33 00:02:17,780 --> 00:02:21,340 And so, up to the Babylonian exile, you had a divided 34 00:02:21,340 --> 00:02:25,670 country. A divided country that even went 35 00:02:25,670 --> 00:02:27,790 to war with one another at times. 36 00:02:28,470 --> 00:02:32,510 And it's not difficult to see that the testimony of Israel's 37 00:02:32,510 --> 00:02:36,510 political leadership is disappointing, to say the least. 38 00:02:36,550 --> 00:02:37,910 All you have to do is read first kings. 39 00:02:37,910 --> 00:02:40,070 All you have to do is read second kings to get that. 40 00:02:40,470 --> 00:02:44,270 And though the various biblical records of these kings would 41 00:02:44,270 --> 00:02:48,470 make the reader blush, there is one era. 42 00:02:49,790 --> 00:02:55,650 There is one specific period, a timestamp of 40 years, that even 43 00:02:55,650 --> 00:03:02,410 if you ask, a Jew today would confess was the golden age for 44 00:03:02,410 --> 00:03:06,610 the nation of Israel. It was a time of unprecedented 45 00:03:06,610 --> 00:03:10,610 peace. It was a time of unmatched 46 00:03:10,610 --> 00:03:15,850 prosperity for this people, and I am speaking specifically as 47 00:03:16,290 --> 00:03:18,610 and to the reign of King Solomon. 48 00:03:19,770 --> 00:03:22,250 The reign of King Solomon was unlike any other. 49 00:03:23,050 --> 00:03:27,250 The accomplishments of this one man in the span of four decades 50 00:03:27,250 --> 00:03:30,810 is remarkable. And when you come to the 51 00:03:30,810 --> 00:03:33,530 scriptures, you see that the Holy Spirit takes His time to 52 00:03:33,530 --> 00:03:38,290 describe the list of his achievements, the cities that he 53 00:03:38,290 --> 00:03:44,530 has built, the the wealth that he bestowed upon this people, 54 00:03:44,530 --> 00:03:47,450 the flourishing commerce by land and sea. 55 00:03:48,830 --> 00:03:51,790 The diplomatic relationship with the nation is the fullest 56 00:03:51,790 --> 00:03:56,390 occupation of the physical promised land, the peak of 57 00:03:56,390 --> 00:04:01,830 national security, the absolutely professional and 58 00:04:01,830 --> 00:04:05,590 impressive administrative program that he had with those 59 00:04:05,590 --> 00:04:08,110 who assisted him. The giftedness of even those who 60 00:04:08,110 --> 00:04:12,310 came by his side, the men that he raised up and trained to do 61 00:04:12,310 --> 00:04:16,980 what he did with his wisdom, was something that you did not see 62 00:04:16,980 --> 00:04:21,579 even with his father David. The political and the economic 63 00:04:21,579 --> 00:04:25,860 flourishing that came about from King Solomon, even David did did 64 00:04:25,860 --> 00:04:31,740 not reach, and unfortunately, after Solomon's reign, it was a 65 00:04:31,740 --> 00:04:36,220 downward spiral for this nation. There were some episodes of of 66 00:04:36,220 --> 00:04:38,740 hope, of restoration, but no other king. 67 00:04:38,740 --> 00:04:44,180 No other succeeding throne has ever reached the heights that 68 00:04:44,180 --> 00:04:50,140 Solomon has reached. And on top of all of it, this 69 00:04:50,140 --> 00:04:56,700 same man was privileged to be called by God to build the 70 00:04:56,900 --> 00:05:01,580 resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, the very first temple 71 00:05:01,580 --> 00:05:07,500 of God in Jerusalem. And so it's no surprise that if 72 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:10,900 you were to talk to a Jew back then, if you were to talk to a 73 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:15,880 Jew even today who believes in Israel's history, they would say 74 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,760 there was no other time like Solomon's. 75 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,760 And even many would say we yearn for what Solomon was able to 76 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:26,280 usher in, to be repeated again. And that's really their hope and 77 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:31,520 the Messiah. But you look, you look on and 78 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,840 you read, and you realize that that was never to be really 79 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:36,320 repeated. Even when the nation of Israel 80 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,720 came back from Babylonian exile and attempted to restore what 81 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,220 was lost in Ezra chapter three, you see that the foundation of 82 00:05:43,220 --> 00:05:46,020 the temple was laid and there was mixed reaction. 83 00:05:46,020 --> 00:05:48,100 You had people who were rejoicing, right? 84 00:05:48,420 --> 00:05:51,460 But at the same time you read in Ezra 3 that you had people who 85 00:05:51,460 --> 00:05:56,220 were weeping, weeping, and you wonder, why are people weeping? 86 00:05:56,220 --> 00:05:57,740 And then you read, because they were old men. 87 00:05:57,740 --> 00:06:01,180 They were priests and Levi's and others who were old enough to 88 00:06:01,180 --> 00:06:05,100 remember what it was like to live under Solomon's reign and 89 00:06:05,100 --> 00:06:08,580 to see what Solemn was able to create with the blueprint that 90 00:06:08,580 --> 00:06:13,970 God had given his father David. And this restorative program did 91 00:06:13,970 --> 00:06:16,090 not even cut it. It never came close. 92 00:06:16,490 --> 00:06:18,770 That's the reputation that this man Solomon had. 93 00:06:19,170 --> 00:06:21,730 That's the impact that he had generationally. 94 00:06:21,890 --> 00:06:26,130 Even the memory of him ruined people's present experiences. 95 00:06:27,690 --> 00:06:31,610 And I I paint that portrait, that brief portrait, for you to 96 00:06:31,610 --> 00:06:37,640 get an idea of the force of Jesus's words in Matthew 1242, 97 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,680 when he stood before the religious leaders of his day and 98 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:45,040 he said something greater than Solomon is here. 99 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,480 What do you think went through the minds of those Jews in that 100 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,040 moment? Here is a man who held no 101 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,520 political position. He had no princely attire. 102 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,320 He had no palace to his name. He didn't have a pillow to his 103 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:05,340 name, and yet he had the audacity with absolute 104 00:07:05,340 --> 00:07:09,500 confidence to look at these men in their eyes and say something 105 00:07:09,500 --> 00:07:15,780 greater than Solomon is here. I am surprised that nobody 106 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:18,100 interfered. I'm shocked. 107 00:07:18,100 --> 00:07:22,460 I wonder why nobody in that very moment did not interrupt and say 108 00:07:22,780 --> 00:07:27,460 what makes you think you're greater than Solomon. 109 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,280 And it makes you wonder if that thought passed through their 110 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:32,960 minds. I'm sure it did for some. 111 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:36,600 It did for me when I read that verse. 112 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,640 As you heard last night, we know that Jesus is greater than 113 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,000 Solomon. But I stare at that verse over 114 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,240 and over again and throughout these past few days and weeks, 115 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,080 wondering, Lord, how are you? How are you greater than this 116 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,720 great, brilliant king? And when you compare Jesus to 117 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,960 Solomon, you know what? You find out He is greater in 118 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:01,760 every way, not just in some ways, in every way Christ is 119 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,840 greater not just in his piety. He's greater than wherever you 120 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,680 see Solomon to be great. He outshines Solomon in his 121 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,960 wisdom. He outshines Solomon in his 122 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,720 wealth. He outshines Solomon in his 123 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,600 ability and his achievements and even the blessings that he was 124 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,680 the overflow on those who are willingly to rest under his 125 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,840 reign. Christ is greater in every 126 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,640 single way, and I hope that you will see that this weekend 127 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:31,050 Christ is even greater than Solomon in his crowning 128 00:08:31,330 --> 00:08:33,890 accomplishment, the building of the temple. 129 00:08:34,210 --> 00:08:35,929 That's what Solomon was really known for. 130 00:08:36,130 --> 00:08:39,650 And you might be wondering how how how is Christ greater than 131 00:08:39,650 --> 00:08:42,890 Solomon in that fashion? And my answer is this, because 132 00:08:42,929 --> 00:08:46,530 Jesus Christ today, even as we speak, is building a greater 133 00:08:46,530 --> 00:08:51,450 house even now if we can put up Hebrews chapter 3, verse 6. 134 00:08:51,650 --> 00:08:53,490 And if you want to see that reference briefly, let me give 135 00:08:53,490 --> 00:08:56,450 you the proof of Jesus being a builder of a house, a greater 136 00:08:56,450 --> 00:08:59,730 house than even that glorious majestic building called the 137 00:08:59,730 --> 00:09:02,810 Temple in Jerusalem, we are told in Hebrews 3-6. 138 00:09:02,810 --> 00:09:07,890 But Christ is faithful over God's house as a Son, and we are 139 00:09:07,890 --> 00:09:12,530 His house. We are His house, If indeed we 140 00:09:12,530 --> 00:09:16,370 hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. 141 00:09:17,210 --> 00:09:20,690 Hebrews Out of all the places, that is where we are told we are 142 00:09:20,690 --> 00:09:23,690 his house. Hebrews the audience, are Jewish 143 00:09:23,690 --> 00:09:26,310 Christians. And this author is telling this 144 00:09:26,310 --> 00:09:30,350 people who are very acquainted with the old covenant system, 145 00:09:30,630 --> 00:09:32,910 who understood the Levitical precedent or understood the 146 00:09:32,910 --> 00:09:35,150 functions and the furnishings of the Tabernacle. 