2 Samuel 7:1-17 on October 20th, 2024
Above is audio of the sermon pulled from the video and amplified.
Below is transcript pulled from the video and formatted by artificial intelligence. There may be inconsistencies or errors.
David wants to build God a house. Yes, that David. After the youngest son of Jesse's unlikely ascension to King, David moves the royal residence to Jerusalem. He also moves the Ark of the Covenant, yes, the same one from the Indiana Jones movie, to its new capital. It is then that David decides to build a temple, a home for God. And of course, building a temple is what kings of the time did early in their years of reign. And at this point in the story, David has become famous and powerful, the Goliath battle and other military victories add to his renown. He is God's chosen, God's anointed one, and he is at the top of his gain. All of this is before the Bathsheba, Yoraya, Lusting, Lying and Murdering thing, though.
So David suggests that he can build a temple for God, a permanent place for God to stay. In short, David wants to build God a house. And at this point, I can't help but compare with our upcoming sanctuary renovations. And while it's not exactly the same thing, we plan to renovate and renew this space so that we can grow in worship and welcome. We seek to create a place where we're all can feel at home just as David desired a place for God. We want this space and the design to fit how we worship today and have flexibility for the future.
Since this space was built in the late 1950s, though the way that we worship and the flow of our services have changed, that the core remains the same mind you, but how and when we do things has evolved over time. There is much more involvement from non-pastures in the worship service. Every week we have assisting ministers and lecturers and more participate in some sort of way. And while I know accolades were part of worship way back, when we look forward to the new ways that they can support worship in the future.
Our choirs and handbells need a little more room. Background noise. Oregon and Piano and brass groups and string quartets, those require more flexibility than what we have now. We share the Lord's supper each and every week as often as we gather, which is a start change from the once a month or once a quarter even kind of routine. This space was not built with weekly communion in mind. with an inaccessible to many rail and an altar that was tucked far away, narrow walkways and awkward patterns for distribution. Not to mention, people's personal space bubble has expanded over the decades, requiring a little more room. So thank you to our middle of the Pew sitters.
Generations have found this space wholly. It's a place to come and worship. And we want to enhance that for now and for the next generation with beauty, flexibility, awe, functionality, and flipping the sanctuary around and having that backdrop of Jesus shining a table and on a rail that are accessible to everyone, not just those who can climb stairs, a music area that gets John out of his hole and places choirs and musicians at instrumental locations in worship. While the plans aren't perfect and the changes won't fix all of our problems, it is inspiring and exciting to think about what can be and how glorious this space will become.
And I'm sure David thought the same thing. However, rather than respond with approval, God gives a rather sharp retort through the prophet Nathan. Are you going to build me a house to live in? God explains that never has God had a temple, not with Israel's ancestors, not in the Egyptian captivity, not through the Exodus. God reminds David that God is still with them in tents, in the pastures, among their battles, wherever you went. God has not contained to a mere building. God's presence has been active for generations without building a temple.
So are we in trouble? Does God not want us to renovate, repurpose, build? Should we abandon all of our plans? Should we abandon this building altogether? Well, let's dig in a little bit and see what God is really saying and then maybe try to understand where all this is coming from.
David isn't the one giving God a gift by building a house for God. We're not trying to appease God by making a new sanctuary. Rather, it is God who's going to give a gift to David by building in him and through him a different kind of house that is a dynasty, a succession of leaders who will guide God's people in the ongoing covenants with God. God will establish a covenant forever through David's lineage, where God's faithfulness and steadfast love will be guaranteed. The kingdom will be established forever.
And God reminds David that physical houses are not the core of who God is. God is way more than a mere building. God is faithful to the promise. God gives steadfast love. God gives forgiveness and grace and welcome. God gives a holy kingdom. And this promise to David brings hope to future generations. And of course, when you pull that thread long enough, in Jesus, David's air, we see God is faithful to the promise. In Jesus, God gives steadfast love. In Jesus, God gives forgiveness and grace and welcome. In Jesus, we see the fullness of God that invites all of us to dream of God's reign. In Jesus, God brings the holy kingdom where we all come and find refuge. And in Jesus, God's promise brings hope to all generations. Bring hope to those future generations.
And that, our Christian best is what we are called to do. It's much like what those who came before us did for us. Someone who came before us welcomed us into this community. They gifted us with this building that has served thousands of people over the decades, a place to come and be reminded of our faithful God, providing us hope in our God. And that is our calling. That is our aim. That is what it is all about pointing to the God who loves us and welcomes us, no matter who we are or where we are on our journey.
These building renovations support that goal, but it won't happen well. Some sacrifices on our end. Some of our wandering in the wilderness, a little bit of fellowship hall worship, alone to take on and pay off in time. But God is faithful. Faithful to Israel, faithful to us, faithful to the promise, to provide for us in covenantal love.
So if we build a house for God that points to who God is, a God who is faithful, a God who is awesome, a God who gives hope and welcome, then I think God is all for it. So let us build a house like what is described in our opening home. Let us build a house where God's love can dwell, where all God's children dared a dream of God's reign surrounded by symbols of grace. We're going to be a house where water, wine, and wheat turn this space into a banquet hall where the love of God through Jesus is revealed in time and space, we're all are welcome. All are welcome. We're all are welcome in this place. Not because God will only be here, but because here we since God's presence. Here God feeds us, God forgives us, and God sends us out. Sends us out to reflect the love and grace of God every single day of our lives. Amen.