So uh there in first kings chapter six might seem like a bit of an unusual chapter to read for our anniversary
But I wanted to look at verse number 14 there first samuel chapter six verse number 14 and what solomon is building, right?
What what is he building? He's building the first temple solomon's temple, right?
And it says there in verse number 14. So solomon built the house
And finished it the title for the sermon this afternoon is built the house
And finished it built the house and finished it
So I think you know where i'm going with this now when you look at what this is about
Okay, and as brother anthony did a great job reading that for us, you know, there's a lot of detail, wasn't there?
There's a lot a lot to get through and just just a very detailed work that solomon had to do
For the house of god and listen
The first point that I want to bring to your attention is that when we're building something for the lord god
We have to take care of the details. All right, we need to make sure that everything is how jesus christ wants it
It needs to be put together it requires a lot of work
It requires a lot of manpower to build this house of god now look at verse number one first kings chapter six and verse number one
It says
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of israel
Were come out of the land of egypt in the fourth year of solomon's reign over israel in the month zif
Which is the second month that he began to build the house of the lord
And so the first thing I just want to bring to your attention
Is this first temple this very beautiful rich temple that solomon built is called the house of the lord
Okay. Now is a house important?
Absolutely. I'm sure a lot of you guys enjoy the house that you live in, right?
Maybe some of you own your house and you want it a special way
You want it a certain way right you work hard to pay for your rent or you work hard to pay for your mortgage
There are little improvements that you want to make for your own personal house
And while that's important to you, you know, what is important to the lord his house and he calls his house
This temple that was being built by solomon. Okay, so that's the first thing this is god's house
You know if our house is important to us how much more than the house of the lord?
All right now look at drop down to verse number nine drop down to verse number nine
And it says here so he built the house
And finished it and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar now
I know it says that he finished it you may have the impression that all the job was finished
But no, there's a lot more to this chapter. Okay, what was finished was a stage of construction, right?
Probably here the the the uh, the uh, the building as I hold like the the outside, you know
I don't know if you've ever seen construction, you know
You start with a foundation the concrete foundation
Then they build the frames and then they they do the outside cladding and the roof
And from the outside, it looks like wow, this is finished. Look at it. It's built. It's done
It's finished
But really there's a lot more work to be done and quite often the internals
Require even more work than what was done on the external and so when it says here in verse number nine
So he built the house and finished it. It's the body
It's the body of the house that was finished, but there's still more to be done
But I want you to notice he built it
And he finished it and brethren we're celebrating two years as blessed hope baptist church
Okay, the new testament church is the house of god and listen we're building it's not done. It's not finished
We need to keep yes
We're getting to different stages of construction different stages of of growing this church, you know spiritually in quantity
But also in quality we keep building but we need to make sure that we finish it
You notice how many times this is mentioned someone built the house and finished it and brethren
We started this church two years ago
You know, I I came here to start this church right with the families that were involved from the very beginning and brethren
Let me tell you I want to finish the job. I don't want to leave it half done
I don't want to leave it a quarter done. I want to leave it finished
That's what we see in the bible when it comes to the house of god drop down to verse number 14
Verse number 14 it says so solomon built the house and finished it again. Solomon
Yeah, and next stage the next stage of construction is done, right?
He built the house and he finished it notice that about solomon. Okay, he gets to work
He wants to make sure the work gets done. And so this is the different stage of completion
And you know, this might be similar today, uh, thank god, you know
I got to work in a construction company for a little time for a couple of years
And so I got to see what it's like to build a house, right?
And so first, you know
You you get a plumber the plumber gets in gets the plumbing done
And then you get the concreter to come in and he lays the foundation, right?
And then you know what do you start building straight away? Do you start putting some frames straight away?
No, someone's got to go the site supervisor the certifier needs to go to the to the work and say yes
This is done. Yes. It's been put in the right place
Yes construction can continue right that stage is finished
But then more needs to be done and so you get the carpenter to come in, right?
He puts the frames up the wooden frames the roof and that gets done and then that gets checked that gets finished
That gets checked off. Yes, that's done
But then do we just finish there? No, then you get the outside cladding
Like I said, you get the outside again. It looks good from the outside, but internally it requires a lot of work
So you get your electrician right to come in you get the the guy doing the floors, you know
The floorboards all the tiles coming in to do his work
You're getting the guy to put in the kitchen and the and the toilets and and whatever it is
You know the inbuilt wardrobes whatever it is that you're building in the house
There are stages that need to be completed but notice we need to finish the job
And brethren when it comes to blessed hope baptist church the job's not finished
There's a lot more to do i'm very thankful for where we are in two years
I never thought we'd be where we are today when we started this church. Honestly, I had no vision
I had no idea. It was a band-aid church. It was kind of an emergency church, right?
Because of the situation that we found ourselves in and listen, you know
We started this church because I cared for the families and I still care for the families that made up this church
I was concerned that people might get discouraged from church
I was concerned people would go stop going soul winning
I was concerned that people stop having fellowship and and have the contact with one another and so let's just do a band-aid solution
Let's just start new life at the church sydney. We caught it back then, right?
But now we've been able to grow the church the church has been grown. It wasn't just those initial families
We've had other people come join the church. We've had other men who are able to preach praise god for that
And hey at the start of the year, we became an independent body blessed hope baptist church
Okay
So what we're doing is we're building
And before we go to the next stage
We're checking the building make sure that it's sound make sure that it's been built correctly before we can take the next stage
Now you say to me. Well pastor kevin, how long how long is this building?
