215 ~ EXILED CITIZENS

Hi and welcome to the Via Zion Sermon Podcast.

We are a local church based here in Chennai, India.

We are so glad you are with us and hope that this will

encourage, inspire and instill fresh faith in you.

We believe that everyone of us are exiles here on earth while

our citizenships are in heaven. How we live while in exile

matters a lot to God. Do we live with prayerful hope

and joyful expectancy? Let's hear God's word to us and

allow Him to guide us into an abundantly peaceful and

purposeful life. I church such a joy and a

privilege to be bringing God's word to you today.

Even as we step in into hearing what God has to say from His

Word, I believe God is doing and then something through us, even

as we've just coming after a couple.

Of weeks after the Easter. Sunday, two weeks back, we heard

Tina speak specifically on how God deals with us in this new

season, that he's taking us into spring rain, which means there

are some old roots and attachments that we have which

we need to let go even as we step into this new season.

And even as I was meditating, God took me to the.

Book of Ezra. And as many of you know that

you're already in the season of election in the next entire

month, a little more than a month and a half.

And as you're going through that, I was just reading through

the book of Ezra, Zechariah and Haggai and all that.

And I was just seeing that the way in which people entered into

this land of. Exile that God was.

Leading them into and it was. Purely because of the.

Disobedience, and we see that. God was still God.

And even as they were under different rulers over a period

of time, and even today as we take some time to meditate on

God's Word, the title that I've given my sermon today is Exiled

citizens. We are citizens of heaven.

We are citizens of the true king.

Even as we celebrate Easter, there's only one Kingdom that's

everlasting, and we are citizens.

Of that because we've accepted. Jesus into our hearts.

But we are. In a sense, living in.

Exile 'cause we are here. In this temporary world,

different countries, different citizenships and all that, but

we are under some form of exile here.

We're living in this world and we're not.

Of this world. And so with that frame of

thought, I just wanted to take some time for us to meditate and

see what. God has to tell us.

We see from the book. Of Ezra that the people were.

In exile, and the king of Persia occupies Babylon.

We see as a people. Who are there in exile?

God has a deep. Calling over their life that

remnant few, He wants them to go back and build the temple and

God moves the heart of the king. And it was a reminder that even

as we especially are in this life, temporary life here on

this earth when we are in exile. It's.

God who moves the hearts of people around us.

It's not us, it's not our doing. It's God in His might can move

the hearts of people who don't know His name.

Who are? Against us for some reason who

are against us probably because of the information that they've

been surrounded by, what they've listened growing up.

And this is. Where we see.

God having a distinct assignment for the remnant.

He uses the mouth of the King to in fact.

Decree what he? Wants his people to do.

But even before that. Even when Jeremiah was actually

telling the people. That they had to go into exile.

There was an. Assignment that God gave even in

their fallen state, even as he knew that they had kept

disobeying him, they did detestable things.

They didn't honor him. They desecrated his temple.

And even before they went into exile.

This is what Jeremiah. Tells all those who are.

Heading in and some of the verses that we are appearing in

this, we already probably know. We've claimed it here and there.

But I believe. When we read it in its entirety

context, God is giving us a mandate even when we are in

exile. Jeremiah, chapter 29, verses 4

Jeremiah 29:4–14

to 14. Says.

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of.

Israel says to all those. I carried into exile from

Jerusalem to Babylon. Build houses and settle down.

Plant gardens and eat what they produce.

Marry and have sons and daughters.

Find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage

so that they too may have sons and daughters.

Increase in number there. Do not decrease.

Also seek the peace and prosperity.

Of the city to which? I've carried you into.

Exile, pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too

will prosper. Yes, this is what the Lord.

Almighty, the God of. Israel says.

Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you.

Do not listen to the dreams. You encourage them to have their

prophesying lies to you in My name I have not sent them,

declares the Lord in verse 10. This is what it says.

This is what the Lord. Says when 70 years are completed

for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to

bring you back to this place, for I know the plans.

I have for you and. Declares the Lord plans to

prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope in the

future. Then you will call on me and

come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me. You will seek me with.

All your heart. I will be found, declares the

Lord, and will bring you back from.

