Isaiah 55:10-13
(10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (12) For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. (13) Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
I. Welcome to the new sanctuary
a. God has blessed the ministry with a profit from the real estate we had
b. He's provided a wonderful temporary place for us to meet
c. He has lifted our expectations after a time of grieving
d. Where there is a pattern of provision, there is a purpose. John 15:15-16 (15) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (16) You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
II. Producing fruit means to take something from its humble beginnings and to nurture it into what it was intended to be.
a. Producing fruit is not just about works
b. Producing fruit is not just about any one act
c. Producing fruit is not just about status or levels of spirituality
d. Producing fruit is about FINISHING WHAT GOD HAS ASSIGNED TO YOU
III. Solomon's
a. David was given the vision and the promise.
b. He gathered all the supplies and prepared the way
c. Sin got in the way and through everything off schedule
d. But, Solomon (his son) picked up the vision
e. And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold. In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. The height of one cherub was ten cubits and so was that of the other cherub. He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house; and the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms. For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and the doorposts formed a pentagon. He covered the two doors of olive wood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; he overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim and upon the palm trees. So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olive wood, in the form of a square, and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. On them he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied upon the carved work. He built the inner court with three courses of hewn stone and one course of cedar beams.
f. The temple was dedicated and offerings were offered to the Lord
g. God consumes the sacrifice with fire from heaven
h. The Glory of God descended visable and thick on His people
IV. We have been given an assignment to build a Vision
a. To purposely pursue our relationship with God through Christ
b. To purposely pursue relationships, true connections, with people around us
c. To purposely pursue truth, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom
d. To purposely pursue the very will of God
e. To be a church with a tangeable, measureable purpose as a testimony to what God can do when you aren't afraid of anything.
V. Ministry Time