House of Prayer vs Den of Thieves

Matthew 21:1-17
Focus verse 13
(same story in Luke 19:45-48 and Mark 11:17)

Initial

The Temple of God is meant to be a “House of Prayer

  • A place to come to God
  • A place of teaching, and therefore a place to learn
  • A place of healing (body, mind, soul)
  • A place to give praise to God
  • Humilty
  • Meekness
  • Compassion
  • a desire to learn
  • with reverence, respect (understanding our frailty)
  • light
  • quiet
  • private

Being described as a “Den of Thieves” removes the glory we are meant to give to God, and the temple becomes a place of convenience, an extension of our natural life, removing the opportunity of spiritual growth and the ability to focus on God.

Thinking of a “Den of Thieves”

  • To rob, steal, collude
  • be a reprobate
  • steal from each other
  • steal from God (time, praise, effort)
  • Darkness
  • Rowdy
  • Secretive
  • with Attitude (own thoughts/thinking)

When we look in the scriptures to see an example of approaching the Lord
Luke 18:9-14 – Pharisee vs Publican

Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

An example of HoP vs DoT

Scriptures that Jesus used

House of Prayer

Isaiah 56:7

Chapter 55 and 56 further expand on the point that Jesus Christ is trying to illustrate.

  • 55:1 Those that trust …
  • 55:3 Incline your ear …
  • 55:6 Seek the Lord …
  • 55:7 Forsake unrighteousness …
  • 55:8-9 God is above, His thoughts are higher
  • 56:1 Righteousness to be revelaed
  • 56:2 Blessing in doing
  • 56:7 House of Prayer, for all people

Den of thieves

Jeremiah 7:11

The whole chapter is a reminder of the blessing of God, and a warning for those that walk in there own ways

  • v11 the Lord sees what happens and asks the question of us
  • v13 called and answered not
  • v15 cast out
  • v16 will not hear

Whats next?

So how do we pray? When Jesus gave his sermon on the mount, he gave direction of the way we should approach prayer.

Matthew 6:5-13 (Example of prayer)
Matthew 6:19-24 (Don’t follow the thieves example)

Perfected Praise

Matthew 21:15-16

Once again Jesus Christ refers to another scripture to give an answer and direction.

Psalms 8:1-9

King David is showing admiration of God, recognising the small unworthy stature that mankind has. So when Jesus refers to this scripture, he not only declares that the simplicity of a child’s praise, but he also reminds those that life themselves up of the minute stature they really have.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Supporting Scriptures

Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Luke 12:40
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Alcohol

The Nature of Alcohol

Proverbs 20
1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Proverbs 21
17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Proverbs 23
29. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Ephesians 5
18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Christians and Alcohol

Romans 13
13. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Galatians 5
19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 4
3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

1 Corinthians 5
11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Habakkuk 2
15. Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Christian Testimony

Romans 14
21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Leadership

1 Timothy 3
3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
8. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Proverbs 31
4. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5. Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Titus 1
7. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Thoughts

It shouldn’t be about what WE want to do, but rather how does this reflect on the Church, and more importantly, on Jesus Christ! Keeping our testimony does require discipline at time, and abstaining from negative aspects of life.

One way to frame it could be; should the question be “Can a Christian drink alcohol?” to “Should a Christian drink alcohol?”.

Reference

https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/298190-can-christian-drink-alcohol.html

Sunday 18th March 2018

Meeting notes from the Sunday Meeting at Elizabeth (18 March 2018)

2 Visiting Pastors from PNG for the first meeting, with Pr David giving a short presentation for the second meeting.

Pr Wilson (PNG)

  • Hebrews 4:12
  • Ephesians 3:20

Pr Tony (PNG)

  • John 6:65
  • Romans 8:9
  • Psalm 90:10
  • 2 Kings 6:13-17
    • Not Alone
    • Let us humble ourselves
  • 1 Peter 5:6-7
  • 1 Peter 2:9-11
    • I’m going to stay on the battlefield until I die
    • Narrow, not easy road; but take confidence
  • 1 John 4:4
  • Ephesians 6:14-16
    • Spiritual Battle
  • Romans 8:31
  • Genesis 1:2
    • The Spirit moves
  • 1 Corinthians 4:17
  • 1 Peter 2:5
  • Daniel 7:27

Pr David K (Elizabeth)

  • Genesis 1
    • And the Lord saw it was good
    • v31 VERY good
  • Proverbs 20:12
  • Hebrews 11:#
  • Job 26:14

Sheep and Goats

Matthew 25:31-46

31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38. When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39. Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Same God. Different reward.
Same opportunities. Different mindset.
The attitude of the people involved is what determined the outcome for each of them.

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Hebrews 10:19-25

19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20. By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21. And having an high priest over the house of God;
22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Matthew 25:1-13

1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

All of them knew the bridegroom was coming.
All of them were called.
But regardless, some of them were too lazy to be properly prepared.
Those that were wise had mastered what they had to do to make sure they were ready (McGyver, Swiss army knife, Boy Scout)

Hebrews 6:10-12

10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (tie in with 1st part)
11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Proverbs 18:9

9. He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Hebrews 11:6

6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Matthew 20:1-16

1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4. And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7. They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14. Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Being called.
Working for the reward.
Many called – few chosen.

Proverbs 11:2

2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Proverbs 29:23

23. A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Don’t get caught out. Be ready for the day and regardless of the emotions that well up inside of us, remind ourselves of the promises of God.

Matthew 25:34

34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

God knows … but we still need to ask

Premise:

God knows every single thing about us:
But, we still need to ask for what we want!

The Talk:

1 Corinthians 10:13
13.  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

God knows every single thing about us:

  • good
  • bad
  • hair on our heads
  • cells in our body
  • the missing genes that we can blame our parents for
  • our hearts desires
  • our needs
  • our wants
  • our strengths
  • our weaknesses
  • what we’re capable of
  • what we’re not capable of
  • how we go about things
  • etc etc etc

And not only does He know this about us, but He knows it about every single person on the planet, that was and that has been …. He knows it all.

So come to a time of need, come to a place when things are not going well and we can find ourselves in the habit of thinking “well God know’s this already … so please God just answer my prayer!!” …. WHAT PRAYER ??? All we did was state a fact …. God does know – correct!
God can answer my prayer – correct!
But have we actually spent time asking??
Have we got on our knees and pressed in for a victory?
Have we spent time calling to God’s attention His promises that we gave us?
Have we spent time building up ourselves on our most holy faith?

We still need to ask for what we want!

Noah and the Ark
God made a way of escape, but he had to build a boat for 100 years to get there.

Genesis 6:6-8
6. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
8. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Abraham and Isaac
The sacrifice of Isaac – God made a way of escape with the goat

Genesis 22:8
8.  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Genesis 22:10-13
10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Vipers and brazen snake
God didn’t take the snakes away, but made a way they could be redeemed.

Numbers 21:5-8
5. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

10 Lepers
Only one came back to thank Jesus

Luke 17:12-19
12. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13. And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16. And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18. There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Heaven and Hell
God hasn’t taken Hell away, but he has made a way to escape hell

  • Israelites through the Red Sea
  • Esther
  • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo in the furnace.
  • Daniel and lion’s den
  • Peter in prison

How do we escape?
Don’t be overcome.
Have a strong foundation.

2 Peter 1:4-8

4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:25-29

25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26. Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29. For our God is a consuming fire.

Luke 21:36

36.  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Hebrews 2:3

3.  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;