"The House Of God"
Pastor Albert Almore
I was watching a show one night, and a scene popped up from a tragedy that happened in their town. As people were being rushed to the emergency room, as soon as they came through the emergency room doors, the paramedics were yelling out their conditions. "I have one here with 3rd degree burns. I have one here with severe bleeding. This one has a contusion to the head!” I began to think to myself this—is exactly how the house of God is!
EVERYONE that comes through these doors has a condition. EVERYONE that comes through these doors has an issue they’re facing. If only we could hear what Heaven cries out, as people walk through our doors. "I have one here that’s been traumatized. I have one here who’s dealing with betrayal. I have have one here that’s been touched inappropriately. I have one here who’s struggling with addiction, loneliness, depression, a secret diagnosis” and the list goes on and on.
In a world where we’re all wounded. In a world where we’re all coming in from heartbreak, disappointment, trauma—though deeper spiritual surgeries are needed, one thing that needs to be prescribed for all of us is ENCOURAGEMENT. I want a preach a message this morning titled,
"THE HOUSE OF GOD"
📝 If you can’t find encouragement anywhere else, you should be able to find encouragement in THE HOUSE OF GOD.
You have know idea what it took for that person to get dressed, to get into their car, to drive here, to get out of their car, and walk through these doors, or to tune in online. Some don’t make it past getting dressed. Others make it all the way to the parking lot, only to turn around or to keep driving right past the church, because their anxiety or their PTSD is too much, their burden is too much too bear, and they can’t even pull their self together enough to make it out the car.
If there was ever a time when we needed The House of God, to be The House Of God, that time is now!
If there was ever a time when encouragement was needed, in the face of discouragement, THAT TIME IS NOW! Let’s see what Paul has to say about encouragement this morning.
Romans 1:8 reads,
"Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.“
Romans 1:8 NLT
"God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.“
Romans 1:9 NLT
"One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11) For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.“
Romans 1:10-11 NLT
TODAY’S KEY VERSE:
"When we get together, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU in your faith, but I ALSO WANT TO BE ENCOURAGED by yours.“
Romans 1:12 NLT
Paul says, "I long to be in community with you. I long to make it through the doors of the House of God for one reason. When we get together, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, BUT I ALSO WANT TO BE ENCOURAGED.” This is amazing to me because this lets me know that…
📝 Even THE ENCOURAGER needs ENCOURAGEMENT.
Every house has rules, The House of God is no different. In God’s House, rule # is this….
📝 • The House of God is for WHOSOEVER.
The House of God is for WHOSOEVER. EVERYONE IS WELCOME! This is why Paul writes in Romans 1:5,
Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to TELL GENTILES EVERYWHERE what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.“
Romans 1:5 NLT
Here’s the Good News in verse 6….
"And YOU ARE INCLUDED among those Gentiles who have been CALLED TO BELONG to Jesus Christ.“
Romans 1:6 NLT
"I am writing to ALL OF YOU in Rome who are LOVED BY GOD and are CALLED TO BE HIS OWN holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.“
Romans 1:7 NLT
Because of Jesus Christ, the Good Book, closes with this Good News in Revelation 22:17…
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely.“
Revelation 22:17 KJV
WHOSOEVER WILL, LET THEM COME!!! Whatever their background, let them come. Whatever their past, let them come. Whatever their upbringing, let them come. Whatever their struggle is, let them come. Whatever their addiction is, let them come. WHOSOEVER WILL, let them come!
"For WHOSOEVER shall call upon THE NAME of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16
When God said, "WHOSOEVER,” He meant WHOSOEVER!
May you and I never forget that…
📝 Before I was a BELIEVER I was a WHOSOEVER.
This leads us to thought number 2 today…
📝 • The House of God is a STONE FREE house.
