Faith Sermon Series

A House Divided Cannot Stand Matthew 12 22 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Three Points Concerning A House Divided Cannot Stand Your Physical House, The Household of Faith & Your Earthly House or Body Point 1: Your Physical House The first 5 steps to build a new house is: 1. Prepare construction site and pour foundation 2. Construct rough framing 3. Complete rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC 4. Install insulation 5. Complete drywall and interior textures; start exterior finishes Often, site preparation and foundation work are performed by the same crew, but this may not be the case with a wooded lot. Using a backhoe and a bulldozer, the crew clears the site of rocks, debris and trees for the house and, if applicable, the septic system. The crew levels the site, puts up wooden forms to serve as a template for the foundation and digs the holes and trenches. Footings (structures where the house interfaces with the earth that supports it) are installed. If your home is going to have a well, it will be dug at this point. If the home has a full basement, the hole is dug, the footings are formed and poured, and the foundation walls are formed and poured. If it's slab-on-grade, the footings are dug, formed and poured; the area between them is leveled and fitted with utility runs (e.g. plumbing drains and electrical chases); and the slab is poured.Once concrete is poured into the holes and trenches, it will need time to cure. During this period, there will be no activity on the construction site. After the house is completed the doors and windows are put on and locks & keys are necessary to secure the house. Your physical house: Is secured for the safety of your family and the stuff inside the house. Who left their garage door wide open today? Anyone left their front door open or even unlocked today? We have cameras, alarms, smart doorbells, Alexa Google, Nest to secure our homes • My tour to Iraq & Afghanistan taught me some things about security I tried to bring it home (Creepy) Are we engaged in battle inside our Physical Houses? There must be a strong man! This is not a gender specific scripture. There are women that have the role of strong man in their homes. No man there or the man there is weak man that have not taken his role as the spiritual leader of the house. (Abuses drugs, abuses alcohol, affairs, gambler, won’t work, put the family in situations where the lights are cut off, water off, foreclosure). Every city or house divided against itself will not stand. Point 2: The Household of Faith Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. We must build the church foundation first! Sunrise Community Church Step 1 in building a House: Prepare construction site and pour foundation LEVELING of the FOUNDATION is occurring 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. (Be careful leaders) Psalms 127 Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Matthew 7:24 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Point 3: Your Earthly House or Body Our bodies are our earthly vessels that houses our souls. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. WE MUST PROTECT and GUARD our Souls 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Lock it up! Don’t be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” No maintenance of the body, No eating of the Bread of Life. No drinking from the Living Waters Do you have a strong man on the inside or a weak man? Always opening the door to the enemy. The robs you, steals from you, kills you! Destroy you! A house divided against itself will not stand.