THE LORD BUILDS HIS CHURCH (Outline)
September 18, 2022 – Pentecost 15 – EPHESIANS 2:19-22
INTRO: Without the Lord nothing is possible. With the Lord all things are possible. Even the impossible. "If the LORD does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work hard over it. If the LORD does not watch over the city, it is useless for the watchman to stand guard" (PSALM 127:1). This truth is vitally important for us as believers. The Lord’s work is achieved by the Lord’s power. In other words, THE LORD BUILDS HIS CHURCH.
I. Built on Christ the Cornerstone. II. Joined together by Scriptures.
I. GOD’S CHURCH IS BUILT ON CHRIST, THE CORNERSTONE.
A. Verse 19. “…no longer foreigners and strangers…” All believers are inside the kingdom of God.
1. Early church had two types of believers: Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians.
a. Gentiles unfamiliar with Scriptures. b. Jews very familiar with Scripture.
2. Very different backgrounds and spiritual training. Now both cultures one in Christ.
3. “…fellow citizens with the saints and member of god’s household.” Believers. Family of God.
B. Verse 20. Each and every believer was saved by God’s grace (vss. 8ff). “You have been built…”
1. The foundation of their faith was built on apostles and prophets.
2. By inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostles penned the New Testament. Prophets the Old.
C. Verse 20. “…with Christ Jesus himself as the Cornerstone.” Perfect Cornerstone.
1. The cornerstone was the most important part of the building. Needed to be level. Straight.
2. Rest of the building depended on accurate measurements taken from the cornerstone.
D. The foundation of “the Holy Christian church, the communion of saints” is completely based on Christ. Christ alone. This is our confidence. Joy. Strength. Salvation. There is nothing that can or will upset our Cornerstone. Christ is also the solid Rock Cornerstone for our Christian faith. I marvel at the fact that some do not know Christ as their Cornerstone. They do not have faith. They do not have any joy. Hope. Peace. Such an attitude is nothing new. “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?” (MATTHEW 21:42). Jesus spoke these words to the Pharisees. Religious leaders of his day. They were the builders rejecting Christ. There are still many religious leaders who push Jesus aside.
E. What kind of faith does anyone have without Christ as our Cornerstone? Without Christ everything is useless. Hopeless. Joyless. Describes the world and society that we live in today. There is very little talk about any joy for the future. Or hope. The world does not have Christ as the Cornerstone for their solid footing. Friends, please, appreciate the miracle of faith. You do have Christ as the Cornerstone.
"Therefore, this is what the LORD God says: Look, I am laying a stone in Zion as a foundation, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone to provide a sure foundation. Whoever believes will not be put to shame" (ISAIAH 28:16).
F. To have faith. To know the Savior. To know God’s forgiveness… All of these and more are powerful acts of our heavenly Father’s grace. And his love. Listen to this: "For he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have one Father. For that reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers” (HEBREWS 2:11). By faith we know the relationship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three persons. One God. Now Jesus calls us his brothers. Sisters. Family. We who are sinners are given membership in God’s holy family. Amazing grace. We now have the same rights of sons. Eternal inheritance!
THE LORD BUILDS HIS CHURCH. The church, our faith is built on Christ, Cornerstone.
II. GOD’S CHURCH IS JOINED TOGETHER BY SCRIPTURE.
A. Verse 20. “…built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets…” Solid foundation is crucial.
B. Verse 21. “…the whole building is joined together and grows…” Stones and bricks do not grow.
1. The Lord is describing the living building known as God’s church. Believers.
2. “…grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” It is the Lord alone who causes and gives the growth.
C. Verse 22. “In him you too are being built together…” God’s work builds believers together.
1. Believers built together by God become the Lord’s church. It is God’s power not humans.
2. “…built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Holy Spirit works faith in hearts.
3. In the hearts and lives of believers the Lord Jesus lives. Flourishes. Faith grows.
D. While on earth Jesus pointed the disciples to the deep, spiritual meanings all around them. Still important for us today to know Jesus’ truths. At the temple the disciples commented about the massive stones that made up the temple building. Jesus told them stones would be destroyed. He also said that he would rebuild the temple in three days. Jesus was talking about his body. Jesus was the living temple. Our bodies house that same feature. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own…" (1 CORINTHIANS 6:19).
E. Christ lives in us. This is important. Our bodies are the living temples of the Holy Spirit. Faith does that. The Lord Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world. Jesus wants us to understand he will not return on the Last Day to establish an earthly kingdom. Our Lord Jesus taught about the living temple not built by human hands. Another temple of stone will not be built. "…you also, like living stones, are being built as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, in order to bring spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 PETER 2:5). We are the living stones. Spiritual house. Temple. Temple was built for worship. Built for sacrifices. What are sacrifices that come from us…God’s living temples? Our sacrifice is the fruit of lips that praise his name (Hosea 14:2; Hebrews 13:15).
F. The early church was made up of Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians. Different. Almost opposites. They were united in Christ. Joined together by the truth of Scripture. Nothing has changed over the centuries. Buildings use different sizes of building bricks, stone. The Lord’s church also has many different kinds of people as living stones for the Lord’s living temple. "In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another" (ROMANS 12:5). We belong to one another. Bound together by the Lord’s love. Joined together by the truth of God’s Word.
CONC.: The Lord builds his church. Christ is the perfect Cornerstone. Scripture is the mortar that binds together living stones. Even the gates of hell cannot and will not prevail against the Lord’s temple. "I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him is the one who bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (JOHN 15:5). With God all things are possible. Even the impossible. THE LORD BUILDS HIS CHURCH. Our faith is built on Christ, the Cornerstone. Our faith is joined together by the living, active, and powerful Word of God. Not unto us…but to the Lord belongs all praise and honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENT. 15 rdgs.: PROVERBS 25:6, 7; HEBREWS 13:1-8; LUKE 14:1, 7-14; (PSALM 119)
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