Captivity, I will gather you. From all the nations and places

where I have banished you, declares the Lord, and will

bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.

And this got me thinking many a times today in 2024, when things

don't go our way, we immediately go into this mode of not doing

anything. We immediately go into this mode

of you know what, shutting the doors and just saying, you know,

I want to be all by myself. Yes, God and the fallen state of

our nature is always to, you know, close up, and in fact we

see that in the Garden of Eden when God.

Actually dealt with. Adam and Eve, he sent them out

of the garden. He, you know, gave them clothing

because. He had.

They had to. Cover their shame, but even as

they went out, he said, you know what?

He sent them out and they. Figured out they had to live out

the. Curse that was on them.

That man had to till the land to bring vegetation and other

things. Eve had to undergo childbirth.

Pains of. Childbirth.

And so as we see, all that there is.

Pain. Associated with exile there is.

A sense of suffering. Associated with exile.

There is a sense of losing freedom.

You're not in your own land. You you have that as one which

you're trying to. Figure out God.

Why? Is this happening to us?

Do we deserve this? But God's also gracious.

And so today in our. Exile.

What is God? Wanting us to do as we did in

Jeremiah, he said build homes, settle down, plant gardens, eat,

find wives, increase in number, seek the peace and prosperity of

the land, pray to the Lord. There are these instructions

that are given so. That we will.

Look to him in our exile and not to others around.

And so today, in our exile, are we looking around to find out?

What the future holds? Or are we looking around to know

what what's going to happen in the next couple of months?

Are we looking to because of many?

Of course. Today, if we are not.

Careful, our surroundings will control even when we are here on

this temporary assignment on this earth, when we're in exile

and God saying I want to come back to a place, in fact with

Israel going into exile 70 years later when he's bringing them

back. There was a physical place where

God. Wanted to meet with them.

God wanted them to come to a place so that later when they

come, that they're not coming, you know, in smaller numbers.

They're not coming disabled. They're not coming, but they're

coming as a prosperous nation back.

So that through the people. Remnant who came back.

He will be able to. Come.

Into this earth so that we'll be able to experience Jesus.

Here on this earth. God has a.

Divine plan. There is a plan for Him to

redeem us. There was a plan when he had

kept us in, when we had sinned and when he had moved out of the

Garden of Eden. Even at this time, when he's

sending them into exile, he's sending them there.

But he's saying pray to me but also keep doing what?

You're called to do there. So today, even as we are

entering into this, you know, phase of elections and all that,

as we don't know what the outcome is, may our eyes be on

Jesus. May our eyes be on Jesus.

May our eyes. Be to the God who has.

Created the heaven and earth. Maybe pray to him because he

wants us to still keep doing what He's.

Called us to do. And even as I meditated on this,

I realized. There are two key.

Things in which God takes the background and our doing becomes

the forefront of all of this. Especially we are in exile, even

as when we are reading, you know the stories.

Of. Israel leaving Egypt and coming.

We see. As we are reading an.

Exodus the the. Turmoil in which they were

being. Tasked this the heavy yoke.

That was on them. But it's interesting that when

they come out into freedom, even as you're walking through the

wilderness to the promised land, they always recount the food

they ate. They recount.

The the way they live their lives, that they.

Recount having a permanent. Roof over their head, God.

Saying and reminding us, do you want to live in freedom where

you'll experience? The the fruit of the land.

Or do you want to live in the freedom where you know that your

sins are forgiven, that you belong to the King of Kings and

here is temporary? So, God, what is my assignment

here on this earth? Because.

God wants. Today to set us apart.

We are citizens of heaven. You're not citizens.

Of this earth we. Belong to a country.

We all have a nationality. We all have a country of origin

but our eternal. Purpose is that we are.

Citizens of heaven, if you've. Accepted Jesus Christ.

As a Lord and personal saviour. And so when we're in.

Exile here our eyes. Have to be looking different and

we see here the first thing. That God draws our heart is to

his altar. When God we are.

Exiled to God's altar. We are not exiled.

To the prosperity of the. Land we are exiled to.

God's Altar. Ezra Chapter.

