Matthew
25 V 34 & 35: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungered, and ye
gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger,
and ye took me in.” This is just a simple line of thought that
connects home life and the Lord. When in a land where you to do not
understand much you appreciate simple things. We appreciate
simplicity in dress. Simplicity and sincerity are very closely
connected. We see beauty in the simplicity of God's people. They have
one simple desire to please God. We all have problems. Someone has
said that God has simple solutions for all problems. If we have a
problem we do not understand what is happening, our problem is that
we cannot see very far ahead and do not know what God is doing. God
has a very simple solution for that problem. His solution is, “Just
come to me.” If we have a problem that the way seems long and we
are discouraged, God’s simple solution is, “Just keep going.”
Maybe we have the problem that we have failed and are discouraged
with ourselves. We thought we would do so well but have suffered a
defeat. God's simple solution is, “Get up and try again.” We sang
a hymn “We have not failed until we failed to try.”
If we have a problem that we are misunderstood and facing persecution, the Lord’s solution to that is, “Be kind.” Remember Jesus has faced more than we have. If we have a problem that we do not know what to say in a certain situation, the Lord’s simple solution is, "Just ask what would Jesus say?” We have the problem that we do not know what to do so simply ask, “What would Jesus do?” One thing we can always do and that is do our best, just do what you can. If we have a problem and we do not know where we should go, the simple solution is just ask, “Where would Jesus go?” And in making decisions where we would or should not go, go to the place that will bring us close to God.
I was thinking more about this matter of home life. I have not yet had the privilege of visiting your homes. I hope I will be able to go to some of your homes. There is a very close connection between the home life and worship. We read in these verses of those who were hungry and thirsty and they gave them to eat and drink, and were strangers and took them in. Those were all things they were doing with their homes. It was because of what they were doing with their homes that they received the “Well done.” Jesus said, “If you give a cup of water in the name of a disciple you will not miss your reward.” That is what you do in your home. Isaiah speaks of the dwelling places of God's people. He said that they should be quiet resting places and peaceable habitations.
We were in Sri Lanka and we watched some fire walking. They were beating on some drums and shouting and it was so very noisy and confusing, and to them it was worship. In the home is where some of the most important lessons are learned. In the home we learn about true love, we learn to share, and we learn to care about others. In the home we learn about security. We learn respect for authority. It is in the home where morals are taught. We learn about honesty. If we do not learn these things in the home, there is no place to learn them. It is in the home where our true character comes to light. It is God's purpose that the families sit together and eat together. The children of Israel were instructed to speak about things when they sat together to eat.
I am very grateful for memories of my childhood. The times when there was just the family in the home and my mother and father would tell about the first days when they heard about God's way. We children loved to hear them tell us about it. In the home is where we welcome God's people and His servants. Where God can come and dwell with us.
We can mention a little of the Passover. When God's people were slaves in the land of Egypt they had no land to call their own. They had the refuge of their homes. In this world where we work and at school we have to face many things. Many things that are very hard for us to face, we just have to endure what is there. But when we can come back to the refuge of our homes and we can make our homes a quite refuge from the world. The children of Israel had the refuge of their homes. God instructed them to keep the Passover. He placed it in their homes.
It was planned that whatsoever the situation and whatsoever they find themselves, if they had the quiet refuge of their homes and the lamb they could keep the Passover. It was such a simple plan; God ways are not hard. Later we read about them, when they entered into the Promised Land, and by and by the temple was constructed. Even then the Passover remained in the homes because there was no separating home life and worship.
We could mention a little where God dwells. Isaiah wrote about it. “In the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite spirit.” 1 Corinthians 3, “Ye are the temple of the living God.” We heard about those verses in John 14 where Jesus spoke about He and the Father coming to dwell with you. So God dwells in the high and holy place. Heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool, but He dwells also in the hearts and lives of His people. That puts us right back in the home. So more than any other place, God is dwelling in the homes of His children.
It does not matter to God the size of the home. He does not care how many rooms there are, but what God is most concerned about is where He is welcome. God loves to dwell in quiet homes. There is a lot of noise and confusion in the world and should not enter into our home. A lot of worldly music and so on, TV and entertainment of the world. Those things make God very uncomfortable, He does not feel welcome. So we want to make God feel welcome in our homes.
