"Jesus Is the Temple" By Chris Ulrich March 16th,
2014 Good morning, everybody. Thank you; you may be seated. Good to see everybody this morning. It’s another cold day, but I’m not going to
talk about the weather. It’s been enough
already. I will say this, that early in
February, I had had just about enough of it, so I actually-- I had scheduled a
trip to Our theme this month has been on
“The House of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens. There’s also a verse in Psalms 127: Psalms 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain
that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. We have to look at it like—I know
that one thing; Parrish, you mentioned last week about something Pastor Paine had
mentioned when he was here, that in God’s house we don’t make excuses. What was funny was, I was sitting back
there--I was ushering--now, Parrish, e says this, and, after he shared that, I
said, “Amen!” Right after Parrish said
that, I don’t know if he heard me, but then he said, “Sometimes, I feel like I make
excuses; I really couldn’t say amen.” So
I’m like, “You got me again.” So, it was
one of those things; just having a little fun here. Anyway, you talked about how God
establishes landmarks and we can’t change those things. You also shared about how God blesses our
lives and people see the evidence and that’s one thing I’d really like to
highlight because—how many can say that they have a testimony where it’s beyond
your wildest imagination, and your wildest comprehension for the changes that
God has brought in your life? Amen,
amen. Now, for those of you that didn’t
raise your hand, that’s fine, if you feel that way, but we have to look at it
like, “What about the others?” That was
the one point that you really highlighted, was that are others seeing that
difference? Now, maybe, if it’s somebody
that we didn’t know prior to coming to the knowledge of the truth, we’re going
to come into contact with plenty of people after we get baptized in Jesus’
name, after we get born again, and, a lot of times people look at that and they
say, “Oh, you’ve been like this all your life.”
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I know many of u have had different backgrounds—maybe you had a
religious upbringing, or maybe you had no religious upbringing at all, we just
kind of went through life, and it really depends on what kind of upbringing
your parents brought you through. But,
as it stands, God brought people from all different walks of life, and one
thing I’d like to share—this is something that I believe God has laid on my
heart—this is something that Martin Luther King had mentioned, he said that
Sunday morning was the most segregated day of
the week. And you’re talking,
that was fifty years ago. So, we look
around, and we see a congregation that God’s blessed us with, and, you know
what? there are differences. When we
look at the society that we live in, and it seems like every reality show is
going to try to highlight the differences, and show how much division, and how
much anger, and, you know what? those things are real! Those things aren’t something that we can
just sweep under the carpet and pretend like they don’t exist. I know that we look at it like, “Okay, but
God changes us. God gives us a perspective
where the goal is to be friendly, to win souls to Christ, but to keep our own
souls salvation. It’s not a matter of,
“Okay, well, I’m just going to go back to however I acted; I’m just going to go
back to however I was before…” There is
a difference, and another thing is that the people that see the change that God
has brought us through, they might give credit to God, and then again they
might not. But it really doesn’t matter,
as long as we’re giving credit to God.
We have to look at it like, “Okay, I know God’s changes me
immeasurably.” There is such a
difference. There is that time, and God
gives us a peace that passes all understanding.
God brings us through things. I
know there was a time in my life when I didn’t believe in God, just absolutely,
flat-out atheist. Now I look at it like,
every single day, every breath of life, and the things that we have, I want to
give God credit for that. I don’t want
to ever fail to give credit to God.
That’s not my message this morning, but there’s no doubt about it, we
have to give God credit, because it doesn’t hurt us. I think a lot of times that’s what people
think, “Oh, you’re bowing down to something!”
Yes, that’s true; that is a fact.
