Foundation: God's Vision for Clearview

Communion to the radio ministry church.

Our focus is making Christ is providing worship come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. or visit us online. I believe you be.org join us for this week's message by Pastor Albert on shop last week was very exciting. The life of our church.

After months and months of waiting. We finally got word from the contractor that the concrete was going to be poured but it's gonna be on Wednesday morning at 4 AM so couple of us in the staff talked about getting out here early in the morning and you know filming the place and seeing what's going on but unfortunately by the time we got here. Everything was done by 9 o'clock already wrapped up in their were gone and they were bluffing. The concrete I imagine with me for a moment if at 4 o'clock in the morning. The whole church had showed up over there.

Imagine if I had come in my suit and tie ready to preach with my notes. Imagine if Ryan was there with the announcements and John was there with his guitarist too early for him for o'clock is just going to bed. One of the moment. They started pouring the concrete.

We started singing and praising the Lord. We all stood on the side and we had a charter service. Can you imagine what would go to the minds of those workers and laborers of these people crazy but that's exactly what happened 2500 years ago when God's people return from exile and started rebuilding the temple that was destroyed in your Bibles find the book of Ezra chapter 3, starting in verse 10, when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests, we can call them the pastors stood in their apparel with trumpets and the Levites. The worship pastors, the sons of ASAP with symbols to praise the Lord according to the ordinance of David, king of Israel and the sand responsively praising and giving thanks to the Lord and what were they saying, for he meaning God is good for his mercy endures forever toward Israel when pictures are in your mind as these guys are going about picking up stuff and nailing things down and moving the truck and getting the lights right where praising God or singing is exactly what they were doing and how the people respond all the people shouted with a great shout that would scare them off. They shout over the great shout when they praise the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid wanted to do that. Why was it so important for them to gather as the foundation was being laid we learn that this morning and ringing to see what God is doing here at Clearview and I'll say it again and again in the message.

It's not about the brick-and-mortar is about the lives that are being built up in Jesus Christ before I begin this message I want to ask you a couple of questions. Getting the right to the point because of time. The first question is this.

Can you see what's happening here at Clearview. Can you really see what God is actually doing in this church.

I'm not referring to the concrete. I'm not referring to the pad laid out over there. I'm not referring to the metal structure that will be here by next week.

I'm talking about much more than that, can you see what God is doing. I'm not referring to the brick-and-mortar. What I'm referring to are the change lives and the transformed hearts through Jesus Christ. Can you see that you see if your focus is off. If your mind is a way you can come here, sit here. Even here the messages diligently and still miss what's happening as your pastor, I have to confess there are people who visit this the other people to see this person to see that person you see the troubles of life, the cares and worries of life are keeping you from getting what's happening in, which is what homes are being reconciled marriage of the audit being saved. Young people are committing the life to Jesus Christ community is being transformed or something happening here and I been here for 18 years. I am not your motivational speaker. I tell it like it is what I see here is lives are being changed radically through Jesus Christ you see that I see and that work is not the kind of work that makes you jump up and down and holler and praise God in a man, you may do that.

That's a deeper work that saturates your mind and it brings a certain kind of humility, not to me or to each other.

But towards God and his word into the Holy Spirit into Jesus Christ. Can you see that were Mask.

Another question, how do you see your role in what God is really doing here is some of you are disconnected. Some of you are there.

But you're not there. You see, if you are a Christian and if you have become part of this body, you have a place it said body, the church. Here the local church is the body of Christ means every person has a role. Some of us are eyes. Some of us are years knows hands feed. We all are some part of this body and when you are not doing your part use, it will you got it. Somebody else got it all about. I'm just here. I'm just getting fed.

What's happening here is just like a cancer you're there and you not doing anything to enhance the body you are that organ that sits there and use of thing anybody needs me. If you call this your church body that you have a part one enjoyment yet enjoy.

It doesn't really matter if you call this your church body supernaturally, spiritually, now you're part of this organism, and when you don't do your part. Your role is always asking for money is much more than money that I'm referring to.

