For a few moments of your time today, I'd like to talk to you about "houses." No, not the current housing situation in America, but a different kind of house. The house we see talked about in the Bible that is figurative of the "spiritual house" of a person. The Bible uses "houses" in many places to illustrate a person's, or a people's, spiritual condition and that's the kind of "house" we're going to look at for our lesson today.
Probably the best known Biblical illustration I could cite to you is the little parable told by Jesus in His sermon on the mount about the two types of "houses" one can build. In Matt. 7:24-27 he describes these two "houses" as being built by two very different kinds of builders.
The "wise" builder who constructed a "house" that could withstand all of the storms that came along. Versus the "foolish" builder whose "house" collapsed when the testing time came. What made the two builders either "wise" or "foolish" is explained to us in the 24th verse: "whosoever hears and does what I say...." In other words, who built their "house" according to God's blueprint for a "spiritual house" versus who, for whatever reason, did not. In our parable, which one do you think was the "wise" builder?
In just a moment I'm going to tell you what inspired my thoughts on the building of our "houses" today, but first let me ask you some "thought questions." These are questions which, by the mere asking of them, are designed to cause you to think about your own "house."
First question is: What kind of "house" are you building? Keep in mind the type of house we're referring to here - the one the Bible uses to illustrate a "family" or a "spiritual abode." And here's something to also keep in mind - whether you realize it or not, you (each of us) are building a house and it's a lifetime effort. So, if you're building a "house" - Where do you get the blueprint for your "house?" And - What care do you take in following said blueprint?
You know, if you were to build a house (structure) today you'd have inspectors checking every little thing that was done to see if you are "following code." To see if you're building it properly. Unfortunately, there are no inspectors coming around to see how we're constructing our "spiritual houses," are there? No, we're given a blueprint by God but, as free, moral builders, we have the choice of following it or not. We just have to understand what the consequences are of ignoring it. Remember the "foolish man's" house on the sand.....
Now let me tell you what inspired these thoughts here. I was reading a little article the other day about a woman that had received a book from a friend entitled The Great Cathedrals of Europe. It was in her commentary of the book that I noted some interesting things about the great cathedrals.
One of those things was that it can't really be said who the builders were. That they are basically unknown. The thought there is that no one can receive credit or glory from man because we don't know who the builders are. This was pointed out by the commentary on the book to show that their motivation, their inspiration for their work was the idea that they were building for God.
Let me illustrate their motivation by relating one little legendary story from the book. In this story, a rich man came to visit as the cathedral was being built and was watching a workman carving a tiny, but intricate bird on the inside of one of the beams. He was puzzled and he asked the workman, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." The workman replied, "Because God sees...."
No, there won't be inspectors coming around checking to see if you're following "code" in the construction of your "house." But don't ever think that the One that issued the blueprint (and there is only one) isn't paying attention. If you read 1 Cor. 3, verses 9-10 you'll see that those faithful to following the "Masterbuilder's" plan are called "God's building." IE: Christians.
And, in 1 Pet. 2:5 we read where Christians "like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood..." (ESV) I see that as telling us that if we "build our house" according to God, the "Masterbuilders" blueprint, then our "house" will be "holy." And, if so constructed, it will stand, metaphorically speaking, in the great final storm to come.
As a closing thought to this lesson, let's take care to the building of our "house." Let's heed the words of the Prophet Jeremiah when he gave this warning to the people of Judah: "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness...." (Jer. 22:13) It would be sad to think about a person spending their lifelong efforts on the building of their spiritual house in some way opposed to God's blueprint. I think that when crunch time comes and their "house" falls, they will have fulfilled something said by the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians: that their "labor be in vain." (1 Thess. 3:5)
Again - How's the construction of your "house" coming along?
Ron Covey
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