(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. All right, we're there in John chapter 14. This morning, we are taking a break from our Esther series. Usually on Sunday mornings, we've been going through the book of Esther and a series called for such a time as this. But this morning, we're gonna take a break from that. And I'd like you to notice there in John chapter 14 in verse one, the Bible says this, "'Let not your heart be troubled. "'You believe in God, believe also in me. "'In my Father's house are many mansions. "'If it were not so, I would have told you. "'I go to prepare a place for you. "'And if I go to prepare a place for you, "'I will come again and receive you unto myself, "'that where I am, there ye may be also.'" I wanna preach to you this morning on the subject of building projects. And we, of course, are in the midst of a building project right now. And we've been going at it for, I think, 14 days now has been the official count. And when I say 14 days, I mean we started 14 days ago, and there has been work going on every day for the last 14 days, 12 hour, 14 hour days, every day for 14 days, and things are coming along. Some of you, maybe as you've came to Sunday morning and Sunday night, then you come on Wednesday and you see a progression and come back on Sunday, a little more and a little more and a little more. This is how building projects are. And building projects are not anything new for our church. Some of you have not been with us very long, and so maybe this is new for you. But for our church, we've had many type of building remodels and things like that. Of course, a little bit over 10 years ago, my wife and I started this church in our living room. And we spent about a year and a half, a year and eight months, I think, in our house, meeting in our house. We moved from our living room to an 800 square foot building and that, it was a narcotics anonymous building, for those of you that remember that. That building needed to be remodeled. It was only 800 square feet, but our church probably only had 20 people in it. So we got in there and we ripped out the carpets and painted the walls and put up ceiling tiles and got that place remodeled. Then we moved from there a year later from an 800 square foot building to a 1,600 square foot building in the same parking lot. We doubled our building size to 1,600. At that time, I think we were running about 50 or 60. And that building needed to be remodeled. And same thing, we put up walls and we put up, we were excited because we set up a wall and we had a foyer for the first time. So we had a little foyer and we had the building and we textured it and painted it and ceiling tiles and carpet and all that stuff. And then maybe three or four months after that, we had to tear down the wall because we needed the space for the auditorium. So we didn't have a foyer anymore, but we needed more space. The church was growing and that was great. And all those things, we had to remodel that building. Then we moved from that building to the 4,700 square foot building on Northgate Boulevard. Of course, that was the infamous building where our big protests took place. That was the only building we did not have to remodel. We were able to move into that building pretty much just user-friendly. And I think maybe that was the reason why we had so much trouble in that building. We just didn't have to work that hard for it. We were in that building for three years. And then of course, many of you will remember when we left that building and we moved into this building. And this building, we spent about a month remodeling this building. When we got this building, we had 5,400 square feet. That was probably honestly the worst remodel we've ever had as far as the amount of work and things that needed to be done. This building did not look the way it looks right now. When we took this building about three years ago or three and a half years ago, whatever it was, 5,400 square feet needed to be remodeled. About a year ago, a year and a few months ago, we acquired 1,000 square feet. That was a pretty easy remodel. So it's only 1,000 square feet. And we had a lot of guys to help and things like that. We added bathrooms, two bathrooms. We added the mother-babe room, the daddy room. And now of course, in the last 14 days, we've added, now we're at 11,000 square feet. And there's been remodeling and things. And I'm bringing these things up to say that our church has had many building projects and building is not something that is new to us. We are a building church and we're even a church filled with builders. And it's interesting to me, and my introduction is a little longer and maybe I'm telling a lot of stories and I apologize, but it's interesting to me because Pastor Anderson and I, and I don't know if this is the case anymore, but Pastor Anderson and I have had several conversations about Verity Baptist Church and Faithful Word Baptist Church and how they're very similar in many ways and doctrinally very similar, but very different in many ways. And Pastor Anderson has a church and I don't know if it's this way now. I haven't asked him recently, but last time we talked about it, which was a couple of years ago, he has a church where I think he counted like 12 computer programmers. He has like all these computer programmers in his church or some crazy number, a lot of these computer programmers. And as far as I know, we don't have one computer programmer, maybe one in our church, but he doesn't have as many construction guys. Our church is filled with construction guys and guys that work different trades and things like that. And some churches are different. For some reason, I must attract construction guys. I don't know what that is about me. And for some reason, he attracts computer guys. I think it has to do with maybe how we preach. Pastor Anderson preaches in a very yes, no, yes, no computer language way. I tend to have more outlines and foundations and build to a point. So I don't know if that's what it is, but the point is this, we're a building church and the Lord has blessed us. Maybe God just knew that we would have a lot of projects and we needed guys to help us. But God, I want you to know is a building God. And in fact, in the Bible, we see these building projects that the Bible talks about. And I want to speak to you just for a few minutes this morning on the subject of building projects in the Bible and specifically building projects in heaven, hell and on earth. Because you're there in John 14 and this is usually a passage that people go to for a lot of comfort in regards to the afterlife. John 14 verse one says this, Jesus says, "'Let not your heart be troubled. "'You believe in God, believe also in me.'" Then he says this, "'In my Father's house are many mansions.'" Now, some people, there's debate as to whether those mansions are literal or whatever and that's not the point I want to get into. But the point is this, that Jesus says that in heaven, in his Father's kingdom, in his Father's house, there are many mansions. He says, "'If it were not so, I would have told you.'" Then he says this, "'I go to prepare a place for you.'" He mentions that there are these mansions in heaven where we're going to live in, we're going to inhabit them. Then he tells his disciples, he says, "'I'm gonna go away for a little while.'" But he says, "'When I go away, I'm gonna go away, "'I'm gonna be in heaven, to the second coming, "'the second advent, but while I'm away, "'I'm gonna be preparing a place for you.'" He said, "'I'm gonna be building a location for you. "'I'm gonna be preparing these mansions for you. "'I'm gonna be making room for you.'" He says, "'In my Father's house are many mansions. "'If it were not so, I would have told you, "'I go to prepare a place for you, "'and if I go and prepare a