147 00:09:35,630 --> 00:09:38,470 This writer says with absolute boldness. 148 00:09:38,830 --> 00:09:43,430 Christ is building a house. We are that house. 149 00:09:44,670 --> 00:09:47,830 Staggering, shocking. At least it would have been to 150 00:09:47,830 --> 00:09:51,670 them. Those who cherish and prized the 151 00:09:51,670 --> 00:09:56,820 temple, the Tabernacle, are now being told that address of God's 152 00:09:56,820 --> 00:10:00,460 abiding place has now changed. You're now the House of God. 153 00:10:01,060 --> 00:10:04,860 We are now the House of God. And you think about that further 154 00:10:04,860 --> 00:10:08,660 and you realize, well, this is something significant. 155 00:10:08,660 --> 00:10:12,940 It is the place that was supposed to host the presence of 156 00:10:12,940 --> 00:10:15,500 God with veiled splendor and majesty. 157 00:10:15,970 --> 00:10:19,450 The place that God established to give man the access to give 158 00:10:19,450 --> 00:10:23,650 God acceptable worship has now transferred to flesh and blood. 159 00:10:25,930 --> 00:10:30,930 Christ now is committed to perpetually and faithfully work 160 00:10:30,930 --> 00:10:36,410 on us in order for us to now be the meeting place with God and 161 00:10:36,410 --> 00:10:41,850 for us to be able to display His glory to whoever would look upon 162 00:10:41,850 --> 00:10:44,090 us and know us and be acquainted with us. 163 00:10:44,490 --> 00:10:48,270 That's what's happening, and I hope we understand just how 164 00:10:48,270 --> 00:10:50,830 massive that truth is. If not, I'll say it as plain as 165 00:10:50,830 --> 00:10:53,150 possible. No longer does God look at a 166 00:10:53,150 --> 00:10:55,510 building. No longer does He look at a 167 00:10:55,510 --> 00:10:57,390 structure to speak for his glory. 168 00:10:57,390 --> 00:11:00,590 He recruits blood, bought people and adorns them. 169 00:11:01,990 --> 00:11:04,830 No longer does Christ look at specific instruments with 170 00:11:04,830 --> 00:11:08,790 materials such as gold and wood to offer pleasing aromas. 171 00:11:08,790 --> 00:11:12,230 He now looks to those that he has redeemed, and he asked for 172 00:11:12,230 --> 00:11:17,290 your hands, your feet, your eyes, your meditations to give 173 00:11:17,290 --> 00:11:21,090 him that pleasing aroma. Everything has changed in the 174 00:11:21,090 --> 00:11:23,810 New Covenant. Everything has changed and we 175 00:11:23,810 --> 00:11:26,410 need to grasp this or else you will fail to see the privilege 176 00:11:26,890 --> 00:11:29,650 of belonging to him. And you will also fail to 177 00:11:29,650 --> 00:11:34,370 realize the all that it is when we come together as God's 178 00:11:34,370 --> 00:11:38,370 people, recognized as the temple of the Holy Spirit. 179 00:11:39,650 --> 00:11:42,090 Peter put it this way. In First Peter 25 we are a 180 00:11:42,090 --> 00:11:45,450 spiritual house. Paul clarifies, an asset, saying 181 00:11:45,450 --> 00:11:50,770 that we are being built together as a dwelling place for God by 182 00:11:50,770 --> 00:11:54,450 the Spirit. That's Ephesians 222 And so it 183 00:11:54,450 --> 00:11:56,490 is sprinkled throughout the Bible. 184 00:11:57,170 --> 00:12:00,770 We are now individually the temple of the Holy Spirit and we 185 00:12:00,770 --> 00:12:05,210 also corporately express the House of God, hosting His 186 00:12:05,210 --> 00:12:07,450 presence and displaying his glory. 187 00:12:07,850 --> 00:12:11,630 That's what happened in Christ, and Christ is currently building 188 00:12:11,630 --> 00:12:13,790 that. He's currently making that more 189 00:12:13,790 --> 00:12:17,070 real, more accurate, more to his desire and design. 190 00:12:18,670 --> 00:12:22,870 And for some reason, if you don't have the awareness of how 191 00:12:23,030 --> 00:12:26,470 glorious that is to be the House of God or to realize the divine 192 00:12:26,470 --> 00:12:28,710 efforts that went into making that possible, I hope this 193 00:12:28,710 --> 00:12:31,910 message will change you. And the way that this message 194 00:12:31,910 --> 00:12:34,550 will challenge us to see how Jesus is greater is by looking 195 00:12:34,550 --> 00:12:38,070 at how Solomon built the the temple, paralleling it to how 196 00:12:38,070 --> 00:12:41,750 Christ foreshadowing how Christ is building his temple and how 197 00:12:41,750 --> 00:12:46,350 Christ has even greater greater plans and greater purposes for 198 00:12:46,350 --> 00:12:49,030 the House of God. And so this morning we're going 199 00:12:49,030 --> 00:12:51,950 to look at three simple things. We're going to go look at the 200 00:12:51,950 --> 00:12:54,630 the timing of the building of the temple. 201 00:12:55,070 --> 00:12:57,750 We're going to look at the method of the building of the 202 00:12:57,750 --> 00:12:59,470 temple. And lastly, we're going to look 203 00:12:59,470 --> 00:13:03,230 at the glory of the temple itself, the timing of the temple 204 00:13:03,230 --> 00:13:06,470 being built, the method of the time of the temple being built, 205 00:13:06,470 --> 00:13:10,190 and lastly the glory that went into the temple that was being 206 00:13:10,190 --> 00:13:11,710 built. And our time is going to be 207 00:13:11,710 --> 00:13:15,350 consecrated in one specific chapter, First Kings chapter 6 208 00:13:15,750 --> 00:13:18,150 and those this turn, our bibles that are first first kings 209 00:13:18,150 --> 00:13:20,150 chapter 6 beginning in verse one. 210 00:13:20,150 --> 00:13:23,470 And let's look at the timing in which the Temple was built, 211 00:13:23,990 --> 00:13:26,830 seeing how it points to Jesus Christ in so many ways. 212 00:13:29,590 --> 00:13:40,210 In first kings, one in the 480th year and after the people of 213 00:13:40,210 --> 00:13:44,010 Israel came out of the land of Egypt in the fourth year of 214 00:13:44,010 --> 00:13:48,330 Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the 215 00:13:48,330 --> 00:13:53,330 second month, he began to build the House of the Lord. 216 00:13:53,850 --> 00:13:55,890 Be honest, how many of us would have skipped over that verse? 217 00:13:56,530 --> 00:14:01,570 Ziv. 80th year, 4th year, second month? 218 00:14:02,970 --> 00:14:05,410 Give me something for my life today, right? 219 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:09,520 But read carefully and read closely. 220 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:11,200 Look what the Holy Spirit is doing. 221 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:14,800 Notice the detail of the precise timing of the building of the 222 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,000 temple. You're not only told the year, 223 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:21,880 you're not only told the month. But in God's mind, he is 224 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,480 connecting, tracing the commencement of the Temple being 225 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:29,280 built with the Exodus. Did you see that? 226 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,800 In the 480th year after the people of Israel came out of the 227 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:39,000 land? This is when the temple began to 228 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:43,000 be erected and created. And you think to yourself, why? 229 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:47,280 Why is the the Holy Spirit trying to bring our minds to the 230 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,840 Exodus and how does that relate to and why is it significant to 231 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,880 the building of the temple? And as you think about and as 232 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:57,680 you look into, you realize that perhaps God is trying to say 233 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,480 something loud and clear concerning the Exodus and the 234 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,320 temple and how it relates to this. 235 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,530 Could it be that the construction of the temple, the 236 00:15:05,530 --> 00:15:08,410 construction of the House of the Lord, is the express purpose for 237 00:15:08,410 --> 00:15:11,490 why God, God's people, were brought out of Egypt to begin 238 00:15:11,490 --> 00:15:15,850 with? In other words, for this 239 00:15:15,850 --> 00:15:18,330 building to be connected with the deliverance of the people of 240 00:15:18,330 --> 00:15:23,210 Israel from Egypt is meant to communicate the goal of God in 241 00:15:23,210 --> 00:15:26,490 saving Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh. 242 00:15:28,890 --> 00:15:32,010 The temple was the great anticipation that God had. 243 00:15:32,550 --> 00:15:34,230 The temple was the longing that God. 244 00:15:34,310 --> 00:15:37,950 The temple was the the aim of bringing God's people out. 245 00:15:37,950 --> 00:15:41,350 And it's finally here. This is what the Lord wanted to 246 00:15:41,350 --> 00:15:44,390 bring his people to. This is what the Lord wanted to 247 00:15:44,390 --> 00:15:48,190 bring the people, to experience this glorious thing that's not 248 00:15:48,190 --> 00:15:51,750 just a building, but it's it's a it's a gateway into something. 249 00:15:52,350 --> 00:15:58,630 To meet with God, to worship God, to behold the glory of God. 250 00:15:58,750 --> 00:16:03,270 This is why God brought them out and that is why the author links 251 00:16:03,270 --> 00:16:06,310 the creation of the temple to their salvation. 252 00:16:06,630 --> 00:16:08,950 He might be saying, well then they have the Tabernacle early 253 00:16:08,950 --> 00:16:10,870 on in the wilderness. Yes, they did have the 254 00:16:10,870 --> 00:16:13,070 Tabernacle. That just further proves the 255 00:16:13,070 --> 00:16:15,590 point that God wanted to bring them into the wilderness to 256 00:16:15,590 --> 00:16:17,910 worship him. But the Tabernacle was 257 00:16:17,910 --> 00:16:20,990 temporary. The Tabernacle was mobile, it 258 00:16:20,990 --> 00:16:24,070 was not fixed. Whereas the nature of the temple 259 00:16:24,070 --> 00:16:28,390 is permanence. It speaks of something that is 260 00:16:28,390 --> 00:16:32,070 there, something that is will continue constancy. 261 00:16:32,070 --> 00:16:34,630 This is it. This is being parked here. 262 00:16:35,030 --> 00:16:38,590 It's not going anywhere. At least that was the intention. 