The body suffers. Are you saying you see if you are not saved you can come you can be here, but you're not part of the body of Christ is receiving Christ as your Savior that moment. Now you have a role immediately. Your appointment is given to you as begin as he walked to this message. Be thinking about those things. The passage we just read from Ezra describes the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Now many of y'all were here when I did the series on Nehemiah Ezra and Nehemiah go hand in hand and I explained to you. Back then, but just for our purpose today.

Let me refresh your memory in 587 or 586 BC King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had completely destroyed Jerusalem destroyed the city walls and the worst thing he had destroyed the temple that Solomon had built.

Not only that, but he also dragged the people away into exile. The Babylonian exile for 700 miles to the east in Mesopotamia then had no hope of ever coming back. And frankly, there was nothing left for them to come back to. Everything was destroyed. Everything was hopeless.

But God in his sovereignty had promised them that in his timing.

He would bring them back, and 50 years later it king by the name of Cyrus, who was the king of Persia Rosen power conquered Babylon and said the people free told him go home go back to Jerusalem.

Rebuild your homes and rebuild your temple. He in fact took the Temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had put in his temples and give it back to the people and said go home and restart your life and your religion and your culture and people, and back. The point I'm making here very quickly. Is this is amazing to me how a pagan king like Cyrus was just a tool in the hands of God in a probably 721 tells us that the king's heart is in the hands of God.

Like rivers of water, he turns it wherever he wanted to go. The principle is this.

It doesn't matter what's happening in the world. It doesn't matter how bad things may get.

It doesn't matter who was in charge of who is not in charge, God is still sovereign. I believe that God can completely see the future and every scenario of the future and he is completely in charge of the future is or how about the human will. You can have the will, ultimately, is still God was in control and nothing happens without his permission. Even the evil in this world. He turns towards good 11 years ago which would be 2007 we sold the old old building. Many of you may not know that but I been here first church only church coming up to 18 years we sold the old old building and we stepped out in faith the sea were God's gonna take us to see what we need to do that. If someone had told me that something like this was about to happen. You know what this was in 2007, 2008.

What was that the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

If someone had told me.

Praise God he doesn't tell us the future, if it was if you were to tell us the future we would not get out of her home.

We will stay in bed. If God had told me somehow or told the people at the time that hey, the worst thing is going to happen. People are going to lose their jobs there won't be any money people be standing in line just to get a job in a small town. I would be like. Let's keep what we have.

Let's get into protective mode and would protect the motives that hang onto this man hang onto the pile. Keep the nest egg safe now.

Wish I could tell you that when it all happen.

I was so stressed out and I trusted God and of honestly focuses what happened. God gave me peace and God gave those people he's we did not miss a single service.

We went from one building to another rental facility, not a single service was missed. I wish I could complain and say all those were tough times.

Honestly, I even feel it is not because I'm a man of faith, not trusted God and I was on my knees and honestly was like God's in control. He allowed this to happen for a reason. Praise God, you, those were some of the best years we had that laid the foundation of where we are as a church today.

Do you know that the Babylonian exile years were the best years of the Jewish people because that's where God worked in their lives, he humbled them. He cleansed them because they never return to idolatry when they came back. God takes care of his own.

He is still sovereign. He never abandons his people. There's a quote that I love from Hudson Taylor Hudson Taylor was a founder of the China inland Mission, now known as OMF. Listen to what is says not and this is not just for church people. This is not just for pastors and missionaries. You can apply this to your life and find it to work. Goes like this depend on it. God's work done in God's way will never lack God supply is so I guess I gotta go to seminary for that to work know you can be a secular job.

You can be doing whatever you want to do, get on God's payroll start asking God how can I serve you from what I'm doing right now that will never ever abandon you. He will take care of you something else.

She says he is too wise to God to frustrate his purposes for lack of funds and he can just as easily easily supplied them ahead of time as afterwards and he much prefers doing so, he wants you trust him and in his will in his way. He keeps providing you trust God, in spite of the circumstances. Listen to what happens in chapter 3, verse one. So the people began to come in the seventh month had come the children of Israel were in the cities music came back only 50,000.