When are we going to be finished? What's your vision now?
Well, let's drop down to verse number 38 first kings chapter 6 and verse number 38
It says and in the 11th year
In the month bull which is the eighth month was the house finished throughout all the parts
Now it's completely done right all the parts thereof and according to all the fashion of it
So was he seven years in building it seven years in building
Listen when you're building the house of god you want to take your time
You want to make sure it's done, right?
You want to make sure the details are put in you want to make sure that it's moving forward
You want to make sure it gets finished it gets done
We are two years into this project and everyone started this church. I don't know if I was
Exaggerating, but I made a promise. I said look i'm willing to go 10 years
That was my that's my plan
I said look i'm gonna keep coming down to sydney for 10 years if I have to
Just to make sure we finish what we started
All right to finish what we started and look i'm not trying to be a hero here
Okay, everyone's been involved. Everyone's been a help if not for all of you
It wouldn't be a church there'd be no point of me coming down here
If there was nobody that wanted to be to build this house of god to to be a service to the lord
And that is ultimately who we are serving the house of god belongs to god. It doesn't belong to pastor kevin
It doesn't belong to anybody in this church. It belongs to jesus christ
And so what I wanted to show you here brethren
In first king chapter six, this is the first temple. Okay, so this is old testament times
Of course after moses has come on the scene god's given moses the commandments he's given moses the law
And they build the house of god, but you know, the house of god is so important
It's found from the very beginning of the bible till the very end. Okay, even before the old testament
There was a house of god
Okay, and the house of god evolves it changes over time
And what was the house of god before is no longer the house and it gets replaced by the newer house of god
So we're going to do a quick bible study. Please go to genesis 28. You don't need to say in first kings anymore
Please go to genesis 28 and verse number 12 genesis chapter 28 and verse number 12
So we're going before the time of moses. We're going to jacob. All right, this is before the old testament
I know I know genesis is an old testament book
But the story of jacob is before the old testament has come into effect. All right
So this is before the old testament and even before the old testament there was a house of god
We pick up the story here where jacob has a dream
I don't know if you guys remember this dream where he sees a ladder to heaven and he sees his angels descending and ascending
Right look at verse number 12. It says and he dreamed and behold a ladder set up on the earth
And the top of it reached to heaven and behold the angels of god ascending and descending on it
And behold the lord stood above it and said I am the lord god of abraham
Thy father and the god of isaac and the land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it and to thy seed?
Now drop down to verse number 16
And jacob awake out of his sleep
And he said surely the lord is in this place
And I knew it not verse number 17 and he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place there is none other
So this is none other but the house of god and this is the gate of heaven
Hey, this is the first time the house of god is mentioned the house of the lord
It's this place where he sleeps. He has this dream the lord appears and then he gets afraid, right?
It said in verse number 17 and he was afraid he said how dreadful is this place?
He was full of dread right? He was afraid and brethren. Let me tell you something
It's a healthy thing to have a fear of god. It's very healthy very healthy. Listen before I get up to preach I have
The most fear I have of god is before I get up to preach
Because i'm standing before god's children god's sons and daughters. This is his house
And i'm just doing the best I can a fallen man a weak man who can make mistakes, you know
To take god's word and preach god's word. All right, and I get nervous
And you know, I get a little bit excited and then i'm like god, please if I say something wrong
Please don't chastise me. I'm doing the best I can lord with what I can see in the bible
Look, there's a healthy fear of god. And listen, what did what did jacob say?
He says in verse number 16 surely the lord is in this place
And I knew it not you see the house of the lord is a place where we come to meet god where god's presence
Is okay, so this is before the old testament right we see this player actually, let's keep reading
Let's go to verse number 18. Genesis 28 verse number 18
It says and jacob rose up early in the morning and took the stone that he had put for his pillows
So he had some stones that he used to sleep on and then it says here and set it up for a pillar
Now that's important for you to remember and poured oil upon the top of it
Please remember this because we're going to come back to this right at the end of the sermon, right?
So he takes these pill pillows he sets it up for a pillar, okay
It's an object that's standing upright then he takes oil and pours oil on top of it. He anoints it with oil
Okay
Now you might not understand that but i'll get to it soon verse number 19 and he called the name of that place
Bethel, but the name of that city was called laz at the first so he calls this place bethel now
If you don't know el beth el el is a reference to god. Okay, and beth is house
Okay, so bethel means house of the lord or house of god, okay
So this is the first time we see the house of god being mentioned
Now the next house of god is in if you can please go to exodus. Uh,
Uh, 34 go to exodus 34 verse 26. So we're fast forwarding a little bit in our bibles
So this is after israel come out of egypt moses leading the people of god
And there is a new house of god that is constructed in exodus 34 verse number 26
Now i'm not going to read the whole context here
You guys can read it here on time
But these are the instructions god gives to the nation of israel to build the tabernacle
Okay, the tabernacle was a like a tent it was meant to be something that they could carry with them
They could easily pack it up because they're in the wilderness
They were traveling from one place to another place and so they'll set it up
And then when it's time to move they would pack it up and they'll take the tabernacle with them
So it's something they could they could transport and in exodus 34 verse 26
It says the first of the first fruits of thy land thou shall bring unto the house of the lord thy god
So what is the tabernacle called the house of the lord thy god?
