Sermon Central
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The Lord Establishes A House For You
Contributed by Timm Meyer on Feb 5, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: Advent 4(B) - The Lord God Almighty establishes a house for you: it is not built by human hands and, it is an eternal home.
THE LORD ESTABLISHES A HOUSE FOR YOU (Outline)
December 23, 2007 -
ADVENT 4 -
INTRO: During Advent we study promises that are made and examine promises that are kept. This morning we will look at promises made to David and promises kept. It is the Lord who makes these promises. It is also our Lord God Almighty who keeps all these promises. As we gather in our houses of worship it is this very same Lord God Almighty that the true believer worships. It matters not where we worship. The Lord God Almighty is in the midst of his people who worship him. God knows what is in our hearts. God knows what is in our minds. God knows the praise that flows from the worshipful hearts and minds of faithful believers.
In Athens the apostle Paul had to declare to learned people about the “unknown god”. These learned people had idols and statues to every god they could imagine. There was also the altar to the “unknown god”. They wanted to cover all their bases, just in case. Paul explains: "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else"(ACT 17:24,25). This is the Lord our God who is above all things. By God’s great grace we know and worship the true God. Today we look at why we would worship God at all. It is because of what the Lord God Almighty does for us.
THE LORD ESTABLISHES A HOUSE FOR YOU.
This is a house --
I. Not built by human hands, but;
II. An eternal home in heaven.
I. A HOUSE NOT BUILT BY HUMAN HANDS
A. This was a rare time in the reign of King David. This was a time of peace.
1. David had faced God’s enemies and defeated them. He even took back the city of Jerusalem.
2. Was it really David who had done all these things? Verse 9a. The Lord gave the victories.
B. The Lord had done everything. King David needed this reminder, verse 8.
1. The Lord had taken David from the field and put him in the palace; from a shepherd to a king.
2. David wanted to build a place of worship for the Lord. But the Lord did not need this house.
C. The prophet Nathan was sent to remind David of what the Lord had done, not what David had done.
1. David’s hands did not make himself great but God’s hand. The Lord would continue, ver. 9b.
a. The Lord’s hand David victory over Goliath.
b. Jesus enters Jerusalem – “The Son of David”.
2. Verse 10. The Lord would establish a place for Israel according to his plan and his time.
D. It is good not brag so much about our accomplishments. We want to value what the Lord accomplishes for us, to us, and through us. Too often we try to fight our own battles. At times we might think our greatest battles are against the things we see. Satan is our most dangerous enemy. The devil is the most deceitful foe any of us will ever face. Satan is not alone. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (EPHESIANS 6:12). Satan is not the most powerful.
E. Thankfully, joyfully, and most blessedly we are not alone. The Lord, the Lord God Almighty is on our side and is always with us. As God stands with us and for us we need never fear. What can man do to me? What can anyone do to me? The Psalm writer describes the beautiful promise of God’s great love and concern for each and every believer. "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart"(PSALM 91:4). Our Lord protects us.
F. The Lord establishes a house for you. This is important – God does it. Salvation and eternity does not depend on our efforts, not even our desires. It cannot. God found David and made him king and ancestor of the Savior, Jesus Christ. David did not do this. God found Paul and made him an apostle. Paul did not go out of his way to decide to accept Jesus. The Holy Spirit calls us by the gospel without any effort or merit on our part. "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy"(TITUS 3:4, 5a).
