Where God Wants to Live
So This Is Christmas • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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We’re continuing our journey through the Bible to explore the true meaning behind the question, “So This Is Christmas?”
Last week, we went back to the beginning — to creation, the fall, and God’s first promises.
This week, we fast-forward to around 1000 BC, to the time of King David — a moment that seems far removed from Christmas, but actually brings us closer to understanding the promise of a coming King.
Go with me to 2 Samuel 7
By this point, David has been king over all Israel for a few years. Things are going well — really well.
The kingdom is united, the enemies are defeated, the capital is established, and David is living in a palace.
God has been good to him. His favor is clear.
And then one day, David has a thought: “Maybe it’s time I help God out.”
1 Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,
2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.”
3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan,
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in?
6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.
7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’
Things are going great for David. He’s settled in a house of cedar. There’s peace in the kingdom. The enemies are quiet. Life is good.
And in that moment of peace, He starts thinking about God which is a good thing.
He turns to the prophet Nathan and says, “I’ve got a house. God’s presence is still out there in a tent.”
David wants to do something nice. Something honoring. Something spiritual.
Nathan agrees — “Go and do what’s in your heart.”
But then… God speaks.
“Did I ever ask for that? Did I ever tell anyone to build me a house?”
God’s not angry. He’s not rebuking David’s heart.
He’s redirecting it.
Because as good as David’s idea sounds, it wasn’t what God wanted.
David’s desire to do something for God was noble — but it wasn’t what God asked from him.
It’s possible to get so caught up in doing things for God, that we forget we’re called to walk with God.
David is genuinely trying to honor God.
He looks around at how good God has been to him — the palace, the peace, the victories — and he starts thinking,
“Man, I’m in here… and God is still out there in a tent.”
His heart is in the right place.
His intentions are good.
But God is about to redefine for David what building a house for Him looks like:
8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.
9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.
10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,
11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,
15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”
I’ve titled the message this morning:
Where God Wants to Live
pray
Every year — without fail — there’s a fresh round of internet debates.
Actually… scratch that.
Every day.
No wait — literally every second of every day, someone is arguing online.
And this time of year, the algorithm’s favorite fight is:
Is Christmas actually pagan?
Let me break it down for you. There are basically two groups:
Group A: The Redeemers
“Well, you know… Christmas was originally a pagan holiday, but we redeemed it for Jesus.”
This is the Well-Intentioned but Historically Misinformed Group.
These are sweet people. Sincere people.
They probably heard it on K-LOVE in 1992 and have repeated it every year since.
Thanks a lot, Steven Curtis Chapman.
They mean well, but their historical research comes mostly from , blogs and the comment section of a Facebook post that was obviously written by AI.
Group B: The Abandoners
“We shouldn’t celebrate Christmas at all because of its pagan roots!”
“Also, the Bible condemns Christmas trees in Jeremiah!”
This is the Perpetually Outraged Internet Theologian Group.
They think you’re one nativity set away from apostasy.
They’re pretty sure Santa is just Satan with better branding.
But here’s the truth: Neither group is right.
There’s no solid historical evidence that Christmas was a rebranded pagan festival.
In fact, early Christians had a completely different reason for choosing December 25th — and honestly? It’s kind of beautiful…and a little weird….
They believed that holy people died on the same day they were conceived.
So if Jesus died on March 25th (as many early Christians believed)… they assumed He was conceived on March 25th, too.
And guess what happens nine months later? December 25th.
Boom. Christmas. Not pagan. Just… holy…math.
Real quick… can I go ahead and debunk the whole “the Bible condemns Christmas trees” thing?
This one comes up every year like a bad fruitcake.
Let’s look at the passage people love to misquote:
2 Thus says the Lord: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them,
3 for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.
I’ll admit… at first glance, this feels a little too on-the-nose.
You’re like: “Wait… that sounds exactly like my tree.”
“Did Jeremiah see my living room?”
But here’s the thing — that only works if you ignore a few small details.
Like, for example: context, history, meaning, the entire point of the passage…
Oh and the fact that Christmas LITERALLY WASN’T EVEN A THING YET.
You’re telling me Jeremiah was looking at a group of Israelites, enslaved in Babylon, exiled, heartbroken, surrounded by idol worship…and he said:
“You know what you better not do in 2,500 years? Set up a fake pine tree in your living room and put some Hobby Lobby ribbon on it.”.