There were hundreds of houses still there in Persia who were not ready to leave, but I want you to focus on the last line. The people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem, they came back to their homes that were destroyed by the rebuild those homes and on the appointed day the all gathered in the city of Jerusalem as one man means they were united something the Lord back there. That change them for ever. There were one people. They had one model which was to glorify God. They had one mission which was to be a light to the world.

Clearview is an amazing place. We have people from all walks of life here is amazing. They come from all backgrounds.

Some are very well off. Some are living paycheck to paycheck. Some come from the other side of the world somehow people come here and they get the mission and the vision of this church. I can explain it.

They get it. Not everybody gets it because there are times he will come to me and they will tell me. Hey listen, we love everything but this is not for us. You know why because they come to the model of this church you with the model of Clearview is this is not a family church.

This is not a traditional charter. This is not like the charge back home were not interested in that the model of the church is very simple, making Christ visible is on the bulletins on the top is not to push this fund's agenda and that once you know agenda people give me a lot of agendas. The agenda clearly is very simple, making Christ visible and I feel like folks, we may have differences, but somehow we connect because we know that Jesus Christ is being glorified and what is the mission of Clearview again is on the front of your bulletin. If you want to see it it says delete all people into a life-changing ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ and we will do every Christ honoring me to do that. The point is this just like the people back then were united. This church is united and we need to stay united and here's my challenge to you. This is not your focus. Make it your focus and if it cannot be your focus. If you come here to go making Christ visit. I don't know.

Hey listen, here is my friendly advice you love you dad go find another place because if if a person has a soul working to try to get them saved.

I don't care who they are, where they come from, what they've done where they're headed.

We want them to meet Jesus Christ and be changed forever.

What happens next. Time is running away. Then Jess you are the son of Joseph, dad the brethren. The priest is zero barbell the center shield till all these people. They rose and they built the altar of the God of Israel when they came back to Jerusalem, then say oh yeah, we gotta build the temple. So, okay, y'all go get the stones together you get them the timber together you get the nails know this is the first thing we gonna do is build the altar unibody altar was important because were 50 years. They were singing songs they were hearing and reading the word, but they could not offer sacrifices to God. Offering sacrifices was the primary function of the temple. You see, the Jewish people knew one thing you cannot get near to God without sacrifices blood has to be shed for you to come near to God really quickly apply to Clearview. This church is centered upon the cross of Jesus Christ. This is not about Jesus, the person who helps you live a good life.

This is not about a Jesus who is resurrected. Although we believe in the resurrection that burial and resurrection of Christ is not about how the victory you can have through Jesus all those things are wonderful and essential, but the first and foremost is Jesus died on the cross. His blood was shed so that you can get near to God you sometimes when I get up, you're an invitation say something like this.

The altar is open. Honestly, I should stop saying that because this is not altar.

These are steps that sounds awkward. The steps are open, steps are open.

You know what the altar is a Clearview Hebrews 1310 we have an altar. The altar is Jesus Christ. He is the one who not only became the sacrifice of our says he is the altar upon which we offer sacrifices if I were to get that listen to what it says in Hebrews 13 verse 15 listen very carefully. Therefore, by him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God. That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Jesus is the altar you can see it, you can see him, but through the eyes of faith, but upon Jesus Christ.

His cross we sing praises to God in the worship time is really a time using God you are so good so great so worthy to be praised on home. Are you standing on Jesus Christ. That's the first sacrifice another sacrifices in verse 16 on the screen again, but do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

The second sacrifice you offer on the altar.

Jesus are your talents, your resources, your money, your wealth, what you're doing is you're pouring it upon Christ and through Christ not only helping build this body, but you also helping people who are in need.

What happened when the did this listen to verse three. Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries that said the altar on its basis in the offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord with morning and evening burn offerings, save very quickly.

Praise God we live in these United States, where we have the freedom to worship God. We don't live in fear like these people did you when they left Israel. They were taken from Israel to Babylon. Other people moved in now dev come back and these people don't like they had to build the altar and offer sacrifices wondering where someone can attack them from something else to do. Listen to verse seven. Very quickly.

