My father loved to build. He constructed three rooms under our house, a barbecue, a wishing well and a cave in our back garden!
Recently I drove past my old house and was filled with wonderful memories of my creative father as I saw his meticulous handiwork still standing strong after so many years.
Did you know that our Heavenly Father is also a builder and is in the process of constructing a magnificent building?
The apostle Paul wrote that God is building a home. Hes using us all in what he is building . hes using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day . (Ephesians 2:20-21; The Message Bible)
What is this all about? Peter reveals more about this building and describes Christians as living stones (1Peter 2:5). But exactly what is God building? Lets consider the characteristics of this building.
Jesus is the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).
A firm foundation is vital to a building, and a cornerstone is the most important part of the foundation. It is vital for the orientation of the building it helps to hold the building together, all the dimensions in the building have to be measured correctly from the cornerstone and other stones have to fit into it. Gods building consists of people grounded on Jesus Christ and as the cornerstone he holds it together. This means that this building is oriented around Jesus. Christianity hangs entirely upon Jesus Christ and his resurrection. He is the focal point of the Bible. Whenever you find a difficult scripture, orient it around who Jesus is and the rest will usually follow.
The stones are connected to one another (Ephesians 2:21-22).
Each stone is harmoniously fitted and connected to the corner stone, the foundation, the roof, to other walls and to one another. One stone is not a building or even a wall – its only when it is joined together with hundreds of other stones that together they make something beautiful. Mother Teresa said; You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together, we can do great things. We were not made for independence but for interdependence. Being a Christian is not a solitary pursuit.
The stones in this building are not identical
In another description of Christians but just as applicable to the composition of this building Paul wrote; Your body has many partslimbs, organs, cellsbut no matter how many parts you can name, youre still one body (1 Corinthians 12:12 Message Bible). Nowadays mass produced bricks look the same and one is as good as another. But most buildings of old – like the temple in Jerusalem utilized different sized stones that were hand crafted and individually selected. Although we are all connected we are distinctly ourselves. Just as our DNAs are unique there is nobody who can be you except you.
Every stone has its place
God carefully places each part of the body right where he wants it (1Corinthians 12:18).
As my father was building he would look carefully at the stones in the pile, find the one that would fit in next to and on top of other stones and place it into position. Whether it was a large square stone or small and round he always looked for that perfect fit.
There is no unimportant stone in this building. In the same way, no matter who you are you matter to God and you have been placed exactly where you should be. Some of us are stones over the top of the door, some make up a window and some are in the back passage behind the platform that no one really sees. But we each have our place with everyone else. We are not all meant to preach or to be missionaries, pastors, worship leaders or youth leaders. But you have a ministry. Its not your responsibility to find it surrender your life to God, worship him, take your place in his building and let him make it happen. Remember, it is God who is doing the building (Ephesians 2:22). When the Holy Spirit does something, you are ministering before you even know about it.
When God takes up residence
What an honour and privilege! God has a building project and we are part of it! Every time someone trusts Jesus Christ as Saviour, another stone is cemented into its place in the walls of this unique building. But just what is this building? In Ephesians 2:21,22 we discover that it is a holy temple built by God a temple in which God is quite at home. To understand this we need to know that in Old Testament times Gods home was in the tabernacle in the wilderness and later in the temple in Jerusalem. When God took up residence there he manifested his moving in with a display of fire and light the shekinah. In the innermost room of the tabernacle and temple was the Holy of Holies which signified the presence of God. The Greek word for that room is naos.
What does this have to do with you and me today? Naos is the word used in verse 21 for temple! Paul is talking to each Christian and saying; YOU are being built and fitted together in this building. YOU are joined to the cornerstone Jesus Christ and to one another. As this is happening YOU, together with other Christians are becoming the holy naos – the actual building in which God lives (1Corinthians 3:16, 17; 1 Peter 2:4-5).
The day of Pentecost 30AD is one of the great turning points in the history of the world. On that day the shekinah passed over the temple in Jerusalem and descended upon an ordinary house in which the believers were gathered together. The fire divided and came to rest on each person in the room (Acts 2:1-4). By doing this, God was showing that through the Holy Spirit, he was beginning a new Temple a temple that doesnt consist of stones but people who believe and follow Jesus. People who dont need a church in which to worship, but people who are the church. That is what God is building and thats who you are!
Two important exegetical notes:
- Each one of us is a temple (1Corinthians 6:19), but when joined to others, we become the temple (1Corinthians 3:16). The you is plural and refers to the Christian community, hence, the church.
- In the temple imagery of 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul understands God to be present among his people. In making his point, he draws on the language of the new covenant promise of Ezekiel 37:27: I will dwell among them and they shall be my people. Gordon Fee; Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God p17