The House of the Lord

4th Sunday in Advent - December 18, 2005

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

When we think of David in the Old Testament we think of a great king. A man who did wonderful and marvelous things. David, and his son Solomon are thought of as the greatest rulers ever to have sat the throne over Israel.

As a child, David killed predatory animals that attacked the flock of sheep which he was shepherding - lions, tigers, bears - oh, my. As he grew older, but still a youth, he came out to bring food for his brothers visit them as they served in the Israelite army. The army and God were being ridiculed by the Philistine’s champion, so David went forth and killed Goliath, their giant warrior.

He soon became king and the nation of Israel prospered under his leadership. In fact, there was peace in the land at the time of this incident related to us in the second book of Samuel. Israel's enemies were either defeated or were cowed into submission.

Each of us have many accomplishments that we could look upon and be proud. Pauline has been working on making a quillow in her spare time, it is a single sized quilt that can be folded and tucked into itself to become a pillow. I cannot even fold it correctly to form the pillow once it is made, much less make one. I wish she’d do more counted cross-stitch; she does beautiful work. Many of you may not know it, but she made my stoles, the ones I wear at Zion, she cross-stitched the intricate designs depicted on them.

There are others in our midst who can claim ownership in the labor that erected the building in which we worship today. Another's claim may be to have been an athlete of some renown. Still another received high honors academically. Still someone else holds a job of some notable esteem - maybe of a high wage bracket or of some authority and power.

Each person here has some claim to fame. There is something that we have each done that we can look upon and be proud of, it is our accomplishment. Some have trophies, others have pictures, but all have memories.

These great accomplishments in our life are wonderful. They are important to our self-worth in the society in which we live. This, however, can lead to problems as it did with David. David knew of his greatness and we know of his great love for his God, but sometimes he forgot who made who.

You and I are also tempted to, and sometimes do, get caught up in our accomplishments. While we may have a great love and respect for our God, there are times when we confuse the two and who made who.

There was a man who was very wealthy. He was a man of great power and influence. There were many that worked for and under his command. One day, this man saw a woman, a very beautiful woman. Greatness and power blinded him and in the heat of passion put his great resources to the task of discovering her name.

Upon discovering this woman's name, he went to her, as he knew her husband was away on business. You see, the husband worked for him. In going to her they found each other's company pleasurable and they committed adultery.

From this adulterous liaison, the woman became pregnant and told the rich and powerful man. He arranged to have the man spend a romantic evening with his wife so that the pregnancy would appear to be the husband’s, and the adultery would be hidden. The man did not; he didn’t think it right to enjoy his wife’s company while the rest of the men he worked with were still stuck far away from home and the company of their wives. In other words, he had too much honor.

So, the man of wealth and power schemed to have the husband killed so that it would appear an accident - he sent him back to his task, where the accident would take place. This accident would leave the woman without a husband and he then would console her and take her as his wife.

All went as planned and this man of great power took the woman unto himself as his wife.

Sounds like a modern day soap opera, does it not? This is the story of God's great king, David and the woman Bathsheba. David, God's chosen king, commits adultery with Bathsheba, lies to cover up his sin, and then commits murder.

Despite this all, God forgives David, smiles upon him, and makes him a great king. He is forgiven for this sin because of his offspring - the Son of David - Christ Jesus our Lord.

In our text we see this mighty King chosen by God, seek to build his name greater, by the building a marvelous temple for his Lord. He could have said, “See what I have done because of my love for God?” It would have been a pointed at his own accomplishments.

God deigns to speak through the prophet Nathan, to David, His servant. He reminds David that it is the Lord who makes David's name great, and not the other way around. God tells David that He will establish a house for David, and that He will provide a place for His people - Israel.

Yes, despite the fact that David was an adulterer and a murderer, God chose him and built for him a great name. In spite of David’s wicked sinfulness, God built for him a house that will last forever, David doesn't build a house for God.

What exactly does "house" mean? We are not talking about a split-level ranch or a duplex here, we are talking in deeper terms than that. House is family - lineage - descendants. It sort of goes along with the carrying on of a family name.

House in terms of God language is also the temple. David's line will be used to build God's house, the temple. In the temple, sacrifices took place. These sacrifices were offered on behalf of the people, to God, to make atonement for their sinfulness - to make full satisfaction to appease God’s wrath against sin.

Jesus Christ was born of the lineage of David. He was David's offspring. Christ also calls Himself the temple. Jesus is the High Priest who gives Himself as the sacrifice to make atonement for the sins of all mankind.

Israel had many nations as enemies, nations that tried to kill them, enslave them, and oppress them. But, the greatest enemies of the Israelites, and of David are sin and death. The Lord promised to give rest to David and Israel from all their enemies. He promised that they will have a place in which they will no longer be disturbed - either by physical enemies, nor by sin and death.

This Christmas we will celebrate the completion of this task. For in the birth of Jesus the foundation of the Lord's house was begun. Christ Jesus Himself is the chief cornerstone of the house God builds for David. It is through Christ that the throne of David is established forever. Jesus is the temple, and because of His perfect life, He became the perfect sacrifice.

Before Christ’s Advent, sacrifices needed to be repeated again and again to make atonement. Christ Himself is the sacrifice once - for all - for all time. He becomes the temple for there is no longer a need for temple to continue. No more sacrifices are necessary.

Through Christ's death, there is victory - victory over sin, death and the devil. Through this victory, Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. David's kingdom lasted for His lifetime, David's kingdom as established through Christ is eternal.

This eternal kingdom is the house about which God speaks in the prophecy through Nathan, to David, in our text. It is a house not built of brick, stone, wood, or mortar. Instead, this is a house built and established by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

This is a house of the Lord where we gather for worship, that is true. The greater house of the Lord is built wherever He establishes faith. You and I are all part of the Lord's house. We are all built upon the chief Cornerstone, Christ Himself. God's builds this incredible house with a number of tools.

Baptism chooses and calls out of the world, those who will be made part of the house of God. Through baptism, God works faith that forms them and molds them to fit in the building of the house.

God's Word is the means by which God mortars each brick in place, strengthening the faith that bonds the house into one whole structure.

God causes His name to dwell in His house and He physically visits those who make up that house and gives them to eat and drink of His Body and Blood. That meal delivers the blessings of the sacrifice that made all further sacrifices unnecessary.

God gave greatness to David's name and established David's house. Your house and your name have also been made great because your name is written where none can erase it. Your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Your eternal home is the House of the Lord. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place there for you and awaits your arrival.

This Advent, remember that the day is soon approaching when He will return and take you home with Him and establish you in the Lord's House forever. God promised through Jesus to give you a home where you will no longer be disturbed by our enemies, a place where you will be at peace and can rest.

You belong to the kingdom established for you by Jesus, that Babe born in Bethlehem. He is the king that will be spoken of in our children's program and the One promised to David through Nathan, the One who would establish David’s house - the House of the Lord.

That house of the Lord is your home, your dwelling place forever. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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