place,'" referring to these mansions, "'for you, "'I will come again and receive you unto myself, "'that where I am, there ye may be also.'" And if you're taking notes this morning, and I wanna encourage you on the back of your course of the week, there's a place for you to write down some things. I'd like you to notice a couple of thoughts this morning that maybe you hadn't thought about before. The first one is this, that there is a building project in heaven. God is building mansions in heaven. You say, why? Why is God doing this? You can go with me, if you would, to the book of Second Peter, chapter number three. If you start at the end of the New Testament and head backwards, you have the book of Revelation, Jude, Third, Second and First John, Second and First Peter. Excuse me, go to Second Peter, chapter number three. Second Peter, chapter three. Revelation, Jude, Third, Second and First John, Second Peter, Second Peter, chapter three. Do me a favor, when you get to Second Peter, put a ribbon or a bookmark or something there, because we're gonna leave it, and we're gonna come back to it. Second Peter, chapter number three. Jesus told his disciples, I'm gonna go away. But while I am away, and of course, we know that Jesus is doing many things while he's up in heaven. The Bible says he's providing intercessory prayer on our behalf. We understand that he's seated at the right hand of the Father. We understand all those things, but Jesus said, one of the things I'm gonna do while I'm gone is I'm gonna prepare a place for you. He said, in my Father's house are many mansions, and he said, I'm gonna go and prepare. I'm gonna, we're gonna be up there at work. Here's what Jesus was saying. In heaven, there is a building project. There's building projects, there's mansions being built in heaven. You say, why? Because God wants as many people as possible to go to heaven. Second Peter, chapter three, verse nine says this. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness. Second Peter three, nine. But his long suffering to us were, notice these words, not willing that any should perish. The Calvinists should learn this verse. Not willing that any should perish. Look, God is not, God's will is that no one goes to hell, and that everyone goes to heaven. Will that happen? No, because salvation is a choice that you must make. But God, the Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. See, God wants as many people, God wants as many people as possible to go to heaven. And Jesus said, hey, we're gonna prepare a place for you. Well, there are many mansions in heaven. And Jesus said, there's a building, there's a building project in heaven. You say, why? Because God wants to make room for people in heaven. God wants people to go to heaven when they die. God wants them to spend eternity with it. He says, there's a building project that's gonna happen, that's going to happen, that is happening now in heaven. This is why Jesus came. You don't have to turn there. Luke 19, 10 says, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost. Why did Jesus come? To bring salvation. He celebrated during the Easter season, to die on the cross, to take our penalty for sin, to suffer in hell, to resurrect in glory, that he might make a way and make a place for you and I in heaven. So we see this morning that there is a building project in heaven, but that's not it. I'd like you to notice Isaiah, the book of Isaiah, chapter five, if you go to the Old Testament, if you open your Bible right in the center, you'll more than likely fall in the book of Psalms. Right after Psalms, you have the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Isaiah. I ask you to keep your place in 2 Peter. I'd like you to continue to do that. I'd also like you to keep your place in Isaiah because we're gonna leave it and we're gonna come back to it. So if you can keep your place in both those areas, 2 Peter and Isaiah, Isaiah chapter number five. I said number one this morning, there is a building project in heaven. Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. In my Father's house are many mansions. The Bible says that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God wants as many people as possible to go to heaven, and as a result, he says, we're building, we're preparing, we're expanding, we're making preparation for people to come to heaven. That's very encouraging. I hope it's encouraging. I hope you're saved. I hope you're excited about going to heaven one day. Not today, but you know, one day. But I'd like you to notice secondly, not only is there a building project in heaven, I'd like you to notice secondly this morning that there is a building project in hell. Isaiah chapter five, look at verse 14. Therefore, don't miss these words, hell hath enlarged herself. Do you see that? The Bible says hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure. What does that mean? It means that hell has opened her mouth without limit. It's never full. She's enlarged herself in their glory and their multitude and their pomp. And he that rejoiceth, notice these words, shall descend into it. The Bible tells us that hell hath enlarged itself. Jesus told us that hell was created for the devil and his angels. When hell was initially created, it was for the devil and the demons. But of course, Satan was able to beguile Eve into sinning. Eve was deceived, Adam was disobedient. They brought sin into the world. They brought death into the world. They brought the consequences and the punishment of sin, which is the second death, which is being cast into hell or the lake of fire. As a result, human beings, mankind who would die without Christ, without believing on the Lord, without salvation, would descend to hell. But hell was not created for mankind. More and more people over the years have descended to hell, have died and gone to hell, and it's extended its capacity. So hell, the Bible says, hath enlarged herself. Not only is there a building project in heaven this morning but I'd like you to notice that there is also a building project in hell. Hell hath enlarged herself, the Bible says. She has opened her mouth without measure. She's preparing. She's making room for what? For people who will go there. You're there in Isaiah chapter five, go to Isaiah 14 if you would. Isaiah chapter 14 and verse nine. Isaiah chapter 14 and verse nine. Isaiah 14, nine says this, notice these words. Hell from beneath, Isaiah 14, nine. Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming. The Bible tells us that hell is moving. Hell is expanding. Hell had opened her mouth. And look, please understand this, and it's good for us every once in a while you say this is kind of a basic sermon. You're talking about heaven and hell. Yes, I want you to know that there is a building project in heaven. God is building mansions. God is preparing a place. God is making room because he desires that people go to heaven. But there is also a building project in hell. And as people die and as people go there, the Bible says that hell has enlarged herself. And look, it's good for us to be reminded of these things from time to time. I'm sick and tired of people attacking the concept of soul winning. Let me tell you something. Whenever somebody attacks soul winning, just mark it, that's a false prophet, that's a bad person. People get, they want to get all spiritual, say wow, I'd rather pray than go soul winning. You know, I'd rather do both. Well, I'd rather be a mature Christian than go soul winning. You need to be a mature Christian to go soul winning. You know, I don't want to go soul winning for the wrong reason, really? Because Paul said that even if people preach the gospel for strife and for envy, he says I rejoice in that. You say why would you rejoice in people preaching the gospel for the wrong reason? Because people are