Really?
The people that believe this ignore in verse 3
3b ….A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
Listen to me — Grayson Pine, from the small Hallmark Christmas town of Evergreen Falls, may be out here chopping down trees and loading them into the back of his red vintage truck.
He might even be selling them next to a cider stand while falling in love with a big-city journalist.
But Grayson Pine is not a craftsman.
He’s not carving idols.
He’s not making false gods.
He’s just trying to win back his high school sweetheart and restore the town’s Christmas spirit.
So unless you’re bowing down to your pre-lit balsam fir, calling it Yahweh, and offering sacrifices at the base… even if it has colored lights…You’re good.
These kinds of beliefs usually come from good intentions.
People are trying to be faithful. Trying to honor God.
And I get that.
But here’s the truth:
God isn’t honored by good intentions. He’s honored by obedience.
And that’s exactly what we see in David.
David wasn’t being selfish.
He wasn’t rebelling.
He was genuinely trying to honor God.
He looked around, saw everything God had done for him — the palace, the peace, the victories — and he thought:
“Man, I’m living in this house of cedar… and the ark of God is in a tent. I need to do something for Him.”
David had good intentions.
But what God wanted was something different.
Not a project. Not a structure.
What God wanted was obedience.
And instead of saying, “Thanks, David — let’s break ground,”
God basically says,
“I’m not asking you to build Me a house — I’m telling you where I want to live.”
That brings us back to verse 8.
In verses 8 through 16, God reveals a plan — and it’s deeper than David ever imagined.
It’s a three-layer fulfillment that stretches across generations.
Theologians call this: Immediate, Ultimate, and Ongoing Fulfillment.
Immediate — God’s promise to Solomon, David’s son, who would build the physical temple.
12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Ultimate — The promise of Jesus, the eternal King from David’s line.
13b….and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
Ongoing — And now, through Christ, the promise extends to the Church — where God chooses to dwell today.
14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,
15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
This finds ongoing fulfillment in us — the Church — through Jesus:
1 Corinthians 3:16 — “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
Ephesians 2:22 — “In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
Here’s the point of all this:
This covenant with David wasn’t because of how good David was — It was because of how good God is.
God’s plan has always centered on a King, a Kingdom, and a people.
And that plan is fulfilled in:
Jesus — the King
The Church — the Kingdom on earth
Us — His people
Centuries later, an angel shows up to a young virgin named Mary…and confirms the very thing God promised to David.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
That’s not poetic coincidence.
That’s 2 Samuel 7 — in angelic language.
This isn’t suggestion — it’s fulfillment.
Then Matthew opens his gospel with the part most of us skip over…
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Now listen — I know the genealogies can feel like the Bible’s version of a LinkedIn scroll…but don’t skip them.
Why?
Because every name is a receipt of God’s faithfulness.
Every generation is a reminder that God does not forget His covenant.
And this one in particular proves: If God says it… you can believe it.
And here’s what I love:
God never forgot His covenant.
He didn’t delay.
He wasn’t distracted.
He was waiting — for the exact right time.
“Why was it the right time for Jesus to come?”
I’m so glad you asked…
Here’s why — logistically, historically, spiritually — everything was ready:
1. Peace Across the Empire
Rome had created a rare moment of peace (called Pax Romana), which made travel and communication possible like never before.
2. Roads Were Built
The Roman road system stretched across the known world — allowing the gospel to travel fast once Jesus rose from the dead.
3. A Common Language
Thanks to the spread of Greek culture, almost everyone spoke Koine Greek — which is what the New Testament was written in. No translation needed.
4. Spiritual Hunger Was High
People were burned out on empty religion.
Many were already drawn to the God of Israel.
Hearts were hungry. Minds were open.
5. The Jews Were Expecting a King
They were under Roman rule, oppressed, and longing for deliverance.
The perfect setup for Jesus to say:
“The Kingdom of God is at hand.”
Paul says it this way in Galatians 4:4:
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son…”
Everything was ready.
Historically. Politically. Spiritually.
And God — right on time — kept His promise.
So let’s put it all together:
God made a covenant with David.
Jesus is the fulfillment of that covenant.
