Today, we reach a pivotal moment in our Builders series, where we’re learning how to construct God’s house. Not with bricks and mortar, but with our lives, surrendered to His purpose. We have read in our poem by Longfellow-The Builders. “All are architects of Fate, Working in these walls of Time; Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme.” Henry reminds us that every choice, every action, is a brick in the structure of our lives. As we build in this series, we’re not just laying stones. We’re preparing a home for God’s presence. A theme we will explore today. Today’s scripture comes from 2 Chronicles 6:12-21: “Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); and he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ And now, O Lord God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David. “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You: that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.” Then again in verse 39: “then, hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You. Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place. Now therefore, Arise, O Lord God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, And let Your saints rejoice in goodness. O Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your Anointed; Remember the mercies of Your servant David.” And finally, Chapter 7: 1-3 “When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lordon the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.” So far in our Builders series, we have discussed: • The Burden: God puts a vision in someone’s heart, like Nehemiah, to build for His glory. • The Blueprint of the Kingdom: Heaven provides the pattern; we follow God’s ways, not our own. • The Foundation: Jesus is the only foundation we can build on, and He is the cornerstone of the church. • The Structure: The house is built with living stones (us!), not just programs or systems. Up to this point, we’ve talked about the house itself. Today, we take a look from a different angle. There is this concept in the real estate world called staging. Realtors and decorators put furniture, photos, art, even fake food in model homes for sale. They do this to make the house feel more like a home. Realtors understand that no matter how beautiful a house, no matter how well-built, no matter how perfectly the colors of paint, cabinets, and tile match, a house is still empty and cold. It is still uninviting. Because a house is not a home until someone moves in. A home becomes inviting when there is presence there. When there is talking and laughter. When something good is cooking on the stove. When there are people dwelling in the dwelling. God’s house is the same way. And so is our inward house. In our series, we’ve seen how God calls us to build strong and sure. But the house is incomplete without the presence of the One it’s built for. Let’s explore how we, as builders, create a home for God’s glory, setting the stage for what He will do next in our journey. GOD’S ULTIMATE DESIRE IS TO DWELL WITH US 2 Chronicles 6:18 “Will God really dwell on earth with humans?” Solomon’s awe reveals the mystery. God desires to be near us. Solomon marveled that the temple could contain the power of God and that God would be willing to live on earth among sinful people. God has a track record of wanting to dwell with man. Ever since creation and “let us create man in our image,” It was His very desire to create beings who would choose relationship with Him. It was in the Garden of Eden, where God walked with man in the cool of the day. It was in the Tabernacle with the Ark, where God pitched His tent among His people. It was in the building of the Temple here with Solomon, where God established a permanent dwelling among Israel. In our Builders series, we saw the burden in Nehemiah’s heart and the blueprint from heaven. These are steps toward God’s goal of dwelling with His people. Every part of God’s plan, from creation to the temple, was to draw near to us, and we’re building toward that same purpose today. We too marvel (as Solomon did) that, in Jesus, God would live amongst us in human form to reveal His eternal purposes to us. Jesus is “God with us” (John 1:14). And through the New Covenant, as Hebrews 8:10-12 declares, God has written His law on our hearts and made us His people, dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit. God reached out to us in love. He wants us to reach out to Him and love Him with all our hearts. Take time to get to know Him. This desire for closeness is why worship is so vital. Psalm 22:3 tells us God is “enthroned in the praises of His people.” When we worship, whether through song, prayer, or a surrendered life, we create a space for His presence to dwell. A bigger heart for our connection with Him. This week, I challenge you: set aside time each day to worship God in your personal space. Sing, pray, and meditate on His goodness, and watch how His presence transforms your perspective. The ultimate expression of God dwelling with man is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Now God lives in us! Exodus 