One verses one to four in the first year of Cyprus, King of

Persia in order to fulfill. The word of the Lord.

Spoken by Jeremiah the Lord. Moved.

The heart of Cyprus, King of Persia, to make a proclamation

throughout his realm and to put it in.

Writing this is what. Cyrus the King.

Of Persia, says the. Lord, the God of heaven has

given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me

to build a temple for Him at Jerusalem and Judah.

Any of his people. Among you may go up to Jerusalem

and Judah and build the temple of the.

Lord the God of Israel. The God who is in Jerusalem, and

may their God. Be with.

Them and in any. Locality where survivors.

May now be living the. People are to provide.

Them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with

free will offerings for the temple of the Lord.

So even as we. Read this, we see that.

God moves the heart of the King for his purpose.

God moves the heart of the king. God gives favour.

And so today we. As.

People who are being exiled, you know we are in, living in.

Exile, we will have that. Same favour if we see.

God, if we see God. In Jeremiah.

As I read all that it says, pray to the Lord for it, because if

it prospers, you too will. Prosper and I believe when we

start praying for the lands. That we are part of for the

cities and the states that you're part of.

We will have that undue. Favor that.

We do not even need. To have because God is.

Working in our midst, those permissions would come.

Those things that need to be accomplished for His purpose

will come. God will make it to.

Pass, but will you? And I come to a place of saying

God. Let your will be.

Done and let not my will be done, because when God moves

certain things, nothing can be shaken.

All that. Glory will go back.

To him in Ezra chapter three we read this when the builders laid

the foundation of the temple of. The Lord, the priests.

In their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites with

symbols took their. Places praised the Lord as.

Prescribed by David, King of Israel.

With. Praise and Thanksgiving they

sang to the Lord. He is good, his love.

Toward Israel endures forever and all the people.

Gave a great shout to the praise of the Lord, because the.

Foundation of the House of. The Lord was.

Laid but many other older priests and levites and family

heads who had seen the former temple wept aloud when they saw

the foundation of the temple being laid, while many.

Others shouted for joy. No.

One could distinguish the sound. Of the shouts of joy.

From the sound of leaping because the people made so much

noise and the sound was heard far.

Away what we read. Here happened is the fact.

That the. Foundation stone is being laid,

we see. That Joshua who's?

At that point, the high. Priest Zerubabel, who's?

Coming in to govern the entire thing, Start laying it, and then

they start. Singing praise.

And even, as I mentioned, we are.

Exiled to God's altar, the. Importance is the fact that.

The altar has to. Be the central theme when God

brought them back, the first command he made.

Was to build their altar. And today, the first command

that we. As his followers have is to

build his. Altar in our own.

Lives today as Jesus. Walked on this earth, he said in

three days. This I will destroy this.

Temple and the temple. Will be resurrected.

He was. Talking about himself and today.

We are his. Temple, as we've accepted him

into. Our hearts He resides.

In us so if God brought the remnant out to.

Build the altar first and. Gave him the command.

Specifically to build the altar. It's because he.

Wanted them to have a. Place of worship.

That place of worship is. Where we meet with God in the

time that they were living in. They had to offer sacrifices.

There was only one group of people who could.

Do that the. Levites and we see today.

As the redeemed, we all have access to God.

Directly the whale is stone, and so even as a whale is stone, are

we having an altar? Where we take?

Everything to God many a times the altar that we've built today

in 2024. Is.

We've removed all the sanctity around the altar and we've made

it. So casual that we fail to

approach God solely. Concentrating and saying God,

you alone is what we need. There are so many distractions.

Today, if I have to ask you, what are those?

Times when you actually call on to God, are they intentional or

are they ones where you just. Say God.

Just come through and you just leave it and go.

Are you pursuing because God wants to meet with?

You at that altar place? God wanted Israel to come back.

To their first. Love, God is asking us to come

back. To that place of altar.

Yes, we are in exile. Yes, we have someone else over,

you know, governing us. But our eyes are on the King.

And he says, the more you cherish me at this altar, the

more I'll be able. To speak to you.

And one of the drawbacks about going back to the.

Altars, we can always go back to the old.

