Making Room—December 8, 2024: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:01 In Luke 2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with mary his betro who was with child and so it was while they were there the days were completed for her to be delivered so they tra they had to travel because of the census at the time mary and Joseph she brought forth a son son her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was say that with me no room for him in the end and so the king of kings the Lord of lords maker of heaven and earth came to the world and there was no room for him in the end and so Jesus was placed in a manger a place where animals eat and again the king of the world the maker of all things was in a trough where animals.

▶ 1:07 Eat our humble Jesus. Amen but this also has a spiritual meaning in 1 Corinthians 3:16 we’re reminded that do you not know that you are the temple of God that the spirit of God dwells in you. And we must understand and realize that we’re not just evolved from nothing we’re not just particles put together we were created by God and we were created for a purpose every human being that breathes on this planet has the potential to be what the temple of God and you can go to different countries you can see billions of dollarss spent on temples you can go to places in asia where they have historical landmarks and these beautiful uh uh places where the temples are in different parts vietnam and china all different kinds of beautiful uh historical places you can go to the mecca they have spent billions of dollars on that temple you can find more more temples and places but God again he wants to dwell in.

▶ 2:36 Us in you so this morning if you feel yourself. Insignificant or you feel that you are not worth anything God would disagree with you big time. Amen you are of more value to him than a hundred billion dollars than a temple built that is beautiful you are more valu than to him than the seven wonders of the world. Amen you are the temple of God you are his prize he’s we are called his inheritance 2 Corinthians 6:12 you are the temple of the living God God has said I will dwell in them and walk among them I will be their God and they shall be my people now this quotation mark here is taken from the new covenant which is expressed in Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

▶ 3:36 Uh the Old Testament came the the law from Moses came and later on in the prophets the prophets started to tell us about a new covenant and part of that new covenant is that he will be our God and we shall be his people and Paul here in Corinthians is saying that that is the fulfillment us being the temple is the fulfillment of that new covenant promise the new covenant is very important it’s a new promise it’s an unbreakable promise that God has made with. Us and as I said earlier we are made in the image of God and we have great potential we are made and fashioned to have Christ dwelling in. Us Psalms chapter 91 verse 9 bless you because you have made the Lord your dwelling place no evil shall befall you nor shall any plague come near your dwelling and see it’s so important the terminology and how things are spoken in the scriptures we have to make a choice because means that for this reason you have made the Lord your dwelling place you made a choice you made God your dwelling.

▶ 5:01 Place now no evil shall befall you nor shall any plague come near your dwelling and so it won’t happen by accident you won’t just grow up in this world and all of a sudden be the temple of God or be the dwelling you have to make God you have to invite him and we’re going to understand that more here in just a moment and there is a blessing when we make room for Jesus in our schedule in in our budget in our hearts as the scriptures say the best thing that we can do the greatest thing that we can do is love the Lord our God with all our heart all our soul our mind and strength and God is asking us if we’ll make that choice. Today he is also asking us have we made room for him in our lives.

▶ 5:57 A big time thing for adults is time have we made room for God in our schedule are we prioritizing his word are we prioritizing prayer and taking time to have one-on-one time with God are we taking time for his church. Growing letting God grow us remember we’re lik into a vineyard we’re lik into a tree that’s we’re we’re like that we are a church we’re an assembly. And so we’ve got to make space for him in our daily life in our wallets we have to decide if we’re going to support the church to advance the gospel and invest in God’s. Work are we making room in our ego our pride.

▶ 6:53 In whatever age you are some older people are setting their ways young people are still deciding but we have a lot of pride we have a big ego that keeps us from surrendering and submitting to. God we think we know better than God the world is out there and they are encouraging you that you know better than God they’re feeding that thought and that uh idea in your mind that you know better than God and so that’s where pride comes in and that’s where we have to think have I made room for God in my ego. Amen how many of get how many of you made room for God in your pride and in your ego it’s. Hard you have.

▶ 7:47 To lower your pride you have to remove your ego and the more you do the uh as the scriptures say the humble the pride oh what is it what is it somebody give to me pride goes before a fall oh some that the humble will be exalted what what is it the proud pr before destruction pride comes before destruction hotness all right but I was I was thinking of a different one sorry thank you humble yourself follow his word and stand for. Truth in our conduct have we made room for Christ. His word is meant to change our behavior it’s also meant to change what comes out of our mouth Jesus when he’s saying love Lord your God with all your heart soul mind strength he’s talking about what do you how do you talk to God what is your behavior toward God very important have you made room for him in that area have you made room to loving your neighbor the the people closest to you your family it starts with your family.

