1. The Parable of Cleaning House

    2. A father of four children went to them and told them, "Go clean your rooms." Dad gave the firstborn child a helper from the beginning, but not the other children. When dad went back and checked on the children, only the firstborn child had a clean room. Dad gave the helper to the second and third child and again told his children clean your room. He came back again and all but the child without the helper had clean rooms. Later, dad told the kids to clean their rooms again. The second child complained, "We have already cleaned our rooms, why must we clean them again?" Dad replied, "Because they have become dirty again, now go clean your rooms." The firstborn's room was already cleaned, but he cleaned it even more. The second refused to clean it back up. The third had let his room become a real mess, but cleaned it back up. The fourth as usual ignored his dad's instructions. Dad came back and was pleased with the firstborn and even the third child. He was furious with the second child and took away his helper. The fourth child he finally gave a helper and he in the end got his room cleaned up. Do you understand the parable brethren?

  2. Dad in this Parable is God the Father.


    3. Matthew 5:16-48
    Dad, Our Father in Heaven is telling us to clean our lives up. Are you listening? Are you obeying? Are you perfect like our Father is perfect? Are you at least headed in the right direction?

  3. The Helper is the Holy Spirit.

    4. Matthew 3:16-17
    John 14:15-17
    John 14:23-27 The Holy Spirit opens our minds to the truth. The World can not know the truth, because they have not been given the Holy Spirit yet. Sometimes brethren, we are accused by unbelievers to be condemning the world. This world was meant to be as corrupt as it is to show us first hand how horrible and destructive Satan's way of life is. We believe that when the World is given the Holy Spirit that the vast majority will repent as we are repenting today. Our enemies accuse us falsely, because they don't have the helper, God's Holy Spirit, to guide them.

  4. The Firstborn son is the Messiah who is perfect.

    5. The Father thundered from heaven, "This is my son, whom I am well pleased, hear him!" Matthew 17:1-8

  5. The second child is King Saul or those who repent but later relent.

    6. Saul was given the Holy Spirit and made the King of Israel.
    1 Samuel 9:27 1 Samuel 10:1-13
    Saul sins and appears to try and repent. Saul's repentence was not accepted, because he did not change. He kept doing the wrong things and eventually God took away his Holy spirit. 1 Samuel 16:14

  6. The third child is David or those who repent, mess up, but repent again.

    7. David is annointed and given the Holy Spirit. 1 Samuel 16:11-13
    2 Samuel 12:7-14
    2 Samuel 24:10-17
    Psalm 51:7-12 David saw God take his spirit from Saul and how it changed him. He did not want to repeat the mistake.
    Did God really forgive David? Ezekiel 37:21-28
    King David is going to be resurrected and made King over Israel again.

  7. The fourth child is the world or those who have not had a chance to repent but will in the future.

    8. The world has not been given the helper yet.
    Their day of salvation has not yet come.
    Matthew 12:16-21
    Has the world put their trust in the Messiah yet? In the future they will.
    Isaiah 42:1-23
    Zechariah 8:20-23

  8. A righteous parent or past will not save one from their wicked present or future.

    9. Ezekiel 18:1-32
    We must become righteous and stay righteous!
    Once saved, always saved is a falacy.

    Conclusion:
    As Passover approaches we need to look at our lives and see where we need to clean house. We don't need to clean our neighbor's house or our children's house or even our spouse's house. We need to clean up our own house and get the dirt out of our own lives. And that goes for me too, because my life isn't completely clean either. When I look into the mirror, I see a sinner looking back at me. What do you see brethren?