Made in Jerusalem
“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
Intro: Jerusalem is built on a mountain plateau and is surrounded by
the Kidron valley on the east,
The Gehenna valley on the west
and the (Tie rope Eon) Tyropoeon valley on the south.
Jerusalem became a Hebrew city under David.
Soon after being crowned king over all the tribes of Israel,
David led his private forces in to capture Jerusalem 2 Samuel 5:1-10.
David made Jerusalem his capital.
David moved the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 6
The Ark of the Covenant symbolized God’s presence,
into the holy of holies, which made Jerusalem the religious center of the nation.
In Jerusalem, God made a covenant with the house of David. 2 Samuel 7:16
“Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b]; your throne will be established forever.’”
David’s earthly kingdom ended,
but Jesus a direct descendant of David was the ultimate fulfillment of that promise.
In Jerusalem…, Solomon built the Temple…, that David had wanted to build.
The Temple in Jerusalem was understood to be a Holy dwelling place for God 1 Kings 8:13
The physical beauty of the city was sung in Psalm 48
It’s glorious buildings and walls were described in Psalm 87
Several New Testament writers emphasize Jerusalem.
John told us more than any other Gospel writer about Jesus' visits to Jerusalem during His public ministry, Luke emphasized Jerusalem the most.
Luke's opening announcement of the birth of John took place in Jerusalem.
Jesus visited Jerusalem at age twelve.
All four Gospels tell us the central event of the Christian faith
--the crucifixion-resurrection of Jesus--took place in Jerusalem.
All of Luke's resurrection appearances took place in or near Jerusalem,
and the disciples were instructed to stay in Jerusalem until the Day of Pentecost.
Jerusalem figures in the final vision of Revelation.
In Revelation, Jerusalem appears for the last time
When Satan and his demons come against the Holy city for the final battle
But are destroyed by fire from heaven Revelations 20:7-9
And Finally, John saw the new Jerusalem descending from heaven to the new earth.
This new Jerusalem is described in such a way
that it is clear that the goal of our faith is to bring us to this biblical revelation,
the glory of the nations…, the tree of life…, the river of life…,
the eternal vision of God and communion with God,
and God reigns with His people forever and ever is fulfilled through Jerusalem. Revelations 21-22:5
The title of today’s sermon is “Made in Jerusalem”
“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
Made in Jerusalem. Think about the words, “built into a spiritual house.”
Peter describes the life of a believer…, in the church…,
as being made of stone…, living…, spiritual…, stone
A temple with Christ as the foundation and cornerstone
I am old enough to remember that when a label or sticker or tag said “Made in America”
that was something to be proud of.
Made in America meant quality,
it meant excellence,
it meant superiority…,
something of worth that would last.
I remember as a kid…, getting something that was made in China and I was so excited.
This thing…, whatever it was…, was made on the other side of the world.
Nowadays, two-thirds or more of everything we own is made in another country.
The washer and dryer in my laundry room is made in Korea
The alarm clock by the bed is made in Japan
The coffee pot is made in Hong Kong
The blouse in your closet is made in Singapore
The plastic bottle you drink water from is made in Mexico
The watch is made in Germany
The petroleum to fill the car is made in Saudi Arabia
I read an article that said, “Every US car is an import.”
It talked about regulations
It talked about the percentage of production
You can have a label that says made in America
But it doesn’t mean that it is actually made in America
It could mean that 51% is made in America
Just 1% less and it is made somewhere else.
But God doesn’t do percentages.
The point is you have to be 100% born again
You can’t be 51% made by Jesus and call yourself a Christian
49% is still running around in sin with the world.
That doesn’t mean I am going to be 100% all the time
Because I am not
But that is where repentance comes in.
That is why we are made by Grace and not made by the law
I am made at Calvary just outside the wall of the city of Jerusalem.
I am made at the foot of the cross
I am made by the blood of Jesus
I am made by the forgiveness of sin and the Grace of God.
Hallelujah, Praise God, Somebody say Amen!
I knew about a man who said he had joined three different churches before he became a Christian.
Let that sink in for a minute.
He said the first church he joined was the Methodist church his grandma went to.
He said he remembers Sunday School,
And he remembers being baptized,
And he remembers being in the Easter plays
But there was something missing.
