By Pastor Raul GranilloA House of Hope.
In 1 Chronicles, chapter 17, we read that David is grateful for all of the things that God has done for him. In response to his love for God, David decided that he wanted to build God a permanent house. David wanted to build the temple. When he finally heard back from the prophet Nathan concerning this, instead of giving him His blessing, God tells David “No, you will not build me a house. Instead, I will build one for you.”
God had blessed David, protected David, brought victories to David, and peace to Israel through David’s leadership, and now, God wanted to do more for David. It never ceases to amaze me at the endless depths of God’s love for His people and His desire to pour that love out upon them, but there is more to be considered.
God says, “When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.” (1 Chronicles 17:11-12 NIV). In the passage, God is telling David that it will be his son, Solomon, who will build a temple for God; but he is also telling him that David’s legacy will be an eternal one. That is, through his line there will certainly always be a king for Israel, but more importantly, Jesus would come from his line and establish His kingdom forever.
It’s normal for us to try and compare God’s kingdom with all of the other kingdoms that the human race has witnessed over thousands of years. Mankind’s kingdoms come and go; they fail to provide for all of the people, they fail to protect fairly, and they always fail to provide true justice or peace. Not so with the fullness of God’s kingdom. It is eternal, open to all who would choose to be a citizen, and without any injustice whatsoever. God’s kingdom, today, is a kingdom of a hope that will not fail. This is the legacy that God promised through David.
Today, each one of us has the ability to leave a legacy in this world. We can leave money, ideas, cultures, or family traditions; but we can also leave a legacy of hope. This is the work that God continues to do for us—if we will allow Him to. Right now, God desires to build a house for you! He wants to pour Himself out into your life in order to bring hope and joy, but also to create a legacy that will affect this entire world. You were created to be a part of the kingdom that God will establish when Jesus returns, but you were also created to be a part of living and giving witness to the virtues of that kingdom, right now in your life. Imagine a Church that allowed God to bless its members in such a way that created hope as its legacy! This is why holiness matters.
After he heard this amazing promise of a world changing legacy, the scriptures say that, “Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: ‘Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?’” (17:16). How many people today look at themselves in the mirror and ask the same question? “Who am I that you would do this?”
Who are you, that God would use you to create a legacy of hope? You are a child of God, that’s who!
Living your everyday life so that it brings light and hope into this world is your purpose. This is the quintessential characteristic of being a true Christian—holiness for the sake of others. How are you embracing this truth?
To find out more about La Vista Church, or to hear this and other messages, visit our website at www.lavistanaz.org or email me at raul@lavistanaz.org. Follow Pastor Raul on Twitter @RaulGranillo007
Please come join us as we fix our eyes on Jesus. We meet Sundays at 9 a.m. for Sunday school and 10 a.m. for worship. Everyone is welcome!
