A Great Temple to Build 3 tools for the job

Building A Great Temple 3 – Tools for the Trade

OS: A (Stages of Life) (I used to look just like Arnold Swartznager. “Jeans won’t stay up!”)

I.      We live in a constant process of change.

A.   God created us, and this world, to be constantly changing.

B.    It is a process of time and maturity.

II.   Our Spiritual lives are no different.

A.   “Daddy, why don’t you ever go to church with us?” / “I don’t need to go to church, son. My faith is established.” / Later (horse and buggy) stuck in a mud hole. The boy observed, “They’re not going anywhere, Daddy. I believe they’re established.”

III.           B The essence of this changing life has to do with Temple building.

A.   1 Corinthians 3:16 & 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

             1.        16 C Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

             2.        19 D Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

B.    As an Assembly of God’s people we are in the ever changing process of building God’s dwelling.

C.   As an individual Christian we are in the ever-changing process of submitting our bodies as temples of God’s Spirit.

PQ: What does it take to build a great temple? How can we better ourselves? How can we better this assembly? (Tools)

I.      E Dissatisfaction with the status quo.

A.   Don’t get this confused with contentment in the world concerning material things.

               1.     Paul – * Phil. 4 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

               2.     Paul – F 1 Timothy 6 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.  7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

               3.     Paul and spiritual discontent – * Romans 9 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  3 For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4 the people of Israel.

B.    We must never be satisfied with our Spiritual life!

               1.     Paul (Spiritual Giant), “I want to know Christ”

               2.     Never be satisfied with your prayer, understanding of Scripture.

C.   Discontentment in our spiritual life as well as the life of this church go hand in hand.

                1.     A while back on "The Merv Griffin Show," the guest was a body builder. During the interview, Merv asked "Why do you develop those particular muscles?" The body builder simply stepped forward and flexed a series of well-defined muscles from chest to calf. The audience applauded. "What do you use all those muscles for?" Merv asked. Again, the muscular specimen flexed, and biceps and triceps sprouted to impressive proportions. "But what do you USE those muscles for?" Merv persisted. The body builder was bewildered. He didn't have an answer other than to display his well-developed frame. 1989

               2.     Spiritual exercises - Bible study, prayer, reading Christian books, listening to Christian radio and tapes--are also for a purpose. They're meant to strengthen our ability to build God's Temple, His dwelling place - not simply to improve our pose before an admiring audience.

D.   Northview is a great place, but I’m not satisfied!

II.   G Commitment (Because sacrifice is necessary) to change what needs to be changed.

A.   2 Corinthians 8:5

               1.     What are you giving your life for?

               2.     * 1 John 2 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.  17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

               3.     What are you committed to?

B.    There are no ‘buts’ or ‘ifs’ in commitment!

               1.     On the back of the picture was words of love and commitment followed by, “P.S. If we should ever break up I want this picture back.”

               2.     Prayer of an old Nazarene evangelist: “O Lord, give me a backbone as big as a saw log and ribs like the sleepers under the church floor. Put iron shoes on my feet and galvanized breeches on my body. Give me a rhinoceros hide for skin and hang up a wagon-load of determination in the gable-end of my soul. Help me to sign the contract to fight the devil as long as I’ve got a tooth – and then gum him until I die.”

C.   It takes commitment to build the temple of God.

               1.     Commitment to grow spiritually.

               2.     Commitment to grow God’s temple as an Assembly of God’s people. (time, money, sweat, blood, and tears…)

TS] Temple building tools – dissatisfaction – commitment.

III.           H Faith in God to handle the impossible

A.   Faith is believing the impossible.

               1.     Preacher on an airplane – afraid, “He said, ‘Low I am with you always’ never anything about high.”

               2.     *  & I Romans 4:17-22

B.    OT examples

               1.     Abraham & Sarah having a child at such an old age.

               2.     Moses actually being used by God to set Israel free from Egypt.

               3.     Red Sea, Water from a Rock, City of Jericho, David and Goliath, etc.

C.   What is impossible for you?

               1.     To know God as Paul did?

D.   What is impossible for us?

               1.     1000 members?

               2.     Whatever kind of facility it takes?

               3.     $6000 /week budget?

E.    Listen to what Jesus said,

               1.     J Matthew 19 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

               2.     * Mark 9 23 ”‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

               3.     * Mark 10 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

               4.     * Luke 18 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”

TS] K Tools for the Trade – Dissatisfaction, Commitment, Faith

Be dissatisfied with who you are spiritually and commit yourself in faith to becoming more like Jesus than you ever thought possible.

Be dissatisfied with this church and commit yourself in faith to building this great temple for God’s dwelling.