We Are His House!

Hebrews 3:3–4 TPT

3 But Jesus is worthy to receive a much greater glory than Moses, for the one who builds a house deserves to be honored more than the house he builds. 4 Every house is built by someone, but God is the Designer and Builder of all things.

Both Jesus and Moses were faithful, worthy of Father’s trust because they completed their assigned tasks. However, it was important for Paul’s audience to understand that Jesus was worthy of more glory than Moses because as God, He is the builder of His own house!

House is “oikos” (like the yogurt) and simply means, “a house, dwelling, home.” But it has deeper meanings such as:

Private home

Palace

House of commerce (thought that was interesting)

House of God such as the tabernacle or temple where the presence of God was manifested and where He is said to dwell

A part of a house like the dining room or the upper room as a place of prayer

Fig. of persons like believers being the spiritual house of God

A place where evil spirits dwell

Habitation, abode (as a city or country)

A household, family, those who live together in a house

Family, lineage, posterity

A whole people or nation as descended from one ancestor

I’ve highlighted the definitions that apply to us as His house. We are, together and individually, the house or dwelling of God, His habitation. We are God’s family and His posterity. And we are a people or nation descended from Christ, our ancestor of a new race of people.

But note something very important that Paul said: the BUILDER of the house has more honor than the house itself. Honor is “respect, reverence, esteem…rendered or exhibited towards a person or thing.” It’s also a “state or condition of honor, rank, dignity, joined with doxa (glory).” It’s the assignment of status to a person. Status is the “condition of stature” compared to other things. So let me ask you. How is it that many believers position the church they go to above the honor due Jesus Christ?

“Where do you go to church?”

“I’d like to invite you to church?”

“I know I should leave this church but I love the people too much.”

“What denomination are you (implying church)?”

“Do you have a church?”

“Where are you serving in your church?”

The Pharisees held their systems, the temple, and traditions in higher status than God Himself.

Mark 7:6–13 ESV

6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” 9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban” ’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

Mark 7:6–14 TPT

6 Jesus replied, “You are frauds and hypocrites! How accurately did Isaiah prophesy about you phonies when he said: ‘These people honor me with their words while their hearts run far away from me! 7 Their worship is nothing more than a charade! For they continue to insist that their man-made traditions are equal to the instructions of God.’ 8 “You abandon God’s commandments just to keep men’s rituals, such as ceremonially washing utensils, cups, and other things.” 9 Then he added, “How skillful you’ve become in rejecting God’s law in order to maintain your man-made set of rules. 10 For example, Moses taught us: ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults or mistreats his father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 “But your made-up rules allow a person to say to his parents, ‘I’ve decided to take the support you were counting on from me and make it my holy offering to God, and that will be your blessing instead.’ 12 How convenient! The rules you teach exempt him from providing for his aged parents. 13 Do you really think God will honor your traditions passed down to others, making up these rules that nullify God’s Word? And you’re doing many other things like that.” 14 Then Jesus called the crowd together again, saying, “Hear my words, all of you, and take them to heart.

I fear the same mistake is being made today. People seem to have more reverence for their church than the Lord. We honor Him by doing what He says. In some denominations, you don’t even have to be born again. You just have to be a member of that church! We are encouraged to serve in our church versus fulfilling the assignment God has given us. We are encouraged to get people to go to church instead of us going out and making disciples (Matt. 28). Everything is centered around the church more than God’s will.

Now there are, of course, genuine Christ-centered people in churches, but if you try to do what God is telling you, it’s a guarantee that eventually the leadership won’t appreciate it and you’ll end up in the office. We need a church shift! A shift in focus. A shift in plan. A shift in action. A shift to the restoration of ancient ruins that were originally built in the book of Acts.

The House is People Joined Together

Now get this. The word builder can mean to build and construct. But let me take you deeper. It’s kataskeuazo from two works kata and skeuazo. Kata means “down from a higher place” and skeuazo is “implement, vessel.” It’s used in anaskeuazo, which means “to prepare.” Taken together this words means “to prepare fully, put in readiness…as preparing a way before an oriental monarch.”

John 14:1–3 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Remember how one definition of house was a room in a house. Here Jesus says that in His Father’s house (oikos) are “many rooms.” Rooms here is not oikos but is mone, which is a “mansion, habitation, abode.” Why mansion? The archaic meaning of mansion is abode. But it’s evolved into a “very large, impressive, and stately residence.” That’s us! God doesn’t need 2000 years to build physical mansion in heaven! But He for sure needs 2000 years to transform people into fitting dwelling place for God! Lol!

