“BUILDING THE UNFINISHED CHURCH”
- FINISH THE WORK - PT. 3
Intro: When you read through the Bible it is clear to see what God was desiring from mankind from the beginning to the end, is simply a relationship with them. We must understand that God is a very jealous God and our turning to the worship or serving other things, other than God Himself, makes Him very angry. Things have not change from one generation to the next and God is looking for men that are willing to serve and have a relationship with Him.
Text: Genesis 11:1-9
There is something amazing about what we see happening in this passage that we have read today. We find that God has just destroyed the world because of it wickedness that man has committed against God. But no lesson seemed to have been learned by judgment of God.
Genesis 10:32 “These [are] the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.”
In our story of today, there is a building that remains unfinished but not because they ran out of money, or material, or personnel. The building was never finished because God kept it from being completed. Why? What was wrong with building this great and wonderful piece of architecture? What was God afraid of? After all, what’s wrong with a beautiful building? There are a lot things people building not of God!
At this point in Biblical history, the earth has dried out. Noah’s sons have begun to re-populate the earth. But, little else has changed. Humanity is not seeking God like Noah sought Him. In fact, they are going further away by the construction of this great tower as a monument to themselves. So, the situation comes to a place that God decides He has to do something or it will get worse. Confuse language.
I. BUILDING THEIR OWN KINGDOM
A. Many would think as we read this that the people seem to be doing a good thing, building, working and they are in unity. Why doesn’t God just get out of the way? This is what the problem, God was no where in their building, working at all. This whole scenario that I have just described leaves God out. It is all about humanity. It is all about me, us. God is nowhere to be found.
B. What we find in the world today, is the exact same thing, we are doing our own thing and wanting God to bless something that does not even have Him involved in it at all. We are a people that just want to add God to our life. I want to do this and that and still have God added on.
II. GOD DESTROYED THEIR KINGDOM
A. God expected mankind to bring order to creation not build monuments to itself. Second, God wanted what He had with Adam and Eve before the fall, a personal relationship. But, as we recall from verses 3 and 4 the people focused on themselves and their accomplishments. And this choice created a larger and larger gap between God and humankind.
B. The way that God was able to show them that He was against what they were doing, was He confused their languages and it caused them to scatter to many countries. God has a way of bringing confusion and destruction to our own monuments that we are building for ourselves. Satan’s kingdom was destroyed.
III. WE ARE TO FINISH BUILDING HIS CHURCH
A. When I look at the work that God has called the church to do, it is not build nicer buildings or bigger churches. But He said, I want you to build My Church. My church is founded upon Me and the foundation cannot be destroyed.
B. As we reflect on our lives, I ask this morning, "What are we building our lives toward?" Is it our own agenda, focused solely on our goals? Or, is it God’s agenda for us? True unity, true life comes as we build our lives toward God and His purposes. Jesus knew that when He taught the disciples "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
C. Can I say today that it is time that we stop looking for other people or organizations to build the church, we as the church or people have been called to Finish the Work, that is building the Church of Jesus Christ, the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the building of this.