So this is now the house of god in the old testament the tabernacle
In fact, it says in exodus, you don't need to turn the excess 25 verse 8
It says here and let them make me a sanctuary that sanctuary is a tabernacle that I may dwell among them
These are the words of god it says look make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them
What did we learn about the house of god originally? That's where jacob met god, right?
That's where god is and god says make me a tabernacle make me a sanctuary
That's where i'm going to dwell with you now. Look god is on the uh,
Presence god is everywhere, but there's something about the house of god that he wants you to know that his glory
His presence is in that place
Okay, then we fast forward. Please go to matthew 21 go to matthew 21
We fast forward so after we have the kings that come into place
We have king, you know king soul then king david then king solomon solomon being david's son
When we get to king solomon's time what we read in first kings chapter 6 is when solomon builds the first temple
It's called solomon's temple. Okay. It's the great temple and we already saw that that temple
Is called the house of god. So that that temple replaces the tabernacle
Okay as as more of a fixed building as it were okay and and the bible clearly called out the house of god
All right
Now we fast forward into history furthermore the two kingdom the or the nation of israel gets divided into two kingdoms
The northern kingdom of israel the southern kingdom of judah then the babylonians come along with their great power
And they take into captivity the jews of the southern kingdom. They destroy the city. They destroy the temple
And then they're in captivity, right?
Those are the stories of daniel shadrach mishak and abednego those kinds of stories eventually 70 years later
The jews are brought back to the land if you all know that story. That's basically the history of the of the jews there
But when they come back they come back to build jerusalem and they also come back to build the temple
So it's not the same temple that solomon built. It's a lesser temple. Okay, uh, it's it's not as beautiful
It's not as great as solomon's temple, but it is a second temple
And before we go to matthew 21, i'll just read to you in ezra chapter 1 verse 5
So ezra was one of the preachers there at this time
It says then rose up the chief of the fathers of judah and benjamin and the priests and the levites
With all them whose spirit god had raised to go up to build the house of the lord, which is in jerusalem
So the second temple, what does the bible call it? These are the words of the holy spirit
He calls it the house of the lord. Okay, so the second temple now
What's so special about the second temple?
What's special about the second temple is when jesus christ was walking on the earth 2 000 years ago
That was a temple he was dealing with it was the second time. It wasn't solomon's temple
It was the rebuilt second temple, which is the house of the lord
Now you guys go to matthew 21 verse 12
And probably the most famous story of jesus in the temple
Is when he makes the whip and drives out those that are buying and selling right?
That's probably one of the most famous stories in matthew 21 verse 12. It says
And jesus went into the temple of god and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple
And overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves
So he's driving out all these guys that are buying and selling and by the way
This is why in our house in this house in the church. We will never buy and sell
You know if you need a hymn book you take a hymn book home
You don't pay for a hymn book
You need something if you need to make exchange with somebody in this church. Don't do it in the house of god
Okay, do it in your own time outside of this because I don't want jesus coming here with a whip driving us away, right?
Because of money changing right? Why is jesus so angry though? Have you ever wondered? Why is he so angry?
Look at verse number 13 and he said unto them it is written
My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves
So this second temple, what is it called my house? What does jesus call it my house? It's his house
Who's jesus christ the lord god? Hey, he's talking about the temple being the house of the lord
He's his house. That's why he's so angry. Imagine someone coming to your house
You know and doing whatever they want with your house. You get angry too. You get a whip out there
It's like get out of here. Why are you guys?
All right. This is my house and that's what jesus christ was doing when he drove these, you know money changes away
So that's the second temple and of course we know when christ came he died on the cross
And through sacrifice by shed blood he brought in the new covenant
He brought in the new testament and today in 2020 we live in new testament times
Okay, is there a house of god today well there is and if you can please go to first timothy chapter three
I really want you to see this one. Please go to first timothy chapter three in verse number 15
First timothy chapter three in verse number 15. Is there a house of god because we know in 70 ad
That second temple was destroyed
Okay, jesus christ prophesied that there would not be one brick left upon another. Okay, so if you go to israel or you know, uh,
Um
Palestine today, right? You're not going to see that second temple. It's been it's been destroyed
I'm glad it's been destroyed because actually it's been replaced by a better house of god
First timothy chapter three verse 15
Uh pull right into timothy who was a pastor he says but if I tarry long
That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself
In the house of god, what's the house of god? Is it the temple? It says here which is the church of the living god
Notice the next words the pillar
and ground
of the truth
Now when we go back to the very first house of god, what did jacob do?
He set up a pillar. He anointed the pillar with oil. All right now the new testament church
What is it the pillar and ground of truth?
These are things that connect for us in the bible so we can definitely see it's the same
House and brethren when we come to blessed up at this church on to service we are coming to the house of god
I'm not talking about these walls. I'm not talking about these floors. I'm not talking about the ceiling
I'm talking about the people the church church means congregation. It means assembly when we come together. What did jesus say?