263 00:16:40,110 --> 00:16:43,270 And when we think about that how God links the Exodus with the 264 00:16:43,270 --> 00:16:46,710 temple, the temple, which is the place where he wants to meet 265 00:16:46,710 --> 00:16:49,910 with us, then you understand also that Christ's deliverance 266 00:16:49,910 --> 00:16:51,910 in the gospel has no different goal. 267 00:16:53,030 --> 00:16:56,710 Is it not the intention of God in Christ that by delivering us 268 00:16:56,710 --> 00:16:59,510 from the world, delivering us from Pharaoh, delivering us from 269 00:16:59,510 --> 00:17:03,100 sin? He longs to bring us to himself. 270 00:17:04,060 --> 00:17:05,980 He longs to bring us into His presence. 271 00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:08,060 He longs to bring us into knowing Him. 272 00:17:08,380 --> 00:17:11,500 That is the goal. One of my favorite verses that 273 00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:15,700 proves that is First Peter 318, where he speaks about the 274 00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:20,660 sacrifice of Christ and what that sacrifice was intended to 275 00:17:20,660 --> 00:17:23,140 bring us to. What do you think it is, Heaven? 276 00:17:24,140 --> 00:17:26,420 What do you think it is into a more harmonious life? 277 00:17:26,660 --> 00:17:29,810 Into a more stable marriage? No. 278 00:17:29,810 --> 00:17:33,010 Here's what it is for Christ also suffered once for sins, The 279 00:17:33,010 --> 00:17:35,170 righteous. For the unrighteous that he 280 00:17:35,170 --> 00:17:42,970 might bring us to God, to God. Not out of hell. 281 00:17:44,090 --> 00:17:47,970 Not out of the world, primarily. Not even out of sin. 282 00:17:48,090 --> 00:17:52,530 Yes, those things are true. And it doesn't even say into 283 00:17:52,530 --> 00:17:57,450 heaven or into a more sense of fulfillment in your existence. 284 00:17:57,980 --> 00:18:01,300 The primary aim in Christ's suffering, dying, redeeming us 285 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:04,700 with His blood is to bring us to God himself. 286 00:18:05,820 --> 00:18:08,820 What does that imply? Personal knowledge? 287 00:18:08,980 --> 00:18:11,300 What does that imply? Fellowship. 288 00:18:11,300 --> 00:18:13,620 What does that imply? Relationship with God? 289 00:18:13,940 --> 00:18:15,820 I've said it before, I'll say it again, if you don't want God, 290 00:18:15,820 --> 00:18:20,060 you don't want heaven. It's plain and simple, because 291 00:18:20,060 --> 00:18:21,940 the essence of heaven is God himself. 292 00:18:22,380 --> 00:18:25,260 The glory of heaven is the glory of God. 293 00:18:25,660 --> 00:18:29,610 The enjoyment of heaven is God himself, but not just heaven. 294 00:18:29,610 --> 00:18:33,810 Now today he brings us to God himself. 295 00:18:36,010 --> 00:18:39,610 So never fail to associate your salvation with that glorious 296 00:18:39,610 --> 00:18:45,850 goal, God, God. And so in salvation, if you 297 00:18:45,850 --> 00:18:49,850 claim to be saved and there is no desire for God, you have to 298 00:18:49,850 --> 00:18:53,250 question your salvation. With all due respect, you have 299 00:18:53,250 --> 00:18:55,810 to question your salvation. Because the very intent of him 300 00:18:55,810 --> 00:18:59,170 saving you, filling you with the Spirit, changing your heart, is 301 00:18:59,170 --> 00:19:04,050 that you would have this new found yearning for God to desire 302 00:19:04,050 --> 00:19:07,850 Him and long for Him. And so, even from the beginning 303 00:19:07,850 --> 00:19:09,410 of this conference, ask yourself, even if you've been 304 00:19:09,410 --> 00:19:12,330 here, this is your 10th year, ask yourself this question. 305 00:19:13,330 --> 00:19:16,890 Does that testify of my desire? Does that testify my ambition 306 00:19:16,890 --> 00:19:19,210 and my pursuits? Do I long for God? 307 00:19:21,950 --> 00:19:25,870 God creating this new temple in us is for that purpose. 308 00:19:27,070 --> 00:19:30,150 And if there's not that purpose at all, if it's non existent, 309 00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:32,390 then you have to ask yourself if you even came out of Egypt to 310 00:19:32,390 --> 00:19:35,150 begin with. You might be still in shackles 311 00:19:35,150 --> 00:19:38,430 my brother, your master still might be Pharaoh and you might 312 00:19:38,430 --> 00:19:43,830 not even realize it now. In reality he brings us to God. 313 00:19:45,190 --> 00:19:47,270 That is the heart of God in creating the temple. 314 00:19:47,270 --> 00:19:49,230 It was the heart for the Exodus. Bring them here. 315 00:19:49,230 --> 00:19:50,870 And 1st Kings chapter 6 verse one. 316 00:19:50,870 --> 00:19:54,870 And it is still the heart of God today when people say, oh Lord, 317 00:19:54,870 --> 00:19:57,390 set me free, redeem me with your blood, wash me. 318 00:19:58,470 --> 00:20:01,630 He wants to make you a place where you can know God and give 319 00:20:01,630 --> 00:20:04,910 God acceptable worship your very own heart. 320 00:20:05,470 --> 00:20:10,510 Not a location in Jerusalem. A forgiven heart becomes a new 321 00:20:10,870 --> 00:20:13,830 meeting place between you and God where you enjoy him, know 322 00:20:13,830 --> 00:20:17,190 him and love him. But we look here further at the 323 00:20:17,190 --> 00:20:19,310 method of the building. Look at verse seven of First 324 00:20:19,310 --> 00:20:27,010 Kings chapter 6. When the house was built, it was 325 00:20:27,010 --> 00:20:32,090 with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer 326 00:20:32,090 --> 00:20:38,450 nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was 327 00:20:38,450 --> 00:20:41,410 being built. What a fascinating detail for 328 00:20:41,410 --> 00:20:46,030 the Holy Spirit to give us. This is so interesting. 329 00:20:46,030 --> 00:20:48,310 The Spirit saw necessary to inform us that there was no 330 00:20:48,310 --> 00:20:50,990 sound of tools colliding with the material. 331 00:20:51,590 --> 00:20:54,710 When the temple was being constructed, it was at a 332 00:20:54,710 --> 00:20:57,910 distance. All the raw stone and all the 333 00:20:57,910 --> 00:21:02,430 things that they used to bring about the structure was done at 334 00:21:02,430 --> 00:21:05,910 a distance. And so you wouldn't hear the 335 00:21:05,910 --> 00:21:07,430 furnishing. You wouldn't hear the pulling, 336 00:21:07,430 --> 00:21:09,870 you wouldn't hear the polishing. You wouldn't hear all of that. 337 00:21:10,070 --> 00:21:13,830 When those materials were ready to be placed and brought 338 00:21:13,830 --> 00:21:18,670 together, they would do so in the city where it was planted. 339 00:21:18,870 --> 00:21:22,950 But you wouldn't hear it. There was a reverential silence. 340 00:21:23,830 --> 00:21:27,830 There was this elegant rhythm where you would go about in your 341 00:21:27,830 --> 00:21:31,590 home, at your workplace, and you, you would barely hear the 342 00:21:31,590 --> 00:21:36,430 whisper even of this grand, majestic thing being put 343 00:21:36,430 --> 00:21:39,510 together. Now why would the Holy Spirit 344 00:21:39,830 --> 00:21:42,030 show this? Why is this even important? 345 00:21:42,030 --> 00:21:44,620 For me? To know that the project of the 346 00:21:44,620 --> 00:21:47,500 building of Solomon's Temple was generally silent. 347 00:21:48,780 --> 00:21:50,740 It was not immediately perceived. 348 00:21:50,740 --> 00:21:53,020 Periodically you would look out and you would see it getting 349 00:21:53,020 --> 00:21:55,060 larger, coming together more and more. 350 00:21:55,740 --> 00:21:58,060 But if you were distracted to the slightest, you would not be 351 00:21:58,060 --> 00:21:59,700 able to understand what was happening. 352 00:22:00,100 --> 00:22:01,660 At least you would not be able to perceive it. 353 00:22:03,180 --> 00:22:05,100 And I look at this and I think to myself that this is an 354 00:22:05,100 --> 00:22:07,340 encouragement. This is an encouragement that 355 00:22:07,340 --> 00:22:09,500 you have to link when you realize that you're the temple, 356 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:12,180 the church is the temple, and Christ is the one building it. 357 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,880 A brilliant man said once Andrew McLaren, that this is a lesson 358 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:20,240 not to mistake noise and notoriety for spiritual 359 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,920 progress. Do not mistake noise and 360 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,200 notoriety for spiritual progress. 361 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:27,920 What does that mean? It's very simple. 362 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:31,600 There are many believers who equate their spiritual 363 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,520 effectiveness, their spiritual growth, with the attention and 364 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:38,280 the recognition that they might receive from others. 365 00:22:41,370 --> 00:22:44,930 That's how people esteem, their value, their worth, their 366 00:22:44,930 --> 00:22:49,610 fruitfulness. The Lord has to let what's 367 00:22:49,610 --> 00:22:53,450 happening in me be made known in order for it to be true and to 368 00:22:53,450 --> 00:22:58,730 be genuine and to be powerful. And if it's not known, if it's 369 00:22:58,730 --> 00:23:02,330 not receiving that attention and that recognition and that 370 00:23:02,330 --> 00:23:08,210 appreciation, and maybe it's not really God working in me and 371 00:23:08,210 --> 00:23:10,570 Solomon's temple would testify otherwise. 372 00:23:11,890 --> 00:23:14,370 Because the Lord does not need to announce his work in order 373 00:23:14,370 --> 00:23:17,930 for it to be legitimate. He doesn't need to advertise 374 00:23:17,930 --> 00:23:21,730 what he's doing in you. Your growth, your godliness, 375 00:23:21,730 --> 00:23:26,370 your character being chiseled, your fruitfulness, your gifting 376 00:23:26,810 --> 00:23:29,970 does not need to be known to the masses in order for it to be 377 00:23:29,970 --> 00:23:33,290 authentic. And some people, unfortunately, 378 00:23:33,290 --> 00:23:35,850 live with discouragement because they feel as though they are 379 00:23:35,850 --> 00:23:40,080 often overlooked, unappreciated, not praised, not recognized. 380 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,360 And if you feel that way, especially as you look out and 381 00:23:42,360 --> 00:23:46,400 you see other men and women being raised up, being 382 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,520 acknowledged by prominence. And here you are, little 383 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:53,440 Christian, trying to just raise your children and be faithful to 384 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:54,880 the ministry in your local church. 