▶ 9:03 Parents spouses. Children how are we treating. Them and then how are we treating people we don’t. Know have you made room. In your heart to let God change your behavior from. Sin so let’s clear the clutter and make room for God in our lives in 2 Kings chapter. 4 Elisha the prophet after Elijah Elisha was after. Elijah he would pass by a city called shunum and there was a woman there with her husband and she would offer Elisha food and say here here’s some food I want to take care of you I know you’re a man of God and and uh just you know she’s trying to put out some good you know good feelers.

▶ 10:05 Right and she said to her husband wait look now I know that this is a holy man of God she knew I don’t know how who passes by us regularly and she says let us make a small upper. Room let us put a bed for him there a table a chair a lampstand and so it will be whenever he comes to us he can turn in. There and so they had to add a room to their home and we might say to ourselves we have no room for God you don’t understand I don’t have any room I don’t have time I don’t have this I don’t have that there’s no. Room but these people they built a room.

▶ 11:01 Amen they made a space and so can we it takes some effort you have to gather the materials you have to come up with a plan you have to build step by step it takes time but you have to start somewhere and God will accept you where you. Start. Amen do you know what I’m referring to you can start tomorrow by taking a few minutes each day and opening up the scriptures and reading them you can start with one chapter you can start with five minutes you can let go and and genuinely talk to God in prayer you can spend five minutes in prayer and then spend five minutes reading his word you know you got to begin somewhere. Right start. Somewhere and when you begin to pursue God and make space for him in your life you’ll see it work.

▶ 12:04 Out and also sometimes it’s not just about adding on uh we have these big buildings but everything’s just packed to the brim you might have to start sacrificing some things. Amen habits distractions or comforts. It’s also important to understand that this woman she built the room for Elisha to stay as long as he needed she provided all kinds of things for him to stay she uh sometimes we make a closet for God hey get hey I got a closet for you get get in. There get in that I’ll call you when I need.

▶ 12:57 You right and God’s like I I can’t where what do I do he wants to be out he wants to be in the room with you he wants to be involved amen we are he is our betroll we we we’re supposed to spend time with him when you get married don’t kick your husband into the closet. Immediately you spend time with each other right. So how big is our room for God do we just want him to take part uh this other part or will we accept him and include him in the whole house you see this woman says whenever he comes to us he can turn in here she wants him to stay do we want God to stay do we want him to dwell and it’s not going to happen by.

▶ 13:57 Accident we have to uh you notice here that as we have said before you have to reach out and grab God right Jesus was walking on the water and he was going to pass the disciples Jesus was walking with the men on the road to emmas and he was going to walk past them but they stopped him and here this woman saw Elisha walking by and what did she do she stopped him and invited him see Jesus isn’t going to force himself in your life we have to invite him you’ve got to invite him into your time you got to invite him into your pride he can help you with your pride he’s still dealing with my pride is he still dealing with your pride.

▶ 14:51 Yes it takes a lot of time. Amen Matthew 12:43 when an unclean spirit goes out of a man he goes through dry places seeking rest and finds none and then he says I will return to my house from which I came and when he comes he finds it empty swept and put in order and then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter and dwell there the last state of that man is worse than the first and so it will be with this wicked. Generation the point here is that if a demon leaves a demon-possessed. Person if you leave your if a demon-possessed person leaves their house empty the evil spirits will come back you know you can get delivered from demon possession but you’ve got to fill it with something good now amen it’s not just about getting rid of it you got to bring somebody else in your house that’s going to benefit you and who is that person Jesus Christ.

▶ 16:00 Cuz they’re going to try to get back at you right and it’s not necessarily being possessed by devils but maybe the Satan has influence in your heart and in your mind and if you don’t put God in place of those things if you don’t put God in your heart and his influence in your life Satan’s trying to on the other side Satan’s trying to compete right he wants to come in he wants to be in charge he wants to get your house dirty and also your flesh wants to get it dirty. Amen and it’s important to understand that we’ve got to put on a daily basis our God in our dwelling I encourage you this morning don’t leave your temple empty.

▶ 17:04 2 Kings 4:11 one day he turned into the upper room and lay down there this is Elisha going to uh the woman and he said to gesi his servant call this woman and when he called her she stood before him and he said to him say now to her look you have been. Concerned have we been concerned about what God wants for us with all this care do we care about Christ do we care about what he. Wants what can I do for. You this is Elisha talking now he’s the prophet but here he’s an example of Jesus and he’s saying now what can I do for you let’s say that together what can I do for you.