The word “place” means fig. “condition, part, character.” It’s “topos” and where we get topography. It also means “of a place in which one dwells.” Listen to the Wuest translation of Eph 3:17:

“That the Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home in your hearts through the faith, in love having been firmly rooted and grounded in order that you may be able to grasp with all the saints what is the breadth and width and height and depth, and to know experientially the experiential-knowledge-surpassing love of the Christ in order that you may be filled up to the measure of all the fulness of God.”

Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 4, p. 91). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

God is building you and me in condition, part, and character to a home where “Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home” in you! And the assignment of apostles, prophets, evangelists, PASTORS and teachers is to help in that process (Eph 4:11, 12).

1 Corinthians 3:9–10 TPT

9 We are coworkers with God and you are God’s cultivated garden, the house he is building. 10 God has given me unique gifts as a skilled master builder who lays a good foundation. Afterward another craftsman comes and builds on it. So builders beware! Let every builder do his work carefully, according to God’s standards.

The laying of the foundation is the apostolic doctrine.

1 Corinthians 3:12–15 TPT

12 The quality of materials used by anyone building on this foundation will soon be made apparent, whether it has been built with gold, silver, and costly stones, or wood, hay, and straw. Their work will soon become evident, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by blazing fire! And the fire will test and prove the workmanship of each builder. 14 If his work stands the test of fire, he will be rewarded. 15 If his work is consumed by the fire, he will suffer great loss. Yet he himself will barely escape destruction, like one being rescued out of a burning house.

Let me ask you another question, “Is Jesus coming back for building or people?” It might sound stupid. But it needs to be asked because the way Christians act toward their church, you’d think He was returning for the building.

1 Peter 2:4–9 TPT

4 So keep coming to him who is the Living Stone —though he was rejected and discarded by men but chosen by God and is priceless in God’s sight. 5 Come and be his “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God. For now you serve as holy priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices that he readily accepts through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says in Scripture: Look! I lay a cornerstone in Zion, a chosen and priceless stone! And whoever believes in him will certainly not be disappointed. 7 As believers you know his great worth—indeed, his preciousness is imparted to you. But for those who do not believe: The stone that the builders rejected and discarded has now become the cornerstone 8 And A stone that makes them stumble and a rock to trip over. They keep stumbling over the message because they refuse to believe it. And this they were destined to do. 9 But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.

Let me give you a good example of how this mindset of honoring a church more than the Lord plays out.

TELL THE STORY OF THE COUPLE THAT DIDN’T FEEL THEY SHOULD GO TO SMALL GROUP BUT DID ANYWAY AND SON WAS MOLESTED.

More Than A Servant

Hebrews 3:5–6 TPT

5 Indeed, Moses served God faithfully in all he gave him to do. His work prophetically illustrates things that would later be spoken and fulfilled. 6 But Christ is more than a Servant, he was faithful as the Son in charge of God’s house. And now we are part of his house if we continue courageously to hold firmly to our bold confidence and our victorious hope.

And here is the purpose of Moses’ work for Paul’s Jewish audience—to “prophetically illustrate thing that would later be spoken and fulfilled.” But Christ is more than a servant; He is THE Son of God. And as His Son, He is in charge of God’s house.

Matthew 17:24–27 TPT

24 After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and asked, “Does your teacher pay the tax for the upkeep of the temple, like the rest of us?” 25 “Of course he does,” Peter answered. When Peter walked into the house, and before he had a chance to speak, Jesus spoke up and said, “Peter, I have a question for you. Who pays tolls or taxes to a king? Is tax collected from the king’s own children, or from his subjects?” 26 “From his subjects,” Peter answered. Jesus replied, “That’s right. The children get off free without paying taxes. 27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out your hook, and the first fish that rises up will have a coin in its mouth. It will be the exact amount you need to pay the temple tax for both of us.”

This is a hilarious story. Jesus already knew what was going on by the Holy Spirit and poses the questions, “Is tax collected from the king’s own children or from his subjects?” Jesus was posing the question that as the Son of God, He should be collecting the temple tax but to avoid offending, go pay it. Peter had already confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Mt. 16:16-19). And it was upon this revelation that Jesus said He was building His ekklesia, ruling council on earth, the vehicle to fulfill Matthew 6:10.

Matthew 6:10 TPT

10 Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is fulfilled in heaven.