A Full House

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“A FULL HOUSE”

 

Psalm 127:1 “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

James 3:16 “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

Luke 14:23 “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

 

INTRODUCTION

 

            We have been looking at the heart of our Lord with reference to “Fullness”.   Luke 14:15-24 – Parable of the banquet – Excuses – “Go out into highways and hedges and compel…that my house may be filled.” 

            In our quest to understand the desire of God for fullness – Song of Sol. 3:1-4.

                        Motivation = love, not blessings, takes risks, brings Christ to Church.

            As I have been meditating on this subject – How difficult is it to get one soul to be filled with Christ? One Church?  One city?   We can easily fill the Church with people but to fill the Church with Christ is different matter.  

            What would a Church filled with Christ look like?  Community? City?  How different would things look in our city if Christ were truly present in his fullness? 

TRANSITION: David, the sweet singer of Israel, gained insight into what a person, church, city, community would look like, if it were truly full… Let’s take a look.

 

BODY

 

I.          A FULL HOUSE IS A HOUSE BUILT BY GOD – Ps. 122:3; 127:1

                        “Jerusalem…is bound firmly together…”

                       “Unless the Lord builds the house…the watchman stays awake in vain.”

           A.        On a Revelation of Christ – Matt. 16 – “…I will build my Church…”*

                        Is the Church being built on revelation of Christ today?  Trend? 

                        Marketing scheme?  “26 Acres of Christians and all 1” deep.

                       Vain – pastors, leaders – work in vain.  MONUMENTS TO SELF. 

           B.        By unknown Watchman – Under hammer of the Word, in the furnace*

                        of affliction God is preparing His Church to come forth.  In silent

                       suffering she is being prepared.  Vision is coming to the blind.  Hope*

                        laid at feet of despair.  I Kings 6:7 = “And the house, while it was being

                       built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither

                        hammer nor axe or iron tool heard in the house while it was being

                        built.”

            C.        Into a Mighty house for God’s glory. 

                        God is raising up his church out of the ashes of failed self-promotion

                        and human enterprise.  Denominational barriers, racial barriers,

                        generational barriers, etc  Broken down.  Praying, seeking, building

                        in the quarry

 

II.        A FULL HOUSE IS A HOUSE BUILT UPON OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST –Matt.7:24-27 – “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them

…House built on rock…”

 

            A.        ECUMENICAL UNITY IS NOT FULLNESS OF HIS HOUSE.

                        We know that the devil was defeated at Calvary.  Roars – teeth pulled.

                        Where is the fullness of his power in the Church?  Where is the unity

                        in the Church?  Look around.  Competitive.  Doctrinal divisions. 

                        Divided into Thinkers, Doers, Feelers. 

            B.        MUST HAVE OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST IN:

                        1.         Prayer

                        2.         Holiness – Thought life, actions 

                        3.         Homes

                        Is everything captive to Christ.  “Our tools are ready at hand for

                        clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of                                         obedience into maturity.”  2 Cor. 10.6.  IS THIS TRUE OF CHURCH

                        All disobedience has not been judged yet.  IS THERE SOMETHING

                        LEFT TO JUDGE?  IS THE DEVIL RENDERED POWERLESS?

 

III.       A FULL HOUSE IS A HOUSE WHICH GUARDS THE CITY

            Ps. 127.1-2 – READ – Same thought stated two different ways. 

            A.        THE HOUSE GOD BUILDS WILL STAND

                        What about this house?  Will we stand?  Look at the blows from the

                        devil.  Look at the gloom and doom.  Hopelessness.  Are we ready to

                        let God build our lives, homes, Church? 

            B.        THE CITY GOD GUARDS WILL BE PROTECTED

                        1.         In middle eastern countries the city business took place at the

                                    gates of the city.  Nothing came in or out without permission

                                    of Watchmen.  HOW’S OUR CITY DOING? 

 

                        APPLY – HOW IS OUR CITY DOING?  HOMES?  WHAT ARE

                                    WE LETTING IN AND OUT?  Where are the prayer warriors

                        We have wrongly assumed the devil was given the earth as his realm

                        by God.  It was given to him but by the disobedience of man.  Our

                        country, homes, children, culture all going to hell.  Will we sit back

                        and let it happen without a fight.  This city founded on spirits of

                        Alcohol and gambling?  Gates of City are open.  Commerce flowing.

                        But what are we letting in and out. 

            …gates of hell shall not prevail…devil has access to realm of darkness but where obedience of Christ is there is light.   Matthew 16:19;18:18 – Whatsover things you bind on earth….bound in heaven…loosed…bound…  Two issues – devil and sin – words and actions.  Our words and actions have become a shelter for the devil.    LET’S NOT GIVE DEVIL A HIDING PLACE.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

            In the last two years the borders of our city have been expanded – METRO.

Instead of keeping the evil out we have let more in.  In this city we have at least 4 Bible Colleges, 2 seminaries.  We have the largest Christian School system in the US.  There are Christian elementary and high schools on every other corner.  Church buildings nearly cover the landscape.  BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.  IS GOD’S HOUSE FULL – NOT WITH NUMERS BUT WITH CHRIST?  IS THE CITY PROTECTED?  ARE WE ONE?  Are we in the Church truly seeking his fullness…not experiences or manifestations but HIM?  Are we raising children that are a pleasure to be around?  Is our quiver full of the ‘righteous seed of Abraham’?  Travesty to bring children into this world to end up in prison, divorce court or hell.  O Church of the living God, ‘Awake, Awake, Arise from the Dead…’

 

 

           

 

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