▶ 18:00 See God cares about his people do you want me to speak on be on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army so this woman showed care for gesi and for Elisha and he says since you cared for me what can I do for you so when we approach God we want him to act on our behalf to bless us to help help us and fix our problems yet we’re not willing. To obey his word to thank him to give him. Glory in 2 Corinthians chapter 5:15 says that Christ died for all in first John 2:2 he is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world and Christ has made room at the cross for us for.

▶ 19:07 Everyone in 1 John 2:1 he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world we must understand that Christ has done a work he has done something for the whole world he has made room for the whole world to receive. Him and that death on the cross that resurrection that he did is available to everyone and it is passing them by it is passing us by and we’ve got to decide whether or not we’re going to reach out and take hold of it John 14:2 in my father’s house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for who for you for us. Don’t you want a place.

▶ 20:00 Man the car for Jesus the uh everlasting wonderful counselor he’s a carpenter in heaven and he’s making. Places I want a place my address is 24 uh heavenly. Street what was. That I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there may you may be also where I go you know and the way you know so God has made room for us through the cross yet many reject it because Christ calls us to repent to confess to follow. Him and today we can be filled with the presence of God or we can feel the presence of God during worship I felt the presence of God I always feel the presence of God when because we’re praising God up here when I get up here I praise God and I feel the presence of God but that’s not enough we can enjoy the fellowship afterwards and we can get our bellies filled.

▶ 21:12 Right but if we reject the living God and his word we’re not going to grow and we risk losing our place with. Christ and if you think of Elisha the the couple who welcomed Elisha they could have said ah I know that guy just keep walking you see the road you keep keep going on. There and we can say the same thing to. God and it’s going to affect our behavior it’s going to affect our lives when we don’t invite Christ make room for him in our lives and the other question before I move on from here is do we know who Jesus is talking to in my father’s house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you who is.

▶ 22:19 You is it every human. Being he’s speaking to who his disciples. And so you got you got to that’s why the word of God is so important you want to remind yourself Jesus is always reminding us he’s brought all of these stories down to one book and they can constantly remind us hey I want to be I need to be a disciple I need to be one who not just believes but somebody who is obeying and following cooperating with. God. Amen because want that 24/7 heavenly street. Place and so are we welcoming God into our lives or are we saying no more keep walking don’t miss out Jesus Revelations 3:20 behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and dine with him and he with me see this goes along with uh being God’s dwelling place right he wants to dwell he wants to abide he wants to talk he wants to dine he wants to spend time and it says that he comes to the what door and he.

▶ 23:46 Knocks I mean gosh he even comes to the door and he knocks you know he’s not just passing by the door hey nice place over there he actually comes com and he. Knocks but again he’s not going to force his way in he is not a thief who’s the thief. Satan Satan is the thief behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice opens the door I will come in dine with him and he with me do we want Jesus to come into our hearts do we want to spend time with him you see when you pray when you come and you worship on the Sunday morning when you go home you know you can worship you don’t have to wait till Sunday do you know you can hear God speaking to you through his word you don’t have to wait for me to share this you can go to the book you can go to the Bible.

▶ 24:50 And Jesus through the weekies we you got ring cameras now right you press the ring camera ding who is that guy. Again keep walking and then you turn keep walking mister get out of here no. Solicitors and we treat Jesus like a solicitor I already told you to leave me alone. That’s the tough part about living in America we’re very comfortable right in other nations where you’re not so comfortable you need you you got to call on. Somebody but we’re so comfortable in America that we think we don’t need God and it’s not true we need him just like everyone.

▶ 25:51 Else and you’ll find that he can heal you body soul and spirit your mind. If you would invite him in and speak with him and also like the woman did she not only invited him in but she made a place for him to be and cared for him isn’t that wonderful do you hear that example this morning caring caring for the church caring for one another caring for Christ hey what does God want in my life how can what does God for want for my future does what does God want me to speak and say does he care about what comes out of my mouth what comes out of my mouth is it. Good but he’s.

▶ 26:47 Knocking and I just want to point out uh that in our other examples I I just realized here you know there’s other stories where he’s walking by he’s just going by and you got to reach out and grab him but here he’s coming to the door my goodness he’s coming to the door that’s a wonderful thing he’s trying to say hey I’m here I love. You and you literally have to push him away you have to ignore him you have to neglect and we we can do. That and God is asking us this morning what is our reply to Christ what is our reply to his knock it’s very simple in Romans chapter 3:23 we’ve all I I know you’ve heard all this.

▶ 27:38 Before it starts with understanding that we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God understanding the wages of that sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ 1 John 1:9 it says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness so we understand these steps step one is understanding that your sin the wages of that sin the result is death and hell we don’t want that and that’s what Jesus is so wonderful for right he’s that gift and if we are willing to confess open the door he is faithful and just to forgive us he’s a faithful man you called Jesus the cleaning man not that you’ve heard of the cleaning lady this is the cleaning man he is better than mr clean. He showed up to the door and he’s got a bunch of things to clean your house.