going to hell, that's why. Because hell has enlarged itself. And hell is a place, the Bible tells us, and I'm not preaching on the subject of hell this morning. And I don't have time to develop it, but the Bible tells us it's a place of darkness. It's a place of torment. It's a place where people are chained up, where people are in fire. It's a place where sin is punished. And the Bible tells us, the Bible tells us that hell has enlarged itself. So don't let people attack soul winning. And I like soul winning, it's not a big deal. Oh, we don't need that many soul winners. Really, Jesus said pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labors into his harvest. Ah, soul winning's not that important. Really, because Jesus, as far as I remember, left us here for the purpose of the great commission. Say, why is soul winning such a big deal? Look at me, next time you decide on a Saturday morning, next time you decide on a Saturday morning, ah, I'm a little tired, I'm gonna skip out on soul winning. Remember these words, hell has enlarged herself. There's a building project in heaven, isn't that exciting? There's a building project in heaven, isn't that a blessing to our hearts? God and Jesus are preparing a place that we may join them. But there's also a building project in hell. Hell has enlarged herself, the Bible says. No openeth her mouth without measure. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming. This is why the Bible says you don't have to turn there. In fact, if you would, go with me to First Corinthians chapter number three. The Bible says in Jude, and some have compassion making a difference. And others, save with fear. People, oftentimes, they'll attack and say, oh, you're just trying to go over there, knock on somebody's door and tell them about hell and try to scare them into getting saved. Yeah, actually, what's wrong with that? The Bible says, and if some have compassion, some people are gonna reach with our compassion and the fact that we love, and some people, the Bible says, save with fear, pulling them out of the fire. You say, why? Because hell has enlarged itself. Look, I just want you to know, because sometimes people ask these questions. Say, I don't know about all these building projects, pastor, why do we need 11,000 square feet? Why buildings, you know, is this really of God? Well, I'll tell you this, God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, are involved in a building project right now in heaven called mansions in heaven, making a way, preparing a place for people they hope to come. Now, I will tell you this, that not only is there a building project in heaven, but there's a building project in hell. Hell has enlarged itself. Hell opens her mouth without measure, the Bible says. Hell from beneath is moved for thee. See, in the same way that God wants as many people to go to heaven, sin and the devil will take as many people as possible to hell. Look, do you understand this? I don't know that many people really understand this, and I'm not talking about our church, I think you come to church like this and you will grasp this, but I think most Christians don't understand this idea, that most people and most so-called Christians are going to hell. The Bible says, enter ye in at the straight gate. The word straight means narrow, meaning not a lot of room, meaning you gotta be thin to get in, that's the idea. Enter ye in, and I'm not talking about you gotta be thin to get to heaven, I'm just saying that's what the narrow means. If there's a narrow space, otherwise we're all men, most miserable. When there's a narrow space, there's not a lot of room. Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at. Do you realize that most people are going to hell? Have you ever stopped to think about that? When you're at the grocery store, next time you're at the grocery store, next time you're at Walmart, next time you're at Target, spending away at your stimulus package, because you needed to survive coronavirus. Stop and think, most of these people are going to hell. Most of these people in this room are, I'm not talking about this room, saying well next time you're at the grocery store, next time you're at the park, next time you're at some public place, just stop and consider, most these people, one day, I mean we say we're Christians and then we live like we don't believe that there's a heaven and a hell. One day there's a judgment coming called the Great White Throne, where God will judge unbelievers and cast them into hell, and all of these people in this grocery store, and all of these people at this Target, and everyone in my neighborhood, and everyone in this city, and everyone in this world, all of us will be at that Great White Throne judgment, and most people will be cast into hell. And there's a building project in hell. Hell hath enlarged herself, the Bible says. So I said number one, there's a building project in heaven. I said number two, there's a building project in hell. Number three, for this reason, for these reasons, there should be a building project on earth. You say, oh, you're talking about building buildings? No, I'm talking about a spiritual building project. You know what we're engaged in at Verity Baptist Church, what we've attempted to be engaged in over the last decade is a spiritual building project. We should be building spiritually. You say, what are you building? Well, we're building, Lord willing, believers. First Corinthians chapter three, are you there? Look at verse nine. Tell me God's not a builder. Tell me God's not a builder when you see how God uses the illustration of building. First Corinthians chapter three, verse nine, he says, for we are laborers together with God. Isn't that exciting? God is your father. It's like I've seen these boys throughout the week coming to work here at the church building with their dads, and they're excited to be working with dad and outworking dad and doing more work than dad and all those things. And you know, we get to go work with our heavenly father. For we are laborers together with God, the Bible says. Ye are God's husbandry. Notice these words, ye are God's building. You say, oh, we're engaged in a building project here on earth? Yeah, it's called you. It's called me. God is building. The Bible says that we are laborers together with God. We get to work with God, labor with God. What is God building? He says, ye are God's building. Ye are what God's building. Look at verse 10. According to the grace of God, which is given unto me, as a wise master builder, notice the wording. Today we would call that like a general contractor, a guy running the show and getting everything situated. He says, as a wise master builder, he said, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. And by the way, this is a group effort. This is not just a one man show and this is not, your spiritual life is not one person that has invested in you. He says that he laid the foundation, another buildeth thereon. He says, but let every man take heed to how he buildeth there upon. For other foundation can no man lay, then that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If you're saved this morning, the Bible says that God laid a foundation called Jesus Christ. You find this concept all throughout the Bible. Jesus said that a wise man built his house upon the rock. Jesus is the rock. And a foolish man built his house upon the sand. The sand is the things of this world. He says there's a rock of Jesus Christ. That's the foundation. Jesus is also called, we'll talk about it later, the cornerstone, the chief cornerstone. He's the foundation of our Christian life. And then God says, I wanna work with you to build upon that foundation. Over the last 14 days, I've stood up here and given you updates on how the building project's going. And I told you, we have