The Posture Question

ANNOUNCE THAT ALL OFFERINGS FROM HERE ON OUT WILL BE GOING TO CHRISTMAS BOXES

EXPLAIN WHAT IT IS

YTH CAMP: JUNE 23-27

CHALLENGE TO INVITE FRIENDS

Luke 19:45–46 “Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.””

John 2:16–17 “Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.””

The posture you take towards the house of God determines whether you receive the pleasure of God.

We see this Jesus table-flipping story that so many like to talk about. So many people say, “If Jesus flipped tables then so should I”. All people want to do nowadays is go flip tables concerning anything that offends THEM or doesn’t cater to THEIR needs or wants. However, we see the real reason Jesus wanted to flip tables, and it wasn’t for a petty reason. Jesus was flipping the tables in the Temple because it was outright against everything God stood for.

It begins with the priests (church leaders) of the day allowing these businessmen, who sold the “acceptable” sacrificial animals for worship to the people of God, for very high prices. Its almost like inflation today. They setup in the very place where Gentiles (non-Jews) were allowed to pray, and this was the only place they could at that time. So these men were robbing from the people of God, which is robbing from God Himself.

Luke 19:45–46 “Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.””

Prayer wasn’t just something that was meant to just be released into the air like it is nothing and to nothing. Prayer was meant to be centered on relationship with the Lord, this back and forth relationship where mercy was obtained, grace was given, and God answered His people.

Instead, these businessmen had turned it into a “den of thieves”, robbing from God what He deserved.

However, the businessmen weren’t the ones at fault because their intention was to exploit the people of God. They weren’t at fault for the Temple becoming a den of thieves. It was the priests who watched over it.

These priests were meant to be set apart leaders unto to God, that had a passion for His Kingdom and His dwelling place (the church, Temple) on Earth, and were called to steward (take care) of it. They were responsible. They allowed the enemy to invade the holy place of prayer and turn it into something for selfish gain.

1 Peter 2:4–5 “You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.” 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

I want to submit to you today students that YOU are that priest that God has called in this hour to fight for the house of God, His Church. You are the ones God has raised up as priests over His house. You may not be a pastor or own a church building, but make no mistake, if you are a believer and believe God has called you to make Generations Church your home, you are called fight for God’s house HERE.

Commit and get rooted in a church.

Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”

Acts 2:42–44 “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.”

All of these verses teach us the importance of gathering with other believers, listening to our spiritual leaders, and being devoted to things of the church.

The church is only a church if the people recognize they ARE the church.

As a priest, God has called you to ownership of His house.

As a student, this looks like being involved in our Wednesday services through our times of worship, groups, and the message. This can also look like you being here on Sundays as much as possible because what happens in here is only a short taste of what is happening on Sundays. Sundays are the foundation of what happens on Wednesdays.

Instead of looking for a reason to complain, it is time to take ownership of the role God has called you to in His Church, in this local church.

Your posture towards God’s house and what God wants to do in and through Generations Youth and Generations Church will determine what you see Him do here.

Did you know YOU can limit God? God could overpower you, but He chooses to move upon our faith and our obedience

Psalm 78:34–38 “When God began killing them, they finally sought him. They repented and took God seriously. Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer. But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant. Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all. Many times he held back his anger and did not unleash his fury!” Psalm 78:41 “Again and again they tested God’s patience and provoked (and limited; NKJV) the Holy One of Israel.”

This word for limited means to pain, wound, hurt, and distress to the point that He couldn’t let His will (which was good) be done to them.

So how do we keep the right posture about God’s House and the Church?

John 2:17 “Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.””

Jesus was consumed with rage over how they were mistreating the temple of God.

This word for passion meant “zeal, jealousy, extreme concern”

Jesus saw that God’s house was being misused and that the posture that these priests and the businessmen they let in to misuse it was ruining everything the Temple was supposed to be about.

The Temple would be a place of prayer, a place to encounter God and experience His presence in a life-changing way, but these people were limiting the movement of God in this place by their posture towards it.

The posture you take towards the house of God determines whether you receive the pleasure of God.

Psalm 147:11 “No, the Lord’s delight (pleasure) is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

The posture God desires from you is one that fears Him (not scared, but respect and reverence)

When He is speaking, you are listening

When worship to Him is taking place, you are focused on worshipping your way

When His Word is being brought and preached, you be attentive and listen. You take note.

When prayer is happening, you are participating.

His pleasure, which is His “favor, approval”, is on those who respect and reverence everything He is a part of

To combat the culture out there, we have to turn the tide in here.

If we don’t get this right, how can we ever expect God to speak a right now Word to us in the season we are in?

How can we expect anyone out their will be changed by us who bring what we have in here?