I brought this brick with me this morning. Now there is really nothing special about this brick all by itself. It’s not much to look at. But if we take a whole bunch of these bricks and put them together, the results are much more impressive. These bricks do not build a building all by themselves. We have to prepare a foundation then they are laid together carefully. Look at our brick structure; In order for many of those bricks to fit properly, some had to be cut or chip off part so that they would fit properly.
That’s exactly what Jesus does when He builds His church. He takes a bunch of bricks that aren’t much good on their own and he fits them together as a master builder, with Himself being the foundation – and as we will read, the very cornerstone. In order to do that, He has to chisel away and cut out those parts of our bricks that would detract from the finished product or that would keep us from fitting in with the other bricks. Although Jesus is concerned with the individual bricks, His overall purpose is to create a building that will bring glory to Himself.
Ephesians 2:19–22
We have people who say they can just sit at home and worship by watching a preacher on TV or listening to one on the radio. I listen to good sermons on the radio and there is nothing wrong with that. But if that is all you do and not active member of a church, you’re missing out. I wonder if some of those folks get up and give their radio or TV a big hug after worship?
Others will pick out a church based on what they can get out of them. In this current culture, we have conditioned ourselves to be selfish and narcissus . We live in a society where its all about me.
According to Bob Hyatt, pastor of Evergreen Community Church in Portland Oregon, in an article titled “Escape from Consumer Church,” he said:
“If you consider yourself a follower of Christ- you need to know this. The church is not here for you. You are here for the church, your community, and your community, the church is here for the world. Jesus did not die to make you into a sanctified consumer. He died to bring you alive to God and to a desperately needy world. And if you really believe that, it’s going to change everything- both the way that you do church and the way that you live every moment of your life from here on out.”
Being a participating and involved part of a local body of Christ is essential to our spiritual life.
Ephesians 2:19 (NKJV) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
The background to our passage is important to our understanding. The Jews and Gentiles in the Church at Ephesus where not getting along. There was dis-unity among them. The Jews thought the Gentiles, even though they were saved, they were not quite up to their spiritual level. Besides, it was culturally unheard of Jews and Gentiles mixing, like oil and water. The church today has much of the same problem. One of the most segregated groups in American today is the church. This ought not be so.
In the church, in the body of Christ, we have no “strangers and foreigners.” Those words meant outcast, those living on the fringes. In the those times, if you were from another country or people group, folks looked at you with suspicion. But such were the Gentile believers, but now they are “fellow citizens with the saints.” Saints here means the holy ones of God, all of them through out the world. We are fellow citizens of heaven. And not only that they are now “members of the household of God.” In short, all believers are children of God, we are siblings. This why we call each other brothers and sisters. Like family, we ought to be watching out for one another. Paul is telling the Gentiles (and the Jews), that they were full citizens. Paul told the church in Galatia:
Galatians 3:26–29 (NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 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. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
We talked about this last week. Christ in You. Christ in Me. This was the mystery revealed. We are in Christ together. Color of skin, male or female, rich or poor, social & economic standing, none of it should matter among the family of God. We are all one in Christ. But now Paul changes gears and from a family metaphor, to one of a building.
Ephesians 2:20 (NKJV) having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
We are being built together. The emphasis here is not us being joined with Christ, that has already been covered. The emphasis is us being joined together to God’s people. I’ll deal with how we are being built in a moment. First, we are being built on “the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” The Apostles and NT prophets. It is interesting that "apostles" are listed first, indicating the prophets came after them. So the OT prophets are not being referred to in this verse, but rather the NT prophets. Two chapters later Paul says:
Ephesians 4:11 (NKJV) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
Jesus gave the Apostles and prophets. We do not have either today, for their work was in the first century when they did not yet have the NT scriptures we have today. They were divinely chosen, divinely called, divinely commissioned, divinely gifted, and divinely inspired agents of revelation. They were the spokesmen for God. The foundational authority for the New Testament community is vested in those to whom Jesus gave authority to be his spokesmen. [1] It is on their instruction, words given to them by God, that we have this foundation on which we, the church, the body of Christ, are built. This foundation is the very Words of God which we hold in our hands today, the Bible.
