THE LORD’S HOUSE IS A SPECIAL PLACE!

• The church is poetically referred to as a building.• “On this rock I will build My church” (Matt 16:18).• “We are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are

God’s building” (1 Cor 3:9).

ISAIAH 2:1-5

• Reason Number One: The church is chief, v 2.• The church is important:

• Jesus died for the church (Acts 20:28).• Jesus loves the church (Eph 5:25).• Jesus is the Savior of the church (Eph 5:23).

• Reason Number Two: The church is comprehensive, vv 2-3.• In the new temple--the church of our God--anyone can come.

• Acts 10:34-35.• “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is

neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:28).

• Reason Number Three: The church has code, v 3.• The law would go forth from Zion.• “We shall walk in His paths.”

• “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt 7:21).

• “Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matt 12:50).

• Reason Number Four: The church has concord, v 4.• At verse 2, Isaiah says that “all nations” would come to the new

temple.• Here, he says that nation would not lift up sword against nation.

THE LORD’S HOUSE IS A SPECIAL PLACE!

• One: Because the church is chief, we need to give priority to the church in our lives.• Do some self-examination and see what, if anything, takes

priority over the church.• You need to make the church a priority in your life!

• Two: Because the church is comprehensive, we need to welcome the stranger.• All nations would flow to the church.• We cannot accept sin.

• But, the Gospel has the power to transform lives (1 Cor 6:9-11).• Be welcoming of new people.

• If you were walking into this building for the first time, what would you like to know?

• Three: Because the church has code, we need to know that code.• We need to be a studying people.

• “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path” (Ps 119:105).• “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which

judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (Jn 12:48).

• Spend some time this week studying what the Bible has to say about the church.

• Four: Because the church has concord, we need to live in peace with our brethren.• “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good

comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor 13:11).

• “Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess 5:13).• We need to do everything in our power to create an environment of peace in this congregation.

ARE YOU PART OF THE LORD’S HOUSE THIS

MORNING?