A Longing for His Coming Part 3
A Longing for His Coming • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Working on a Building
Working on a Building
Lyrics “I am Working on a Building”
I’m working on a building; It’s a true foundation. I’m holding up the blood-stained banner for my Lord. Well I never get tired, tired, tired of working on the building; I’m going up to heaven to get my reward.
Jesus said that He came to build a new temple for the dwelling of God’s power and presence. He said in John 2:19 that He would build it in just three days.
The Apostle Paul affirmed in 1 Corinthians 3:16 that we are that temple.
We are told in Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
So, until Christ returns, the building is still in process and like Nehemiah rebuilding the wall in the Holy City, I have a responsibility in the building process:
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
Therefore, I’m working on a building with a sure foundation.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
I do not own the building. I did not build the building. But I have been given the responsibility to steward and maintain the building until the owner returns.
And when He returns I want Him to find the building just as clean and holy as when He built it and paid full price for it with His very own sacrifice.
But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”
(Iniquity עֶוֶל ‘evel - unrighteousness; wickedness; injustice)
Jesus is the builder, I am a discipled apprentice. An apprentice is defined as one bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction. Therefore, I am in this covenant for eternity following His instructions until He returns to claim that which is rightfully His.
This building is occupied by God’s watchman and our helper, the Holy Spirit of the Living God. This building has many rooms. Those rooms include my heart, my soul, my mind, my strength, my thoughts, my words, my choices, my family, my marriage, my obedience and my relationships.
I must ensure no strangers squat in these rooms or thieves rob and steal the things God has set in these rooms. I must ensure that I keep these rooms clean, holy and undefiled. They must stay free of idols, compromises, and fleshly baggage that do not belong and the Master of the dwelling would find displeasing and unholy.
The fragrance of my heart must be pleasant to the Master. That which is visible through the windows of my soul must be pleasing to the Master. The sounds of my mouth must be pleasing to the Master.
Until the Master returns, I must be a good steward of the liberty He has given me to maintain this dwelling. For we will all give an account of our stewardship of this Life of Christ we have been so graciously given yet so many take complacently for granted.
He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
Abraham Lincoln, believed that as a nation, we would stand as long as we had a people willing to work and steward the freedom given to us through faith in Jesus Christ.
We have not stewarded the nation well. Neither has the Church stewarded the Kingdom of God well. This is evident in the fact that the majority of the nations in the Middle East and Africa that were once predominantly Christian, following the Second Century, are now Islamic. Not to mention what we see happening in western nations today and what has happened to the family.
The Church has failed to teach people to steward their faith in Jesus Christ for generations.
The pastor who does not demand God’s holiness from those God has called him to shepherd is a pastor failing to prepare the Bride of Christ for His return.
We should be a people, a bride, longing for the coming of our groom. We should be a people of faith longing for the return of our Savior. But as long as we are longing, we should be a people who are stewarding his kingdom until the king comes.
Stewardship of faith is not a religious act of ordinances but relational living in obedience. Holy stewardship must be founded on a holy fear. Not a fear of the future, but a fear in faith. As true believers and followers of Christ Jesus, we can face the future in faith, not fear.
Remember what the Apostle said in Philippians 2:12
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
Let’s now add the next verse Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
There are three types of holy fear of God that we should live by and teach our children:
1. Consequential Fear (Like a Judge) Recognizing the reality that God can sentence me. The wages of sin is still death apart from obedience to Christ.
2. Reverential Fear (Like a Police Officer) Acknowledging the authority and understanding the role of that authority in my life. He is God and I am not.
3. Relational Fear (Like a Father) Fear of displeasing, disappointing or breaking Father’s heart. Desire to honor the Lord.
Understand that self-serving, superficial, religious fear practiced in ordinances of legalism do not produce relational fear. It desensitizes one to true reverential fear. And it causes one to assume upon the consequential fear with great complacency and self-justification.
A.W. Tozer states that the fear of God those of old maintained “was more than an a natural apprehension of danger; it was a nonrational dread, an acute feeling of personal insufficiency in the presence of God Almighty.” He goes on to state that we should fear the greatness of God but trust in His goodness. Thus, the paradox of our faith - to fear but not be afraid (A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy)
So, how should we be working on this building? How can we assure that when Christ returns, His work and that which He has called us to is sanctified and holy as He is holy?
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Die daily to self and the flesh that self thrives on becoming obedient unto that death even as Christ on the cross. Take up your cross daily, in humility, and follow His way in obedience. Let Him be exalted above all things in your life. Walk humbly before God with Christ as Lord of all giving Him all glory in all you are and do.
We must be working on the building. Are you working on the building or are you just hoping that it is good enough to get by when He returns? When it comes to deepening and solidifying your relationship with the Lord in prayer and study of His Word, have you found other things more important than working on His building? When it comes to service to the King, loving your brothers and sisters and sharing the Gospel of Christ, are you leaving the building up to someone else? Is your building in some disrepair and need of some revitalization? Has your building become unclean or been defiled?
Let Jesus work on your building. And put your hands to building His Kingdom starting with your temple.
