FredMcKinnon.Com

Hey Ya’ll,

Did that title grab your attention? You either KNOW that that means, or you HAVE NO CLUE!

For those who have no clue, this is the big line used in the popular “Extreme Makeover – Home Edition” TV Show where Ty Pennington and gang come in and completely rebuild an incredible new home for a deserving family in just seven days. Maybe their home is simply too small for a needy family, maybe it was destoryed by fire, tornado, hurricane. Maybe there has been a tragedy in the family that has rendered them helpless. Regardless, Ty and gang come in and either remodel the home … or … in most cases – destroy it completely and rebuild a brand new one .. in just SEVEN DAYS.

They send the deserving family away on a vacation so that they can do their work. When the family finally returns, they are escorted through a parade of friends and supporters and are taken to a spot in front of their home where they await the “unveiling” of their new destiny. Since a huge house is a bit difficult to put a drape over … they conceal the home by parking their big tour bus in front of the house on the street. So, when the family is finally dropped off in front of their home, they are behind this huge tour bus and they are unable to see the house on the other side. With great anticipation and zeal, the family, Ty, design team, and the hundreds of supporters shout as loudly as possible “Bus Driver … MOVE THAT BUS”. With that declaration, the bus driver pulls away, exposing a clear line of sight to the new, lavish home. It’s at this point that the cries, tears, shouts, dances, and celebration explodes in a frenzy of praise that seldom leaves a dry eye … both on the TV and in the homes of those watching. At this point, the family is escorted to the front door where they walk into their new home – what was once insufficient is now gloriously replaced with an awe-inspiring masterpiece.

I was reading one of my favorite Old Testament passages this week in 2 Chronicles 5:11-14. It’s the story of when Solomon dedicated the temple for God. You see, up until this point, God’s Presence had not been dwelling in a “place” … in a “temple”. For example, His Presence was manifested with Moses in the desert as a “fire by night” and a “cloud by day”. They also had the “Tabernacle” … the “Tent of Meeting” where God and Moses would meet. David longed to build a temple that God would call his “home” – an actual, glorious, physical structure. This pleased God, but because David was a man of war and had shed much blood, He chose David’s son, Solomon, to build His temple instead. Solomon was obedient to do this work, and after building the temple to the specifications given by God it was time for “God to move in”.

“And it came to pass when the priests came out of the Most Holy Place (for all priests who were present had sanctified [consecrated] themselves without keeping to their divisions), and the Levites who were the singers, all those of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, with their songs and their brethren, stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets – indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord saying “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever”, that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”

In other words … Solomon finished building, and those priests, musicians, trumpeters, singers … in one accord, did a big ole’
“BUS DRIVER – MOVE THAT BUS” and God moved right on in! And He didn’t just ease in – He blew in with so much power and glory that those around couldn’t stand it … they collapsed. Even on the TV Show, the homeowners often fall to their knees, and nearly collapse with the overwhelming glory of their new home.

A few observations …

1. The God of the Universe moved into this temple, made by hands … where He didn’t have a “home” before, He now had a dwelling place. (well, the reality is, He called that his dwelling place, but the heavens cannot contain Him, much less a building .. see Acts 7:47-50)
2. This same God of the Universe had an even better plan … in his New Covenant with us … through Christ Jesus … He (God) chose to no longer live in a temple made by hands; rather, He chose to live within MANKIND – those who ask and accept His glorious Presence into our lives. (see 1 Cor 6:19, Acts 7:48, John 2:19-22).

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is an awesome representation of what God has done for mankind. His desire is is that we … our hearts .. would become His home. But our hearts are sinful – nasty – wicked. Since the fall of mankind with Adam and Eve, we are born into sin. Our homes are not acceptable … they are not sufficient for the sinless, glorious King of the Universe. Yet, Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, came and through that work, it was like Ty Pennington and the whole EMHE team coming in and tearing down that wicked, sinful home (of our hearts) and restoring it to a wonderful, glorious place. Except … Christ did it in 3 days, instead of seven! And when He died on the cross, was risen again … serving as our Sacrifice for sin … and we, as individuals say “Jesus Christ, save me … redeem me … restore my heart … come and make MY HEART YOUR HOME …. ” …. well …. I think the angels in Heaven celebrate and say “BUS DRIVER – MOVE THAT BUS” and the glorious Presence of Almighty God flows into our beings .. into our bodies .. into our souls … a brand new habitation for Him.

YES YES YES – HALLELUJAH and AMEN!

Granted … this redemptive work transformed our heart and soul into a place that God could dwell … but just like the brand new homes built on Extreme Makeover … there is still maintenance. There is still “junk” that will have to be dealt with … the lawn still has to be kept, the laundry still gets dirty, the floors still need to be swept and kept clean … a process we call “sanctification” … but we’ll save that for another blog, ok?

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did … I think we’ve got a new sermon ready now!

For the Kingdom,
Fred F. McKinnon