Framework, we see it. There were many who are actually

living beyond, you know, way before when they saw the old

temple, and they are probably weeping and saying that was the

former glory. But God's.

Telling you know. What?

Is happening now is what is important.

You're coming back. Redemption is happening now.

We live in our moment. Today we are worshipping our.

God now no longer can we take refuge in the saying, you know

what, back in 10 years back I was worshipping God with all my

heart now. What is God?

Doing right now. Are you able to worship?

God, even in the midst. Of all the hardships.

You're going through in the midst of your loneliness in the

midst. Of your struggles.

In the midst of the despair, in the midst of the.

Grief are you able to are you able to worship God because if

your reference. Point is, going back, you will

never. Be able to see God for.

What he is now. We need to worship God for.

Who he is now, because then we'll be able to move into the

season that God. Has.

If God wants us. To be creating these spaces

where we will be able to have our altar.

That's why it's so important. How do we?

Engage How do we worship God? Today?

We worship. God by reading His.

Word, because His word helps us to.

See God and we start glorifying Him.

We see Him in different, different buckets.

We see him as a Redeemer, as a king, as a.

Father as a shepherd. As our true companion.

We see the Holy Spirit who opens up a whole.

Different arena of the different attributes.

Of God for us to. Hold on to, but are we going to

the altar? Because that's what God wants

us. To do if you.

Read in Ezra chapter three, we see the people around.

These the newly people. Who had come in from the

remnant, who had come in to build, started exercising, you

know, and pushing them around and, you know, bullying them and

you're not trying to get them to intimidate them.

And it says in. Esau chapter three was in

despite the fear of the people. Around them they built an altar

on its foundation and sacrifice burnt offerings of it.

To the Lord both. The morning and the evening,

they just built an altar. At that point.

But they wanted. To give God the.

Glory. And today it's in our.

Altar where we allow fear to go far.

Away it's in that. Altar where we dispel every.

Dart the enemy is trying to do. Yes, people around will.

Look at us people. Around will mock us.

People around will be like ridiculing us.

But Lord, I'll go. Back to the altar.

I'll go back to the altar. Because that's where I need.

I see you. That's where I find you.

That's where I know that you are with.

Me today are we crippled by the fear of.

People being around, are we unwilling to do and obey?

Because of the fear that's. Surrounding us.

That's why we need Jesus today in our lives.

That's why we need the Holy Spirit, he said.

I'm sending you a helper the. Helpers with us so today,

wherever it is. If it is in your.

Office where you struggle. Build an altar there.

Build an altar there. Altar.

Is where you. Are at this moment you can build

it right there. Take it into the areas where you

need him the most. Don't leave him outside and try

fighting these battles alone. Take him in, build an altar,

throw everything that is not of him right there.

So today as a. Response to building that altar

is one of unadulterated. Worship, you know we.

Just saw the news. Nestle apparently is mixing so

many grams of. Sugar with your cell lack.

And everything. And that's why a lot of kids are

eating it and we see. It is God's.

Asking for an unadulterated. Worship What is the?

Song That's God asking you to sing.

What is your posture of worship? That's why I, I I.

Struggle when I see people who don't have when they look at.

Worship as. Something they have to put up

with. No worship is God you?

I'm not even worthy to be here. They want worship.

To be comfortable so they they even struggle to stand up.

They struggle to lift their hands.

They struggle to. You know.

Showcase God. This is what?

You mean to me? We've come to what is

unalienated. Worship is.

I don't worship. Only when I like the song I

worship because I'm worshiping the King and God saying would

you worship me? At the altar, don't worship.

Everything else that makes the. Altar worship me.

And for a long time in the, I think more than a year, this

imagery has always been there of worship for me where I go to the

altar. I lay.

Everything there and say Lord, whatever I'm having today here

on this. Earth is because of you if I get

to have a wife. If I get to have my kids, if I.

Get to have things that I. Value the most I lay.

All that at the altar, because all these.

Take my affections. I laid at the altar.

But my eyes may be lifted to you and may not be on the altar.

May I not be concerned about all?

That I lay there, Lord. And God is wanting that kind of

a worship. From him.

As Exiles, can we worship him like that?

So that we will be able to say Lord.