I will just mention briefly the temple that Solomon built. It is the only building that God gave instructions to build. We read about the Jews, they had the custom of buildings synagogues. People love to put up buildings and they say, “This is dedicated to God.” These things were never instructed by God. We won't say much about the temple this morning, I need this that in every way it suggests the work of God in His people. A quiet work. No sound of the hammer at the site. Much precious material used in the building, and it is this precious faith and love and grace of God that is working in His people. The design was given by God. The skilled workmen working, just in every way it suggests God works in their lives. Really, it's just takes us back to the home.
Then we will mention a little about Jesus and His servants that He sent out. Jesus was born in a stable and grew up in Nazareth. He had a refuge in the home. It seems Nazareth was not of a good reputation, but he had a refuge in his home. Later, we read about the time he left his home. He traveled and told about the way and the Kingdom of God and never had a home after that. He would dwell with those who opened their homes. When he sent His disciples he sent them the same way. Those that would hear and believe would open their homes and make them welcome. It was because those that they were listening to had become their life. It means a great deal to us when we can be in your homes, but we love the homes of our friends that are open and we can go and feel at ease and welcome there.
Sometimes we like to make a suggestion concerning what we would like. We would like to encourage you that your home is the same when God's servants are present or not. When that is not true the children become confused. They do not know what is expected of them. So we would like to suggest that you make the home life the same whether God's servants are present or absent. We also would like to make the suggestion to young people who are considering marriage, that you would just watch so that your home would be an open home where God's servants would be very welcome.
We will just mention briefly about the fellowship meetings. Jesus met with his disciples in homes. When he rose from the grave on the first day of the week, he met with the disciples in a home. When he gave the emblems, it was in a home. Any place that we read about the emblems being taken it was in the home, and we read in the second chapter of Acts of being together in a home and the Spirit came upon them. One of God's servants was in prison and they were praying for him; God heard their prayer.
Four places that we read in the epistles of the meeting in the home. I will mention them briefly: Romans 16, 1 Corinthians 16, Colossians 4, and in the book of Philemon. So we see a very strong connection between the home and worship. The world is always trying to separate the two. In a home there is nothing to feed the pride. Others construct large temples and are proud of them. I have appreciated that God has freed us from financial burdens this world has. He has passed nothing beyond our capability. What can be more reasonable than meetings in the home and speaking what is in our hearts and praying and singing?
We love to see where God has been able to open the hearts of His people and then their homes. So there is one other little part that we will mention about this. If we are opening our homes and making God welcome in this world, then someday God will take us to His home. He will open up His home in heaven and welcome us there. We make our homes those that God feels welcome in, then He will make His home a place where we will be welcome for all eternity. It is such a simple plan but so wonderful and successful. It is reasonable and practical. It is scriptural and right. I feel I want to learn more about God's simple ways and His simple solutions.
If we have a problem that we are misunderstood and facing persecution, the Lord’s solution to that is, “Be kind.” Remember Jesus has faced more than we have. If we have a problem that we do not know what to say in a certain situation, the Lord’s simple solution is, "Just ask what would Jesus say?” We have the problem that we do not know what to do so simply ask, “What would Jesus do?” One thing we can always do and that is do our best, just do what you can. If we have a problem and we do not know where we should go, the simple solution is just ask, “Where would Jesus go?” And in making decisions where we would or should not go, go to the place that will bring us close to God.
I was thinking more about this matter of home life. I have not yet had the privilege of visiting your homes. I hope I will be able to go to some of your homes. There is a very close connection between the home life and worship. We read in these verses of those who were hungry and thirsty and they gave them to eat and drink, and were strangers and took them in. Those were all things they were doing with their homes. It was because of what they were doing with their homes that they received the “Well done.” Jesus said, “If you give a cup of water in the name of a disciple you will not miss your reward.” That is what you do in your home. Isaiah speaks of the dwelling places of God's people. He said that they should be quiet resting places and peaceable habitations.
We were in Sri Lanka and we watched some fire walking. They were beating on some drums and shouting and it was so very noisy and confusing, and to them it was worship. In the home is where some of the most important lessons are learned. In the home we learn about true love, we learn to share, and we learn to care about others. In the home we learn about security. We learn respect for authority. It is in the home where morals are taught. We learn about honesty. If we do not learn these things in the home, there is no place to learn them. It is in the home where our true character comes to light. It is God's purpose that the families sit together and eat together. The children of Israel were instructed to speak about things when they sat together to eat.
I am very grateful for memories of my childhood. The times when there was just the family in the home and my mother and father would tell about the first days when they heard about God's way. We children loved to hear them tell us about it. In the home is where we welcome God's people and His servants. Where God can come and dwell with us.