officially started gathering the materials and we're looking at the things we need and we're making the orders and things will be arriving this week. And then on another week, I said, we've officially started the demo and we've taken things down and we've taken things apart and we're hauling it out of here. And then we told you that we're putting up the insulation. We told you we're putting up the drywall. We told you we needed to get the electrical and we told you that we need to get the texturing in and the putty and the mudding and all those things. We've kinda cycled you through. I can give you updates on our physical building. Here's the question I have for you. How's your update? And by the way, you notice how we start with demo? Sometimes you have to take down before you can build up. Here's what I'm saying. God is at work in you. God wants to work in you. God wants to do a great work in you. He says, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Here's all I'm asking is, how are you doing as a building project? Because God's building in you. Look, there should be a building project on earth. You say, what is it? It should be you. We are spiritually building believers. Go to Psalms, if you would, Psalm 127. Look, let me explain something to you. This church is not an entertainment show. I mean, most churches, I would say today, most churches are. Most churches are a place of entertainment. You go there to be entertained. This is not very Baptist church. You show up here, you say, what are we doing? We're builders. We're building, literally and spiritually. You show up here and there's not a lot of entertainment, there's not a lot of flashing lights and cool videos, but we're gonna try to build you up. Now, sometimes we have to demo a little bit. Sometimes we have to demo a lot. We're gonna lay the foundation, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we're gonna try to build you up. This is just like a factory. We're trying to build something. We're trying to accomplish, this is a training center. We're trying to train you. We're trying to get you to grow and build and be a great work for God. Why? Because God says, hey, I wanna labor together with you. I wanna build you up. Bible says in other places that we are rooted and built up in Jesus Christ. So it should be a building project on earth. You say, what is it? It's a building of spirituality. We are spiritually building believers, but you know, there's something else we're building. We're not only spiritually building believers, we're also spiritually building families. Are you there in Psalm 127? Look at verse one. Psalm 127, verse one. A song of the degrees of Solomon, notice these words. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain in that building. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Here we have a great verse on building. It says, except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain in that building. Look, that verse is true all on its own, and usually when we as preachers go to that verse, we're referring to a building project or building the church, and I don't think there's anything wrong with using it in that context. Look, except the Lord build this house, they labor in vain in that building. We need God involved. We need God to be at work with us and to help us. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain in that building. Yes, that can be used in any context, but I want you to notice the context in which that verse is placed. Because Psalm 127 is not a very long psalm. It's only five verses. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain in that building. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Look at verse two. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat bread of sorrows, for so he giveth his beloved sleep. You say, what is that saying? That's saying that we shouldn't get up early and shouldn't stay up late, shouldn't work hard. That's not what it's saying. He's saying it is vain for you to rise up early and to sit up late. You know when you got building projects, a lot of times you get started early, you work real late. You eat the in and out bread of sorrow. I mean, this is what he's talking about. He's talking about building a building. And he said, well, is it vain to get up early and to stay up late and to work all day? No, he says it's vain except the Lord build the house. It's vain, it's within the context of verse one. He says, look, there's nothing wrong with you rising up early and sitting up late and eating bread of sorrow and missing out on some sleep to build as long as you're building together with God. If you're doing it of your own flesh and your own strength without God, then it is vain. He said, except the Lord build the house, they lay in that building. He said, it is vain if you're gonna try to do it without God, you need to do it without God. Then I want you to notice the context, the context. And again, I believe that verse can be applied in any context and that's fine and there's nothing wrong with that. But the specific context of this Psalm, then he says this in verse three, he says, lo, children are inherited to the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Now I want you to notice that when the Bible says except the Lord build the house, they lay in vain that build it, the context is a family. Lo, children are inherited to the Lord. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth. I want you to notice this Psalm, and again, I'm not preaching on this Psalm this morning specifically, but I want you to notice there are two aspects there. One is aspects that it's a blessing to have children. He says, lo, children are inherited to the Lord. Children are a blessing from God, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. But then he also says it's a blessing to have children that serve God. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth. What's an arrow? An arrow is something you shoot at a target. Megan, I'm not preaching on parenting this morning, but let me just encourage you parents, make sure you're parenting with a purpose. Make sure you've got an arrow. Make sure your children, you see them as an arrow that you are shooting at a target. You say, I don't have a target for my children. Then get a target. Get a purpose. Say, I don't know, I can't think of any. Oh, here's a purpose. Here's an idea. How about raising children that are gonna grow up and go to church when they're adults and they don't have to? How about raising children that are gonna be three to thrive, Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, not skip out on church for work? How about raising children that are soul winners? How about raising children that read the Bibles? How about raising children that pray? Now, how about raising children that love God and serve God? Now, listen, mom, listen to that. If you're gonna raise children that go to church three times a week, then you better go to church three times a week. You wanna raise children that go soul winning, then they better see you out soul winning. As arrows are in the hands of a mighty man, he says, that's the context of except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain to build it. Then he says, this is as happy as the man that had this quiver full of them, had this quiver full of what? Arrows that he's shooting in the right direction. See, you say, what are we doing? We're spiritually building families. We're building families spiritually. We're trying to raise. Look, we're trying to build you. You show up, adult. You show up and we say, man, this thing, this thing's decayed. This thing, it's been foreclosed upon. I mean, it needs a lot of work. Let's demo this thing and start over. And we start building you up and building you up, mom, and building you up, dad, and trying to help. But