He says where two or three are gathered in my name. There will I be in the midst of them
Okay, so yes
Just like the old testament house of god had the presence of god when we come to church
We're coming to see jesus christ
We're coming to be in his presence for god to do a work in our hearts for the holy spirit
To help the preacher for us to honor him to give him praise to give him worship for the
Joyful noise of our lips and hopefully our hearts reflect that truth what that's coming out of our mouth there
Okay, so we come to meet god and what was it called? What did jacob say? He called it the um
The gates of heaven you remember he called it the gates of heaven
Well, that's what a church is brethren. Our job is to get people through those gates
Okay, if it's not us who's going to do it
Listen you know one of them the main ministry of a church and if churches aren't doing this
They're not the gateway to heaven. Okay, they're not showing people the gates of heaven the primary ministry
Once we worship god we we learn from his word is to get out there and preach the gospel
To go there give people the gospel show people the gates of heaven how they can freely enter through the door of jesus christ
And so that is the new testament church now, please i'll get you to turn to uh, go to hebrews chapter 3
Go to hebrews chapter 3 i'll read a few other passages to you while you're turning there hebrews chapter 3
We are building blessed hope at the church and we're not done
You say who's building it. Is it you pastor kevin?
well
But i'll read to you in matthew 16 verse 18. These are the words of jesus matthew 16 verse 18
It says and I say unto thee
Thou that thou at peter and upon this rock
I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. What did jesus say?
You say pastor kevin, you're going to preach it. You're going to build it. Did he say peter?
You're going to build it. He says no, I will build my church said jesus christ. Hey who's building blessed up baptist church
Who's been building this for the last two years? It's been jesus christ. It's his church. Okay. Here's the master builder
He's the one that's in charge and we're just employees of jesus christ
We're just servants of jesus christ trying to do his will in our life
psalm 127 verse 1 says except the lord build the house
They labor in vain that build it except the lord build the house now
I know the context of that psalm is your family. Your family is considered a house as well
Hey, but the principle is true for the house of god. It's the lord that has to build it
Otherwise we're laboring in vain and brother, you know, i've not sisters i've not been coming here for two years to labor in vain
A vain emptiness. No, we want to build something
We want something that god can be pleased when he looks down
We want some place where you can learn where you have the ground and pillar of the truth
That god's truth is being proclaimed from his word
So you're in hebrew chapter three in verse number two, so it's very clear that the lord has to build his house
Okay
And this is important because if we think it's us
It's going to fill us with pride. It's going to cause us to be puffed up
It's going to think look what we can achieve right with what we've done. That's the wrong approach
but
We have to have the right balance here. God will use his people
God will use his children to build the house even though he's the master builder right just like you've got a master builder
He gets his site supervisor out there the site supervisor overseas, right? I guess maybe i'm the site supervisor
He's the master builder in a sense because i've got the authority as the pastor here
But then the site supervisor gets out the concreter, right?
He gets out, you know
Then that guy gets his job done. Then you get the carpenter out
Then you get the electrician you get the plumber you get all the people, you know
The the tyler you get all the people that's necessary to work the job
Okay, so yes even in the case of building a house you use multiple people use multiple skills and reverend
God wants to use you to build blessed up at this church. You're important
Okay, i'm part of the project but you're all part of the project of building this church now look at hebrew
chapter three and verse number two
referring to jesus
It says who was faithful to him that appointed him
So jesus is faithful and then it says this as also moses was faithful in all his house
So it's saying here that jesus is faithful just like moses was faithful now in what way was moses faithful
This is speaking about the house of israel
So obviously moses was used by god to get them out of egypt to lead them to guide them in the wilderness for 40 years
Moses was faithful to the house. Okay
And again, let's take the principle here. Let's think about the church because this is the house of god
All right, so we want to be faithful to the work that god has given us to do
And by the way, the you know when the israelites were in the wilderness the bible refers to that as the church in the wilderness
Okay, the corrugation the church that was in the wilderness and so moses as a picture or as a type is like an old testament pastor
Just picturing a new testament pastor. He had other responsibilities. He was the law as well for the for the nation
So that's a bit different but you know, he does picture he does typify what a new testament pastor is supposed to be
So my desire is to be like moses that you know as a pastor
That's what I should be striving to be like right? Let's keep going verse number three
It says for this man that's speaking of jesus was counted worthy of more glory than moses absolutely
In as much as he who have builded the house have more honor than the house
Okay, so we need to make sure if when we come to church and we give someone honor
It's not to the house that we give honor to it's the one that builds the house that's been jesus christ
We come here to serve him now look at verse number four
For every house is builded by some man
But he that built all things is god
Okay, so who's building blessed hope at this church. Yeah some man
Some of us right we're all contributing to this church being built
But ultimately who's the master builder who's in charge of all who's building it all. It's course. It's god
Okay. So again, we can't get prideful pat ourselves on the back. Well done now, let's celebrate two years. Praise god
Praise god. Thank god for two years. That's who we thank right? We thank him because he's the one that's building
Let's keep going verse number five
And moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken
After now look as I said, I hope to be like moses
Okay, it says here and moses verily or truly was faithful in all his house
Reverend i've been given the authority over two house of gods of god
Okay, the one on the sunshine coast and here, you know new life baptist church and blessed up at this church
My desire is to be faithful
To both these houses, you know, yes new life baptist church is my priority. Okay, that's where i'm mostly focused on
But I really want you to know that I want to be faithful to blessed up at this church
I want to make sure we continue building this church. I want to finish the work
I want to get to the next stage and the next stage and the next stage
You say what does it look like when it's finished? This is what i'm expecting
This is what I want for this church. I have a vision now. I didn't two years ago. I do now
Okay, and that vision is that we go to three services a week
Two on sunday a midweek service that midweek service is a prayer night
And listen, i'm not saying you all have to be part of it. I mean, I hope so
