Sunday 7/15/12 Pastor Michael sermon - Kingdom: The Real Purpose of Church Matt 21:12-16
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Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. God had brought a little bit of the Kingdom down to earth. In the Kingdom there is God, his purpose and his power. Jesus said the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. The definition of church: people who are called out and separated for a purpose. The church is supposed to be a reflection of the King.
Today, the original purpose and intent of the church are being questioned and abused. Churches are doing what they want to do. This includes issues concerning church money, child abuse and church people fighting against each other instead of fighting the enemy, the devil. People have lost the true pure purpose of the church. The church, in its pure purpose, should be a reflection of its head. Jesus is the head of the church. Today the church has severed the head from the church body and they are now fallen churches.
In these scriptures, Jesus is coming thru Jerusalem and He goes straight to the temple, the church. He being God, knew the importance of entering the temple for worship. Once there, Jesus finds out that the people have gotten away from the real purpose of church. He sees money changers, sellers and buyers in the church.
1) Jesus Fights to Protect the Purity of the Church vs. 12
He drove out the sellers and moneychangers. Jesus turned over their tables. These people were unreasonable. Jesus didn’t take the time to try to reason with them but just kicked them out! They were contaminating the church. The place of worship is not the place to conduct business and pass out business cards! The House of God shall be a House of Prayer! We guard against commercialism when we protect the purity of the church.
Jesus turned over the tables because they were making the worship experience commercial. We need to handle money the way God tells us to and we will be blessed. Don’t be having a church chicken dinner fund raiser! Did you ever see Jesus selling chicken dinners or selling anything else to take care of God’s house? NO!
We are to take care of the church thru tithes and offering only! We are under the King and he takes care of us. The King has to take care of our bills. After we pay our tithes and offering, paying our bills is God’s problem! Turn the problem of to the King! We are to be kingdom people! Whatever the King tells us to do, that’s what we do.
2) Jesus Promotes the Power of Church=the Kingdom vs. 14
Jesus showed his power by healing people in the temple, the kingdom. The lame and blind came and they were healed physically, emotionally and spiritually.
3) Jesus Came to Worship and Praise was Perfected vs. 15- 16
The children started calling Jesus Hosanna. The Pharisee/church folk got mad about this. But when Jesus does a lot to help us, there is going to be more praise for God. We praise God for what He has done for us his people. We got to give God Praise!
God has been good to us! Praise the Lord!
Praise the lord and make Heaven glad and make the devil mad!
Praise the Lord!
Amen
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