2 Chron 2:1-6
2:1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.
4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.
5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.
6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? Who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him.
In verse # (1) Solomon was determined to build the Lord a house, a house for the sake of the kingdom of God. He said the house that he would build would be great because the God that he was building it for was great.
David the father of Solomon instilled something awesome in Solomon’s spirit.
In fact David said; Ps 145:1-3
I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
That’s why as Solomon was considering this house that he was going to build and the God that would occupy that house he said in verse # (6) But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? Who am I then, that I should build him an house.
I would like to preach today for the “Living Word of God Church” WE CAN BUILD THE HOUSE?
For 33 years Solomon’s father David guided God’s people to greatness. As David grew older, God had revealed to David that He had chosen Solomon to succeed him.
Solomon’s reign was a time of unparalleled wealth and greatness for Israel.
The years of Solomon’s reign seem to be years of growing glory for the people of God. During Solomon’s reign, Israel’s wealth and power were unmatched by any other people.
The house that Solomon determined to build was located on the site where Abraham had been commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac, his only son, a place of unparalleled faith.
And can I say in order for us to build this house for the Lord that we are determining to build, will also cost us unparalleled faith.
It was a great house that he had built.
The gold used in its construction was worth over 2 1/2 billion dollars – and that don’t include the silver that the temple had there was10 times more silver than gold.
Something we need to understand here and that is Solomon was the wisest man that has ever lived.
But can I say his wisdom was not for speculation, or for him to entertain himself, or his friends, but his wisdom was given to him, from God for action!
We as the end-time church have been blessed with information and technology and wisdom, skill, understanding and insight.
But can I say also; God will inquire of us on that day, what did you do with what I have given you?
•What did you do with the opportunity that presented itself to you?
•What did you do with the facility that I gave you?
•What did you do with the people I gave you to work with?
•What did you do with all the souls that needed saved?
John 4:35
Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
There’s a church to be built, there’s a harvest ready to be harvested, There are souls waiting to be saved.
1 Kings 3:9-14 Solomon asked of the Lord.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
It’s time we understand our purpose!
Because of Solomon’s wisdom he determined to build a house unto the Lord.
It stands to reason today that the creator of this world, the Savior of this world deserves a place for himself.
•A place where his name can be glorified and lifted up,
•A place where his people can assemble together for his purpose,
•A place where he can speak and give instruction.
•A place for his glory.
One man said; We are not born for ourselves, but for God and our country.
One of the greatest needs in the Church today is a sense of purpose and destiny.
Everything we can see with these natural eyes is going to pass away, but what happens inside these walls we call the church is going to live on forever in eternity.
That’s why we must understand the purpose of the Church?
The Church is the Body of Christ; bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh.
1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
Let me say if our priorities are any different than the Lord’s priorities our priorities are all messed up.
Luke 19:10
For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
For 33 ½ years the Lord reached out and touched people, and people reached out and touched Him.
And when this type of relationship happens between the world and the church, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE MADE WHOLE.
The mission of the Church is to touch people redemptively and to carry herself in a way that causes people to want to touch the Church.
Something I think we all understand the Church is people-not a building.
The word Church means assembly.
We find in the scripture Multitudes of people always around the Lord.
They were not afraid of Him. They trusted Him; they trusted their children with him.
•People need to feel the same way about the Church.
•People need to know that the Church cares.
•They need to feel warmth and sincerity and compassion from the Church.
Did you know the Church has a greater chance of touching and being touched at the gas pump or in the restaurant or in the work place than on padded pews.
Stained-glass religion is not really a spiritual force in the world we live in today.
I said this to someone the other night;
•In some people lives we are the only bible some people will ever read.
•We are the only sermons they’ll ever here?
I don’t claim to have the Wisdom of Solomon. But the apostle Paul said; my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1 Cor 1:21-27
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
Why? ---Because in Jesus Christ, is all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Friends; the wisdom of this world is not going to save anybody, but a man or woman of God that is sensitive to the purpose of God can change the world.
There are times in our every day lives when hurting men and women need an understanding ear a compassionate heart, a forgiving spirit, a person who cares.
If we will take the time to listen and have the compassion to offer a helping hand maybe, just maybe, we will have the opportunity to introduce him or her to the one true and living God, Jesus Christ.
Jesus had lepers, harlots, cheating tax collectors, fishermen, and farmers and poor and destitute people following him.
But the bible says; They came. They saw. They heard. They touched and "as many as touched His garment were made whole."
•He met the people on their own level.
Can I say; if we are too holy to let someone blow smoke in our face, then were not like Jesus at all
•If we’re to holy to talk and witness to people because of there dress or the size of there billfold or purse than were nothing like the Lord whatsoever.
The bible says in Luke 8:40-44
40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:
42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood was stopped.
Can I say it like this; The common people felt comfortable around the Lord. The bible says they gladly received him.
Even though he was the incarnation of holiness, harlots and publicans, sinners, felt safe with Him.
Somehow Jesus’ message conveyed to the worst sinner your welcome here, you’re accepted here, there’s forgiveness for you here.
We all know that the world has more than enough hatred and rejection and unforgiveness to offer.
I say to the “people of this Church” Let the city of Eufaula know, that the Living Word of God church offers love and acceptance and forgiveness.
Ps 78:38
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
That’s why I say "The house must be great; not in proportion to the greatness of God to whom it is to be dedicated (for between finite and infinite there can be no proportion), but in some proportion to the great value we have for souls and the purpose to which he came to this world.
John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Solomon said; who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him?
This house that we are stepping out to build for the Lord is a place intended for all those who seek to worship and live for him to come worship and praise this awesome God.
A place were we can come collectively and give God thanks and praise for this great salvation
This world cannot contain the greatness and the awesomeness of God.
But the hearts of men and women and young people around this world is the ideal size for this awesome God.
This 1500 sq. ft. sanctuary by the help of the Lord will be a place for whosoever will to come and experience this great God.
When we out grow our current facility, and leave this place and make our way to a new location
When we take a shovel and place it in the earth as another step of this new beginning for us as a church we will continue to grow and build this house for the Lord
I also pray that spiritually speaking it can be the 1st phase of us as a church to go out into the fields the high-ways and by-ways and begin to harvest this harvest that is ready to be harvested.
•To re-dig again the wells of our salvation.
•To remember again the purpose to which we have been called.
•To remember again our destiny.
•To remember our future, and also remember if God be for us who can be against us.
CAN WE BUILD THIS HOUSE, I SAY YES WE CAN AS LONG AS WE STAYED CONNECTED TO THE PURPOSE.
AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO LIFT HIM UP.
John 12:32
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
CAN WE BUILD THE HOUSE-
YES WE CAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arturo Tuscani was a famous Italian symphony conductor. His specialty was the works of Beethoven.
•One night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Tuscani conducted the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra in a program that included the Ninth Symphony, one of the most difficult pieces to direct.
It was so majestic and so moving that when the piece was completed, the audience stood for round after round of applause.
Tuscani took his bows again and again.
He turned to the orchestra; they bowed. The audience continued to clap and cheer.
The orchestra members themselves were smiling and clapping.
Finally, Tuscani turned his back to the audience, and spoke only to the orchestra. He said, Ladies, gentlemen--- I am nothing. You are nothing. Beethoven is everything.”
And as we prepare for our next step in God we must always remember; I am nothing, you are nothing and He is Everything
Now what do you say… lets build this house for him!!!