then we've got little children coming along and we're just trying to build them up right from the beginning. We're trying to build, you say, what are we building? We're building believers and we're building families. You're there in Psalm 127. Go to Proverbs 14. Proverbs 14, and you dads need to take the lead and the leadership in building in your home. Need to take the leadership in building for your family. Our home's not perfect and I'm sure our home has all sorts of issues. And the number one issue is this guy. You're looking at him. But I'll tell you this. If there's one thing my wife and I talk about, we talk about how these children are doing that the Lord has given us and do we have their hearts and are they going in the right, I mean, if there's one, I wish you could spend evenings in our home once our children are in bed. If there's one thing we talk about, more than anything, it's making sure these children grow up for the Lord. I want my kids to be raised for God. And I'm not gonna assume that that's just gonna happen because they go to church either. I'm not just gonna assume that that's gonna happen because their dad's a pastor and their mom's a pastor's wife. We have to build. Building takes energy. It takes purpose. It takes resources. We didn't just get 3,700 square feet over here and said, okay, Lord, do it. Let us know when you're done. We have to get in there and work. We have to buy things and build things and demolish things and get it going. And if you're gonna build your family, it's gonna require work. It's gonna require energy. It's gonna require time. Proverbs 14 and verse one says this. It's not just the men. Notice, of course it's not just the men. Every wise woman buildeth her house. Let me ask you, Mom, how you doing in building your house? Are you laying a foundation of Christlikeness in that home? Will your children live for God as a result of your influence? Or if they live for God, it will be in spite of your influence. I'm just telling you, we're builders. We're building. You say, what are we building? We're building believers. What are we building? We're building families. Like you to notice. Thirdly, go to 1 Peter chapter two. 1 Peter chapter two. Here's a question for you. We're building believers. We're building families. Here's a question. Especially you men, because this is how men like to talk and think. But this is a question for everybody. What's the greatest thing you'll do with your life? What's the greatest thing you'll do with your life? I mean, you ask a preacher, what's the greatest thing you'll do with your life? And he might talk about building some great church for the glory of God, and an army of soul-winners, and church planting, and all these things. And all those things are good things. There's nothing wrong with that. But what if the greatest thing, what if the greatest thing, the greatest something, what's the greatest something you'll do? What if the greatest something that you will do with your life is not something you did, but someone you raised? I'm just telling you, we're building families. We're building believers. But I want you to know, thirdly, that we're also building a church. We are spiritually building a congregation, a community of believers that are living together, that are working together, that are loving each other. First Peter chapter two, verse four. Notice how God just constantly uses this building analogy. First Peter chapter two, verse four, he says, to whom coming as unto a living stone. What's a living stone? What's a stone? It's a building material. In this living stone, we're praying to the Lord Jesus Christ to whom coming as unto a living stone. Notice these words, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. Ye also, now notice he says, Jesus is a living stone who was disallowed, right, the stone which the builders rejected. He came unto his own, his own received him not. Disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious. Ye also, then he says, you, you, meek, the congregation, the believers, ye also as lively stones. Notice these words, are built up a spiritual house. See, Jesus is the great foundation, he's the cornerstone, he's the chief cornerstone. And then we're built upon him. So yeah, as a believer, yes, you individually as a believer. Yes, as a family, yes, your family unit. But then there's this great spiritual house called Verity Baptist Church. Here's the idea, Jesus is the foundation and every one of us is a brick, is a living stone in that building called the people of God, the local church, the local New Testament church, the house of living God. Notice verse five, 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. Wherefore also it is contained in the scriptures, behold, I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. So what are we doing? We're building a congregation. How do you build a congregation? You build up believers, you build up families, you gather those believers, you gather those families, you create a congregation of believers, a spiritual house. Look, please understand this, a church is not a building, a church is you. You and I, the congregation, the assembly are the believers. I try not to even call these buildings a church. I know it's common for us, they all go down to the church. If you've ever heard me and maybe I've misspoken from time to time, but usually I'll tell people, hey, meet me down at the church building or yeah, we're at the building. I try not to call this place, call it a church house, it houses the church. This is not the church. You're the church. And God's building us, God's building us. And he wants to build a great church made up of families and made up of believers. You say why, here's why. Because in a church like this, you grow, you learn. When you're built up, you get sin out of your life, you become a mature Christian. And then you start going soul winning. You become a praying Christian. You become a Bible reading Christian. And then you sit in the work that God wants you to do because remember, there's a building project in heaven. There's a building project on hell, excuse me. And then God wants there to be a building project on earth. Go to Isaiah, if you would, Isaiah 54. Isaiah chapter 54. We should be building spiritually. Believers, families, congregations. That may require us to build physically. You can't go through the Bible, you can't read the Bible cover to cover without noticing that God's people throughout the ages have been in building projects. Physical building projects. Because when you're building spiritually, you want to have the capacity to bring more people in to build them spiritually. We build physically to build spiritually. Isaiah 54, look at verse two. Isaiah 54, verse two, the Bible says this. Enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations. Spare not, lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes. Sometimes we have to build physically to allow us to build spiritually. We have to expand physically in order to be able to expand spiritually. Go to the book of Exodus, if you would, Exodus chapter 35. I said this morning there's a building project in heaven and I said there's a building project in hell and I said there should be a building project on earth, a building project of believers and of families and of the congregation, but sometimes, listen, sometimes we have to build physically to build spiritually. We just need more room. You say, why? To reach more people. You say, why does that matter? Because people are going to hell. Because there's a building project in hell. Look, I'm trying to help the building project in heaven and stop the building project in hell. You say, how do we do that? By building this place up. By gathering an army of soul winners. An army of believers that will do the work of God upon this earth. Sometimes