They also give money to the Masons and the carpenters and food, drink and oil to the people of Sedona and tired to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea to Joppa. According to the permission which they had from the Cyrus king of Persia point is very simple. How does God's work move. When God's people give God doesn't need his money your money. God already has a cattle on thousand hills. But God uses his people because in the process.

You are blessed because you are taking part in God's kingdom. We'll talk about than just a moment to hold that part. Then came the day of the foundation we read this passage earlier. What happens on this day, listen to verse 11. Again, then all the people shouted with a great shout. Imagine for a clog in the morning as those guys pull up with their trucks had big floodlights out there. You saw the pictures. Imagine all of us had gathered. Then we start screaming and hollering like the banshees when they praise the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was late, something else happens. Listen to verse 12 but many of the priest and the Levi's and heads of the fathers houses old man who had seen the first temple wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes.

Some of these men old man, probably in their 80s when they left the first time there were 2030-year-old man they had abandoned all hope of ever going back home then abandon all hope of ever seeing the temple built again. I'm not a crier. I don't cry just years ago.

Some I turn off the faucet. I don't cry, maybe even my head. My 50s 60s will start again. I don't know but my heart is full today because what we're seeing here is a hand of God in of this church on a good Sunday was 20 people on a really good Sunday night 20 we have 20 kids in the nursery 20 babies and it is unbelievable what God is doing. Can you see that and you see the lives of people being change if your many of y'all are really honest with you because of what has happened in your life, what is happening in your life you have lost the eyes of faith. You are true you are, your living by calculations your living by regrets you living by fears and doubts and even bitterness. You lost that faith that trust to see cats working in his likeness also was working in the families live labs working that Meredith came to pray for them.

You haven't done that and you know it for a long time. I see it, it should bring you to tears as I mentioned, he is not a brick-and-mortar is about the people of God being built up. It should move you to tears.

In a few years ago I bought everybody was prognosticating how Christianity is dead in America. Christianity is not going folks Christianity is alive and well. Stop saying that something else very quickly. Listen to verse 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the weeping of the people for the people shouted with a loud shout and the sound was heard. A far-off window praising God there screaming for join I went out to do that this morning but you need to walk away from these services not half-asleep but walk away from these services saying God is working. God is doing some amazing things is changing lives, God is here. A lot of things are happening at Clearview and every day I hear every week. I hear last week I cup of person call me up and said look I want tell you, this church saved our marriage there.

Talk about me to talk about God working through Clearview last Friday two days ago someone else. I was talking to a set of this way is that I wish we had found Clearview years ago. I want to say he would not like to know we were still growing, still transforming to get to where we are today young person was telling us is that I love being at Clearview every opportunity again I want to be here. Teenagers want to go to charter they want to be here this person says I want to be here. I want to be this my favorite race. You know, we get emails. There was an email we received from a couple in Arizona who watches our services in Arizona between Arizona and the East Coast, there are thousands and thousands of very very good church and yet they watch our services in the send us an email saying thank you for doing that I call my parents two weeks ago and I was talking to them and I see no yeller of construction is coming so we already know that. So really, how do you know that because we the people tell us who are these people I knew there talking about the people in the charge because they're watching us on Facebook live as crazy back home the know the old me the never saw this me and actually watching the tell my parents, mother, my dad has two Facebook accounts and if you try to friend him I'm sorry he's not in a conferment of the Illinois doing. He's my sister opened a second account for him thinking maybe this may help from here on the nail on the map you just let you see this the map for my website and I was telling someone about this. Of course United States is hot because that's how many people from our own country that come and listen to the message and download the message and take the notes but if you watch carefully.

If you can see the yellow is a bad color on the screen people from the Middle East are actually coming from Saudi Arabia, from Yemen from Egypt all the way down in Africa in the middle. That's I looks like boats wanted to make their coming and somehow this little church in a small town is making an impact in their life. I don't understand what is your role is all of us have a role. All of us have a part to play what is taking place here. Thank you so much for joining us for this message is exciting days for our church in each of us has a role to play amateur parties are prayer is connected get involved and allow God to use you doing in and through Clearview church.

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