385 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,760 Don't forget the temple. Don't forget the temple. 386 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,160 Even that glorious place was being built silently. 387 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:07,640 When God works, it's not always loud. 388 00:24:09,980 --> 00:24:12,780 And we think if God works, it has to be loud. 389 00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:17,460 There has to be, at Maranatha Bible conference, Year 25, 390 00:24:18,580 --> 00:24:22,380 thunderous conviction and rivers of tears that we have to clean 391 00:24:22,380 --> 00:24:27,140 up and explosive miracles. God, if he's working, surely has 392 00:24:27,140 --> 00:24:32,060 to be noisy and obvious and undeniable. 393 00:24:32,460 --> 00:24:44,020 Oh yeah, what about the temple? Silent, subtle, sometimes even 394 00:24:44,020 --> 00:24:47,660 missed. But still, God was working on 395 00:24:47,660 --> 00:24:50,500 something, and God was building something. 396 00:24:51,780 --> 00:24:56,380 And sometimes we look at our own lives and we feel as though 397 00:24:56,380 --> 00:25:00,260 there's been periods, long periods, where monumental 398 00:25:00,260 --> 00:25:05,230 moments, even miraculous moments have not been experienced, have 399 00:25:05,230 --> 00:25:06,750 not worked through you or to you. 400 00:25:06,750 --> 00:25:09,990 And you think to yourself, Lord, have you stopped working in me, 401 00:25:10,710 --> 00:25:12,790 Lord? Have you stopped working on me? 402 00:25:12,790 --> 00:25:14,710 Lord, Have you stopped working through me? 403 00:25:15,750 --> 00:25:20,470 God's work is not always loud, and God's work is not always 404 00:25:20,510 --> 00:25:23,710 instantaneous. How long did it take to build 405 00:25:23,710 --> 00:25:25,430 this temple? Well, Scroll down with me here 406 00:25:25,430 --> 00:25:29,790 and look at verse 38 of first king 6 and then the 11th year. 407 00:25:29,790 --> 00:25:32,630 In the month of bowl, which is the 8th month, the house was 408 00:25:32,630 --> 00:25:35,710 finished in all its parts and according to all its 409 00:25:35,710 --> 00:25:39,310 specifications, He was seven years in building it. 410 00:25:39,830 --> 00:25:42,830 Seven years. You know, David confess in First 411 00:25:42,830 --> 00:25:47,150 Chronicles 2819 that this blueprint for the temple came 412 00:25:47,150 --> 00:25:51,070 from the hand of God. This was not man's initiative. 413 00:25:51,070 --> 00:25:54,470 This is what man's idea. They didn't have a bunch of 414 00:25:54,470 --> 00:25:55,830 architects come together and say what? 415 00:25:55,830 --> 00:25:58,860 What can we build from? God gave the specifications for 416 00:25:58,860 --> 00:26:02,860 what he expected from his own house, and even though this 417 00:26:02,860 --> 00:26:09,740 originated in the mind of God, it didn't take a day, it didn't 418 00:26:09,740 --> 00:26:13,540 take a month. It took seven years. 419 00:26:14,740 --> 00:26:19,860 When God works on something, he gladly and often takes his time 420 00:26:20,380 --> 00:26:23,420 to do it. And that's helpful for the 421 00:26:23,420 --> 00:26:27,930 person who is eager to arrive somewhere in their godliness, 422 00:26:27,930 --> 00:26:32,410 eager to arrive somewhere in their effectiveness, The Lord 423 00:26:32,410 --> 00:26:35,250 takes his time. You know, there's a wonderful 424 00:26:35,250 --> 00:26:38,050 song that says promotion comes from the Lord. 425 00:26:39,050 --> 00:26:44,490 You can't promote yourself, You can't expand your influence. 426 00:26:44,490 --> 00:26:48,250 You can't do that. You can't even make yourself 427 00:26:48,250 --> 00:26:49,970 arrive. Some of those sanctification is 428 00:26:49,970 --> 00:26:53,370 a partnership with God. Understand that the Lord knows 429 00:26:53,370 --> 00:26:58,010 exactly what he's doing with his syllabus, with his program for 430 00:26:58,010 --> 00:27:02,730 your life. So seven years taking to build 431 00:27:02,730 --> 00:27:06,130 this building and our simplicity, We think that if God 432 00:27:06,130 --> 00:27:08,050 does something, it has to happen overnight. 433 00:27:08,050 --> 00:27:10,610 It has to happen right there and then. 434 00:27:11,970 --> 00:27:13,890 No, He takes time when he makes his men. 435 00:27:14,610 --> 00:27:16,170 He takes time when he makes his woman. 436 00:27:16,170 --> 00:27:18,010 Look at David. We've been studying David in our 437 00:27:18,010 --> 00:27:20,970 local church all the years in the wilderness, being pressed 438 00:27:21,170 --> 00:27:24,160 and crushed. Look at Joseph. 439 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,960 He he has this glimmer of hope, this little spark that he's 440 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:30,640 going to get out of prison, all for that guy to forget to 441 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:32,080 mention him after he interpreted his dream. 442 00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:35,000 And he's in that prison for two extra years. 443 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,080 When God sanctifies, is often in a slow cooker. 444 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,600 He knows exactly when and where and how. 445 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,880 And I love to see the temple being built in this way because 446 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:52,310 it encourages me to know that even if you're part of a 447 00:27:52,310 --> 00:27:55,070 ministry, even if you're part of a local church, and you long for 448 00:27:55,070 --> 00:28:01,350 it to be something to gain attention, to win people's 449 00:28:01,350 --> 00:28:03,990 affection, the Lord takes his time. 450 00:28:04,870 --> 00:28:06,790 And so don't be discouraged. Don't be downcast. 451 00:28:06,790 --> 00:28:10,510 Don't wonder. Just trust him and look to him 452 00:28:10,830 --> 00:28:14,950 and believe Him as you go. Just submit to his work day by 453 00:28:14,950 --> 00:28:17,350 day and let him take you where he wants to take you. 454 00:28:17,910 --> 00:28:19,430 That's it. It's so simple. 455 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:23,760 Rest, relax. Enjoy him as he builds you. 456 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:28,200 But I look at this and I think to myself also this, this 457 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,400 silence. I wasn't even planning to say 458 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:35,120 this, but I'll say it anyway. Solomon's name means peace. 459 00:28:35,120 --> 00:28:38,640 It derives from the word Shalom. God did not use David to build 460 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,000 his house because David was was a man of war. 461 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:44,560 His hands were stained with blood. 462 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:49,110 God did not want a man associated with war to be the 463 00:28:49,110 --> 00:28:53,230 direct agent to building his house, and so he rises up. 464 00:28:53,230 --> 00:28:56,590 His son Solomon names his name peace, and that was the 465 00:28:56,590 --> 00:28:59,670 manifestation of his rule in his reign, his whole rule and reign, 466 00:28:59,670 --> 00:29:01,870 except by the end of his life because of his apost. 467 00:29:01,870 --> 00:29:06,030 He never knew war, never knew civil distress, never knew 468 00:29:06,030 --> 00:29:09,430 foreign oppression or strife. It was. 469 00:29:09,550 --> 00:29:12,550 It was calm and tranquil throughout it all. 470 00:29:13,910 --> 00:29:16,750 And even in this you see that the building of it was silent. 471 00:29:16,750 --> 00:29:18,270 It was peaceful. It was. 472 00:29:18,780 --> 00:29:21,580 It was beautiful. There was no clashing. 473 00:29:22,140 --> 00:29:26,620 There was no disruption. There was no painful anything. 474 00:29:27,020 --> 00:29:30,500 There was a grace to it. Let me say this because it's 475 00:29:30,500 --> 00:29:31,900 important. There are many churches. 476 00:29:31,900 --> 00:29:34,220 I've said this in our own church, but I want to say this 477 00:29:34,220 --> 00:29:36,020 for those who represent different ministries here. 478 00:29:36,740 --> 00:29:39,620 If you want to be somebody who's part of God's building program 479 00:29:39,620 --> 00:29:43,460 for his church in this hour, God uses men and women of peace. 480 00:29:46,410 --> 00:29:49,970 God uses men and women of peace. If you're a troublemaker, right, 481 00:29:50,290 --> 00:29:51,970 God's not going to use you to build his house. 482 00:29:52,570 --> 00:29:55,130 He's not. If you're a person that enjoys 483 00:29:55,130 --> 00:30:00,490 drama and strife and gossip and problems and slander, if that's 484 00:30:00,490 --> 00:30:03,650 the thrill, if you come to the House of God just to create 485 00:30:03,650 --> 00:30:07,370 problems, if that's you, you will never be used by God to be 486 00:30:07,370 --> 00:30:09,250 part of his building program for the church. 487 00:30:09,250 --> 00:30:13,090 In fact, you're in trouble with God, and so let me say that 488 00:30:13,090 --> 00:30:16,960 you're eager to to know a participation in this temple 489 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,280 building. Be a person of peace. 490 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:21,840 Esteem others higher than yourself. 491 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,480 Fear God, Please fear God. Fear Him. 492 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,720 Tremble before him. Realize how holy and sacred it 493 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,640 is. Even though you come together 494 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,520 weekly and you're familiar with the people, you're with those 495 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:36,520 people that you're familiar with, that local church that 496 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:39,400 you're gathered with. That's the temple of the Holy 497 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:43,200 Spirit. And God is wanting to build 498 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,910 something that would more reflect his beauty. 499 00:30:46,990 --> 00:30:51,190 Don't get in the way of that. Be a person of peace. 