we need to build physically. We're going to be taking a special offering next week called our vision offering. The primary use of this offering will be to build, to pay what we've been doing and will continue to do and to put away for future building as the Lord allows and I'd like to just give you some thoughts in regards to this and I want you to know, I'll be traveling this entire week, but I hope that you'll take the time to think and pray about how you could get involved in our vision offering this year. And I want to quickly, just as quickly as I can, just give you some thoughts. I do this every year, give you some thoughts in regards to characteristics for giving because we have to raise money to build physically. And look, this is a concept you find throughout the Bible. In the Bible, you'll find them taking special offerings to go build a building. Taking a special vision offering, if you would, to go expand something. Exodus chapter 35, are you there? Look at verse four. Exodus 35, verse four. And Moses baken to all the congregation of the children of Israel saying, this is the thing which the Lord commanded saying. Notice what God told Moses, verse five. Exodus 35, verse five. Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord. What was the purpose of the offering? To build a tabernacle, to build a building. But I want you to notice characteristics. And I've always taught you this, and I will continue to teach you this. There are some characteristics for how we properly bring an offering to the Lord. And maybe you can just jot these down real quickly. Number one, giving should always be done willingly. Notice verse five. Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord, whosoever is of a, notice this word, you might want to underline it or circle it in your Bible, whosoever is of a willing heart. Let him bring it, an offering of the Lord. Notice gold and silver and brass. They're taking a physical, literal offering to build the tabernacle, but God says, hey, whosoever is of a willing heart. Look at verse 21, the same chapter. And they came, this is on the day of their offering, and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made, notice the word, underline it in your Bible, circle it, whose spirit made willing. And they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle, that's why they're raising the money, of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were, notice the word, underline it, willing hearted, and brought bracelets and earrings and rings and tablets, all jewels of gold, and every man that offered an offering of gold unto the Lord. Look at verse 29, same chapter. The children of Israel brought, notice these words, a willing offering unto the Lord. Every man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all the manner of work which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. I want you to notice, the Bible continually emphasizes this idea that when we give to God, we should do it willingly. And by the way, let me just say this, go to 2 Corinthians, if you would, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians chapter nine. You'll notice, the reason that God, he emphasizes that it's willing, it's willing, because it's an offering. And please understand this, this is not referring to your tithe. You don't give your tithe, you pay your tithe. You owe that to God. Some people get, oh, I got the stimulus package, I'll just give the tithe off the stimulus package on vision offering and call it my vision offering. You might end up dead, Ananias. Don't lie to God. You owe your tithe to God. This is something you do willingly. And look, I want you to know this, and I want you to understand this. Next week, we'll be taking a vision offering, and I don't want, and God doesn't want, anybody to come to this building and give unwillingly. And look, I'm being very honest with you when I say this, and I hope you understand my heart. I'm not trying to say this in an arrogant way. Sometimes you say things and they don't sound the right way. But look, if you're not giving willingly, we don't want it. My God doesn't have to beg. The Bible says our God, he's gonna meet our needs. He can supply our needs according to his riches in glory. And look, here's what I'm telling you. I'm just telling you, I hope, I hope, as you've been coming to Verity Baptist Church, that you do not feel like we've manipulated you or tried to guilt you or tried to somehow force you to give. That's not the case. In fact, if you don't wanna give, we don't want you to give, and we're not mad at you. It's something that you should do willingly. It should be a choice you make. Second Corinthians chapter nine, look at verse seven. Every man, second Corinthians chapter nine, verse seven. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart. So let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth the cheerful giver. Not doing it grudgingly means you're not doing it with a bad attitude. So please understand this, when it comes to giving, so why are we taking special offering? Because we gotta build physically. Why are we building physically? Because we wanna build spiritually. Why are we building spiritually? Because we don't want hell building up anymore. We wanna build up in heaven. But if you're gonna participate in our giving, we want you to know it should be done willingly. And if you're not willing to do it, please don't do it. We won't be mad at you. There's not gonna be something list somewhere. The Bible says that God loveth the cheerful giver. I said, number one, giving should be done willingly, cheerfully, number two, giving should be done sacrificially. Second Corinthians chapter eight, you're in chapter nine, flip back to chapter eight. We'll do this quickly, because I'm running out of time. Second Corinthians chapter eight, look at verse one. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. How that in a great trial of affliction, Paul here is talking about the church in Macedonia, they were going through a very difficult time, a great trial of affliction. The abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. That word liberality would be our word generosity. Look at verse three, you say, Paul says they were very generous people. Even in a great trial of affliction, even in deep poverty, they abounded unto the riches of their generosity, their liberality. You say, what'd they do? Look at verse three, for to their power, that's their ability, that's what they could do, I bear record, yea, beyond their power. Say, what is that? That's called sacrifice. They were, notice, don't miss it. They were willing of themselves. See, when we give to God, it should be done sacrificially. Paul says to their power and beyond their power. Sometimes I read Paul and I think to myself, Paul, you're such a preacher. You know how people, you know, as a pastor, you start to learn, after 10 years of doing vision offerings, you start to learn how people think. Here's how most people think, and if this is you, I hope you'll change this. Every week before the vision offering, I come to our church family and I say, would you forget about whatever you thought you were gonna give and just ask this week, Lord, what would you have me to do? Because here's what I know, here's what we do. We announce the vision offering. All the way in January, we announce the vision offering. Some of you, all the way in January, you're like, oh yeah, I'll give, I'll give $332, or whatever, you know. Some people, $332 is a lot of money. For some people, it's nothing. I'll give $50, you know, you get that initial, to their power, what I can do. But see, what you can do is not really sacrificial. He says, they gave to their power, I bear record, yea, and be on their power. They gave when it hurt. And again, they were willing of themselves. Something they