But you know by having more services we're going to open up other times for other people to visit our church
It'll help the church grow
It'll allow more doctrine more teaching to be taught from the word of god allow people to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Okay
That's number one number two. I want a permanent place like a lease like something that we know
This is a place that we're going to be pretty much at
You know unless there's some major change or we outgrow the place we need permanent place. Hopefully a lease
and number three
a full-time pastor
Okay
That's when I say
We're finished. Okay, when we can have all these things in place a full-time pastor
Yes, i'm the pastor here, but i'm really a part-time pastor. I do the best I can we've had
You know, uh coming out on tuesdays every now and again and trying to take calls and all the things that I do
Uh for you for the church here, but i'm really part-time
I am full-time at new life at this church, but really here i'm part-time
We need to get to the point where we can have a full-time pastor here at blessed up baptist church
That's my vision. I want to be faithful to that vision
I want to be faithful to this church to this house of god. I want to finish the job
And brevin, I need your help to do it. I need your help to accomplish the job and notice it says here
Um, sorry i've lost my verse number five and moose was faithful to uh was uh, verily was faithful in all his house
as a servant
And brevin, that's what I am, you know, yes, i've been given authority in the church, but i'm operating as a servant
It's not about me. It's about jesus. I am jesus christ's servant. I'm here to serve this body
Okay, and anytime anybody has the opportunity to preach or to song lead or just to do whatever the ladies bring in some
Food of you know, that's been a blessing to the church. Listen you do it as a servant
You know you do it because you're serving jesus you're serving the house of god, okay, that is the right perspective to have
Otherwise, it's easy to be lifted up with knowledge
It's easy to be lifted up by success and so many pastors have failed so many pastors
You know end up thinking well, it's because of me
It's because of the way I speak because of the way I organize things. No, it's because of jesus and thank god
He can use men fallen men
You know to do his work praise god
Otherwise man i'd be doing nothing for jesus right because we are all weak. We are all fallen and look at verse number six now
It says but christ as a son over his own house, what is the house of jesus?
Whose house are we?
That's you brethren. That's you and me. We are his house if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing
Of the hope firm and to the end and brethren that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to finish the job
We're trying to stay firm to the end because we are his house
You know, thank god for this building. Thank god. We have these walls and these floors even though it's a little rough, right?
But that's not the building. That's not the house that god is concerned with
He's concerned with you. You are his house when we come together congregation the assembly that is the church
That is the house of god when we're together here, you know, uh to to give worship to jesus christ
Okay
Keep that in mind. That's so important. That is so important. There are too many churches that lose focus on material gain
On big buildings and i'm i'm not against those things. I think those things are wonderful when the time comes
But what's more important is that we invest in people spiritually in the quality of people's spiritual life
So you can live more godly that's my hope for you brethren. We are the house of god
Please turn to our ephesians chapter 2, please go to ephesians chapter 2
And while you're turning there i'm going to read to you from first peter chapter 2
You go to ephesians chapter 2 i'm going to first peter chapter 2 and verse number five
I just want to reinforce this teaching. Okay
Jesus christ is not interested in a physical building. He's interested in you in me in us. Okay first peter chapter 2 verse 5 says
Ye also as lively stones
Are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices
Acceptable to god by jesus christ. So what are we called lively stones?
Just like when you're building a house you're using bricks. Well those bricks are you and me
We are those lively bricks that jesus wants to use to build his spiritual house then it says in verse number six
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture behold I lay in zion a chief cornerstone
Elect precious so we do have to have a chief cornerstone
We do have to have a foundation by which we build on what is that chief cornerstone?
It says this and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded
So this chief cornerstone is a hymn a hymn that we can believe on and of course
That is salvation believe in the lord jesus christ and thou shalt be saved. Amen
So the foundation is jesus christ then on christ
He wants us to be built upon him the house of god these lively stones. You're in ephesians chapter 2 in verse number 19
ephesians chapter 2 verse number 19 says
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners
But fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of god. All right, look at verse number 20
And are built upon so we're built upon something the foundation of the apostles and prophets let's stop there for a moment
Where is the foundation of the apostles and prophets?
Say well, you know
The apostle paul is not here anymore. Neither is peter and john and james, right?
Or the prophets of old they're not here, you know, john the baptist and and isiah and jeremiah and uh, who else?
I mean so many prophets kind of think about you know, who all they are, you know, say how do we build on that?
Well, you know where we find their writings in the bible in the word of god
We find the writings of the prophets and of the apostles
And so if we're going to build upon something it's going to be built on the bible
It's going to be built on the word of god, but then it says this jesus christ himself being the chief cornerstone
So there's a confirmation that the cornerstone there the chief cornerstone is jesus christ. He is the cornerstone
Here's the foundation verse number 21 in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple
In the lord's notice it grows right the building fitly framed together groweth
It's not like you just start it and it ends it grows
It needs to continue growing this church blessed about the church needs to continue to grow
Unto a holy temple in the lord verse number 22 in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of god
Through the spirit
So when we come together, we're in habit together
We're here and the holy spirit of god can do a work in our hearts in our minds, you know as we seek to
To bless the lord
So i'm sure you already knew this but I just wanted to confirm to you. You are the church
You are the building you are that spiritual building
You are the stones that make up the building that god wants to indwell
So when we look at the buildings of old when you look at the old testament temple of old
Yeah, that was a physical building. But what was that then that was a type
That was a picture of the spiritual building that would come and that is the local new testament church
Now if you can please turn to luke chapter 14, please go to luke chapter 14 for me luke chapter 14
Let me repeat to you my vision for blessed about this church, okay
Okay
I guess I consider myself the site supervisor. Okay. Now i'm not the builder. The builder is jesus christ
Jesus employs me as a pastor to oversee to be the site supervisor, right?