500 00:30:52,950 --> 00:30:55,910 There's another thing even with the silence, something that 501 00:30:55,910 --> 00:30:59,390 blesses me tremendously. Not only is it the silence of 502 00:30:59,390 --> 00:31:03,470 God's work in our lives per se, not only is it a a nudge to to 503 00:31:03,470 --> 00:31:05,910 remember that when God builds something, when he desires to do 504 00:31:05,910 --> 00:31:09,590 something, to to really magnify his presence and to showcase his 505 00:31:09,590 --> 00:31:11,470 power. You must be a person of peace. 506 00:31:11,990 --> 00:31:18,360 But even this God desires to build us in silence. 507 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:28,680 Yes, trials and afflictions. They have a way of chiseling us 508 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:32,560 and creating something in us. But when I look at this, I also 509 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,400 realized that there's a theme, and the theme is this, that 510 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,920 there is something, a valuable production that is realized in 511 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:46,300 the place of silence. Solitude with God, getting alone 512 00:31:46,300 --> 00:31:50,660 with the builder of your heart, the renewing of your mind, 513 00:31:52,420 --> 00:31:57,860 silence before the Lord has a way of stretching you and 514 00:31:57,860 --> 00:32:00,620 developing you. And I believe because it's a 515 00:32:00,620 --> 00:32:04,700 lost art, many people are stunted in their growth because 516 00:32:04,700 --> 00:32:08,780 of a lack of realizing the treasure it is to separate 517 00:32:08,780 --> 00:32:13,780 yourself from everything and to just be with God alone. 518 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:21,320 Being with God alone, I know quiet time, what you like to 519 00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,600 call it. That right is a luxury for some 520 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,280 people. Like brother. 521 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:28,960 If you only knew what my life looked like, I would pay for 522 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,600 quiet. I would do anything for quiet, 523 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:35,920 to which I would respond. You would be amazed to know what 524 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,640 God can do with your 5 loaves and two fishes. 525 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:41,960 If you just give him what you can give him, you would be 526 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:46,010 amazed to know the miracles that he can do if you just come with 527 00:32:46,010 --> 00:32:48,810 that sincerity and humility. Say, Lord, this is all I have. 528 00:32:49,610 --> 00:32:51,850 This is all I'm able to give with all the other God-given 529 00:32:51,850 --> 00:32:54,490 responsibilities that you have bestowed on me and Providence. 530 00:32:55,050 --> 00:32:57,770 Can you do something with this and the Lord can do something 531 00:32:57,770 --> 00:33:01,290 with it? Do you get quiet before God? 532 00:33:04,770 --> 00:33:08,890 Do you? Do you have a habitual practice 533 00:33:08,930 --> 00:33:15,390 of pulling yourself away from all the noise, Even the noise 534 00:33:15,390 --> 00:33:19,430 that you would say is ministry? Look, Lord, I'm busy. 535 00:33:19,790 --> 00:33:22,070 Ping, ping, ping, Look what I'm doing for you, Lord, look, look, 536 00:33:22,110 --> 00:33:22,950 look. That's wonderful. 537 00:33:22,950 --> 00:33:25,750 The Lord's happy, But but the Lord wants to do something with 538 00:33:25,750 --> 00:33:30,390 you in silence. There's something. 539 00:33:30,390 --> 00:33:32,590 There's a perspective that is built. 540 00:33:32,590 --> 00:33:35,230 There is a fortification that is known. 541 00:33:35,750 --> 00:33:39,550 There is a conviction that is realized as you step into his 542 00:33:39,550 --> 00:33:47,600 light alone and you allow his voice and you allow that closed 543 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:52,160 room to be the place where your father is able to do what he 544 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:54,440 wants to do when he rewards you in secret. 545 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,040 Silence. The temple was being built in 546 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:02,880 silence. You will know something of 547 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:06,760 growth when you commit yourself to saying I I'm going to just 548 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:10,719 step away and meet with my God. You know, Christ did that often. 549 00:34:12,050 --> 00:34:14,570 Christ did that often. And one of the most notable 550 00:34:14,570 --> 00:34:16,650 times that he has done it was in John 6. 551 00:34:16,650 --> 00:34:20,050 After he fed the 5000, he fed the 5000. 552 00:34:20,290 --> 00:34:22,730 And we are told there that they realized that he was the 553 00:34:22,730 --> 00:34:25,210 prophet. Like Moses, Moses multiplied 554 00:34:25,210 --> 00:34:27,330 food in the wilderness. Now here's this Jesus who 555 00:34:27,330 --> 00:34:29,489 miraculous made food appear in the wilderness. 556 00:34:29,650 --> 00:34:31,810 He's satisfied. This is the guy that we've been 557 00:34:31,810 --> 00:34:34,530 waiting for. And they at that time were ready 558 00:34:34,530 --> 00:34:38,690 to make him king. That's a good thing, isn't it? 559 00:34:39,090 --> 00:34:44,980 No, it wasn't a good thing. They wanted Jesus to be king for 560 00:34:44,980 --> 00:34:48,420 the wrong reasons, and Jesus was not supposed to be king without 561 00:34:48,420 --> 00:34:54,580 first going to the cross. Satan frequently tempted Jesus 562 00:34:55,179 --> 00:35:00,380 to pursue his ministry, to pursue his end without the 563 00:35:00,380 --> 00:35:04,940 cross, even at the very moment Jesus is hanging on the cross. 564 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:06,980 The very people said come off the cross and prove that you're 565 00:35:06,980 --> 00:35:10,370 the son of God. Satan tells him you can have 566 00:35:10,370 --> 00:35:12,330 this whole world if you just bow down and worship me. 567 00:35:13,650 --> 00:35:16,930 Satan frequently tempted even through one of his closest 568 00:35:16,930 --> 00:35:21,410 followers tempted Jesus to not go to the cross. 569 00:35:21,410 --> 00:35:25,090 Peter rebuked him and Jesus returned to rebuke. 570 00:35:25,090 --> 00:35:29,170 Get behind me Satan. And we know that the the the 571 00:35:29,170 --> 00:35:32,770 cross was our redemption. But in in like manner, Satan 572 00:35:32,770 --> 00:35:37,110 today tempts Christians to live across this life, crossless 573 00:35:37,110 --> 00:35:40,470 Christianity, Christianity without sacrifice, A 574 00:35:40,470 --> 00:35:42,230 Christianity without dying to self. 575 00:35:43,070 --> 00:35:45,430 A Christianity that doesn't go to war with your sin and your 576 00:35:45,430 --> 00:35:48,150 pride and selfishness. Now he wants you to live your 577 00:35:48,150 --> 00:35:50,870 Christian life without A and then we expect at the end of the 578 00:35:50,870 --> 00:35:51,990 road to get a crown. How? 579 00:35:51,990 --> 00:35:57,630 It's not going to happen. So you have this crowd 580 00:35:57,630 --> 00:36:01,630 approaching Jesus and he's hearing the murmurings within 581 00:36:01,630 --> 00:36:04,390 the thousands saying let's make him king, let's let's make him 582 00:36:04,390 --> 00:36:06,190 king. Now we can overthrow Rome. 583 00:36:07,220 --> 00:36:10,580 He will feed us. We will know prosperity again in 584 00:36:10,580 --> 00:36:13,860 the land. How tempting would have that 585 00:36:13,860 --> 00:36:19,340 been for Jesus to to refuse to go to the cross and to become 586 00:36:19,340 --> 00:36:23,140 king right there and then to exercise his power as he has 587 00:36:23,140 --> 00:36:25,900 just won the allegiance of multiple thousands of 588 00:36:25,900 --> 00:36:27,780 Israelites? You know what he doesn't said in 589 00:36:27,780 --> 00:36:31,780 John 6:15. And John 615 says, perceiving 590 00:36:31,780 --> 00:36:35,810 then that they were about to come and take him by force to 591 00:36:35,810 --> 00:36:39,730 make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by 592 00:36:39,730 --> 00:36:44,170 himself. And Mark he sends his disciples 593 00:36:44,170 --> 00:36:45,490 on the boat. He goes, boys, go, I'll meet you 594 00:36:45,490 --> 00:36:49,690 on the other side. And we're told why he withdrew 595 00:36:49,690 --> 00:36:51,690 by himself. It Mark tells us he went to go 596 00:36:51,690 --> 00:36:59,560 pray. What a model of Christ when 597 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:03,400 everything around him was persuading him to veer off the 598 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:08,200 will of God. Jesus, the Son of the living 599 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:18,480 God, goes by himself to a mountaintop and prays, teaching 600 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:21,080 us what prayer is capable of doing. 601 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:26,040 It cuts off the hooks that try to pull us away from God. 602 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:31,950 It stabilizes us. It realigns our perspective on 603 00:37:31,950 --> 00:37:36,430 life and and helps us know. I have been called by God to 604 00:37:36,430 --> 00:37:39,590 obey his word, not not to have the easy way out, not to have an 605 00:37:39,590 --> 00:37:42,270 easier Christianity, A worldly version of it. 606 00:37:42,470 --> 00:37:45,510 And what prayer does is that it empowers you. 607 00:37:46,670 --> 00:37:50,830 God gives you something in that place when you get alone with 608 00:37:50,830 --> 00:37:56,920 him. People wonder why they struggle. 609 00:37:56,920 --> 00:38:00,680 People wonder why they stumble. People wonder why they don't 610 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:02,560 excel. And it's been year 10. 611 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:06,880 It's been year 15. Well, how much do you value 612 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:11,080 silence with God? How much do you protect that? 613 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:15,400 You know when Moses had the meeting place early in Exodus, 614 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,840 after the Israelites committed that grave sin of creating the 615 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:23,160 golden calf, right? Which is significant. 