Ephesians 2:19-22
The Dwelling Place of God
Question for you to consider today:
A) Is the
Church a place that you go to or is it a something that you are a part of ?
B) Is the Church a club
that you participate in or a Family to which you belong .
C) When you talk about your Church is it the
building you drive to or is it a body that you are a member of .
D) Those are interesting questions in our
day and age
Many people Do Church Once a
week Fulfill the Spiritual part of their lives
1) A lot of people go to Church They go to be fed
/ they go out of a sense of spiritual duty they go for their kids /
But the thing that the NT makes very clear is that if you
are a believer in Jesus Christ the Church is something you are a part of
A) When you opened your heart to Jesus : Jesus came
to dwell in your heart by His Spirit But something else happened Mystical
Mysterious
B) You were
placed IN CHRIST& IN HIM - you became a
part of something Bigger than yourself THE CHURCH OF JC
C) We are
continuing our in-depth look at the in Christ statements found in the first 3
Chapters of the Book of Ephesians Wed [ V by Verse ]
1) In the verses we have just read Paul gives us
some key insights into this thing that we call the Church. Note 4 important things
#1 We are a Family v.19 Members of the household of God
A) Notice that Paul
begins with a negative. "You "are no longer strangers and
foreigners { No longer outsiders
B) When it came to the family of God that is what
we were S/F/O
C) What is a stranger? We have all experienced that
before You travel to a different state new city dont know where
everything is
1) First time in Yugo dropped off in the middle of
the night didnt know where we were / Howard & Eddie were around the
block
D) Once we were strangers, says
the apostle. We did not know what God could do for us.
1) We had no idea of the resources of peace and joy
and forgiveness that were available to us
E) But no more, he says. Now that we have come to
Christ we are no more strangers. Now we are well
acquainted w/ the things of God
And we are no longer foreigners, either. A foreigner is
different than a stranger.
A) A foreigner may be very familiar with the country
in which he lives.
B) He may have lived there for years and may be
fully acquainted with the possibilities of it.
1) But he is limited. He is all alien; he has no
ultimate rights. He is living on a VISA
C) He does
not have a birth certificate which makes him a citizen of that land. No rights / no privileges he is limited
This is very descriptive of many people in churches. They
attend church regularly, sometimes study the Bible, they are familiar w/ the
Songs
A) The
language of the Church is very familiar to them but because they have not
surrendered their hearts to Christ still foreigners
B) They cant experience the
blessings of Being in the family of God !!!
C) But Paul says that is not our Place in Christ we are no longer Strangers & foreigners Now we
are members of the household of God
1) Citizenship in the Kingdom & Access to the
Father / Rights
D) And being a part of the household of God means that we
are now a part of wonderful family The Church
Consider for a few minutes how the Church is like a family
A) It is a place where love is present: Nothing more
special touching seeing a family that loves each other
B) Husband and Wife look & sparkle in their eyes
when they look at each other
1) Love of a parent for their children Love of
siblings
2) Aaron
talking to Amanda Any boy ever hurts her He is going to knock their block
off THAT IS MY BOY
C) Family that rallies around a
member who is sick or in need
1) Great to see that
Romans 5:5 the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the
Holy Spirit who was given to us.
A) God has
placed His love in us because His spirit in our hearts He works in us in
such a way Start to love others
B) The love of God in the Church is a beautiful
thing to behold how people who hardly know each other { Common bond caring }
1) Rally around each other Awesome thing to behold
C) So the
Church is a place where love is present .
The Church is also a place where encouragement is given
A) Sometimes
one of my kids comes home after a rough day at school or a bad game they are
upset crying discouraged
B) And maybe they have been
holding it in all day : Suddenly they get home and it
just all comes out
1) Denise or I or both of take them aside Work of
encouragement starts to happen Building them up
C) That isnt very different from what often happens here
1) After
service up front Prayer IN the counseling offices
In the home fellowships
D) 2 Cor
1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,4 who comforts us in
all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God
The Church is also a place Peaceful refuge
A) Some days
are busy sometimes in this world is to get drained
feel thrashed spent or beat up
B) My home is
my Sanctuary Favorite times being together w/ my family Watching a movie
playing a game reading
C) Just great to be
together like that
place of rest turn on the answering machine put away the cell phone
Relax { goof around
1) Families need down time like that
Well the Church Should be that type of place for those in
the family of God OASIS
A) A place
where we can come Sanctuary place where we can be refreshed Peace from
the chaos / rest from the constant on the go
B) Place to be Nourished place to gain perspective
be reminded about what our priorities should be what is most important
C) Place where
the weary can be built up again
A place where people work together :
A) Saturdays
family Chore day: We all have a job to do get it finished so that we can do
something fun - Group effort
B) Well the
Church is definitely the same Group effort
Phil 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ,
so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs,
that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the
faith of the gospel
C) So First we are a Family members of the
Household of God
#2 We are a building
- Not a building that we come to but
we make up the Building the House of
God
v.20 having been built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
cornerstone,21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a
holy temple in the Lord
A) In ancient
days when a builder was going to build a Building start w/ the Cornerstone
B) A cornerstone was the most
basic and essential part of a building, from which the proper placement
& alignment of every other part was determined. 1) If the cornerstone was imperfectly cut or placed, the symmetry & stability
of the entire building would be adversely affected.
C) It had to be strong enough to support what was
built on it, and it had to be precisely laid, because every other part of the
structure was oriented to it
D) The cornerstone was the support, the orienter, and the
unifier of the entire building.
1) That is what Jesus Christ is to God's kingdom,
God's family, and God's building.
