Your Home A Sanctuary: A Place For God Series

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME SERIES

“Your Home A Sanctuary: A Place For God”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth = B.I.B.L.E.

-kitchen sink set and the fridge

-bedroom suite

-Living room suite

-dining room suite

-play sandbox outside

Then we moved to Kokomo from Marion

-we have a dining room table and chairs

-we have a couch and TV and loveseat, library shelf

-bedroom suite

-kids rooms furnished

We can put a lot of time into thinking about how we want to furnish our homes; and don’t forget about the garage!

We need to consider how we furnish our hearts!

Listen to this story Jesus told: LUKE 11:24-26

The evil spirit came back to the house and found it swept clean in order, but empty. You cannot take something away or cast something out and not put something better in its place.

But how our hearts are furnished speaks of what is important to each of us. I don’t want to get psychological here. I do want to speak about how we can furnish our hearts and arrange them to reflect Jesus Christ.

If you knew the in-laws were coming over, would you change your house around? If you knew the governor or the president was coming over would you change things around? If Tony Dungy called and said, “Hey! I am bringing a couple of the guys from the team over,” would you arrange your home differently?

Our homes reflect a lot about our hearts…and if that is true, getting our house in order actually has to start from the inside and work its way out! Get your heart in order, and the house will follow!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 and speaks about how we can have our hearts furnished and arranged for Christ to feel at home in.

Paul writes to Timothy that he can not only be furnished, but thoroughly furnished…

What would your house look like if it was thoroughly furnished? What would your garage look like or workshop look like or den look like if it was thoroughly furnished?

At this point I could go materially ballistic on you! Pull out all the stops and go for it on ‘thoroughly’ I mean we’d have some serious shopping to do! I’m thinking Binford tools all the way!

If we went with the living room, I’m seeing recliners and lazy-boys, and a fireplace and big screen TV and nice sound and stereo system and wall-to-wall carpet.

If I went to the kitchen, I’m seeing a walk-in fridge and freezer, a grill add-on for the stove and plenty of cupboard space and all of the necessities of cooking.

In the garage…wow, well, we don’t have time to talk about all the power tools and wood working tools I’d need to be thoroughly furnished based on MY definition of thoroughly!

What do you imagine it takes to furnish your heart thoroughly? I can start by saying that none of the things materially I have mentioned would qualify. Things I possess on the outside do not furnish me inside!

Peter writes in his letter: 2 Peter 1:5-9

Peter speaks of the qualities of faith, character, spiritual insight, discipline, patience, reverence, friendliness and love.

A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5, Ryan, 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say ’Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.’ Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

What does it take to be a person of character? Paul tells us it has to do with being furnished by the Word of God!

If you were going to furnish your home, you’d make a list of items and then you’d make a list of places to get those items: Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, JC Penny’s, and so forth. You’d spend time looking at sales ads and walking the isles looking at patterns, colors, and so forth. You would expect that it would just happen.