“United We Stand!”
United With Christ As The Household Of God!
Ephesians 2:19-22
Introduction:
1. Exploring The Doctrine Of A Christian’s Union With Christ!
- It Is A Great Blessing For Christians! (1 Corinthians 1:30 - “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus!”)
- It Is A Great Mystery For Christians! (Ephesians 5:31-32 - “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”)
- IE: “Clue” - Searching Through The Mansion Of The Entire New Testament, Gathering From Room To Room Clues About The Mystery Of Our Union With Christ!
2. We Have Looked At:
- “What Does It Mean To Be United With Christ?” - It Covers Many Facets Of Your Christian Life!
- “Union With Christ Is An Inclusive Term For The Whole Of Salvation!” (Millard Erickson)
- “What Does It Take To Be United With Christ?” (Ephesians 2:12-14 - “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”) - You Must Understand What It Is Like Without The Union; You Must Believe What It Is That Creates The Union; And You Must Experience What It Is Like With The Union!
3. We Will Look At:
- “What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?” - Going Through The Mansion, We Come To A Room That Gives Several Key Figures / Illustrations That Reveal Certain Aspects Of Our Union!
- Key Figures: According To The NT, Your Union With Christ Is Like: A Building; A Vine; A Body; A Marriage; Others!
- We Will Look At These Key Figures, To Further Understand Our Union With Christ! Remember, They Are Figures Only! They Cannot & Do Not Reveal To Us Everything That Our Union Consists Of – It Is Still A Mystery! “There Is Similarity But Not Identity” / “When We Make A Comparison We Do Not Make An Equation” (John Murray - “Redemption – Accomplished And Applied”)
4. According To Ephesians 2:19-22: Your Union With Christ Is Like A Building! (Read Passage)
5. Remember Who Book Of Ephesians Was Written To:
- The Church Located In The Roman City Of Ephesus, In Modern Day Western Turkey - The “Crossroads” Of The Roman Empire (IE: Indiana) - Many Land & Sea Routes Crossed Here! It Became Very Important Politically, Commercially & Religiously! (Mixed Together) - Its Religious Importance Is Seen In The Temple Of Diana (Roman Goddess), Which Was 1 Of The 7 Wonders Of The Ancient World; Ranks With Pyramids / Hanging Gardens - Babylon; Foundation - 10 Steps High; 425 Feet Long / 220 Feet Wide (2 Football Fields); 60 Feet High - 2 Rows Of 127 Pillars - These Ephesian Christians Knew What A Large & Great Building Was Like! And Paul Explains To Them That “In Christ” They Are Part Of A Much Greater Building Than The One Their City Was Known For!
6. What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!” (v. 19); Also Known As The “Household Of Faith” (Galatians 6:10); “Ye Are God’s Building” (1 Corinthians 3:9)
* This Means:
I. You Are Built ON Jesus Christ! (v. 20)
- “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone!”
- Because Jesus Christ Is Your “Cornerstone!”
- Represents The Primary Stone In A Building! (In Ancient Architecture - Temple Of Diana); Primary In Time! (First Construction Material To Be Laid - The Rest Of The Building Could Not Begin Until This Cornerstone Was Placed!); Primary In Strength! (The Cornerstone Had To Be Made Out Of The Best Quality & Strongest Material - It Would Be The Stone Upon Which Everything Else Would Rest!); Primary In Significance! (Even Today Cornerstones Are Laid Today - Used For Dates - Often Laid During Special Ceremonies!)
A. Jesus Christ Is Your ONLY Cornerstone!
- “Jesus Christ Himself!”
- 1 Corinthians 3:11 - “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
- There Can Be Only One True Foundation! The Support Upon Which Everything Else Rests!
- IE: House - Footers Laid First & Foremost!
B. Jesus Christ Is Your PERMANENT Cornerstone!
- “Being!”
- Present Tense Verb - Currently He Is Your Cornerstone, And He Will Continue To Be Your Cornerstone!
- Many Other Buildings Will Fall!
- IE: Picture Book - Wrecking Ball - Why?
- Matthew 7:26-27 - “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: 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.”
- But His Building Will Remain!
- Matthew 7:24-25 - “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: 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.”
C. Jesus Christ Is Your CHIEF Cornerstone!
- “The Chief Corner Stone!”