25:8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” The goal of a building is not beauty or activity, it’s Presence. The presence is the purpose, not the bonus. THE HOUSE MUST BE CONSECRATED FOR HIS PRESENCE 2 Chronicles 7:1 “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.” God’s response wasn’t just symbolic. It was tangible glory! Solomon’s prayer was a dedication. A consecration of the place and the people. He prayed for forgiveness, restoration, healing, and continual relationship. A deeper relationship. Fire fell, glory filled the house, and the priests couldn’t stand. Our Builders series taught us that Jesus is the foundation and we are the living stones. But as Longfellow reminds us, “In the elder days of Art, Builders wrought with greatest care, Each minute and unseen part.” Every part of our lives, seen and unseen, must be consecrated to invite God’s glory. Preparing us for the work God will continue in each of us. God doesn’t dwell in dirty temples (2 Tim. 2:21). Purity, unity, and surrender invite the cloud of glory. As a church, let’s commit to corporate consecration. Let’s come together in prayer and unity to seek a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit. We seek to continue to set aside time to dedicate ourselves as a community to be a house where His presence is welcomed. We can’t decorate a house for a guest but forget to invite them in! We can’t host a service and forget the Guest of Honor. THE PRESENCE DISTINGUISHES THE CHURCH FROM THE WORLD In Exodus 33:15 it says, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Without His presence, church becomes just another event. Without His presence, worship becomes a concert. Without His presence, preaching becomes a motivational talk. Without His presence, prayer becomes a ritual. But with His presence: • Ordinary becomes holy • Dry bones come to life • Hearts are transformed The Holy Spirit is not an accessory. He is the essence of the Church. Without God’s presence, our efforts fade. With His presence, our building endures, and we’ll see it transforms our mission as God’s people. WE MUST BE CARRIERS OF HIS PRESENCE 1 Corinthians 6:19 “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.” The shift happened when Jesus came, dwelt among man, and allowed Himself to be sacrificed on that cross. God no longer dwells in buildings. He dwells in believers. You are a living temple. Your holiness matters because it impacts the whole house. But it is not found in a list of rules we keep. It is discovered in a daily walk with Jesus. Wherever you go; work, school, store, His presence goes with you. Here is an empty chair. It sits upon the stage of your life. It is in your home, work, school, or here on this stage. It is reserved for the Guest of Honor, the Holy Spirit. Are we inviting Him to take His rightful place in our lives every day? Does He take center stage in everything we do? Or do we leave it empty at times? We forget to make Him the center of the event. Or even worse, we forget to invite Him at all? Or sometimes, we intentionally don’t invite Him. We would rather hide or ignore Him at certain moments. Acting like He doesn’t already have a front row seat to our lives. But we must remember, there is a difference between making God the guest of honor and making him watch from the sideline of our show. This church has a legacy of gathering for prayer, and the presence of God being so tangible that people wept, laughed, and were healed. That’s what happens when we make room for Him. You can carry that same presence into your workplace, your home, your school. Some of you might feel you’ve crowded out the Holy Spirit with sin, busyness, or distraction. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God’s grace makes reconsecration possible. His desire to dwell with you is greater than your failures. Surrender today, and He will fill you afresh and anew. As builders, every choice to carry God’s presence shapes a life that rises toward His glory. Our series is leading us to become a people who not only host His presence but carry it into the world. We aren’t just hosting Him on Sundays. We are called to house Him every day. Are you hosting the Holy Spirit… or crowding Him out? Have we become so busy building for Him that we forgot to build with Him? So, let’s consecrate our temple! Lay down sin, distraction, pride, performance. Invite the glory of God to dwell again, not just visit. We are not just a place of worship. We are a people of His presence. We are not spiritual consumers. We are consecrated carriers of His glory. Let’s pray: “Holy Spirit, make us a dwelling place. Cleanse every part of our hearts that crowds You out. Fill this house and fill us with Your glory. As a church, we dedicate ourselves to be a community where Your presence is welcomed, where worship rises, and where Your fire falls. Guide us as builders, shaping our lives and Your church with every choice, preparing us for the work You’ll reveal in this series. Let us never settle for programs without Presence. We give You full access. We give You full control. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”