1. Except the Lord Build the House
Psalms 127:1-2

2. Except (Unless) the Lord builds the house
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless athe Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To beat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

3. The Builders:
Basic English Translation
If the Lord is not helping the builders, then the building of a house is to no purpose: if the Lord does not keep the town, the watchman keeps his watch for nothing.

4. Without Jehovah…Without God
Vain,
Useless,
Unprofitable
Nothing,
Avails nothing.

5. Vain Worship - except God is worshipped right
Matt. 15:9
John 4:23-24
Consider:
Baal worshippers! I Kings 18
Vain, Useless, Avails Nothing, No profit!

6. I Kings 18
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions?
if the Lord be God, follow him:
but if Baal, then follow him.
And the people answered him not a word.

7. I Kings 18:
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and
the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.
And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken
(that’s great..let’s do it!!)

8. Who is on the Lord’s Side?
Decision Time:
Who is on the Lord’s Side?

9. I Kings 18:
 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

10. I Kings 18:
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

11. 36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

12. #2. Vain Church – except the Lord build it
#2. Vain Church – except the Lord build it! Not God’s House, unless He builds it!
Many churches today: Called God’s house! May just as
Well ‘remove’ the name God. It is not God’s house, Unless He builds it!.
Matthew 15:13-14
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch
It will Fall, will not be tolerated by God!
Most churches do not have the Lord’s name…Rom. 16:16
Most churches have their own creeds…2 Tim.3 :16-17
Most churches are churches of men….Mtt. 15:9
Vain, Useless, Avails Nothing!! Except the Lord build it!

13. #3 Work for the Lord , except it is done For Him
#3 Work for the Lord , except it is done For Him! Is Useless, Vain, Empty,Profit nothing!!
I Cor. 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal
.2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

14. I John 4:8 John 13:35 Service by the servants of God must be for God…
Or it will all be Useless, Vain, Avail nothing, No profit
In your work!

15. Obedience to Christ Just attend, but no worship… Worthless
Name on the church directory.. Vain, worthless , without
being a member.
What makes one person a member of the Lord’s church,
Is what makes every person who is in the kingdom
Of God, the church, one acceptable unto God.
Col.1:13; Acts 2:47; I Cor. 1:1-2

16. Husbands Eph. 5:25 Love Wives Eph. 5:23 Subject
#4 Our houses ..families…except the Lord build …wrecked, wasted, no profit
Husbands Eph. 5:25 Love
Wives Eph. 5:23 Subject
Parents Eph. 6: Nuture
Children Eph. 6:1-2 Obey

17. We can do it God’s Way…Acceptable Or Do It our way…Unacceptable!
The fact remains,
EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE,
THEY LABOR (IN VAIN, USELESS, TO NO AVAIL..
NOTHING!)

18. Jesus talks about builders Matt. 7:21-28
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

19. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

20. Upon this Rock, the confession that Peter made, “I will build my church!”
Acts 2:47 And the Lord added to the church daily,
Such as should be saved.
He is still adding…but adding only those who are
Being saved!. Acts 4:12
You are either in it, or out of it.
It is either the church that the Lord built, or it is of man.

21. Where are you? In it, or out of it.
Faithful, or unfaithful?
Your life is yours to do with as you choose…
Matt.16: What does it profit a man,
If he should gain the whole world, and lose
His soul???What will a man give in exchange
For His soul.

22. Obey the Gospel: Be baptized today!
Hear. Rom. 10:17
Believe. John 8:24
Repent. Acts 17:30-31
Confess. Matt. 10:32,33
Be baptized. Acts 22:16
Live faithfully…..I Cor. 15:58

23. Unfaithful members, repent – Today!!
Repent. Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness
Confess. James 5:16
Pray. I John 1:7