Irrespective of what's happening around, you are still seated on

the throne. You are still Lord.

And King fear will not be anywhere.

Close. Fear will not be anywhere.

Close we see. That in the season as the people

around, they bribed, they made sure that they didn't work.

They made sure that they didn't. They were not able to work.

They made sure they. Wrote a letter which states that

these are the people. Who will revolt against you?

So don't give them the permission.

To do this. We see time and again all these

things rise up to a point where the king says, you know what,

let's, let's stop. And for the next 16 years, they

stop building the temple. And I believe when opposition

comes, we still need to look to God.

We still need to look to God. We need to have a posture.

And we see the next point when I'm going into that somewhere in

this opposition, they took it. They took a step back.

They said God. They didn't.

They didn't see. God, because if they had sought

God, God would have. Given them clarity, God would

have given them breakthrough. But God raises another person

called Haggai to. Speak.

And the second thing that we see is when we are exiled, God wants

us to be committed to his body. And what does that?

Look like we see that. When the when the existing

remnant who went. Failed to do what?

God had called him to do. He raises.

Up Haggai. And Haggai says this in the

second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth

month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to

Zerubabel son of Shiatil, governor of Judah, and to Joshua

son of. Zodiac the High Priest.

This is what the Lord Almighty. Says these people, say the.

Time has not yet come to build. A house.

Lord's House. Then the word of the Lord came

through the prophet. It Is it a time for you

yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while the house

remains a ruin. Now this is what the Lord

Almighty says. Give careful thought to your

ways. You have planted much but not

but. Harvested little you eat.

But never have enough. You drink, but you never have

your fill. You put on clothes, but you're

not warm. You earn wages only to put them

in a purse. With holes in it.

And as we. Read this we see.

That somewhere when opposition came, they stopped praying.

When opposition rose, when those letters went out, they stopped

seeking God, and God had raised up another.

Prophet Haggai to go back. And instruct them and we see

here. It's obvious because Haggai is

talking. From a place of seeing where

they are at in the next 16 years, that they have built

houses, they have settled themselves.

Yet the House of the Lord lies in ruins.

And why did God care much at that time for the temple to be

built? Because he wanted his people to

worship Him. With all that they had.

And so today you and I are in the same position.

But God wants. Us to go back, go back so that

we'll be able to. Worship Him not in silos.

Worship Him not in, you know. Oh, I know.

Jesus, I I'll. Just keep it.

No, He wants us to worship him in community.

He wanted God wanted to. Gather the people around.

Obviously would have been content with the altar, no?

God starts with the altar. And he moves us to forming a

community. So that we will be able to live.

In unity, in spite of our differences, we come together.

Today, if you have to look at the church as we gather here.

We are in different shape, different sizes, different

language, different colour, different backgrounds, different

different in India, if you'd say different caste.

But at the end of the day, we all come together under one

single denominator. Followers of.

Jesus, and I believe in today's sermon, if I have to put it,

let's say citizens of heaven, because we've acknowledged Jesus

Christ as Lord. And so today, why is?

This important Why is God calling us to come together in

exile? In that time, God raised up and

Haggai to say bring them so that they'll be able to.

Do this together so that they'll be able to read scriptures

together so. They'll be able to meditate.

They'll be able to grow, they'll be able to fulfil.

What God has in store. If God is about.

Building today in 2024. If each of us are.

He's raising up to build different altars if he's calling

us to set up our own altars. He is calling us to build it.

To have that intimacy with Him. But when we come together, we

are building His Kingdom because in the grand scheme of things.

We are a larger body. And God wants us to move

together. We will miss out on what God's

doing globally if you're sitting alone.

We will miss out on what God's doing globally if you're just

confined and not keeping our eyes open.

God wanted. The people of Israel to.

Experience the glory that comes down when they all gather and

worship and at that time when they worship was a messy affair.

Sacrifice the trumpets blowing together.

They all lifted, it says. That even as they were wailing

and crying and worshipping at a distance, it just heard as

noise. They couldn't.

And that's. A beauty about worship.

And we gathered as community. For some, it's a joyful time.

For some it's a time of crying. For some it's a time of

reconciliation. For some, it's a time of

forgiveness, but at the end of it?