616 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:25,920 They created the golden calf. We were talking about this 617 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:28,640 yesterday. Where did the Israelites get the 618 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:30,120 material to build the golden calf? 619 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:32,240 Anybody remember they got it from Egypt. 620 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:35,080 They got it from Egypt. God told the Egyptians, or 621 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,280 rather the Israelites, you're not leaving this place empty 622 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:40,280 handed. And so the Israelites on their 623 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:44,080 way out into the wilderness on Passovernight, they went up to 624 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,400 the Egyptian neighbors and they gave them their silver and their 625 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:48,200 gold and their jewelry. Why? 626 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:49,960 So they can look bougie in the wilderness. 627 00:38:52,410 --> 00:38:55,130 People have limited to that to say this is reparations. 628 00:38:55,250 --> 00:38:59,050 This is God's way of saying if you enslave a people of you, you 629 00:38:59,050 --> 00:39:01,130 should pay it back. That's the surface level. 630 00:39:01,290 --> 00:39:04,410 God asked for those materials so that when they went into the 631 00:39:04,410 --> 00:39:06,090 wilderness, they would have something to build the 632 00:39:06,090 --> 00:39:09,850 Tabernacle. That's what it was for. 633 00:39:11,450 --> 00:39:14,370 And what do they do with the gold that they received from the 634 00:39:14,370 --> 00:39:15,610 Egyptians? They built the golden calf 635 00:39:15,610 --> 00:39:19,250 instead. It's amazing what we can do with 636 00:39:19,250 --> 00:39:22,560 the blessings of God. Amazing what we can do with the 637 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,000 gifts of God. God gives us gifts, He brings us 638 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,720 out of Egypt, out of the world, and he gives us something in our 639 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:30,240 hands to use for His glory. And we make idols out of it 640 00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:36,520 instead, right? Jesus here meets alone with the 641 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:40,320 Lord. You and I are also called to 642 00:39:40,320 --> 00:39:46,000 meet with the Lord alone and know a fortification and a grace 643 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:50,830 that can only come from there. So you look at the method of the 644 00:39:50,830 --> 00:39:53,910 building, right? Look at how God takes his time. 645 00:39:53,910 --> 00:40:02,030 Look at how God often makes his men and woman and quiet, unseen, 646 00:40:02,070 --> 00:40:05,190 overlooked. If you're not famous, doesn't 647 00:40:05,190 --> 00:40:08,590 mean you're not spiritual, OK? If people don't ask for you, 648 00:40:09,190 --> 00:40:12,150 doesn't mean that you're not being worked on by the Lord and 649 00:40:12,150 --> 00:40:17,230 being alone with God will excel and protect will protect it. 650 00:40:17,230 --> 00:40:19,310 I was talking about the Tabernacle, right? 651 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:23,560 The Tabernacle, they make that sin with the golden calf. 652 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:26,560 And then Moses meets with God as the people are waiting for the 653 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:28,680 next step, because the Lord said my presence, I'm not going with 654 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:31,480 you. So Moses meets with God there in 655 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:35,220 Exodus 33 and it says he had a meeting place with God. 656 00:40:35,220 --> 00:40:38,140 There was a tent of meeting, and every time Moses would go there 657 00:40:38,140 --> 00:40:40,740 to meet with God, the people would come out of their tents 658 00:40:40,740 --> 00:40:42,580 and look and see Moses meeting with God. 659 00:40:42,780 --> 00:40:45,780 And they were so excited because they saw that their mediator was 660 00:40:45,780 --> 00:40:48,340 meeting with their God and that there perhaps there's hope in 661 00:40:48,340 --> 00:40:49,620 this. But there's a little interesting 662 00:40:49,620 --> 00:40:53,220 detail in Exodus 33 that whenever Moses left the meeting 663 00:40:53,220 --> 00:40:56,820 place, he had Joshua stay at the entrance. 664 00:40:58,420 --> 00:41:00,180 He had Joshua wait, his assistant, to wait. 665 00:41:00,460 --> 00:41:04,320 Why would he have Joshua wait at that tent of meeting his 666 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:07,440 personal meeting place with God? You know why? 667 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:09,040 Because Joshua was to protect it. 668 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:15,920 And it's a picture of you protecting our meeting with God. 669 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:22,320 Busyness, the devil. Even ministry would love to, 670 00:41:23,160 --> 00:41:25,560 would love to have you vacate that place. 671 00:41:27,240 --> 00:41:29,240 So he said. Joshua, protect this tent of 672 00:41:29,240 --> 00:41:32,530 meeting. I'll be back to call for us to 673 00:41:32,530 --> 00:41:37,530 guard and to gauge how has my time with Lord the Lord alone 674 00:41:37,530 --> 00:41:39,970 been, because so much depends on it. 675 00:41:40,570 --> 00:41:46,010 So much depends on it. Lastly, we talked about the 676 00:41:46,010 --> 00:41:47,850 timing of the building. We talked about the method of 677 00:41:47,850 --> 00:41:49,250 the building. Now we come to the glory of the 678 00:41:49,250 --> 00:41:52,970 building. The glory I'm speaking about is 679 00:41:53,170 --> 00:41:56,850 is often associated with the actual presence of God, right? 680 00:41:57,350 --> 00:41:58,590 But that's not the glory I'm speaking about. 681 00:41:58,590 --> 00:42:00,870 And it's true that without the presence of God in the 682 00:42:00,870 --> 00:42:04,030 Tabernacle, without the presence of God in the temple, all you 683 00:42:04,030 --> 00:42:05,790 have is a hollow religious museum. 684 00:42:07,350 --> 00:42:12,590 The essence of that holy place was the holiness of God and 685 00:42:12,590 --> 00:42:15,710 God's manifest glory. But I'm not speaking about that 686 00:42:15,710 --> 00:42:17,310 glory. I'm speaking about the structure 687 00:42:17,310 --> 00:42:19,470 itself. The very building of the temple 688 00:42:19,830 --> 00:42:25,390 was in itself glorious and every component and facet of it showed 689 00:42:25,390 --> 00:42:28,220 something about God. It actually foreshadowed 690 00:42:28,220 --> 00:42:31,980 something about Christ. And so when you look at the 691 00:42:31,980 --> 00:42:36,700 details of the the Tabernacle and the temple, don't skip it as 692 00:42:36,740 --> 00:42:38,500 or what is this trying to say about God. 693 00:42:38,740 --> 00:42:42,020 And there's one feature about the temple what that was new. 694 00:42:42,020 --> 00:42:44,420 You don't find it in the Tabernacle and I want to show it 695 00:42:44,420 --> 00:42:46,300 to you. It's not in first king six, it's 696 00:42:46,300 --> 00:42:48,540 in first king seven. It's neighboring chapter and I 697 00:42:48,540 --> 00:42:51,500 want you to see this in verse 21 at First Kings Chapter 7. 698 00:42:56,140 --> 00:43:00,220 It says here in First King 7/21, he set up the pillars at the 699 00:43:00,220 --> 00:43:03,820 vesicle of the temple. He set up the pillar on the 700 00:43:03,820 --> 00:43:08,620 South and called its name Yakin, and he set up the pillar on the 701 00:43:08,620 --> 00:43:14,420 north and called its name Boaz. And on the tops of the pillars 702 00:43:14,420 --> 00:43:17,820 was Lily work. Thus the work of the pillars was 703 00:43:17,820 --> 00:43:20,540 finished. So at the very entrance of the 704 00:43:20,540 --> 00:43:24,460 top of the temple, rather, you had these massive towering 705 00:43:24,460 --> 00:43:25,620 pillars. Just two. 706 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:30,240 Two of them. And these pillars were so 707 00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:34,840 significant that God was telling Solomon that they needed to be 708 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:37,840 named something. Each one had a personal name. 709 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:42,640 The one name of the one pillar was Yatkin, the other Boaz. 710 00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:44,240 We're familiar with the name Boaz. 711 00:43:45,720 --> 00:43:49,400 Why would the Lord ask for these pillars to be named? 712 00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:56,080 And it's because the message of those names were to be seen just 713 00:43:56,120 --> 00:44:01,080 as reliable as the very pillars that they were on. 714 00:44:02,400 --> 00:44:06,800 The pillars associated with those names were to communicate 715 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:11,400 these names. What they mean are fixed and 716 00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:13,320 established and completely trust. 717 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:15,680 You can build your faith on these truths. 718 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:19,400 That's what a pillar signifies. So then, what are these things 719 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:22,980 symbolize? The name Yakin, right? 720 00:44:23,620 --> 00:44:28,300 There's no J in Hebrew. Yeah, I can means he will 721 00:44:28,460 --> 00:44:33,100 establish. He will establish. 722 00:44:33,860 --> 00:44:40,020 The name Boaz means swiftness. But most people also agree that 723 00:44:40,020 --> 00:44:49,700 it can mean in him is strength. He will establish in him is 724 00:44:49,700 --> 00:44:52,300 strength. I mean, it makes sense, right? 725 00:44:53,100 --> 00:44:56,540 So you would walk up the courts into the temple. 726 00:44:56,540 --> 00:44:59,060 You would see the temple. And here's the message that's 727 00:44:59,060 --> 00:45:00,980 being conveyed. When you look at Yak and you 728 00:45:00,980 --> 00:45:06,580 look at Boaz, God is the one who established the temple and God 729 00:45:06,580 --> 00:45:10,380 is the one who is able to sustain the temple. 