- Jesus Christ Is Your Chief / Primary Cornerstone In Time! He Was Laid Down First!
- Jesus Christ Is Your Chief / Primary Cornerstone In Strength! He Is Your Support!
- Jesus Christ Is Your Chief / Primary Cornerstone In Significance! He Is Your Purpose! (What A Ceremony (Life / Death / Burial / Resurrection / Ascension / Exaltation!))
* If You Are United With Christ, You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built ON Jesus Christ!
- You Can Trust & Fully Rely Upon Him, Because He Is Your ONLY / PERMANENT / CHIEF Cornerstone!
* What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!” - Which Means:
II. You Are Built IN Jesus Christ! (v. 21)
- “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord!”
- “This building is to be understood of all the saints, and people of God; of the whole universal church, which is God’s building; and is a building of a spiritual nature, and will abide for ever: and this is fitly framed together; it consists of various parts, as a building does; some saints are comparable to beams, some to rafters, others to pillars, and these are joined and united to one another, and are set in an exact symmetry and proportion, and in a proper subserviency to each other; and so as to make for the good, the strength, and beauty of the whole. And it all centers in Christ; he has a great concern in this building; he is the master builder, and the foundation and cornerstone; and it being knit together in him!” (John Gill)
A. Built As One Structure!
- “In Whom All The Building Fitly Framed Together” - To Join Closely Together - To Bond So Tightly As To Become One! (IE: Bricks vs. Brick Wall!)
- In Christ, You Are No More Individual Parts, But A Unit! (“Here again is union, for in a building all the stones and timbers are joined and fastened together upon the foundation, making but one entire structure.” (Arthur Pink - “Spiritual Union And Commuion))
- IE: Looking At House From 2 Different Perspectives - Details - Whole - This Is How Union With Christ Is Viewed!
B. Built Through One Process!
- “Groweth” - A Continual Process That Is Ongoing Even Now! It Will Not Stop Until Perfectly Complete!
- Growth In Quantity!
- As He Said In Matthew 16:18 - “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!”
- As He Did In Acts 2:47 - “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved!”
- IE: Not Much Of A Builder - Built Shelves - Piece By Piece!
- Growth In Quality!
- Ephesians 5:26-27 - “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish!”
- Only God Can Take Rotted Wood & Make It Into A Mansion Fit For The King!
- He Is Still “Growing” & “Building” His Building! In You!
C. Built For One Purpose!
- “Unto An Holy Temple In The Lord!”
- Not Like The One Constructed To Honor The False God - Diana Of The Ephesians!
- 1 Peter 2:9 - “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light!”
- Our Holiness Is In Him & From Him!
* If You Are United With Christ, You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built IN Jesus Christ!
- You Should Consider That You Are Built In Him As One Structure / Through One Process / For One Purpose!
- Have His Purpose As Your Purpose For Life!
* What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!” - Which Further Means:
III. You Are Built BY Jesus Christ! (v. 22)
“In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit!”
- “Builded Together” - Just As A Building Cannot Build Itself, The “Household Of God” Cannot Build Itself Either - There Has To Be A Builder - That Builder Is Jesus Christ!
- The Process Of Jesus Christ Building His Church Is A Very Personal Process!
A. You Are His Personal Materials!
- “Ye Also” - Personally Chosen - IE: Picking Out Lumber - Not For The Choicest! - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 - “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
- 1 Peter 2:4-5 - “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”
B. You Are His Personal Home!
- “For An Habitation Of God!”
- God Chose You To Dwell With You!
- God Is Building You To Dwell With You! And He Does Dwell With You Through The Holy Spirit!
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 - “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 - “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
* If You Are United With Christ, You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built BY Jesus Christ!
- Live As Part Of His Household! Because You Are His Personal Materials & His Personal Home!
Conclusion:
1. What Is It Like To Be United With Christ?
- You Are Part Of The “Household Of God!”
- You Are Built ON Jesus Christ!
- Isaiah 28:16 - “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.”
- Trust In Him!
- You Are Built IN Jesus Christ!
- You Have Become United With Him!
- Have The Same Purpose In Your Life As He Did In His! Glorify Him!
- You Are Built BY Jesus Christ!
- Live For Him!