We are bowing down to God, but God’s benefits are immeasurable. It’s not a matter of looking at it like, “Oh,
I don’t stand to gain anything from this,” because we do. We’re going to talk about how Jesus
is the temple. Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Christ
talked about He’s the door, if any man come up any other way, they’re a thief
and a robber (John 10:1). He talked
about, “I and My Father are One.” (John 10:30) The Bible talks about in Christ dwelleth all
the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). Jesus is the only name; it says in Acts that
there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts
4:10-12). Once we’re convinced of those
things, what steps do we need to take next? Isaiah 53 Who hath believed our report? and to
whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For
He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry
ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we
shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He
was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely
He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He
was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and
with his stripes we are healed. All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He
opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment:
and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked, and
with the rich in his death; because He had done no violence, neither was any
deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the
LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an
offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and
shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many;
for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore
will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with
the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered
with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for
the transgressors. That’s going to be our longest
passage; we’re only going to have a couple of others. There are a lot of directions we can
go with this, but we’re going to spend some time here; we’re going to focus on Christ
as the temple. This passage is talking
about Jesus Christ. Kirk, what you said
in the Bible study Wednesday night about false prophets, we look at something
like that because this is—I don’t know—seven hundred or eight hundred years
prior to that actual time of Christ, so we know that this is a true prophet. I mean, this is something that came to pass,
but I would venture to say that there was probably plenty of people—and we even
talk about this a little at Christmastime, because Isaiah was the same prophet
that talked about, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a child,
and His name shall be called Immanuel…” (Isaiah 7:14), which is Christ. Because it was such a long time after that
actual prophecy, I’m sure that there were plenty of people that were like,
“Well, it didn’t come to pass in your life, or the next generation, or the
generation after that…” for hundreds of years.
It’s not always a matter of—when we talk about the end of the world, I
mean, sometimes I think it’s one of those things where, “It’s going to happen
tomorrow!” You know, people have this
knee-jerk, “Oh, it’s going to happen tonight!” or “It’s going to happen
today!” It’s like, “Well, God is
patient.” It’s not a matter of looking
at it like, “Okay, just because I said, “God’s going to instantly destroy the
world,” I mean, people talk about Nostradamus, and I really don’t know a lot
about him. How many times in the
nineties did they say, “Oh, he said it was going to happen in 1984,” “He said
it was going to happen in…” and they keep changing the year. Whatever the next year is, it’s like, “Oh,
it’s going to be that year!” A couple of years ago, 2012, they come out
with this movie about the end of the world, and it’s like we’re two years after
that, and it comes down to okay, the Bibles says—Christ Himself said—“No man
knows the day nor the hour when the son of Man shall return.” (Matthew
24:36-39) that’s not the message that we’re
going to be talking about today, either.
We’re going to talk about how, in this life, it’s not a glamorous life. That’s a message that we’ve taught on. We look at it like, “Okay, do people aspire
to that?” I know it’s just a word, but I
mean, there’s a lot of words that are associated with that: flashy, bling, swanky, upscale… It’s a matter of looking at it like, “Okay,
reference that to Isaiah 53, look at the kind of life that Christ lived.” We look at it like, are our aspirations
flying on a Lear jet, or eat caviar, or go to I’m going to ask a question that I pondered
quite a bit, that I really don’t want to ask but… Are we looking at the things of the world
that we feel are passing us by or that we’re missing out on? How many feel that you’ve been ripped off at
some time or another? I do; I mean, I’ve
got to say there’s been times where I just have to say, “You know what? I
missed that boat; I missed that opportunity; I missed out on…” and you could
just right on down the line. It’s one of
those things where you could just say—and I suppose there’s plenty of people
outside the realm of Christianity that feel that way, too. But it’s not one of those things that—I’m
going to tell you why I didn’t want to ask that question, and it is because I
feel that way at times. But I am aware
of it and admit that at times it is bothersome, but the Bible teaches to Love
not the world neither the things that are in the world for a reason (1 John
2:15-17). The Bible talks about that we
use the world, but the passion of this world passes away. So we have to put it in the right perspective:
“Okay, I need to get the victory over it.”
We need to get the victory over it.
Will it be a struggle? Yeah, it’s
going to be a struggle. Different people
fight different battles; I’ll say that—I’m just going to use one as an example,
and I hope I’m not stepping on any toes, but we’ve got to look at it like, “We
do have to talk about specifics, sometimes,” I’ll use one and say
gambling. It’s one of those things
that—Did I ever gamble in my life? Prior to becoming a Christian, a little bit;
not a whole lot. But is it one of those
things that—in other words, if I take c=something like that, people do. They show these ads for Potawatomi Bingo, and
then they have this disclaimer, “If you have a gambling problem…” and they say
it like ninety miles an hour. “If you
have a gambling problem, call this number…”
If you have a gambling problem, you’re probably not hearing what they’re
saying anyway. It’s one of those things
where it’s like, “It pays to be merciful.”