730 00:45:11,100 --> 00:45:12,620 That's what was being communicated. 731 00:45:13,460 --> 00:45:15,500 But I wonder if there was a secondary purpose. 732 00:45:16,300 --> 00:45:20,410 I wonder if when these worshippers would come into the 733 00:45:20,410 --> 00:45:23,450 House of God, they would look at those pillars, they would be 734 00:45:23,450 --> 00:45:26,490 met, they would stand in the shadow of these monuments. 735 00:45:27,170 --> 00:45:32,450 And they were also being told that in the House of God you 736 00:45:32,450 --> 00:45:36,610 will know establishment, and in the House of God you will know 737 00:45:36,610 --> 00:45:44,210 strength in the House of God. So the the place of worship, in 738 00:45:44,210 --> 00:45:49,520 essence promised and reminded and guaranteed a sense of 739 00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:53,880 establishment and a knowledge of God's strength. 740 00:45:55,640 --> 00:45:57,440 Is it any different with the House of God today? 741 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:02,040 It's not different every time that we gather, as we're 742 00:46:02,040 --> 00:46:04,320 gathering this weekend, every time you go to the local church 743 00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:09,680 that you are in covenant with. I hope the moment you walk in, 744 00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:13,400 you should be reminded, and you should be confident that in this 745 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:19,890 place, with God's people, I will know a strengthening I will know 746 00:46:19,890 --> 00:46:21,890 an encouragement. I will know a building up. 747 00:46:21,930 --> 00:46:25,570 I will know a protection. I will know a nourishment. 748 00:46:26,610 --> 00:46:32,170 I will be helped by God here. Isn't it sad that the experience 749 00:46:32,170 --> 00:46:34,450 of Christians and many local churches is the opposite? 750 00:46:34,930 --> 00:46:37,250 It shouldn't be. But when the house is truly 751 00:46:37,250 --> 00:46:40,410 there for the glory of God, those are the promises. 752 00:46:40,690 --> 00:46:43,810 Those are the foundational promises that you can expect 753 00:46:43,970 --> 00:46:45,490 when you come to the House of the Lord. 754 00:46:45,990 --> 00:46:48,470 I know you think that you can do it on your own. 755 00:46:48,670 --> 00:46:51,630 I know you're very spiritual. I know that you know your Bible 756 00:46:51,630 --> 00:46:54,350 inside out. I know that you want sermons all 757 00:46:54,350 --> 00:46:58,150 throughout the week. But you will never know the 758 00:46:58,150 --> 00:47:02,070 fullest extent of flourishment if you do not have that 759 00:47:02,070 --> 00:47:04,070 conviction about the House of God. 760 00:47:04,990 --> 00:47:06,830 Not talking about the church building that you pop in and 761 00:47:06,830 --> 00:47:08,430 escape the moment the guy says Amen. 762 00:47:09,350 --> 00:47:13,830 I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about being planted 763 00:47:13,830 --> 00:47:18,260 in the House of God. You know Psalm 92, right? 764 00:47:18,460 --> 00:47:22,460 Psalm 92, Verse 13. I love how the King James puts 765 00:47:22,460 --> 00:47:22,780 it. I know. 766 00:47:22,780 --> 00:47:24,220 I love how the new King James puts it. 767 00:47:24,220 --> 00:47:25,700 Let me read to you how the ESV puts it in. 768 00:47:25,700 --> 00:47:29,980 Psalm 9213 says here they are planted in the House of the 769 00:47:29,980 --> 00:47:33,340 Lord. They flourish in the courts of 770 00:47:33,340 --> 00:47:37,420 God. The King James says those who 771 00:47:37,420 --> 00:47:41,060 are planted in the House of the Lord or they who are planted in 772 00:47:41,060 --> 00:47:43,020 the House of the Lord, what's the promise? 773 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:45,520 They flourish in the courts of our God. 774 00:47:47,240 --> 00:47:48,480 Planted. You know what it means? 775 00:47:48,840 --> 00:47:51,400 Rooted. Firmly fixed. 776 00:47:51,960 --> 00:47:54,320 That's where your address is. When you're planted in 777 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:56,520 something, you're not going anywhere else. 778 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:01,760 And with the Temple of God, then we realized that He's speaking 779 00:48:01,760 --> 00:48:04,360 about the temple. But we're also seeing that in 780 00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:06,640 the New Covenant lens. It's true of the Church of God. 781 00:48:06,970 --> 00:48:11,530 When you choose to be planted in the House of God, only then will 782 00:48:11,530 --> 00:48:14,050 you flourish spiritually with the Lord. 783 00:48:16,690 --> 00:48:22,250 Only then, only then will you know blessing and fruitfulness 784 00:48:22,250 --> 00:48:25,650 and fragrance. Apart from that you will not 785 00:48:25,650 --> 00:48:27,050 flourish. This is what the Word of God 786 00:48:27,050 --> 00:48:27,970 says. It's not my opinion. 787 00:48:28,290 --> 00:48:32,170 This is what the word of God says and in this individualistic 788 00:48:32,170 --> 00:48:35,910 society and in the way we treat the local church as though it 789 00:48:35,910 --> 00:48:39,150 is, it's a place of my convenience and if it's not for 790 00:48:39,150 --> 00:48:42,710 my convenience then I choose to divorce myself from relating to 791 00:48:42,710 --> 00:48:44,430 it. You will not flourish. 792 00:48:44,830 --> 00:48:47,550 It doesn't matter what kind of mind you have, doesn't matter 793 00:48:47,550 --> 00:48:48,950 what kind of personality, doesn't matter how 794 00:48:48,950 --> 00:48:52,190 self-discipline you are. God's mind is not our minds. 795 00:48:52,190 --> 00:48:55,790 God's law and God's will is not our subjective interpretation 796 00:48:55,790 --> 00:48:58,990 and is not subject to it. You have to be planted in the 797 00:48:58,990 --> 00:49:02,470 House of God in order for you to flourish. 798 00:49:03,590 --> 00:49:05,310 What is flourishing look like? Look at verse 14. 799 00:49:06,070 --> 00:49:08,750 Tell me any born again believer that doesn't want verse 14 to be 800 00:49:08,750 --> 00:49:11,270 real. They still bear fruit and old 801 00:49:11,270 --> 00:49:15,270 age. They are ever full of SAP and 802 00:49:15,270 --> 00:49:18,230 green. That's life that is linked to 803 00:49:18,230 --> 00:49:21,310 verse 13. Do you want to love the Lord? 804 00:49:21,470 --> 00:49:24,670 Do you want to remain devoted to him even into your old age? 805 00:49:24,670 --> 00:49:29,830 Be planted in the House of God? Parents, do you want to see your 806 00:49:29,830 --> 00:49:33,440 children flourish? Lead by example and don't be 807 00:49:33,440 --> 00:49:39,560 cheap with the House of God. Don't show them by example the 808 00:49:39,560 --> 00:49:45,320 absolute supernatural value that comes from loving the House of 809 00:49:45,320 --> 00:49:47,280 God. Loving the House of God. 810 00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:49,000 Hey, single people, pay attention to this. 811 00:49:49,080 --> 00:49:51,000 I don't mean to make this more difficult for you than it 812 00:49:51,000 --> 00:49:53,120 already is. I get that the dating scene is 813 00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:55,820 not easy. I get that the prospects are 814 00:49:55,820 --> 00:49:59,140 becoming less and less. I get the idea that people who 815 00:49:59,140 --> 00:50:03,980 present themselves as Christians are living contradictions. 816 00:50:04,340 --> 00:50:05,660 I get it. It's not easy. 817 00:50:05,700 --> 00:50:06,940 So I don't mean to make it more difficult. 818 00:50:06,940 --> 00:50:08,860 I'm just trying to protect you because the pain of marrying the 819 00:50:08,860 --> 00:50:11,500 wrong person is much more severe than remaining single. 820 00:50:13,620 --> 00:50:15,500 Find somebody if you're going to look for anybody. 821 00:50:15,500 --> 00:50:19,260 Look for somebody who has high esteem for the House of God. 822 00:50:23,020 --> 00:50:26,830 If you meet any Christian, if you meet anybody who claims to 823 00:50:26,830 --> 00:50:29,790 love the Lord but doesn't love His bride, put a giant question 824 00:50:29,790 --> 00:50:33,470 mark on them. You want your marriage to be 825 00:50:33,470 --> 00:50:35,710 blessed? Find somebody who's planted in 826 00:50:35,710 --> 00:50:37,470 the House of the Lord. You want your children to be 827 00:50:37,470 --> 00:50:39,830 blessed. Find somebody who is planted in 828 00:50:39,830 --> 00:50:45,670 the House of the Lord. Somebody who is sporadic has no 829 00:50:45,670 --> 00:50:49,550 sense of commitment and devotion to the House of God. 830 00:50:50,270 --> 00:50:53,790 I wouldn't consider it. That's just my opinion and Bible 831 00:50:53,790 --> 00:50:58,710 opinion. Bible opinion planted in the 832 00:50:58,710 --> 00:51:00,870 House of the Lord. You know, there are many parents 833 00:51:01,150 --> 00:51:03,470 who asked for help from ministers. 834 00:51:03,470 --> 00:51:05,550 I've seen it throughout the years considering their wayward 835 00:51:05,550 --> 00:51:06,550 children. You know what's amazing? 836 00:51:06,550 --> 00:51:08,710 A lot of them. You don't see them in church. 837 00:51:08,790 --> 00:51:12,470 They just appear when their kids are in trouble and they often 838 00:51:12,470 --> 00:51:14,270 ask for. But can you please, can you 839 00:51:14,270 --> 00:51:17,030 please come to our home? And we're more than willing to 840 00:51:17,030 --> 00:51:18,510 like, can you please talk to my son, my daughter? 841 00:51:18,590 --> 00:51:20,070 They're getting all swept up and all these things. 842 00:51:20,070 --> 00:51:21,950 And here's what I often say, and I've been saying it lately more 843 00:51:21,950 --> 00:51:26,140 than ever. With all due respect, where have 844 00:51:26,140 --> 00:51:29,420 you been? With all respect, I'm more than 845 00:51:29,420 --> 00:51:33,340 willing to listen to you. But are you plugged into a local 846 00:51:33,340 --> 00:51:35,460 church? Do you have elders in your 847 00:51:35,460 --> 00:51:37,020 lives? Do you do you serve in any 848 00:51:37,020 --> 00:51:38,900 ministry? Oh, no, I'm very busy. 849 00:51:38,900 --> 00:51:46,700 OK, well then how do you expect my visit to do something when 850 00:51:46,700 --> 00:51:50,940 for 1520 years you've set an example for your children that 851 00:51:50,940 --> 00:51:52,780 going to God's house is not important? 852 00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:55,640 That hearing God's word worshipping with God's people is 853 00:51:55,640 --> 00:52:00,680 not important. Planted in the House of the 854 00:52:00,680 --> 00:52:02,840 Lord. They will flourish. 