That's what worship looks to. God.

It's not one unison of everything.

It is worshipping God. The Father God the.

Son, God the Holy Spirit, and it sounds.

It might sound like noise to us. But to God, it's worship.

That's what I've come to understand.

It might sound like noise to. Us, but it is worship.

And so today, if you and I are having are unable to build our

own altars individually, we will never respond.

We will never succeed in responding to the true.

Call of what's God is. Calling us to build.

Together because it's in this. Places of intimacy with him that

he reveals why we need. A corporate body.

Today I came, I mean one of our church members who was with us

before and now has moved to another city.

Used to use this world. Called.

I'm a corporate. Slave.

You know, he used to use one even as I was writing on my

sermon. I just realized the word

corporate Excel today. What is if?

If you have to just find out what that meaning was, it's

usually used to describe employees who work beyond their

job description, who sometimes are are under punishing

conditions, and today if you're not.

Careful the world. Will put us under exile.

We the call and mandate for us as a Christian.

Is that we have eternity secure, but we are here.

Temporary, which means. That everything that we do here,

we do it faithfully, really well, so that we are.

Ready for eternity when we look in a worldly way.

We'll see that there are. So many ways in which.

We might feel like exiles which which are of our.

Own doing. We are probably our death

situation, probably our relationship issues, probably

the way. Things have happened around us.

A lot of it could be the consequences of us and God

saying, can you invite me even into that?

Because I can change that right here.

You don't have to come to heaven to experience it, but I can

bring down heaven here on earth and today.

A lot of us are. Struggling in that same space to

say, God, I'm struggling to give you control, but he's saying.

Allow. Me to bring allow me to enter in

allow me to enter into everything.

If you're in debt. I'll teach you contentment so

that you'll be able to overcome debt if you're struggling your

relationship. I'll teach you how to.

Hold on to me and how to forgive and you know, a bit discerning

so that you'll be able to sustain relationships if you're

unable to, you know. Be successful.

In Who you are, I'll give you the strength so that you'll be

an overcomer. You'll exercise self-control.

So as we compare. Our lives God's.

Calling us to be a Christian exile.

So that we will be. Dependent on his Lordship, we'll

be dependent on him. We'll go to him alone and no

one. Else we will seek.

Him alone and no one else, and so as much.

As we are. Striving here on this earth to

make sure ends are met, to make sure things are happening.

We should also realize that the God that you.

Worship has to be invited into everything that we do because he

reigns over everything. He controls everything.

Paul writes this to the. Philippine Church in

Philippines, chapter 3, verse 17 to 21.

Brothers and sisters together follow.

My example and observe those. Who?

Live by the pattern we gave you, for there are many of them who I

often told you and now tell you, even with peers who live as

enemies. Of the cross of Christ.

Rejecting and opposing his way of salvation.

Whose fate is destruction? Whose?

God is their belly, their worldly appetite.

Their sensuality, their vanity, and whose glory is in their

shame, who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things.

But we are different because our citizenship is in heaven and

from. There we eagerly await.

The coming of the. Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who, by exerting that power which enables him even to

subject everything to himself, will not only transform, but

completely. Refashion our earthly bodies so

that they will be like his glorious resurrected bodies.

So today, even as. We saw we are exiled to God's

altar. We are also exiled to God's

body, you. Can't discount any of these.

Two. The two.

The the couple of things that we see from the Philippine.

Passage that we read is. We need to identify what are

some of the things that will cause us to move away from this.

The first thing is we see is we. Will be If you're not careful,

we can subtly. Become enemies of the cross.

What is that? We will.

Suddenly say God this Christian life is too much, I want to just

ditch it right now and just. Be left alone.

So that's why we suddenly have a lot of.

Skeptics, we have people. Who are like, you know what?

This Christian faith doesn't make sense.

Suddenly you have these questions.

Oh, we worship this God. So only so only bad is

happening, God is. Sovereign.

God doesn't owe us any explanation whether.

Good or bad, has to. Happen.

Gordon promises that he's. Created a world where.

There'll be no war. He created mankind, who

eventually end up having war. He created mankind who ended up

bringing sickness into this world.