But in ancient architecture, before the foundation was laid, the cornerstone was placed: “Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” Jesus is our cornerstone. Today, the cornerstone of a structure is largely symbolic. On a cornerstone laid today, often when the building is already completed, we place an inscription of dedication.
But the stone that is being described here has its roots in ancient masonry. It was the brick by which the builder lined up the whole building. Often it was the first brick to be laid. It was the keystone for the whole building—pull this brick out and everything falls. So the foundation was laid in and upon the chief cornerstone. [2]
Virtually every ancient Hebrew understood the importance of the cornerstone, for it determines the stability of the foundation and the character of the entire building. The Jerusalem Temple itself had huge foundation stones, the greatest of which was twenty-nine feet in length — the size of a railroad boxcar! [3]
Everything that we, the church, the local body of Christ says and does is measured from the Chief Cornerstone that is Jesus.
Ephesians 2:21–22 (NKJV) in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Key in on the word “grows.” We grow together. We are the building blocks of God’s new Temple. To understand the significance of what Paul is saying, we need to understand that the Gentiles were not allowed into that grand Temple in Jerusalem. There was a Courtyard of the Gentiles, outside of the temple, but there was a wall around the Temple with signs threatening death should a Gentile try to enter. But now, the Gentiles themselves are the very stones used to build the new Temple. The purpose of the New Temple is the same as the Temple of the OT, it is where God dwells. It is where we meet God. It begs the Question: Does God dwell in us? Individually and collectively? And when we come together, do we come to meet God?
1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
We, who are true believers, have the Spirit of God living in us. As such we become the very stones on which His temple is built.
1 Peter 2:4–5 (NKJV) Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
We are God’s building materials. “in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:22) Being built is an ongoing process. As other are being added, we ourselves are growing. We are growing together.
Let’s go back to the family metaphor. We are family together. We grow together. We watch out for one another.
1 Corinthians 12:25 (NKJV) that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
Taking care of one another takes time, takes effort, takes resources. The pastor cannot care for everyone. It takes us all together.
In a functional healthy family, we each help family member feel loved, appreciated and complete.
In a dysfunctional family it’s everyone for themselves. Isn’t that the way of the world? But we’re not like the world.
In a functional family all have their assigned chores. What happens when family members skip out on their chores? Others will have to pick up the load.
Among Pastors, we often talk about 20/80 mix in the church. 20 percent does 80 percent of the work. 20 percent gives 80 percent of the budget. These are not exact numbers but they are in the ballpark. This problem, found in most churches, lies in the fact that not everyone carries their share of the load. Many are not employing their Spiritual gift.
Every true believer has a spiritual gift. Its supernatural. It is not a natural talent. The gift is not just one trait but a unique blend of traits, like teaching, giving, encouragement, and so forth. the question is: "Are you excising your gift?" Are you doing you fair share of the chores that need done?
1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV) As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
We minister to one another. The body of Christ requires all to be functional and useful. we are not called to be a sponge and soak up resources.
For example: One things we need at Rosemont is teachers. Quite frankly, I’m tired of hearing about the lack of teaching abilities. When I was in the military, I had several assignments where I was required to teach. I was never asked if I had the ability, I was just told to do it because I had the experience in the subject matter.
Hebrews 5:12 (NKJV) For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
This was written without regard as to whether someone had the gift of teaching or not. When we talk to others believers about how we live, are we not teaching, mentoring? We need to exercise our gift for us to grow and to be the living stones in this local temple of God, for this local body of Christ. All must do their part.
Let me close by asking you one question – how do you see yourself? Are you someone who goes to church, or are you someone who is the church? There is a big difference. There are people who just go to church. They talk about attending. They enjoy the fellowship but never available when the work needs to be done. Don’t say you are too old. Moses was 80 when God him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. God uses everyone. We belong together. No one can do it alone.
[1] R. C. Sproul, The Purpose of God: Ephesians (Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, 1994), 69.
[2] Ibid.
[3] R. Kent Hughes, Ephesians: The Mystery of the Body of Christ, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1990), 100.