Also, one man’s battle might be somebody else’s victory, might be
somebody else’s battle. So, it’s not a
matter of looking at it like, “Okay, just because the passion of this world
isn’t really something that sinks in deep…”
We’re going to visit a little bit more from Isaiah 53, because God’s not
wanting us to live in regret, either, and beat ourselves up. And the second point is about being
more Christ-like. When we evaluate the
characteristics of Christ in this passage does it really make us want to be
Christ-like? I’d have to say that on the
surface, when I read that, it makes me kind of angry, and I’m going to re-read
one verse, because I look at it like it’s one of those things where it’s like,
“I don’t want this to happen to me.”
It’s verse ten, it says, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath
put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall
see his seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall
prosper in His hand.” The part that
really gets me is that first part, because I don’t want to be bruised; I don’t
want to b beaten down; I don’t want to be afflicted; I don’t want to have to
suffer any more than I have to. I think everybody
could agree with that. I mean, we have
to look at it like, “Okay, there are going to be some things that happen to us
that are completely outside our powers of prevention.” Completely beyond our control. Let’s just say, I think I know why,
sometimes, people don’t like to fly—I mean, not just because of what’s happened
with this airliner, but because they don’t feel like they’re in control. I’ve flown quite a few times in the last year
or so, and I would have to say that it does move me to prayer a little bit
more, which is a good thing. I’m not an airline
pilot, either, so if something were to happen, if they come back, “Is anybody
back here a pilot?” not that that’s likely to happen, but I mean, I’m not
raising my hand. I did learn something,
last time I flew, is that if you sit where the exit aisle is, it is much more
spacious. Just a little side bar,
there. So, you look at that affliction, and
that’s a tough pill to swallow. I mean,
it’s not the kind of thing where it’s like, “Okay, there are things that we do
afflict ourselves with: fasting, prayer, sacrificing, visitation.” These kind of things, I mean, we’re not
talking about—it is unglamorous.
Sometimes, the expression is, we have to get our hands dirty. You get your hands dirty, I men, there’s been
times when I’ve gone out and done some yard work and, by the time I’m done, it’s
like, just covered—absolutely covered.
I’ve got to take a shower, but, you know what? I felt like it was
necessary to do. It wasn’t something
like—there is a reward for our labor (Matthew 16:27). But the knee-jerk reaction a lot of times is,
“I don’t want to do it.” You know, when the going gets tough, the expression
is, the tough get going. Or we try to
over analyze it, “Oh, is God in this, really?”
Not always, I mean, if something happens to us that we’ve brought upon
ourselves, we’re going to have to look at it like, “Okay, we’re going to have
to pay for that.” But god is merciful,
and God is forgiving. It’s not an excuse
to commit sin, or a green light to, “Why don’t I just go live however I want
and just think that it’s okay?” because we’re going to pay for it, good or bad,
we’re going to pay for it. There are a
lot of places in the Old Testament where the people of God felt that God had
forsaken them or that God had become their enemy. Keep in mind that those were the same people and
the same times when they failed to ask God’s counsel and so, basically, the repercussions
for that were they didn’t get the victory, they didn’t get defeated, they were
scattered, some dies… I mean, you look
at—I’m going to share this: There’s an
example in the Book of Numbers, 16, some of the people—and we’re talking about
the We’re going to look at in
Deuteronomy 8, verses 1 through 5, because this is going to cover a little bit
of what we had talked about already, and especially the part about god proving
us. Deuteronomy 8:1-5 All the commandments which I command thee this day
shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess
the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the
LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and
to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His
commandments, or no. And He humbled
thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest
not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth
not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
the LORD doth man live. Thy raiment
waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that,
as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. So again I want to ask, do we want
to be Christ-like? It’s going to take
some struggles; it’s going to take some being afflicted; it’s going to take
some patience. I was out in Lindenhurst
yesterday—I actually went walking a few miles—as I was coming back through, I was
actually surprised at how much ice and snow there still was, but, anyway, as I
was coming back, I think this was Mill Creek Road—I’m sure people know where
I’m talking about; it’s out past hunt Club a little bit, not to far from
Grandwood—but there’s a tree farm, and I’m looking over, and you see trees of
varying heights. I don’t know if it was
just Christmas trees—it looked like they had a variety—and I’m driving, and I’m
thinking, “Man, I could never own a tree farm.”