He is the Cornerstone
A)He is the Rock that we have built our lives upon rock of our lives
B) TRIED STONE Isa.28:16 A
tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
C) The word tried was commonly used to
describe metals which are tried in the fire to test their quality /
1)The idea is, that God would lay for a foundation not a stone whose
qualities are unknown, and whose stability might be doubtful,
D) but one whose firmness and stability were so fully known, so that the
foundation and the structure would be secure.
1) Our lives are built upon a ROCK that is immovable / no matter the storm the trial that comes We stand ON HIM!!!!
So
Jesus is the Cornerstone but Peter in
his epistle gives us some insight into our place in this building -
A) 1 Peter 2:5-6 Peter declares that you & are living stones who are being
built together as a spiritual house
B) Paul says here in v.21 In Christ we are being fit
together
1) fitted together)
refers to the careful joining of every component of a piece of furniture, wall,
building, or other structure.
C) Every part is precisely cut to fit snugly,
strongly, and beautifully with every other part.
D) We are being fit together by the Lord Church
as a whole & this Church individually Every person has a place
importance
Is
there anything that is more Beautiful than the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ
A building built of Souls a structure
made of hearts
A) There is no
Structure like it- Jesus Delights in it
B) So pleased is God in the architecture of his
church, that he has rejoices over his church as he never did with the world.
C) When God made the world he heaved the mountains,
and dug
the seas, and covered its
valleys with grass; birds of the air
1) and all the beasts of the field; He made man in
His own image
D) And when the angels saw it, they sang together &
shouted for joy.
1) But God did not sing; He exclaimed that it was
very good- But there was no song
E) But listen to what Zeph the prophet declared in
Zeph 3:17 about His Church
17 The LORD your God in your midst, The
Mighty one, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing."
Isa 62:5 as the
bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So shall your God rejoice over you.
Our Wedding Denise came down the isle Sing Hallelujah I
was rejoicing over my Bride -
A) That is God
looks at us His Bride And He rejoices He sings
Man in love sings a song to His beloved
B) Gods heart
sings at the site of His Church - God himself looking at his church: so fair
and beautiful is the structure,
1) that he
sings over his work, and as each stone is put in its place,
C) So In Christ - The
Church is a Family the household of God
the Church is a Building a structure of souls a building of hearts
1) Living stones being fit together by the Lord
Himself
#3 The Church is the Dwelling place of God v. 22 in whom ( In
Christ) you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the
Spirit.
A) Understand it is not the Building
that He inhabits but the people in the Building
B) There may be great
beauty in an uninhabited structure,- A
few weeks ago I went to the dedication service of CCSD my friend Pastor
Brian Newberry
C)
Great new Facility Impressive well done neat design I got some ideas
for our facility It was impressive yes
D)
But really made it awesome When you went into the Sanctuary there saw the
people began to worship
E) That was the Church The Dwelling place of God not in a Building but in the people who came to the building
Diversity of people
1) Excitement of the People awesome
time of Rejoicing
There
are times when I come here on a Wed night thrashed from the week and stuff
going on tired discouraged
A) I get here early walk into this
room I dont feel anything I dont feel the presence of God
B)
But then body starts to show up enter act with people my heart is
encouraged Worship starts Crying out to God in Song
C)
The Bible tells us that God seeks after worshippers Seeking
those who would worship Him in Spirit and in truth
1)
and when He finds them he inhabits the praises of His people
D)
That means that He is enthroned upon their Praises He enters that place His
presence is felt
I
cant count the times when my spirit is just radically lifted by the Presence
of God in all of you
A) I cant count the times people have come to
me and told me how much they sensed the pretense of God in this place
B)
What were they sensing some holy aura that just
kind of hovers over the stage somehow comes out of the speakers & light
fixtures ? No
1)
They were sensing the Presence of God and the spirit of God Present and real
in your lives
So
the Church is a family / a building The dwelling place of God
One
more thing: not mentioned but true
HOSPITAL
A) The Church is not a country club for
the well off and affluent but a hospital for the hurting place of healing for
the sick
B) Place where lives are rebuilt
restored that which is broken is set in place { Jesus is the Great Physician
Master Healer
(Isa 61:1-3 NKJV) "The Spirit of
the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good
tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim
liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are
bound; To proclaim the acceptable year
of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who
mourn, To console those who mourn in
Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of
righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
Two older men
were talking about their health problems while at their church. My
new doctor doesnt just treat the symptoms, he treats both the mind and the
body.
Hmm, the second man
grunted and thought for a moment; then he asked, Does he give a discount if
the mind is already gone?
C)
Jesus is the great Physician who renews the mind heals broken hearts mends
crippled lives / rebuilds broken marriages
D)
We are the patients but we are also the nurses / the Phrygian assistants
Ministers of Grace / Vessels of healing
1)
Gods word
& the love of the spirit are the medicine
E)
The Church is a Hospital for the Hurting and the Broken
1)
Our goal is to take them to the great Physician the master healer and
encourage them to sit at his feet lay their burdens before him
F) To place their hearts in his nail
scarred hands surrender their lives to the one who Gave himself to redeem
them / Bleed to cleanse them
So
that is what we are because we are in Christ We make up this beautiful and
dynamic Structure called the Church
A) A Hospital for the Hurting / The
Dwelling place of God a holy Habitation / Building structure made of souls
& hearts / Family
B) I pray that we wouldnt take for granted
this wonderful thing that God paid a high price for in order to make us a part of it
C) Not a part Pray become a part of
it today !!!!