Making His House
(Matthew 21:1-15) His House is what we make it. And we’ll get out of it what we put in it. Let’s make it His!
I. Not IF, but HOW:
a. The people belonged there selling the animals because there was no way to offer the sacrifices unless somebody made those animals available for you. But they were price-gouging and charging excessive exchange rates. They were in God’s House, but they didn't have the spirit of God’s House. They were supposed to help people into God’s Presence, but they were out of sync with God's purpose.
b. Whatever I do for God, am I doing it for His glory alone? Do I care about the people, or am I putting on a show and getting through another service? Does my heart radiate with God's love? Am I saying the things He wants me to say with the spirit He wants me to say them in? Why are you teaching that class? Why are you on that worship team? Why are you doing outreach? Why do you serve? When Jesus went into the temple, He reminded them, this is not your house, this is my Father's house, and my Father's house must be run my Father's way.
II. The Only Acceptable Atmosphere:
a. Jesus said, “My Father's house shall be called a house of prayer.” This is the only acceptable atmosphere in God’s House. The atmosphere of our Father's house is to be prayer. The atmosphere around the things of our Father must be of people coming with an open heart to Him in worship, petition, and supplication.
b. The one thing that's supposed to distinguish Christian gatherings is the atmosphere of prayer. It doesn't matter what your tradition is or what generation you are, it's His house, it shall be a house of prayer. The Word, God's house, Christianity, is always supposed to have an atmosphere of prayer. Preaching yes. Praise absolutely, but His House is not a house of preaching or a house of Praise, but a house of prayer. And after Jesus came, died, was buried, resurrected, ascended, and sent the promised Holy Spirit and the church age began, he kept the same line running through it all, His Father's House.
c. The Spirit of God was poured out, and the church began in a prayer meeting. When the early church was persecuted, they didn’t hold a conference or a seminar on how to cope with persecution and discouragement, they held a prayer meeting (Acts 4:23-31). That was the sign of God and the early Church – genuine, true, authentic prayer. (1 Timothy 2:1) That's the atmosphere of the true Church.
III. The Key to Success:
a. (Acts 2:42) This is God’s key and our key to success in His House. We've revised that and said, if you can get people for one hour on Sunday morning, that's the church. That's not the church. Down through the ages whenever things have grown lukewarm and worldly, God sends a revival, and what's always the sign of the revival? Behold, they pray. The church begins to pray in earnest again.
b. They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and in prayers. That’s the church. That’s the key to success, and as long as the church stuck with that, they increased, and God did great and mighty things. “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” Let’s make it His house!