"But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.“
John 8:1-2 NKJV
"Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman CAUGHT IN ADULTERY. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was CAUGHT IN ADULTERY, IN THE VERY ACT.“
John 8:3-4 NKJV
"Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. BUT WHAT DO YOU SAY?” 6) This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.“
John 8:5-6 NKJV
"So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, LET HIM THROW A STONE AT HER FIRST.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.“
John 8:7-8 NKJV
"Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.“
John 8:9 NKJV
"When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU; GO AND SIN NO MORE.”“
John 8:10-11 NKJV
No one condemned her, because nobody could, AND NEITHER COULD WE.Because when Jesus said, "HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, LET HIM THROW A STONE AT HER FIRST," He just removed all of us out of the equation. THIS IS WHY THE HOUSE OF GOD IS A STONE FREE HOUSE!Ecclesiastes 7:20 says….
Not A SINGLE PERSON on earth is always good and never sins.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 ESV
📝 The House of God is a stone free house because we’ve all been CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF SIN, but through Jesus Christ we’ve been CAUGHT BY GRACE.
"Yet I was CAPTURED BY GRACE, so that Jesus Christ could display through me the outpouring of his Spirit as a pattern to be seen for all those who would believe in him for eternal life.“
1 Timothy 1:16 TPT
Here’s what you have to do…
📝 REMEMBER the act that He caught you in, but REJOICE in the act of His grace!
📝 Since the house of God is for whosoever, when WHATSOEVER comes along with them, they are to find GRACE & TRUTH , and not JUDGEMENT.
Jesus didn’t just dismiss her act. Let’s look at John 8:10-11 again…
…He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, "No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, "NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU; GO AND SIN NO MORE.”“
John 8:10-11 NKJV
That’s GRACE & TRUTH at its finest.
📝 • The House of God is where we come to BUILD ONE ANOTHER UP.
📝 "So ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER and BUILD each other up, just as you are already doing.“
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.“
Hebrews 10:25 NLT
📝 "Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for BUILDING UPothers, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].“
Ephesians 4:29 AMP
Watch the connection to verse 30….
"And DO NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin].“
Ephesians 4:30 AMP
📝 The Holy Spirit isn’t glorified when we TEAR one another down. The Holy Spirit is glorified when we BUILD one another up.
Who am I to tear someone else down? Like I said last week, I REMEMBER WELL! The only reason why I’m in the House of God today is because Jesus paid it all. The only reason why I’m in a right standing relationship with God today, is because Jesus paid it all, Jesus paid my sin debt!
Therefore, who am I to tear someone else down? Who am I to criticize and judge anyone?
Who am I to think or to say to anyone, you don’t belong in the house of God? I didn’t pay it all, you didn’t pay it all, only one person paid it all and His Name is Jesus! Hebrews 10:9-10 says it like this…
📝 "He then says, See, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL. He takes away the first to establish the second. 10) By this will of God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE AND FOR ALL.”
Hebrews 10:9-10 HCSB
He paid it all, ONCE AND FOR ALL so that Whosoever could come! He paid it all so that whosoever could come into The House Of God, and experience LOVE not JUDGEMENT.
Jesus paid it all so that whosoever could come into The House Of God and be built up, instead of being tore down.
He paid my admission. He paid your admission. He paid our children’s admission with His life, with His blood. Through Him we all have a right to the presence of God, to the House of God, all because JESUS. PAID. It. ALL! Romans 1:12..
"When we get together, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU in your faith, but I ALSO WANT TO BE ENCOURAGED by yours.“
Romans 1:12 NLT
1 Thessalonians 5:11…
So ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER and BUILD each other up…
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
Hebrews 10:25…
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER…
Hebrews 10:25 NLT
📝 ARE YOU HOLDING ON TO SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO HEAR?
JESUS DIDN’T PAY IT ALL FOR YOU TO KEEP THIS GOOD NEWS, THIS ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOURSELF. JESUS PAID IT ALL SO THAT WHOSOEVER, WHEREVER YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF, CAN. HEAR. THIS. GOOD. NEWS.