Pastor Kong
13 Sept 08
Psalms 127
The church is built on Jesus. But how is it to be built? God is able to build His house because of people. V3 The church is a spiritual family. God is a God of generations. God builds through mature relationships. Children in Hebrew means sons, who are the builders of the family name.
Romans 8:14 "sons of God" In Greek, "son" means someone who can handle the responsbility of his own life and to carry the visions and dreams of God for his generation.
Hebrews 3:1-6
V1 Consider Jesus.
V2 Compared Jesus to Moses.
V3 Jesus is greater. He is the one who builds God's house.
V5 Moses was faithful, but he was the servant.
V6 Jesus was the son. The church is built on the Son of God, not Moses, the servant.
Characteristics of sonship:
A biological son/ daughter carries the genetic code of their parents.
A spiritual son/ daughter carries the spiritual quality of the house (in terms of attitude, faith and values).
1 Cor 15 What is true in the natural is true in the spiritual.
If you don't hold the values of your pastor etc, you are not a citizen of the church, but merely a guest.
Phil 2:19-23 "that as a son with his father" Likeminded = carrying the same spirit, attitude, outlook of life. Timonthy will instinctively care for people like what Paul did. He carried Paul's spiritual DNA!
A servant needs to be told what to do. The son doesn't; he just does it.
Phil 2:21 Paul says that sons are rare because "all seek their own". The heart of man is naturally self-interested (as long as I'm paid, I work. Otherwise, I don't). But a son, "not my will, but your will be done". Sonship requires the dying to self, flesh, ego, career, life.
Luke 16
Recall: 3 ways that promotion will come:
1. By being faithful in the little things
2. By being faithful with money
3. By being faithful in your (spiritual) Father's vision
Timonthy did not know Paul until later in his life. He became a son by choice. Adoption works 2 ways!
John 6
Many are servants, but sons are hard to find. Servants can be water baptised and baptised in the spirit, but sons are baptised in the spirit of the house.
Genesis 12:7-8 "Bethel": house of God. First time Bethel was mentioned
Genesis 13:1-4 Second time Bethal was mentioned.
Genesis 28:10-12
The house of God is the place of visions and dreams.
V12 The angels are bringing requests to God and visions and dreams to us.
The house of God is the gate of Heaven.
V18
The house of God is the altar of God on earth.
Abraham gave a tenth, so did Jacob.