He ended up creating mankind, who became the problem.

So it starts with us. And so he's saying be.

Careful of those who will. Be enemies of the cross because

they will say you know what a good God won't want?

Won't do bad things. And that's very it's a.

Very narrow understanding because we think a good father

will only mean good. But a good father also corrects

a good father also. Disciplines a good father.

Also allows his child to. Find his way with even if it

means his son has to go through an hardship and come out.

So. Today, maybe be people who.

Realize that this person who's. Talking to me is an enemy of the

cross. I pray for them, but I won't

allow that to influence me the 2nd.

We see is the the things that will distract us.

The things that will distract us from the altar and from his body

are. It says here the God is their

belly. You know today if you look with

the amount of. Eateries that have.

Happened even with the rise of Swiggy and Zomato and food

coming to our doorstep. We are so caught up.

In, you know, in making. Sure, our bellies are filled.

In making sure our appetites are filled, in making sure our food

is presented such a way, making sure the ambience of a place

matters to me so much. So much that it's become an

idolatry. It's so much that it's become an

idol in itself. So much that we make sure that

we are meticulous about planning and spending time and being

there and doing all that. And even as I see this point

about the food being. More like a God.

Like an idol. Is because today.

We have given so much. Time, effort are.

We are only. Worried about that?

We are. So bent on pleasing.

Ourselves about that. That has become the central to

be in fact, discount people who we don't want to.

Eat with because of. The fact that they don't

appreciate this kind of food. But if?

Food. Is going to be a tool for us to

start. Conversations to build

relationships to make sure our conversations go down deeper.

The water line goes. Deeper we will.

Soon realize that we want meaningful things in life.

It says here specifically that their worldly appetite, which is

regard to. Food and everything it could be

from. Real estate to, cars to.

Everything materialistically to the sensuality.

To basically the way they. Want to enjoy personal things

for themselves, their bodily pleasure, their vanity.

The way they look today. If we're not.

Careful, we'll be so caught up with that that we'll.

Miss out on building our altar. We'll miss out on being and

participating as His body. And it goes on to say the third

thing is, whose glory is their shame?

Today, the world is degrading. Itself in so many ways, values

are been. Brought to a place where the

values are so. Shameful.

And they're taking glory in that.

And so, church, if we need to be impactful today, if we need to

be impactful for God here on this earth, we need to hold on

to Him. We need to ask him to work in

and through us. The call is not for.

Us to have dual. Citizenship as much as the world

talks about you know you can migrate and have dual

citizenship no, we are of one citizen our citizenship is in

heaven we belong to the king of kings and the Lord of.

Lords. We do not.

Take the easy street, we. Do not, we cannot be haters of

the. Cross.

We cannot be ones who. Idolize.

Things that man is creating, things that man is projecting,

saying this will, this is something you need to enjoy.

Things that we think are the ones of value now are shame.

And we are glorifying that pretty God wants us.

So that we'll be able. To walk in the promise.

That God has. And what is this promise in

Haggai chapter 2, verses 4 to 9? This is what it says.

Haggai 2:4–9

In the message it says. So get to work Zerubabel.

God is speaking. Go get to work, Joshua.

Son of Jehoshadakai. Please get to work all you

people. God is speaking.

Yes, get to work for. I am with you.

The God of the Angel armies is speaking.

Put into action the word I commended with you when you left

Egypt. I am living and breathing among

you right now. Don't be timid.

Don't hold back. This.

Is what the God of Angel Army said before you know it.

I will. Shake up sky and earth, ocean

and fields, and I'll shake. Up all the godless.

Nations, they'll bring brushes of wit, and I will fill this

temple with splendor. God of Angel army says.

So I own the silver, I own the gold decree, the God of Angel

armies. This temple is.

Going to end up far better than when it.

Started a glorious. Beginning, but an even more

glorious finish, a place in which I will hand out wholeness.

And holiness decree of the God of Angel armies today.

What is he decreeing? He's decreeing wholeness when we

come to Jesus, when we've built our altar, when we've come into

community and we are near building his Kingdom and we've

because. Wherever we gather, we are.

