Jesu Juva

“A Better House, A Forever House”

Text: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Luke 1:26-38

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

It just didn’t seem right. God’s house was a tent. It was a nice tent, to be sure. A special tent, not like the ones we sleep in and take camping. But it was still a tent. And that just didn’t seem right to David.

It was a carryover from the days Israel spent on the move. Coming out of Egypt. Traveling through the wilderness. When you’re moving about, you need tents. Tents are good. Tents are useful.

But that wasn’t the case now. Israel was no longer on the move. They were settled. For God had settled them. God had brought them into the Promised Land. The kingdom was at peace - there were no wars going on. They weren’t really even being threatened. They were prosperous. And David had built himself a marvelous palace. When he looked around, everything was good, everything was right. Except . . .

In the midst of all this goodness, all this rightness, all this glory, was a tent. It was a nice tent, to be sure. A special tent. But it was still a tent. And looking around, David thought: one of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong . . . And that just didn’t seem right to David.

So as we heard in the Old Testament reading, David, bless his heart, says: I’m going to fix this! I’m going to build God a house. A Temple grand and glorious, a place worthy for such a great God who has done such great things for us! And Nathan the prophet agrees. That’s a great idea! What could be better than that? Yes, David, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. And I think all of Israel and all of us would have said the same.

There was only one who disagreed. And, turns out, the only one who mattered. God Himself. No David. Eventually, God would allow it. As most of you know, David’s son Solomon built a Temple in Jerusalem, and it was grand and it was glorious. But even that wasn’t really what God had in mind. First of all, because He didn’t need a Temple - a tent was fine. Because it wasn’t the tent that mattered, but what happened in the tent. It was the tent of meeting, where God spoke to Moses face-to-face. It was the place where God shared His holiness with His people in the forgiveness of their sins. It was the place where God dwelled with His people, no matter where they were. That’s what made it grand and glorious - what happened on the inside, not what it looked like on the outside.

So while David’s idea wasn’t bad and it wasn’t wrong, and his heart was in the right place . . . it’s just that God had another idea. A better idea. And so He tells David: Thanks, but I’m going to build you a house instead. And this house that I am going to build for you, it’s not going to crumble, fall, or fail, like whatever you build inevitably will. Because everything in this world does. But this house that I will build you, your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.

And the one who would carry that out would, in fact, be David’s son. But not the one named Solomon. The one named Jesus.

When the time came, Nathan was long gone and buried, so God sent Gabriel instead to speak of this building project. And not to David, who had also long ago died and was buried, but he was sent to a virgin living in Nazareth, betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David, named Mary. God was going to take up residence in her body - not a queen’s body, or the body of a woman of means - but this body, which was like a tent, in comparison to those grand women. And notice what Gabriel says of this child: (1.) He will be the Son of the Most High; God’s Son. (2.) The Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David; and so He will also be David’s son. So both God and man, this child from Mary. And (3.) He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will have no end. Which, if you’ve been keeping score, fulfills all the promises about a house God made to David.

Now, interestingly, God built this house not when Israel was at its summit, like when David was king, but exactly when it wasn’t. Israel wasn’t even a nation anymore. That had gone away a long time ago. They were under Roman rule now. Yes, there was a grand and glorious Temple in Jerusalem, the one Herod built, the problem was what was going on inside wasn’t exactly holy. It was more like a market, with buying and selling. More like a business, with moneychanging and taxes. More political, with power-hungry high priests and Pharisees.

When Gabriel came and announced God’s building program to Mary, that Temple, grand and glorious as it was on the outside, only had about 70 years of life left. It would soon be destroyed. But the house that God was building, was a forever house, a forever Temple. And how God did that was surprising, too. Even more than taking up residence in the body of Mary. For God would build this house, this kingdom, by being destroyed! By being crucified by those who thought they were doing a good thing and protecting this grand and glorious building called the Temple. God’s house! No. Instead, the God who took up residence in the man Jesus then rose from the dead, ensuring that a son of David - this Son of David! - would sit on his throne forever. And with that, the forever house of David was complete. And that grand and glorious brick and mortar Temple was obsolete.