chose to do. Look at verse 13. For I may not, 2 Corinthians 8, 13, for I may not that other men be eased and ye burdened. Paul says, I'm not trying to burden some people while other people take it easy. He says, verse 14, but by an equality that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, notice that there may be equality. You say, what does the apostle Paul say? Here's what Paul's saying. Paul's saying, when it comes to giving sacrificially, we should give equally. And you say equally, here's what that means. We're not looking for people to give equally. Because different numbers mean different things to different people. Some people, giving $300 to the vision offering is really going to their power and beyond their power. Some of you lose $300, you don't even notice it. So when we're talking about giving, we're not talking about giving equally as far as the amount, but what we are talking about is that we would all sacrifice equally. That we would all sacrifice equally. He said, I don't want some men eased while other people are burdened. So when we talk about giving, we should be giving, it should be done willingly, and it should be done sacrificially. It should be equal in sacrifice. Not equal in amount, equal in sacrifice. Because for some people, giving certain amounts is no big deal, and for some people, giving certain amounts is a big sacrifice. We're not talking about the amount, we're talking about the sacrifice. And look, here's the truth, only you know that. Go to 1 Chronicles 29, if you would. Keep your place in 2 Corinthians, we're gonna come right back to it. 1 Chronicles 29, 1 Chronicles 29, you find the one and two books in the Old Testament, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 1 Chronicles 29. Every year, some of you know this, you already know it's coming, but that's fine. Every year, when I preach on the vision offering, when we take our vision offering, every year my wife and I choose to let our church family know what we're committing to the vision offering. We do that for a couple reasons. Number one, because we want you to know that we're invested in this church just like you are. We're not asking you to do something that we're not willing to do. Number two, because we want you to understand that we are gonna do what we can to give to our power and beyond our power. And we wanna set that example for you. Now, here's the thing, and I've said this every year, I don't think it's good for people to go around talking about how much they're gonna give to the vision offering, I don't think you should do that. In fact, you'll lose your awards. In fact, every time I do this every year, I think to myself, well, man, there goes my rewards for the vision offering. But I'd rather do it and help you know we're in this with you, and we're not just asking you to do something and we're not doing, and the problem with telling you what we're giving is for some people, you'll think like, wow, it's an amazing amount, and other people will think like, that's it? But I will tell you this, my wife and I have thought about it, we've talked about it, we've prayed about it, and for us, it is absolutely to our power and beyond our power. This year, my wife and I are committing to give $2,000 to the vision offering. That is what we can do. That may not be what you can do. For some of you, you could do way more than that, and many of you will do more than that. For us, it's a sacrifice. And look, we understand there's stimulus checks and all these things going around, and we get all that, and honestly, I didn't plan that. We do the vision offering every spring, God planned that. God did that. But I will tell you this, we've got bills just like anybody else's bills. I mean, we just had a $1,000 bill that came out of nowhere that we weren't expecting, and I was just kind of this thing where my wife's like, hey, we gotta pay this thing, and I'm like, well, I don't know how we're gonna do it, and then Joe Biden answered our prayer, so. You know, I'm just telling you, we've got things in our house that need to be fixed. We've got cars that are falling apart. We've got places we can spend the money to. I'm just telling you, we want to get invested in the work of God. So you should give sacrificially. I'm not asking you to give $2,000. What I am asking you is that you would take time to pray and ask, Lord, how could we give equally in sacrifice? Number one, giving should be done willingly. Number two, it should be done sacrificially. Number three, it should be done proportionally. 1 Corinthians 29, I want you to notice 1 Corinthians 29, because throughout the Bible, you find these special offerings being taken for buildings. We saw in Exodus 35, Moses taking a special offering to build a tabernacle, and 1 Corinthians, excuse me, 1 Chronicles 29, we find David taking a special offering for the future building of the temple. This is a very biblical thing. 1 Chronicles 29, look at verse 11. I love, this is probably my favorite passage in regards to giving in the entire Bible. I show it to you every year at Vision Offering. And look, if you're visiting this morning, we don't talk a lot about money at Verity Baptist Church. In fact, you could come the next 52 weeks and probably never even hear it mentioned unless it's in the passage we happen to be studying. But once a year, we have a special vision offering. You just came on that week, God ordained that, maybe you're a millionaire and God knew it, I don't know. 1 Chronicles 29, look at verse 11. Notice what David says. He says, thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. That would be a good way to start your prayer when you pray about the vision offering. Hey, Lord, I wanna pray to you about what I should give for the vision offering, but let me just say this. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and power and glory and victory and the majesty. Notice what he says. For all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Then he says in verse 12, David's taking a special offering here. He says, both riches and honor come of thee. You know what David said? He said, Lord, everything I have and everything I am, my riches and my honor, my wealth and my reputation, both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand is to make great and to give strength unto all. David says, whatever strength I have, whatever greatness I have, whatever success I have, whatever money I have, Lord, I acknowledge that it came from thee. Verse 13, now therefore, our God, we thank thee and praise thy glorious name. Notice verse 14. But who am I, and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? You know what David's saying? Hear what David's saying. Who am I that God would allow me to partake in a ministry like Verity Baptist Church reaching people for the gospel of Jesus Christ, changing lives for all of eternity? You say, ah, here comes this vision offering. We have to give again. Look, if that's your attitude, I love you, but don't give. It's not, ah, here comes this vision offering. It's, hey, we get to partake in the work of God. Who am I that God would allow us to be part of a church like this that would reach people, that would change lives, that would help people, help these young people be raised in the glory of God? He says, but who am I, and what is my people that we should be able to offer so, and again, please don't miss the word, willingly. After this story. Then he says this, my favorite part. For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. Here's what he said. Hey, everything I have came from you, God, and when I give back to you, I'm just giving back to you from what you gave me. So who am I to think that I'm making some big sacrifice? For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers. He says, we're just pilgrims on this earth. See, sometimes