Sunday 3rd May 2015 - Jesus Is In The House - Brian Nish

JESUS IS IN THE HOUSE INTRODUCTION (Mark 2v1-12) Before I speak about ‘Jesus Is In The House’ I want us to be clear that the house I’m talking about is not just bricks and mortar! In the New Testament, individuals are called ‘a house of God’, and another name for the church is ‘the house of God’ THE HOUSE OF GOD 2 Cor 5v1-2(NASB) – For we know that if the earthly tent, which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, For indeed in this house we grown, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven… Eph 2v19 & 22 – Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit 1 Tim 3v15 – I write that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God Heb 3v6 - …but Christ as a Son over His own house - whose house we are - if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end 1 Pet 2v5 – you also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ 1 Pet 4v17 – For the time has come for judgement to begin at the house of God • I am a house of God (as an individual) • We are a house of God (the church) • We live in houses made of bricks and mortar • God’s house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (Mark 11v17). Prayer was a top priority in the New Testament church, and should also be for us today. Now that we know that individually and corporately we are a house of God, and we live in houses made of bricks and mortar, I want to speak about ‘Jesus Is In The House’ JESUS IS IN THE HOUSE (Mark 2v1-12) V1 – It was heard that Jesus is in the house • Therefore anything can happen • At Ffald-y-Brenin ‘Jesus is in the house’ Cars coming up the driveway/people encountering God in the field/amazing healings etc - all because ‘Jesus is in the house’ • Imagine Jesus in your house? Not just ‘by faith’ – but by ‘His manifest presence’ John 14v21(AMP) – The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who really loves Me; and whoever really loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and will show, reveal, manifest Myself to him (I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him) John 14v23 (AMP) – Jesus answered, If a person really loves Me, he will keep My word and obey My teaching; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him (our abode, special dwelling with him – i.e.Live in the house with him!) Jesus wants to manifest (reveal) His presence to YOU and live in YOUR HOUSE (Your heart and home) Therefore, if you will meet His conditions – love Jesus and keep His word – He will do it V2a – People will be drawn to His presence and they will come • Ask Jesus to manifest His presence in your heart, home, and church, so that people will be drawn to Him V2b (VOICE) – Still more people pressed forward to hear Jesus teaching the message of God’s kingdom • The message of the kingdom of God is one of the most, if not the most, important teaching in the bible Jesus in the Gospels Jesus in Acts 1v3 -…being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God We are told in Math 6v33 to ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ Jesus taught His disciples to pray in Math 6v10 ‘Your kingdom come’ The next few verses are actually about the kingdom of God advancing in a person’s life V3-5 – Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men • Here we have ‘Intercession’ ‘Intercession’ means ‘to stand in the gap on behalf of another’ These four men were standing in the gap on behalf of their friend • They were absolutely committed – opened up the roof and lowered their friend through They wouldn’t give up until they brought the need of their friend to the notice of Jesus • When Jesus saw ‘their’ faith He said to the paralytic “Son, your sins are forgiven you” The words spoken by Jesus went to the root of the problem and brought salvation and healing • Jesus came as Immanuel – ‘God with us’ – and He’s still ‘with us’ today, because the Holy Spirit now makes the presence of Jesus manifest So that we can intercede and speak the word, to bring salvation and healing to others V6-7 – And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this…?” • Sadly, there will always be people who will criticise and mutter at what Jesus is doing • Spitting and putting mud on people’s eyes is pretty unorthodox??? But we need to decide if ‘religious behaviour’ is more important to us than having ‘Jesus in the house’ Remember, God’s ways and thoughts are much higher than our ways and thoughts (Isa 55v8-9) V11a – I say to you, arise • We need to ‘arise’ and ‘waken up’ to who God is – and who we are • We need to make every effort to ‘rise up’ above sin, hurt, sickness, and circumstances Recognise that people need Jesus and there’s a world to change But the kingdom is here - and Jesus is in the house V11b – Take up your bed and go to your house • What’s ‘your bed?’ What is it that’s ‘held you?’ Sickness, brokenness, failure? Is your history one of sickness and defeat? You can turn your history around – because Jesus is in the house You can now ‘take hold of it’ and ‘rule over it’ You can now ‘rise up’ and keep ‘the bed’ under your feet • You can then help others with compassion by telling them about ‘your bed’ and how Jesus redeemed and healed you from the ‘inside out’ V12 – Immediately he arose, took up his bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so they were all amazed and glorified God, saying “We never saw anything like this!” • I would imagine that the paralytic was asked often over the years “How come you’re healed?” “What happened?” I’m sure his reply would have been something like “I was brought to a place where Jesus was in the house – and I received healing – because when Jesus is in the house anything can happen!” CONCLUSION • I believe that Father God wants us to show that we REALLY love Jesus by keeping and obeying His word (written/prophetic)) more and more • He wants all of us, individually and corporately, to know the manifest presence of Jesus, in our hearts, homes, and church Remember John 14v21 (AMP)…I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him • Because when ‘Jesus is in the house anything can happen!’. Therefore, when ‘Jesus is in YOUR HOUSE anything can happen to YOU and through YOU!’ • And people will hear what Jesus is doing – and they will be drawn to His presence - and they will come