And there's a lot of work to be done. All right, so
The finished product once again, what does it look like? What is the vision for blessed about this?
Number one free services two on sunday
one on
Well, i'll go through that one midweek service, right?
And I want that midweek service to eventually become a prayer meeting time as well
So maybe a shorter sermon but a time for praying I pray a time for us and I know sometimes we do this
Okay, and i'm not saying so we're building toward this we're trying to make this a stable thing
All right. We also want a fixed meeting location, you know a place ideally a least building
It's much better if you can have at least building in that sense because you can meet whenever you want
You can change the times whenever you want instead of relying on other people
But whatever it is
Whatever it is that suits the church better to have a fixed permanent position
We'll help this church grow as well. And the last one that I mentioned was a full-time pastor a full-time pastor, right?
Those are the things when we get when we get all those things in place to me. It says we're finished the job
Okay, when I look at new life baptist church
on the sunshine coast
I look at that now as a finished product
It took a while to get there when I first got up there
I didn't know if I could preach more than once a week
I was surprised if I could even do once a week. We started with two services
All right. Let's just make sure we can get two services done, right?
Eventually, we got to three services, right?
Eventually, we could afford a building eventually we could get that lease right eventually those things happen
But it took to the point where we had well, we started with full-time passes
That's a little bit different right up there then, uh, by the time we got to three services and a least building
That took 20 months altogether
Now maybe it could have taken shorter a shorter time than that
Maybe but you know, because obviously I was flying down here midweek services as well
So I was trying to be careful not to burn out. I didn't want to be doing too much, right?
So but now that church is in a good place. We've got a fixed place. We've got a full-time pastor
We've got three services a week and even more so
The men there are being trained they're being taught they're able to preach they're good support
They're able to back up the pastor right and be there if I ever get sick or if I ever need to
Come down here
There's always men that are able to preach and praise god today
We're working on the live stream and that's going to be the next step right for an online community
It's strange because we get a lot of online listeners and they're contributing financially to the church up there
So it's like well, let's bless them back
Let's get a live service for those guys
That you know might not find themselves in a good church or or whatever
Some people have disabilities and they just can't get out of the house
And so we want to be a blessing to the people that listen to us online
So that church as far as i'm concerned i'm looking at that church today and i'm saying wow, we're at a finished product
It's not perfect
It's not it's not like we can just dump things and it's just going to continue but listen once you build a house
Once you build it once it's all put in place you move in go man. Look at this brand new house
It's looking good, but eventually you need to live in it
All right, if you've got a whole bunch of kids guess what holes start to make be made in the walls
Right, there's going to be wear and tear in the building the gut will start to leak a bit of water rain or whatever
And what does what does the house need now? It needs maintenance, right? It needs just constant maintenance
It just needs constant maintenance, right?
And so, you know, even though the job is finished up there in my as far as my perspective is it still needs maintenance
It still needs work. It still needs to continue, you know to grow and don't forget the house of god
Is the gates to heaven and so the work that needs there's a work that needs to continue
Okay, we need to keep going over there at new life at the church, you know showing the gospel preaching the gospel
So people can believe in jesus christ and enter into those gates for all eternity. All right, so that's my perspective
For that church
and uh
I want the same for this church
You know, and I want to be faithful to you
You know, I said when we started I promised you i'm going to be here for 10 years if that's what it takes
And i'm not going to go back on that word
I'm going to keep doing this forever and i'm going to keep trying to serve this church as best as I can
Try to build people try to help the preachers, you know teach the people and say well, who are you pastor kevin?
You know
Have you got experience building? Have you ever done this before?
You know
And look i'm going to go through a few things here and I don't want you to think that i'm boasting i'm not
Okay, i'm not trying to pat myself on the back
The reason I want to go for this is I just want you to have trust in the leadership here
I want you to have trust in your pastor. Okay
Before I became a pastor I just worked hard
All right
I just worked really hard and people would put me in places where I had to basically build departments from scratch
There's work to be done there's a hole that needs to get done and you need to get some employees
You need to build some processes. You need to work this out build a department and brethren i've done that many times
And i've always been successful at it. I just put my heart into it lord. I'm serving you
Please help me to build this department. Now. Was it always fun?
Is is building always fun? You're involved in building brother. Is it always is the customer always happy?
No
It's a surprise when you man if you get everyone happy on board, right?
