May the mumbling commence!
Even as we try to praise God in our
own ways, the Lord is building His people up through the building up of the
Anointed One. This work started long ago
with Abraham and was continued through King David. When David was settled, he wanted to build
God a Temple rather than having the Lord remain in a tent. Read from Second Samuel chapter seven:
When the Lord
had brought peace to the land and King David was settled in his palace, David
summoned Nathan the prophet. "Look!" David said. "Here I am
living in this beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out in a
tent!"
Nathan replied, "Go ahead and do what you have in
mind, for the Lord is with
you."
But that same night the Lord
said to Nathan,
"Go and tell my
servant David, 'This is what the Lord
says: Are you the one to build me a temple to live in? I have never
lived in a temple, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until
now. My home has always been a tent, moving from one place to another. And I have never once complained to Israel's
leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, "Why
haven't you built me a beautiful cedar temple?"
Now go and say to my
servant David, 'This is what the Lord
Almighty says: I chose you to lead my
people Israel when you were just a shepherd boy, tending your sheep out in the
pasture. I have been with you wherever
you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies. Now
I will make your name famous throughout the earth! And I have provided a permanent homeland for
my people Israel, a secure place where they will never be disturbed. It will be
their own land where wicked nations won't oppress them as they did in the past,
from the time I appointed judges to rule my people. And I will keep you safe
from all your enemies.
'And now the Lord declares that he will build a
house for you – a dynasty of kings!
For when you die, I will raise up one of your descendants, and I
will make his kingdom strong. He is the
one who will build a house – a temple – for my name. And I
will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my
son. If he sins, I will use other nations to punish him. But my unfailing love will not be taken from
him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed before you. Your dynasty and your kingdom will continue
for all time before me, and your throne will be secure forever.'" (Verses 1-16)
How do we construct a house for the
Lord? We construct God a home when we do
as He commands us – never wavering from God’s Way. Jesus was the descendant of David who built
the true house of the Lord – the church.
Many of our spiritual ancestors had a part in building the church.
And we must join in the building – just as
Philip did so long ago. Read from Acts
chapter eight:
But the believers who had fled Jerusalem went everywhere
preaching the Good News about Jesus. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told
the people there about the Messiah. Crowds
listened intently to what he had to say because of the miracles he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as
they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were
healed. So there was great joy in that
city.
A man named Simon
had been a sorcerer there for many
years, claiming to be someone
great. The Samaritan people, from
the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as "the Great One – the
Power of God." He was very influential because of the magic he
performed. But
now the people believed Philip's message
of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.
As a result, many men and women were baptized.
Then Simon himself believed and
was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by
the great miracles and signs Philip performed. (Verses 4-13)
Philip taught and healed. Philip baptized and spread great joy because
of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Many
were converted… including the most influential like Simon the sorcerer. Philip was helping to build the house of
Jesus Christ, the church.
Let’s continue
that work in our day. Who will look back
on us a couple thousand years later and think of us as great people of faith?
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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