▶ 28:34 Amen he’s got the best products he’s got the spray he’s got the mop he’s got the he’s got like a a power washing. Machine if we’re willing to invite him in you like you think said I don’t want a power washing well you need a power washing machine cuz you come in and it stinks in here something is dying and rotting and dead in here you need somebody to come in and wash you and that is the Lord Jesus. Christ Acts 2:38 Peter said to them reent let every one of you be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy. Spirit it’s very simple repent just means turning away from these harmful behaviors.

▶ 29:29 Getting baptized is important it’s your commitment to Christ and it’s also when God comes in and he starts to change your conscience and affect your conscience and we need a new. Conscience and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit now that you’ve repented you also need to put something good in you right you we need to fill our temple with the right thing and that is the spirit of God and so as you go about your daily life you can take time to and say God I want your Holy Spirit in me I want the spirit of God in me because you’ve got to understand the spirit of Satan the spirit of sin the spirit of disob all kind all those other spirits they want to get in.

▶ 30:35 The thief wants to get. In right the thief wants to get in the house and he wants to what. Steal kill and destroy another scripture says that the they have to bind the strong man of the house first if you’re the only person Satan has to to to fight against he’s not going to have a problem especially if you don’t have God he’s going to come in and be who who’s this wuss he’s going to take you out but when you have Jesus in your temple when you have the spirit of God Satan’s going to be like I better turn. Around he’s not going to touch your door just like. Uh the night when the death of Passover the angel came what happened that angel could not touch those houses that had the blood.

▶ 31:42 Amen I know that I’m talking a lot about this example but I’m trying to show through all these scriptures that they’re they’re meaning the a very um it’s a powerful thing that that God is trying to share with us through this example. Amen Luke. 9:57 as we get ready for communion this. Morning they said let me first go and bury my father let me first go and bid farewell to those at my house uh some people ask what are your accommodations what kind of place do you have for me to stay is it uh fstar hotels or fourstar cuz I only do. Fourar uh these little bubbles here says I would but but uh but I can’t because because.

▶ 32:40 I’d be there. If and so we have a lot of excuses when it comes to following Christ when it comes to responding to him. And God is challenging us this morning and he’s inviting. Us as the whole message was saying to make room for Christ in our hearts in our lives again in our schedule even right right now at this. Time how do we respond. We are. Hungry we are.

▶ 33:33 Hungry we are hungry for more of you we are. Thirsty oh. Jesus we are thirsty for more of you let’s sing it together we are. Hungry we are hungry. We are hungry for more of you we are. Thirsty oh. Jesus we are thirsty for more of you Lord I want more of you living water rain down on.

▶ 34:25 Me Lord I I need more of you living breath of life come and fill. Me we are. Hungry we are. Hungry we are hungry for more of you Lord we are thirsty oh jes Jesus we are thirsty for more of you.

▶ 35:12 When taking communion in 1 Corinthians 11:28 says let a man woman child son daughter whoever you are let a man examine himself and so and let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup but at this time we want to examine ourselves we want to sit down take a moment and ask God to search our hearts is there any wicked way in me just say Lord God I pray Lord Jesus is there any wicked way in me search my heart oh God just say that to God search my heart oh God search my heart oh God. And let’s let the Holy Spirit speak to us this morning let’s invite him and just pray let’s pray together right now and ask that the spirit of God would speak to us Lord God we lift up our voices together Lord we pray Jesus God Lord that you would come Lord Jesus and show us Lord the wicked ways in us Lord God so that we can bring them before you Lord Jesus we pray God Lord that you would search our hearts God that you would dig out Lord the things Lord that are affecting us Lord Jesus please Lord we pray God search our hearts oh Lord.

▶ 36:36 Jesus thank you Jesus thank you. Jesus and he took the bread in 1 Corinthians 11:24 he said take eat this is my body which was broken for you do this in remembrance of me and Romans 125 says that we are being many are the one body in Christ and individually members of one another and so this body is so important because it represents Christ it also represents the church. Amen so before we take this bread together will someone please lift up their voice and pray for the bread 1 Corinthians 11:26 whenever you eat eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the lord’s death until he comes Jesus said in read letters that this cup is the new covenant in my blood it’s that new promise that new promise that he will give us a new heart that he will put his spirit into us cause us to walk in his ways that he will be our God and we will be his people that all shall know him from the least to the greatest this is his new covenant powerful.