I’m thinking, “You know how much patience it would take to own a tree
farm?” It’s like, “They’re not ready
yet; come back next year,” or, “They’re not ready yet; come back five years
from now.” But, again, these are the
kind of characteristics Christ wants us to have. Patience is one of them; we don’t have to own
tree farms. But it is something that we
are going to have some struggles. The
truth be told, it really doesn’t matter—I’m going to share a story, and I’ve
shared about this person before—there was a classmate of mine, she happened to marry
the guy that started Yankee Candle. So,
Mike Kittredge is his name, he sold the business back in 1999, $450
million. The thing about it is, I—he’s
about fifteen years older, he’s a little bit older than her—but the thing is,
he had cancer at one time, and he recently had a stroke, and it doesn’t matter
how much money we have, I mean, our health isn’t going to last forever, and we have
to look at it like, “Okay, what’s the perspective?” A hundred and twenty is like the magic
number, like, if you live a full, full life.
We have a friend of the family up in Vermont, and she’s
ninety-seven. She’s got her mind and her
faculties; she’s a little slower, I mean, she walks with a walker, but it kind
of blows me away that she’s still as alert as she is. I believe that God has given her those
years. I mean, it’s fantastic to see,
but still, it doesn’t matter if we live that complete life, if we live a
hundred and twenty years, we’re still going to stand before God. That’s the thing that we have to prepare
for. I want to emphasize again how easy
it is to be so focused on the things of this life that we lose track of what’s
beyond this life. It’s easy to focus on
the things of this life because they’re tangible. We live in this world, so it’s not a matter of
like—we’ve heard the expression, “They’re so heavenly minded that they’re no
earthy good.” I suppose the same could
be said vice-versa. We have to be aware
of what’s going on, and where we’re at; that it isn’t glamorous. That’s one of those things where it’s
like—how many remember, years ago, there was a church called the Crystal
Cathedral? They were out in Psalm 23 The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He
leadeth me beside the still waters. He
restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth
over. Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
for ever. That last verse, because we are
talking about the House of God, that’s a verse that I’ve always appreciated that
especially because—even when Job was in the midst of his hardship, and
seemingly unfair affliction—I don’t know if I can even use a term that would describe
his agony any better than… just read it.
Or, when the Children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness like
rick read in Deuteronomy, and God proved them.
I mean, he said that you wandered in this wilderness and it was to prove
us. The same thing holds true when you
and I are in the midst of the struggles we face, goodness and mercy is going to
follow us all the days of our life, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. That’s a promise that I hold
to; that’s a promise that we have to remember.
We have to look at tit like, “Okay, I know this isn’t going to last
forever.” Sometimes it seems that
way. But, as the days go by, as the
years go by, the Bible talks about, we’re nearer than when we believed (Romans
13:11). So, we’ve got to hold to that;
we’ve got to remember that, and put that in our toolbox, and realize that God
wants us with Him; that god wants us to do right; that God wants us to have
eternal life, and it’s a promises that’s greater than any promise. You know what? for all those out there who
are the detractors, who are the opposition to Christianity, I look at it like,
“You know what? you’re missing out. I’m
not missing out. You’re fighting so hard
just to get me to give up and say, ‘Okay, you’re right. There’s no God; there’s no Bible.’” I look at it like, it ticks them off so badly
when we jut look at them and say, “I’m not giving up. I’m not going to quit. I’m going to hold to what I know is
true.” That’s why the prophets were so
persecuted; that’s why they killed Christ.
They looked at tit like, “There’s nothing we can say against Him. We’re going to have to find some liars who
are going to bear false witness,” and look at what happened. Rob and I were talking yesterday, I mean, if
people want to poke holes in the message, if they want to find fault, they can
find plenty of fault on anybody; it doesn’t matter who they are. Me, you, you, you, all the way through. It’s like Christ aid, “For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be
done in the dry?” So, we have to
look at it like, “It’s not a glamorous life,” do you want to be Christ-like? Thank you very much for your time. Sermon notes by Pete Shepherd |
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