That's awesome, but not everyone's happy and that's okay. You know, that's an expected
situation
But i've also built my family. Hey, that's my house my family my wife 11 kids raising them
I think they're good kids. I think we've done a good job so far. Maybe my wife has done a better job than me
Hey, look, i've got the experience of building people as well, you know, not just my family
Hey, but I served two years as a deacon at victory baptist church where I got to know a lot of the
Behind the scenes things about the church how it needs to be run
You know, I got to baby to be a sunday school teacher for three years every week every week preaching to the children, you know
As a sunday school teacher eventually I was made the superintendent of that, you know
And as a superintendent, I was overseeing all the sunday school classes. So any of the teachers that needed help resources
They would come to me
You know talking back to my job, you know, eventually
I had 50 employees under me, you know, I had like four teams in sydney one team in auckland
Okay, now at that time
I hated it at that time. I was like man a team in ogland and all these guys man
I don't even know half their jobs now, right? I mean, there's so much to do
There's so much work to be done. But when I look back now, I realized well, maybe god was preparing me for two churches
Right now that's not really my desire. My desire was sunshine coast relax
Go to the lake and have a swim with the kids, right?
I wasn't expecting to come here every week and and help this church
But i'm glad I did you know because the spiritual things matter more than anything else, you know
And uh, you know had those teams and then my manager is in japan
I have to go to japan to see my manager and then I have teams in singapore teams in thailand
It got too much eventually brevin, but I had teams everywhere. Let me tell you this. I always worked hard
I had a good reputation. I always was productive. I got the job done all the time all the time. Okay
then eventually we went to
My sending church. Okay, we start church. We started from scratch
All right, so I got to see what it's like from very scratch. What's it like to start a church?
Learn from the things that were done. Well learn from the things that were not done so well
Okay, so i've got that experience right and then like I said, we've got the sunshine coast church
I think it's ready to go. I think there's a lot of great men there that are ready to step up
And be a help unto me
And you know, we started this church here and it's still going two years into it
So, you know, there was a church that got started up on the sunshine coast
We went for like three or four months independent baptist church. We're like three or four months
You know full support of the sending church. There were people coming up. They gave up a few months
Hey, we're still going on the sunshine coast. Praise god, right
And I say that not to puff myself up because it's not me. It's everybody. It's everybody involved
That's that's helping me to get the job done because we're trying to serve jesus christ
We're trying to be faithful to the house that jesus christ has given us
All right
And so what I want to tell you guys or I guess announce you guys some of you guys already know this
Is it's my desire to come here for 12 months
All right, october october 1st new life baptist church in queensland celebrates the three years
Sorry guys, they celebrate the three year anniversary
I
Don't want to leave them right a lot of work
The best of people
So nice
But that works getting done, all right, that's getting done the men are ready to step up and help out
I want to come and help this church
You guys are in luke chapter 14 verse 28 luke 14 verse 28, sorry guys
You know, you invest a lot of time right invest in people it really matters
Yes
We'll have to edit this out on the on the youtube, right
Luke 14 verse 28 says for which of you
Intending to build a tower sit if not down first and count of the cost
Whether he have sufficient to finish it lest happily after he have laid the foundation
And is not able to finish it
All that behold it begin to mock him saying this man began to build and was not able to finish
Brevin, I don't want to be that man
Where are we started blessed up at this church and we didn't finish it and people start mocking us people start mocking me. Hey
What who are you? You started you started building this thing and you didn't finish the job
Listen up. We we had a granite flat built in our in our boundary house
We've got to you know, and uh, I remember we were really excited about getting the granite flat built
All right, and I remember when the foundation got laid I was like, yes, you know, it started
I can see how it starts and you know, the kids would run on the on the concrete there and then have fun
Right, and it's exciting then the frames went up and how excited when you get the carpenter in there
He gets the wooden frames. It looks like a house now
With with the roof and the walls and like yes, you know, this is awesome. Look at it's coming up now
Could you imagine the site supervisor came up to me then because man you seem really happy about the
Foundation and the framework you're really happy about this product. All right, man, we're done. I'm not coming back
You seem happy with the finished product
And yeah, I was happy with the stage that we reached but the job is not done
All right, it needs to be finished. What we build has to be finished
And brethren i'm willing to come here for 12 months with my family right to relocate them from the sunshine coast to come here
and uh, you know, i've already spoken to some of the men in the church here about that
And uh, it's not I don't really want to do it because i'm really comfortable there
You don't really want to relocate your family. There's no personal or sort of financial reasons behind it
But there's a need at blessed up at this church and the need is that we need to finish it
We need to finish the work. I'm, very thankful for all the men that have been serving here
I'm, very thankful for brother dave and brother luke and brother anthony and I can't has anyone else preached
I don't know but you know for preaching the song leaders for getting up here and preaching
Thank you for your for your giving the financials that coming in from from the families just your attendance is a blessing
Just seeing your faces is a blessing to me
You know
But we need to finish the work and what it said there in luke 14 is we need to count the cost
And we need to see if we can finish the job, you know, sometimes finishing a job requires financial giving it requires a bit of financial sacrifice
You know and uh relocating my family is going to cost a bit of money
You know
It's going to cost this church a little bit of money and I guess what i'm what i'm letting you guys know is
There will be a financial cost. I don't normally mention financials especially in sermons
But it's going to cost a little bit to get my family down here, okay
But I know we're going to be able to bless this church
I know we're going to be able to get to the next stage that we need to get to right
I know we're going to be able to do that
And at the same time even though the job is finished, you know at new life purpose church
I still need to go see them. It's maintenance maintenance. Okay, things will still happen
You know when jesus christ was with his disciples for three years and then he was arrested right invested in them
Every day for three years then he gets arrested. What does peter do? He denies christ
Was he ready to be left alone?