We can mention a little of the Passover. When God's people were slaves in the land of Egypt they had no land to call their own. They had the refuge of their homes. In this world where we work and at school we have to face many things. Many things that are very hard for us to face, we just have to endure what is there. But when we can come back to the refuge of our homes and we can make our homes a quite refuge from the world. The children of Israel had the refuge of their homes. God instructed them to keep the Passover. He placed it in their homes.
It was planned that whatsoever the situation and whatsoever they find themselves, if they had the quiet refuge of their homes and the lamb they could keep the Passover. It was such a simple plan; God ways are not hard. Later we read about them, when they entered into the Promised Land, and by and by the temple was constructed. Even then the Passover remained in the homes because there was no separating home life and worship.
We could mention a little where God dwells. Isaiah wrote about it. “In the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite spirit.” 1 Corinthians 3, “Ye are the temple of the living God.” We heard about those verses in John 14 where Jesus spoke about He and the Father coming to dwell with you. So God dwells in the high and holy place. Heaven is His throne and the earth His footstool, but He dwells also in the hearts and lives of His people. That puts us right back in the home. So more than any other place, God is dwelling in the homes of His children.
It does not matter to God the size of the home. He does not care how many rooms there are, but what God is most concerned about is where He is welcome. God loves to dwell in quiet homes. There is a lot of noise and confusion in the world and should not enter into our home. A lot of worldly music and so on, TV and entertainment of the world. Those things make God very uncomfortable, He does not feel welcome. So we want to make God feel welcome in our homes.
I will just mention briefly the temple that Solomon built. It is the only building that God gave instructions to build. We read about the Jews, they had the custom of buildings synagogues. People love to put up buildings and they say, “This is dedicated to God.” These things were never instructed by God. We won't say much about the temple this morning, I need this that in every way it suggests the work of God in His people. A quiet work. No sound of the hammer at the site. Much precious material used in the building, and it is this precious faith and love and grace of God that is working in His people. The design was given by God. The skilled workmen working, just in every way it suggests God works in their lives. Really, it's just takes us back to the home.
Then we will mention a little about Jesus and His servants that He sent out. Jesus was born in a stable and grew up in Nazareth. He had a refuge in the home. It seems Nazareth was not of a good reputation, but he had a refuge in his home. Later, we read about the time he left his home. He traveled and told about the way and the Kingdom of God and never had a home after that. He would dwell with those who opened their homes. When he sent His disciples he sent them the same way. Those that would hear and believe would open their homes and make them welcome. It was because those that they were listening to had become their life. It means a great deal to us when we can be in your homes, but we love the homes of our friends that are open and we can go and feel at ease and welcome there.
Sometimes we like to make a suggestion concerning what we would like. We would like to encourage you that your home is the same when God's servants are present or not. When that is not true the children become confused. They do not know what is expected of them. So we would like to suggest that you make the home life the same whether God's servants are present or absent. We also would like to make the suggestion to young people who are considering marriage, that you would just watch so that your home would be an open home where God's servants would be very welcome.
We will just mention briefly about the fellowship meetings. Jesus met with his disciples in homes. When he rose from the grave on the first day of the week, he met with the disciples in a home. When he gave the emblems, it was in a home. Any place that we read about the emblems being taken it was in the home, and we read in the second chapter of Acts of being together in a home and the Spirit came upon them. One of God's servants was in prison and they were praying for him; God heard their prayer.
Four places that we read in the epistles of the meeting in the home. I will mention them briefly: Romans 16, 1 Corinthians 16, Colossians 4, and in the book of Philemon. So we see a very strong connection between the home and worship. The world is always trying to separate the two. In a home there is nothing to feed the pride. Others construct large temples and are proud of them. I have appreciated that God has freed us from financial burdens this world has. He has passed nothing beyond our capability. What can be more reasonable than meetings in the home and speaking what is in our hearts and praying and singing?
We love to see where God has been able to open the hearts of His people and then their homes. So there is one other little part that we will mention about this. If we are opening our homes and making God welcome in this world, then someday God will take us to His home. He will open up His home in heaven and welcome us there. We make our homes those that God feels welcome in, then He will make His home a place where we will be welcome for all eternity. It is such a simple plan but so wonderful and successful. It is reasonable and practical. It is scriptural and right. I feel I want to learn more about God's simple ways and His simple solutions.
J. Chafee
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