▶ 37:58 That our sins and our iniquities he will remember no. More first John 2 says if anyone h sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ amen will someone please lift up their voice and pray for the cup this morning lori would you play pray please. We lift our Holy hands. Up we want to touch. You we lift our voes higher and higher and higher to you let’s lift up our hands.

▶ 38:52 Together we lift our holy hands hands up we want to touch. You we lift our voices higher and higher and higher you. Lord we are. Hungry we are. Hungry we are hungry for more of you we are. Thirsty oh. Jesus we are thirsty for more of you Lord more of you more of you.

▶ 39:53 We lift our h holy hands up we want to touch. You we lift our voices higher and higher and higher. You again let’s lift our hands we lift our holy hands up we want to touch you Lord oh God we lift our voices higher and higher and higher to you Jesus Lord we lif our holy hands up we want to touch you.

▶ 40:52 Lord we lift our voices. Higher and higher and higher to. You Lord God we thank you for this opportunity to touch you to reach out Lord God we commit. God Lord Jesus to making room more room for you in our lives do you agree with that this morning let’s take a moment right now just commit lift up our voices and telling him what we are planning to do Lord Jesus to come before you this morning God Lord God I commit Lord Jesus to making room making more room in my life for you Jesus Lord to redeeming the time Lord God Jesus Lord of putting your word above my own Lord Jesus Jesus oh Lord oh Lord I pray enable me equip me Lord for every good work Lord Jesus us to pray this morning God Lord I commit to you commit to you Lord Jesus thank you Lord Jesus thank you Lord.

▶ 42:07 Jesus and since we are the body if there’s somebody this morning I’d like to pray for Miss Winston in the back uh if anyone else needs prayer but uh Martha will you please put your hands on Miss Winston and mia and we’re going to lift up our voices together for Miss Winston where she’s at and pray and if there’s anybody else you can come down to the carpet if you want prayer this morning with the church the body wants to pray for you this morning and ask that God the king of kings would.

▶ 42:40 Come let’s pray and lift up our voices together Lord God we pray for Miss Winston this morning Lord we pray as the body Lord God we ask Lord Jesus that the king of kings the Lord of lords Lord Lord you’re the great physici you’re the maker of all things God in you all things are held together and consist Lord Jesus we pray Lord God for your favor we pray Lord for your healing we pray Lord Jesus we ask God Lord Jesus that you would help her body soul and spirit Jesus Lord God we lift her up in prayer right now God Lord that you would touch her Lord Jesus Lord God we pray this morning Jesus Lord you had compassion on that group on that multitude God Lord you had compassion on them and you heal healed all they’re sick God we pray Lord God have compassion on us today Lord have compassion Lord Jesus God we pray Lord Jesus your by the power of your hand by the power of your word power of your truth by the power of the spirit of the living God Lord we pray please for your healing Jesus Jesus Jesus Lord.

▶ 43:52 Jesus and in closing let’s just pray for one another just reach out to the person next to you and let’s pray and ask that God would transform our hearts that God would come with that spirit Lord God we pray for one another right now Lord Jesus we reach out to our neighbors God we pray Lord God please God that you would soften our hearts Lord God that we would have humble hearts toward you God we pray Lord Jesus Lord for a new heart God Lord a tender heart our heart is willing to hear a heart that is willing to listen a heart Lord Jesus that can hear the spirit of the living God Lord we pray Jesus for that heart we also pray that you put that spirit in us God we pray Lord God that we would not hold our breath Lord Jesus we pray Lord God please that we would answer that door that we would invite you in Lord Jesus God I pray God that you would stir your stir it up in us oh Lord God that we would constrain you that we wouldn’t let you go by God Lord that we would reach out into the road where you’re walking and God that we would drag you into our homes God that we would invite you into our homes where we are God that we would reach out and touch you Jesus Jesus Jesus please Lord we pray for your people this morning God Lord we pray for your church oh Lord God make us a new people make us a new people Lord Jesus Jesus Jesus heavenly.

▶ 45:25 Father Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus. Jesus we are. Hungry we are. Hungry we are hungry for more of you we are. Thirsty oh. Jesus we are thiry or more of you. Somebody please lift up your voice in closing in. Prayer amen hallelujah. Amen as we take up the offering let’s sing the song together go tell it on the mountain over the hills and and everywhere go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born while shepherds kept their watching or silent foxs by night behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy.

▶ 46:50 Light go tell it on the mountain over the hills and everywhere go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born oh that Jesus Christ is born oh that Jesus Christ is. Born those online we want to thank you for joining us we trust you heard the word make room in your heart for Christ make room in your life for Christ God bless you.