He came at the exact right time.
He lived, died, and rose again.
And the genealogy proves He’s the rightful King.
But here’s the question we have to ask:
If Jesus is the King… then where’s the kingdom? And how do we know He’s reigning right now?
That’s exactly the question Peter answers in Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost.
He stands up — full of the Holy Spirit — and he says to the crowd:
“David is still dead. His tomb is right over there. But Jesus? He got up.”
Let’s go there — Acts 2:29–36
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,
31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Peter is standing in front of a massive crowd in Jerusalem — this is the Feast of Pentecost, just 50 days after Passover.
Jews from all over the known world are in town — and suddenly the disciples start speaking in languages they’ve never learned.
Everyone is like: “How are these Galileans speaking my native language?”
Peter says:
“You want to know how this is possible?
You want to know what all this means?
It means Jesus is King — right now.”
And here’s his proof:
David died and stayed dead.
Jesus died… but didn’t stay dead.
We’re all witnesses.
He is now exalted — seated at the right hand of God.
And He just poured out the Holy Spirit — just like He promised.
So Peter ends with this mic-drop moment:
“Let all Israel know for certain… God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36)
In other words: He’s not just risen — He’s reigning. And the kingdom of God is advancing — through His people.
Ladies and gentlemen
Jesus is King.
Not just back then.
Not just someday.
Right now.
The throne is not empty.
The crown is not up for grabs.
Jesus is alive. Jesus is reigning. Jesus is King.
The question is not:
“Is Jesus King?”
That’s already been settled.
The real question is:
Will you live under His reign?
In the way you talk, the way you think, the way you act, the way you live.
Because here’s the truth:
Jesus is either King of all of you — or He’s not your King at all.
I titled this message:
“Where God Wants to Live…”
So let me answer that clearly:
God does not want to live in a structure we build. He wants to live in a life that is surrendered to Him.
Not in a building.
Not in a box.
But in you.
When we say “Jesus is King,”
we’re not just stating a belief — we’re declaring a new reality.
And that reality?
It shapes everything we do.
As individuals.
As families.
As a church.
Everything we do is with God — not just for Him.
Because I never want to be part of a church that’s so busy doing things for God, that we forget to actually walk with God.
The world can do things for God. But only the Church gets to walk with God.
And the beauty of the Church — the beauty of this Kingdom — is that there is always room for more.
Room for the broken.
Room for the overlooked.
Room for the doubting.
Room for the lost.
Room for the scared.
Room for the prodigal.
There is room for more.
In just a few short weeks, 2025 will come to a close.
But in 2026, we believe we’re just getting started.
We’re going to see growth.
We’re going to see God move.
But hear me — We’re not stepping into 2026 for God.
We’re stepping into 2026 with God.
In just a moment, we’re going to participate in the Room for More Offering together as a church.
But before we do, I want to let you know about a change coming in 2026 that I’m genuinely excited about:
Starting January 4th, we’re moving back to ONE Sunday service at 10:30 AM.
Through some strategic planning and a few targeted renovations, we’ve found a way to almost double capacity in this room without it feeling overcrowded.
And let me be clear — this is a short-term fix.
We are still outgrowing this building, and it will not hold us much longer.
Which what the Room For More Offering is all about.
We are not called to be a church that just gets by.
We are called to be a church that makes room for more.
More people.
More stories.
More healing.
More hope.
More of God at work.
And the above-and-beyond giving in today’s Room for More Offering will allow us to do a couple of key things:
First, it helps us begin building up capital.
Which leads directly to the second thing — it allows us to start looking for a bigger space and/or to renovate and expand this building.
This offering isn’t about pressure — it’s about preparation.
We are preparing for more.
And we’ve made it incredibly simple to give: Just tap the disc, and it will take you straight to the Room for More giving page.
I know some of us are still waiting on Christmas bonuses or end-of-year finances to come through.
And I don’t want you to feel like you’re missing out on the opportunity to make room for more.
Or maybe you feel led to add more later — that’s great, too.
The Room for More campaign will remain available on the giving page through the end of the year.
But right now — in this moment — let’s do what we can.
Let’s step in. Let’s stretch. Let’s make room.
Ladies and gentlemen… let’s Make Room for More, and give at this time.