855 00:52:03,640 --> 00:52:06,400 They will flourish. Let me say one more thing. 856 00:52:06,640 --> 00:52:08,480 I've said this before, but I'll say for those who've never heard 857 00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:11,960 it before and my also my personal experience when it 858 00:52:11,960 --> 00:52:13,840 comes to counseling and marriage. 859 00:52:14,160 --> 00:52:17,240 I've noticed one thing for the most troubled marriages under 860 00:52:17,240 --> 00:52:20,240 the banner of Christianity, The most troubled marriages had this 861 00:52:20,240 --> 00:52:23,000 one common denominator, though the problems varied, and it was 862 00:52:23,000 --> 00:52:28,000 this one or both. People in that marriage were not 863 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:30,680 serious in their commitment to the church. 864 00:52:34,560 --> 00:52:37,280 They didn't have believers in their lives to hold them 865 00:52:37,280 --> 00:52:39,120 accountable, to encourage them to give them counsel. 866 00:52:39,280 --> 00:52:41,880 Didn't have elders in their lives to supervise and watch 867 00:52:41,880 --> 00:52:43,800 over their souls didn't have any of that. 868 00:52:44,040 --> 00:52:46,000 At least one or both. You might have one who was and 869 00:52:46,000 --> 00:52:47,480 the other wasn't, or you have both who weren't. 870 00:52:49,820 --> 00:52:52,580 And so this is, this is not just like psychological tricks. 871 00:52:52,580 --> 00:52:56,260 There's a spiritual principle here be planted in the House of 872 00:52:56,260 --> 00:52:59,300 the Lord. You saw those two pillars in him 873 00:52:59,300 --> 00:53:04,260 is strength he will establish. And that's not just a testament 874 00:53:04,260 --> 00:53:06,820 of what he will do for the universal church. 875 00:53:06,820 --> 00:53:09,860 That's something that you can expect when you put yourself 876 00:53:09,860 --> 00:53:12,900 there and you become a consistent worshipper with the 877 00:53:12,900 --> 00:53:16,660 people of God. Something happened to these 878 00:53:16,660 --> 00:53:21,900 pillars as I close. It's in Second Kings verse 25 or 879 00:53:21,900 --> 00:53:26,060 chapter 25 verse 13. After so many succeeding kings, 880 00:53:26,060 --> 00:53:30,260 subsequent monarchs, Eventually the Babylonians came and 881 00:53:30,260 --> 00:53:35,780 ransacked Jerusalem and Judah and even the Temple, and we read 882 00:53:35,780 --> 00:53:38,700 here in Second Kings 2513. What's what happened to these 883 00:53:38,700 --> 00:53:45,580 pillars, specifically chapter 25 of Second Kings, verse 13, And 884 00:53:45,580 --> 00:53:50,020 the pillars of bronze that were in the House of the Lord, and 885 00:53:50,020 --> 00:53:53,420 the stands and the bronze seed that were in the House of the 886 00:53:53,420 --> 00:53:56,180 Lord. The Chaldeans broke in pieces 887 00:53:57,180 --> 00:53:59,140 and carried the bronze to Babylon. 888 00:54:01,940 --> 00:54:06,820 So these these two pillars he will establish, and in him his 889 00:54:06,820 --> 00:54:11,540 strength were ultimately cut in pieces, destroyed, and taken up 890 00:54:11,580 --> 00:54:16,300 into Babylon. What happened to God 891 00:54:16,380 --> 00:54:19,900 establishing and God's strengthening his house? 892 00:54:21,220 --> 00:54:23,900 You can see that as a warning that you and I is the temple of 893 00:54:23,900 --> 00:54:27,500 the Holy Spirit. We can, we can sabotage what God 894 00:54:27,500 --> 00:54:29,140 wants to do in us. But I'd like to see it in a 895 00:54:29,140 --> 00:54:32,860 different lens, because that is the temple that Solomon built 896 00:54:33,060 --> 00:54:35,820 and God was willing to protect it along the way, right? 897 00:54:37,240 --> 00:54:40,080 But the house that he's building today, Jesus made a promise. 898 00:54:40,080 --> 00:54:42,760 And the promise is this, that the gates of hell will never 899 00:54:42,760 --> 00:54:49,600 prevail, that no enemy will be able to overcome and overtake 900 00:54:49,720 --> 00:54:51,640 the house that he is building today. 901 00:54:52,760 --> 00:54:57,160 And so as you look in this world and you see maybe apostasy and 902 00:54:57,200 --> 00:55:00,560 and you see disappointment and you see a failure and spiritual 903 00:55:00,560 --> 00:55:06,080 leadership, realize that nothing, no one will be able to 904 00:55:06,590 --> 00:55:10,190 overtake what God started. That is true corporately. 905 00:55:10,190 --> 00:55:14,030 It is true individually. The work that Jesus Christ began 906 00:55:14,030 --> 00:55:17,350 in you, He will bring it to completion. 907 00:55:17,990 --> 00:55:21,670 He will complete it. You may not see it now, you may 908 00:55:21,670 --> 00:55:25,070 not comprehend now, but understand that as long as you 909 00:55:25,070 --> 00:55:29,630 remain in him, you will know His favor and his faithfulness until 910 00:55:29,630 --> 00:55:31,990 the end. And even in those moments where 911 00:55:31,990 --> 00:55:36,310 we do fail, we get up, we plead for forgiveness, He restores us 912 00:55:36,710 --> 00:55:39,990 and he never puts a pause on that which he started. 913 00:55:41,750 --> 00:55:45,510 He will continue until the end. Nothing will ever be able to 914 00:55:45,510 --> 00:55:47,710 separate you from the love of Christ. 915 00:55:48,030 --> 00:55:51,070 Nothing. That temple is non existent 916 00:55:51,070 --> 00:55:54,110 today. That temple is nowhere to be 917 00:55:54,110 --> 00:55:56,830 found. It will be rebuilt one day, and 918 00:55:56,830 --> 00:55:57,950 that's a whole different teaching. 919 00:55:58,150 --> 00:56:02,710 But the temple, the spiritual House of God that started 2000 920 00:56:02,710 --> 00:56:05,510 years ago, will continue until the end of the age. 921 00:56:05,510 --> 00:56:08,190 I'm so glad to be part of an institution that will never 922 00:56:08,190 --> 00:56:11,630 fail. I'm so glad that I'm Christian 923 00:56:11,630 --> 00:56:15,750 before I am American, right? You're not American before 924 00:56:15,750 --> 00:56:17,190 you're Christian. You're a Christian and your 925 00:56:17,190 --> 00:56:19,790 citizenship is in heaven. I like to joke with people. 926 00:56:19,790 --> 00:56:20,870 They say, how many citizens do you have? 927 00:56:20,870 --> 00:56:22,430 I'm Canadian, I'm American. I have a third one. 928 00:56:22,430 --> 00:56:25,910 I say, where's heaven? Heaven. 929 00:56:25,910 --> 00:56:29,150 You can't say that at the border, but you can say it with 930 00:56:29,150 --> 00:56:33,810 other Christians. They understand that stuff, the 931 00:56:33,810 --> 00:56:37,050 glory of the temple. You and I have to understand 932 00:56:37,050 --> 00:56:40,730 that the Lord wants to shine his glory through us, and you will 933 00:56:40,730 --> 00:56:42,290 never know. You'll never experience the 934 00:56:42,290 --> 00:56:46,850 glory of God until you first are convinced that it is glorious 935 00:56:47,610 --> 00:56:50,690 and that this is something that you need to be a part of by your 936 00:56:50,690 --> 00:56:52,730 participation. Not just by your theology, but 937 00:56:52,730 --> 00:56:56,930 by your participation. So there is a timing of that 938 00:56:56,930 --> 00:56:59,210 temple that testifies that the foundation of this whole thing 939 00:56:59,210 --> 00:57:01,850 is Jesus Christ dying for us so that we can know God and meet 940 00:57:01,850 --> 00:57:03,610 with God. There is a method that we need 941 00:57:03,610 --> 00:57:06,730 to trust throughout the years that there is a silent work that 942 00:57:06,730 --> 00:57:07,970 God is doing. You may not perceive it. 943 00:57:07,970 --> 00:57:10,850 There are days that go by that you might not be able to sense 944 00:57:10,850 --> 00:57:12,730 what you want to sense from God, but that doesn't mean that he's 945 00:57:12,730 --> 00:57:15,090 not working in you in a deep and significant way. 946 00:57:17,170 --> 00:57:20,050 And there is a glory that you can expect by being part of the 947 00:57:20,050 --> 00:57:22,090 House of God. Don't you forfeit that by your 948 00:57:22,090 --> 00:57:26,000 foolishness? Don't you forfeit that by your 949 00:57:26,000 --> 00:57:28,520 foolishness? And there's something that the 950 00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:31,440 Lord, as you commit being planted in the House of God, 951 00:57:31,680 --> 00:57:33,280 that promises you until the end of your life. 952 00:57:33,280 --> 00:57:37,000 You will know SAP, and you will know life, and you will know 953 00:57:37,160 --> 00:57:40,320 fruitfulness in your old age and even in your family. 954 00:57:40,320 --> 00:57:43,240 That's his promise. Lord, we claim those promises by 955 00:57:43,240 --> 00:57:46,480 faith in Christ. And we thank you that in Jesus 956 00:57:46,480 --> 00:57:48,320 Christ you are building a better house. 957 00:57:48,840 --> 00:57:56,930 And we ask, O Lord, that our vision of your house would be 958 00:57:56,930 --> 00:57:59,530 clarified. Help us see with the eyes of 959 00:57:59,530 --> 00:58:01,930 faith. We're not looking to actual 960 00:58:01,930 --> 00:58:03,810 pillars. We're not looking to physical 961 00:58:03,810 --> 00:58:06,050 gold. We're not looking to towering 962 00:58:06,050 --> 00:58:08,370 stones. We're not looking to veils and 963 00:58:08,370 --> 00:58:12,090 inscriptions, Lord. We look at people from different 964 00:58:12,090 --> 00:58:15,370 tribes and nations. We look at different materials, 965 00:58:15,450 --> 00:58:19,090 physically speaking, things that naturally would divide us. 966 00:58:19,130 --> 00:58:21,730 Lord, you are bringing and building something with. 967 00:58:22,470 --> 00:58:25,590 And so as we even stand in this very room, help us see the 968 00:58:25,630 --> 00:58:27,870 absolute beauty of what you are doing. 969 00:58:28,670 --> 00:58:31,070 As we go back to our local church and we get up every 970 00:58:31,070 --> 00:58:33,950 Sunday morning and we make our way to the House of God, may 971 00:58:33,950 --> 00:58:37,670 there be a sense in our hearts realizing I am going ready to be 972 00:58:37,670 --> 00:58:40,710 established, ready to be strengthened, ready to be a 973 00:58:40,710 --> 00:58:42,590 means to strengthen others as well. 974 00:58:42,590 --> 00:58:46,510 Lord, help us see the absolute majesty of the house. 975 00:58:46,510 --> 00:58:49,590 We are your house and would you receive all the glory for it? 976 00:58:50,700 --> 00:58:53,540 But we love you and we worship you in this place as the temple 977 00:58:53,540 --> 00:58:55,740 of the Holy Spirit. May you receive acceptable 978 00:58:55,740 --> 00:58:59,300 worship, a fragrance on this Friday morning that would be 979 00:58:59,300 --> 00:59:01,980 pleasing to you. In Jesus name, Amen.