The House of God

Matthew 21:12-16

Pastor Lou Mancari

23 August 2015

What does the House of God look like when Christ is the head of that house? Understanding what Christ wanted the church to be will help us uphold and further the church Christ was showcasing within our own local body.

The House of God Is:

1. A House of Priority (Matthew 21:12)
   • Upon entering Jerusalem Jesus went to the temple first
   • In Luke 6 we see a similar prioritization of the temple
     • Jesus spent time in Solitude with God,
     • Then he communed with the disciples – i.e. with the church body
     • And then He went out in ministry
   • As seen in Luke 6 the church is a bridge to ministry – it begins to connect you to the people of God
   • Prioritize the church – see the value and purpose therein
2. A House of Purity (Matthew 21:12)
   • Jesus was not afraid of offending people who were disgracing the house of God
   • Equally the church today should not be afraid of offending sinners – i.e. the entirety of humanity – we should be eager to purge sins within ourselves and to encourage others to rid themselves of sin
   • Churches will never reach the ultimate purity, but as we seek purity (i.e. are being sanctified) we will begin to show the purity Jesus desired in the church
3. A House of Principle (Matthew 21:13)
   • Church should be a pillar of truth – i.e. principle – to the community
   • This means the church should be immersed in the scriptures – preach them, teach them, live them
4. A House of Prayer (Matthew 21:13)
   • As we see further on in the chapter (Matthew 21:18-22) prayer can be powerful – a fig tree can die immediately
   • So we should be praying for serious change – to become the church God desires, to be sanctified, to begin showing the fruit of the spirit, etc
   • As we pray we must have faith – and that faith comes through applying God’s word and His truth to our lives
5. A House of Power (Matthew 21:14)
   • As seen in v 14 the church was a house of healing
   • Do we limit what God can do through His church – do we doubt what God can do?
   • The church should believe God can work wonders – in salvation, sanctification, & sickness
   • There is power in the church, and when the house is prioritized, when it is full of purity, principle and prayer – it will be a house of power
6. A House of Praise (Matthew 21:15-16)
   • As seen in these verses the church should praise God in spite of and because of what is going on in our lives
   • As the church (church universal) is being changed by the work of God our lips and heart should be changed and begin praising God for all that He is, was, and will do
   • Praising God publicly will bring others to Christ – they will see and hear the joy of the Lord
   • The joy of God lasts beyond lifetimes – it is not a joy that fades, but yet if you find the joy fading in your heart, check to ensure your heart is being filled with the truth of God