Representation of the Kingdom. You will see a sense of

wholeness. You know, somehow we think

wholeness cannot have its marks, but the Christian wholeness is 1

which will have it's dense, which will have it's tinkering,

which will have it's a repainting and all that.

To showcase that it was touched by God.

I don't want wholeness which. I've strived, but I want.

Wholeness that comes from God. Because he's repaired areas of

me. And that happens when we are

closely moving to see that altar, when we hold on to Him

closely in that alter spaces, and when he moves us to a place.

We are able. To say God, I'm here to worship

you for who you are amongst. Others, irrespective of what

the. Each one is going through.

We are all here to worship you. That's what it says.

In John 14, which I want to leave.

With you. Verses 11 to 17.

For those of. You who struggling to.

Allow the Holy Spirit. To move in and through you, I

want to say. Jesus is here.

He. Walked on this earth he needed.

The help of the Spirit. And so today.

God the Father, God the. Son and God the Spirit are.

Willing to walk with us? And work in US even as I read

this. Would you believe with me?

Could you raise your hand even wherever you're at?

Believe in John 14 verse 11 it says, Believe me that I am the

John 14:11

Father, and the fathers in me, or else believe on the account

of the works themselves. Truly, I say to you, whoever.

Believes in me. Will also do the works.

That I do, and greater works than these will He do because

I'm going to the Father. Whatever you ask.

In my name this I. Will do that the father?

May be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my

name, I will do it. If you love me, you will Keep my

commandments and I will. Ask the father.

And he will give you another helper.

To be with you forever. Even the spirit of truth, whom

the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows

him, you know him. For he dwells with you.

And will be in you and today I want us to be in a place.

Where we with raised? Hands are saying, Holy Spirit,

we want you. Maybe ask and do what?

Pleases the Father. What is in the will?

Of the father, so that. We'll be able to accomplish it,

and that happens when we. Are exiled to his altar.

And get exiled to his. Body.

It's his altar and his body. And Lord, today, even as.

We, as we've heard this word I. Just want to pray a prayer of

confession right now. If you've replaced anything

else. Lord Jesus, in this altar, if

it's been our work, if it's been our spouse, if it's been our

career, if it's been our riches, if it's been our accolades, we

ask for forgiveness. And we seat you, Lord.

Jesus Tear. Down everything or tear down?

Everything that's of self pride that you would tear it down.

I pray Lord. Even as we move.

Into a space, Lord Jesus. Of understanding that we are not

alone is this journey that we will move to a place of.

Who all you've called we thank. You that you tore the wheel once

and for all. We have access and we thank you.

We get to journey with others. I pray.

Lord, in our worship, may you be exalted.

In our crying, in our praise, in our joyfulness, may.

You be lifted up. Lord, thank you Jesus.

Be lifted up. Be lifted up, Lord, take your

rightful place. I pray that Lord, we will

always. Be looking forward that we won't

look. Back to the glory that God.

Came through, but we will look. Forward, Lord, whatever.

You're going to do we will be looking.

Forward, Lord Jesus. We thank you that we are.

Exiles in your Kingdom. We are exiles under your

lordship, and we are a citizen of heaven.

Lord be with. Us I pray that we all will bless

the. Food and water of our home

strengthen us, be with us, I pray.

Specifically that you will help us, Lord, to draw closer to you.

To see you more clear, your most holy name we pray.

Amen. Amen.

So, Church, even as you step into this week, I pray may you

find that. Altar, which will be a place

where you'll be able. To commune with God.

You'll be able to. Lean on him, hold on to him, and

ask Him for his strength. And I pray specifically that

even as you move into a place of getting to know.

God that you'll also. Move closer to a community.

Where you'll be able to. Find him, enjoy the presence of

his community. You know you don't need an

invitation. You don't have to be.

Told what to do. You automatically.

Do what you're what you've. Been created to do.

That's what happens when Jesus is living inside you and I.

Pray that you will be able to live out all that he's called

you to do, especially in what he's said in that I believe that

the. Glory of the present.

House will be greater. Than the glory of the former.

House that you will. Experience him.

Day after day, week after week, year after year.

Have a blessed week everyone. God bless you all.

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