He knew that something wasn’t right.
He said the second church he joined was the Baptist church years later when he was older and married,
He said, he joined the church his wife went to.
He said they made him be baptized again into their church
He said he remembers singing in the choir
He was on a couple of church committees
But there was something missing
He knew that something wasn’t right.
He said, the third church he joined changed his life forever,
He said, one Sunday night they went to a revival service at church.
He said it was the third night of the revival.
He said he had been on a guilt trip for the past 2 nights.
He said, he realized he did not even know if he had been saved.
He said, the preacher was preaching and suddenly, something came over him.
He said he knew it was the Holy Ghost.
It was so spiritual.
He said, the Holy Spirit spoke to him and you have been to the Methodist church
You have been to the Baptist Church
But have you been to Calvary where Jesus died for you?
He said he knew the answer was that he had not been applying it to his life.
He said, the Holy Ghost put into his heart that he was religious, but he was not saved,
Because he had never really, truly, been born again until that moment.
He said the third church he joined was not Baptist or Methodist
The third church he joined was the church that was made in Jerusalem at the old rugged cross.
Being religious is not the same thing as being born again.
Being a church member is not the same as belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven.
I have met a lot of people who go through the motions.
They have been members of a religion
but they do not yet know the difference between religion and relationship.
We're all gonna die one day. We're all gonna stand before God in heaven.
That's for certain.
You don’t have to believe it, but it is going to happen whether you believe it or not.
We all gonna die one day.
And you don't want to stand before the judge on the throne
And be asked the question, “Why should I let you into My heaven?”
And your only answer is “I have been to church.”
A few years ago, the I.R.S. audited a certain well-known politician
for some rather large charitable donations to a church.
What they found was that the church was nothing more than a mailbox.
That church was just a place to send a check.
It had no service
It had no singing
It had not preaching
It had no Ministry
It had no outreach
It had no Mission
It had no Evangelism
It had no worship
But it turns out it was a 501c3 it was tax-exempt
My point is this, the I.R.S. might say you are legit.
The law might say you are legal
The church might say you are a member
The baptismal record might say you have been baptized
But until you have been to Jerusalem
Until you have been to the cross
Until you have been made in Jerusalem.
Jesus told Nicodemus
“…no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again”
You have to be born of the Spirit (John 3:5-8).
You have to be made of the Spirit
He forgave me
He saved me.
He sanctified me.
He filled me with the Holy Spirit.
He made me righteousness with God.
He cleansed me with his blood.
And maybe that is enough for some people but for me, I am still pursuing him.
I am still seeking that daily relationship with Jesus.
Because he made me into a “Living stone,
He had built me into a spiritual house
My feet are set on holy ground and made to be a holy priesthood,
My life has become an offering
A spiritual sacrifice holy and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
I am made in Jerusalem.
Where are you made?
When you dig deep down
what is there that determines your character, your strength, your direction, your faith?
I was built on a hill far away
still in old rugged cross
the mountain that I wanna pattern my life after is the hill along the wall of the city of Jerusalem.
it's called Calvary Grace
it's greater than all my sin and shame
I think what God wants to see more than anything else
is to make sure that you are building by grace building by grace
so that when your faith runs short
and when your prayers don’t seem to be answered
and your explanations for what is happening don’t make sense.
that you have a greater grace working in your life
God is not going to build the rest of your life based on what you deserve no no no
it is built on a much stronger foundation than that
this foundation cannot be shaken if the rain blows your house
it will have its foundation on the rock
and it will stand firm
Closing: It can be the turning point in your life.
At the base of a hill called Golgatha, the place of the skull, the Hill called Calvary
A man named Jesus, both flesh and divine, born of Mary, the Son of God
Died on a cross, as a place for people to pin their hopes and prayers,
It can be the turning point in your life today.
Jesus was nailed to the cross the Messiah. Son. Living. God.
That is where your salvation is made. It is made in Jerusalem.
Do you accept Christ as your personal savior today?
If so, today is the beginning of your relationship with Jesus.
I would like to hear from you if this message blessed your heart today.
So, please leave a comment.
Until next week, may God watch over you and keep you from all harm. In Jesus Name Amen.
