Sons Are Builders (3 of 4)

Mike Connell

Page 7 of 11
Here's the thing - are you a servant, completing tasks; or are you in love with your father in heaven, building because you love him? It's all to do with the relationship, isn't it?

Jesus is the son, who builds his father's house. He came to build a house for his father.

What is the house that God is building? The church is the house that the son is building for his father. A lot of people want Jesus without the church. They have all kinds of issues and things around the church, because the idea of the church is shaped on their experiences, or religious concepts, or cultural thinking about the church.

The church is the word ecclesia, a people called out, to make governmental decisions regarding matters concerning the Kingdom. Church is a people, always a people; it's not the building. The building is where the church gathers.

Matthew 16:18 - "And I say to you, you are Peter, (Jesus is talking now to the next generation) and on this rock, I will build (the revelation I've given you) my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it".

What is Jesus building? He is building His church. Church is pictured as a family; as a temple; as a bride; as Sons - but Jesus is building it.

If Jesus is building something, don't go attacking it, and pulling it down; you need to be a builder. Sons are called to be builders, they may not be perfect, maybe broken, maybe things wrong, but he's committed and will succeed in His endeavor to build His church, because His church is people. It's not the organization. It's an organic body of people, who relate with Him, and with one another properly.

1 Timothy 3:15 - "If I'm delayed, I write, so you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth".

The church is called a pillar, something unmovable, and the foundation of truth. One of the things believers must uphold is truth. In a generation that's being deluded and deceived, the church must uphold the truth of God's word, and not be afraid of the reactions that come when you hold to that truth. He said "the house of God" which is the church. God is the living God, and the church is the house of God, the place he dwells. It's not a building; it's a people, and it's called the church.

Look around you, you see people who are the church, but its only part of it. There's more of it in our town, all over the place. Some gathered together, some scattered, some broken down, some hurt, some wounded, some in bondage, but they are the church. We are not in competition with other groups in the town. We're part of building the church of Jesus Christ, that's called to advance His Kingdom. No competition at all - that's the wrong spirit, it's an orphan spirit.

He says: "I'm writing, so you might know how to conduct yourself". He's having to tell Timothy how to conduct himself. That means how to behave properly. A lot of people don't behave well at all. They're very badly behaved; they gossip, criticize, complain, all kinds of stuff. That's not behaving well, not behaving like a child of God; its behaving like a little child.

1 Corinthians 6:19 - "Don't you know your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have from God, and you are not your own".

The church is not an organization; not a business; not a physical building. It's a body of people, who in relationship with their head, Jesus; and with one another, form a living temple - that's what the church is.

God will provide everything we need to build.

Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first the kingdom of God (or place God's rule and order and purposes first), and everything you need will be added to you".

Instead of living anxious and uptight, realign your priorities so that you put God first, and you start to look at his priorities; then the other things will flow to you like a river. People will say: oh, you're lucky. No, not lucky. I'm actually blessed. What I have comes and goes, you just use it for the glory of God. It's the lifestyle of leaning on your father, and working with your father.