you talk about money and people get all, you know, upset. You say, why is that? Because where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Some of you are too invested in this earth. You get all upset when you start talking about money. You're like, ah, yeah, you're so invested. Hey, don't forget, we are strangers. He says, verse 15, for we are strangers before thee and sojourners. He says, we are pilgrims. This world is not my home. I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. I'm not laying up treasure on this earth. Our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding. He says, here's what David says. He said, I'm not gonna stay here very long anyway. Everything I have, you gave me anyway. So let me just go ahead and invest it in the work of God. Verse 16, oh Lord our God. He says, all this store that we have prepared. It's talking about the funds they're raising to build. All this store that we have prepared to build thee and house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand and is all thine own. When you realize that everything you have came from God and that you're not gonna get to keep any of it, look, Steve Jobs died. You know how much of his riches he took with him? None of it. Every rich person that dies, we should give proportionally. We should give based on how God has blessed us. Realizing that every blessing I have came from God. The Bible says that it is God who gives you the power to get wealth. So God's blessed us much. We should sacrifice much. We should give much. Let me give you a last one. Let me finish up. First Corinthians, second Corinthians nine, if you would. Second Corinthians chapter number nine. When it comes to giving, we should give willingly and sacrificially and proportionally. But let me just say this, second Corinthians chapter nine, verse six, we should give expectingly. You said expecting what? Expecting God's blessing. You know that you cannot outgive God? God will not allow you to outgive him. Now look, I'm not turning into Kenneth Copeland up here and teaching you a prosperity gospel. I'm not saying, hey, you give God $100, he's gonna give you back a thousand. That's not in the Bible. But I am telling you this, when you give to God, God will give back to you in the forms of blessings. It may be financially, but you know there's some things that are more important than money? You know, I gave to the vision offering last year and God, I'm just as broke this year as I was last year. But maybe God's blessed you with your health. Maybe God's blessed you with your children. Maybe God's blessed you in a relationship. There's some things that are more important. See, we take these things for granted till our health is gone, then we're like, man, everything that a man had, right? That's what Satan said. He'd give for his health, give for his children. I'm not saying God's gonna bless you financially. He may, if he chooses to. I'm not promising you that, but I am promising you this, that when you give to God, God will bless you. Second Corinthians nine, verse six, but this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly. Here's a modern way of saying it. If you're cheap with God, God will be cheap with you. And he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Go to Luke chapter six. We'll finish up in Luke chapter six. While you turn there, I'll read to you Proverbs 11, 24, and 25. There is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat. God says this. When we're generous, he'll be generous with us. And again, I'm not telling you God's gonna make you rich, or God's gonna bless you financially. He may, but I am telling you this. He will bless you. He will bless you. Luke chapter six and verse 38. We'll finish up right here. The Bible says this. Give and it shall be given unto you. Luke 638, give and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together. And running over shall men give into your bosom, for with the same measure that ye meet with all it shall be measured to you again. God says, look, you take the measuring cup. I mean, I think we'd all say, God, will you bless me? And God says, sure, I'll bless you. How much you gonna bless me, God? He said, well, you take the measuring cup. He says, with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured unto you again. He says, you take the measuring cup and you decide to give. He says, give and it shall be given unto you again. And then when you take that measuring cup and you give, then God says, I'll pick up that measuring cup and I'll stuff it with blessings. I mean, look what he says, verse 38. Give and it shall be given unto you. He says, I'm gonna take the measuring cup, look at the last part of verse 38, for with the same measure that ye meet with all it shall be measured to you again. He says, I'm gonna take the measuring cup, but the difference is when you take the measuring cup and you dip into your finances, you're like, not a grain more, not you, that's enough. And you pour that into the oven, God says, I'll take that measuring cup, he says, and I will give unto you good measure. He said, I'm gonna make sure I get a good scoop. Then he says, press down, he says, I'm gonna press it down. I'm gonna shake it, make sure there's no air bubbles there. He said, in fact, when I give it to you, it's gonna be running over, but it'll be your measuring cup. God blessed me, sure. How much? Pick up the measuring cup. I'll make sure it's running over, God says. I'll make sure there's no air bubbles. I'll make sure it's pressed down and I'll make sure it's good, but it's gonna be your measuring cup. Because he that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly. He that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. My wife and I, we don't have a lot of money. If you see where we live and see what we drive, I think you'd know that. But we're highly blessed. We're highly blessed. So what can we do but give to God? In fact, sometimes we feel like, who are we that God would allow us to be part of his work? This week, as a church collectively, we will get to pick up that measuring cup. We will get to give to God. I pray, I pray that you would take time this week and ask God, how could I give willingly, sacrificially, proportionally, expectingly, expecting the will, the blessings of God upon my life? Say, why do we have to build physically? Because we wanna build spiritually. Why do we wanna build spiritually? Why do we wanna have a building project on earth? Because there's a building project in heaven. Aren't you excited? I go to prepare a place for you, Jesus said. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also. In my Father's house are many mansions that there's a building project in heaven, but you know what, there's also a building project in hell. Hell hath enlarged itself, the Bible says. So we must build on earth. Let's bow our heads in our word of prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you for this church. Lord, I don't know of a more generous group of people than the people that I get to preach to every week. These people are generous, they love you. They give of their time, they give of their talent, they give of their treasure. But Lord, I pray you'd help us this week. This will be a busy week, for my family and I will be traveling and doing all sorts of work all week long. And I know that they'll be busy. There'll be things going on in their lives and things they've got to do, and I understand that. But Lord, I pray you'd help all of us to take some time to pray and to ask, how could we give? How could we participate? Not equal giving, but equal sacrifice. And Lord, I pray you'd help us. Pray you'd help us have a great vision offering this year. Pray that your work would be done, that your work would go forward. We love you in the matchless name of Christ, we pray, amen.