Well, eventually that was an experience that he had to go through. Okay to be a to be a great apostle for christ
And so, you know by leaving the guys there, you know, I don't want to see things fall over
You know, I don't want to see holes to be or if the holes do come up
We can fix those we can get those, uh, you know, uh maintained
So i'm gonna try to make you know weekly trips up there to the sunshine coast
But all of this is going to cost something. Okay
I've counted the costs and I think we can do it
I think it's going to be beneficial for blessed or baptist church. If you guys have any questions about that, please please ask me
Okay, please ask me
your questions now, please go to uh
Please go to uh, mark chapter 14
March of the 14 we'll end on this one march of the 14
Now i'm just going to read some passages to you
Because the church is called the house of god there's also another name given to the church. Okay. I'll just read it to you
in ephsians
122
It says and have put all things under his feet that's under the feet of jesus
And gave him to be the head of all things the church
Which is his body
The fullness of him that filleth all in all
What is another name for the church the body of christ?
Okay, now two thousand years ago when christ was walking on this earth in his physical body
He did amazing works. He preached the gospel did amazing miracles, right?
Well now he's in heaven, but his body is still here. His body is still working and that's your local new testament church
Okay, we are not just the house of god. We are also the body of christ
And of course if christ's desire was to see people in heaven, that's how that's our goal. That's our aim
We know we're trying to get people to the gates of heaven
Show them walk through these doors believe on jesus christ and thou shalt be saved the body of christ now
The reason I make mention of this is because I want you to remember the first house of god that was mentioned
When jacob he set up a pillar, you know the pillar and ground of truth and what did he do?
He anointed it with oil, right? He anointed he said what is that about?
Well, let's have a look here. You can see the pictures. You can see how think these things start to form together
mark 14 verse 3
mark 14
And verse number three
It says and being in bethany in the house of simon the leper as he sat at meats
There came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment
And uh spic canard very precious
Very precious. All right, and she break the box and poured it on his head
All right. So this woman takes what is probably her most
Expensive her most precious items perfume this oil, right?
It's very expensive and she pulls it on the head of jesus christ
What did jacob do? He anointed the pillar with oil, right? Let's keep going verse number four
And there was some that had indignation within themselves and said why was this waste of the ointment made?
For it might have been sold for more than 300 pence and have been given to the poor
And they murmured against her
So you see, you know, she's trying to honor christ. She wants to anoint his body
Right. She wants to take the best of what she has and give it to jesus
And there are others watching saying why'd you waste that money?
You could have sold it you could have given it to the poor you could have done all these other things with what?
You know with what you just did you just wasted it, you know
Look at jesus number six verse number six and jesus said let her alone alone. Why trouble ye her?
She have wrought a good work on me
Look at this for you have all sorry for you have the poor with you always
And whensoever you will you may do them good, but me you have not always
She have done what she could she's come beforehand to anoint my body to the burying
This woman knew that jesus was going to be buried. She knew she was going to die
She had a faith on jesus christ. She was a believer and she anoints his body for the burying
She brings the best she brings her most expensive item and others said hey, that's a waste. Why are you doing that?
And brethren the reason I want to bring this up is because I just want to be realistic with you. It's it is going to cost
This church some money, you know to bring this pulpitus here. All right, let's say what are you jesus?
Are you going to be anointed of the oil? That's not me. I'm not anointing me
What is the pillar the pillar that was was the ground of truth was the church, right?
You take jacob took the oil and he poured it upon the pillar
Okay, and this woman that pillar represents the body
We are the body of jesus christ and we see this woman take a precious ointment something that was very costly to her
Probably saved up her whole life to afford this and pause it upon the head of jesus christ the body of christ
This is the body of christ and brethren. Yes, there's going to be some financial
Questions to be to be made
To to bring me here, but brethren I want to do it because I want to serve this church
I want to be faithful to this church. I want to finish the job. We need to finish the job
We can't be just just content with the framework
Right the outside cladding needs to be done the inside the electrical the tiling we need to finish the house
And reverend i'm committed to this church 100
Okay. Now I guess i'm not 100
I'm part-time still right but for the 12 months that I desire to come here
It'll be from october to september next year
I want to be your full-time pastor
I want to be a full-time pastor and I want to take the men
That are willing to preach maybe one day want to be in the ministry and train them up
Okay, train them up so they can be uh, you know preachers of the truth
They can be strong pillars as well for the local church. I really want to invest heavily in this church
And I have no doubt that if I if we do this and it's going to cost a bit of ointment
It's going to cost a bit. Okay
But to me, what do we invest in anyway? Was it the building or was it the people?
What was the lively stones that jesus christ is building? It was the people we want to invest
Spiritually, I want you guys. I want fathers. I want you guys to be the best fathers you can be
I want you to hear the best preaching that will help you be the best
Fathers the best husbands mothers to be the best mothers best wives children to be the best children
So we can be the best employees so we can be the best for jesus christ so we can be a light
To this world, you know
And brethren it all starts with this building
Us right the lively stones
And uh, we've started the work. We've gone two years into it. It's going well. I'm super happy
Just like I saw the frames go up. I was super happy, but there's more to be done, right?
And so I really ask you guys to to think about this. Please be praying about this. It requires a lot of work
Uh, you know relocating a family of 11 kids is is not easy, you know
But let me say to you the the families that bless at new life at this church
I spoke to all of them before i'm telling you this
And they they were all supportive
Like they want you guys to have what they have up there, you know
All right, let's pray