Because what matters is not what we build, but what God builds.

Maybe that’s hard for us to think, to remember. Because we see what we do, and maybe we mistake what we do for what God is really doing, if He’s using us. But it’s really what God is doing.

Mary couldn’t make that mistake! How will this be, since I am a virgin? she asked the angel. She knew she couldn’t do it! And while Gabriel’s answer is great: nothing is impossible with God, maybe if we turn that around to the positive it’s even better: everything is possible with God. A virgin can conceive and bear a child. A kingdom and a throne can last forever. And maybe even best of all, sinners like you and me can be forgiven and saved. Can be part of that house of David that will last forever. And baptized into Jesus, you are. You are a part of that kingdom that will never end.

Which is what this season of Advent has been all about. It is what Christmas is all about. Not just the birth of a king and a kingdom here on earth, but the return of the King and a kingdom that has no end. The kingdom God is building for us, in His Son.

And maybe it looks like a tent. A building not very grand and glorious. A building here that isn’t even ours! But remember, it’s not what the building looks like on the outside that matters, but what happens inside. Sins are forgiven. People are baptized into Christ. The eternal Word, eternal truth, is read and proclaimed. God’s people are fed by God Himself, with God Himself, the Body and Blood of the Son of David. These are the things grand and glorious. And grand and glorious is the place where these take place, whether they be in a grand and glorious building, in a hospital room, a nursing home, or even a tent.

But I worry. I worry that we are a little like David. In a couple of ways. First, we live pretty comfortable lives, in pretty comfortable homes. God has blessed us like He blessed David. But is God dwelling in a tent in your life? That is, are other things more important, more prominent, more your focus, than God in your life? So your life good . . . but at the same time, something not quite right . . .

And then this, too: just like David, we, too, want to build God a house. We’ve been trying to get a Church building, or to build one, for a while now. A place for God, and at least a little grand and glorious! Maybe not a Temple, but . . . And that’s good. Our heart is in the right place. But so far, God has had other ideas. So far, God has said to us as He said to David: no.

Eventually the Temple got built, and maybe eventually we’ll get a church building, too. But whether we do or not, or in our lifetimes or not, God is building us a house. Of that we can be sure. In this place He has brought people to faith. In this place He has forgiven sins and given us of His holiness. In this place His Word and Spirit are working. In this place we have been fed and nourished and strengthened. And none of this - NONE of this! - has been our doing. Not those of you still here who started this church. Not your pastor. Not those who have worked tirelessly for many years for us to be here today, though we are thankful to you all. This is the work of God and His house. He has brought all of us here and put us in it, put us IN HIM. Maybe you weren’t the most likely candidate for that, pretty far gone, pretty sinful. But nothing is impossible for God. And if God can conceive His Son in the womb of a virgin, He can conceive faith in our hearts as well.

So, as we gather here today, on this day which is both the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve, we have two reasons to repent and one very great reason to rejoice! First, repent of when you have not put God in the right place in your life, and when you have not seen how glorious this place really is, with the presence of your Lord and His gifts. And then rejoice that tonight a Saviour was born. And not just a Saviour, but your Saviour. The promised Son of David, the Son of God, in human flesh. And He has built a house for you. A forever house. And while it may not look like much now, and you may not look like much now, do not be fooled. One day, you will see. You will see a grand and glorious Church of grand and glorious people. The work of Jesus, who didn’t look grand and glorious when He was laid in a manger or hung on a cross, but He was. And is. And so are you, in Him.

Let it be to me according to your word. May those words of Mary be your words as well. Words of faith, words of hope, words of confidence. Because God’s Word has promised you great and glorious. So why keep trying to build your own house, when you have a much greater one promised you? No. Let it be to me according to your word, O Lord. And it will. For nothing is impossible with God.

In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.