A New Humanity Pt. 2

Announcements

Christmas Party next week 6:00-8:00

Potluck, so bring some food

Sweaters, so make them ugly

White Elephant so make it weird

Pray

Ephesians 2:11-22

Ephesians 2:11–22 ESV

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Introduction

Who is your famousish person? What makes someone famous?

Who is the most ordinary person you know? What makes someone ordinary?

Have you ever been so enthralled with a person or their personality or skills that your like, “Lord, if you would bring them to Christ they would do so much for your church”?

Why wouldn’t God want huge crowds, A-list celebreties, superstars, and famous athletes in fancy mega churches or stadiums?

What I love about this passage is that God has a passion for ordinary churches. Every congregation of sinners, forgiven and gathered together under Christ.

The Temple of God

We are a spiritual temple of the living God. There are some ways of thinking about being a temple of God I want to talk about tonight. As Gentiles we are now welcomed into the people and family of God, founded on the gospel of Christ, built as a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

First,

We are welcomed

Ephesians 2:19 ESV

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

We are no longer primarily Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Nigerians, or Polish, but Christians! What defines ordinary believers is that we see our home as a heavenly home, and the earth for us to do gospel business. We are no longer just content to reach people like ourselves. We want to see a diversity of believers whose common feature is repentance from their sins. Our churches want to encourage people to do cross-cultural ministry and missions both locally and internationally. This is a really beautiful and attractive feature of the church.

Church as Family

It’s now a family matter to be included in the church.

Ephesians for You The Temple of God

Belonging to God’s heavenly family also has massive implications for our churches, which are perhaps more challenging the larger our church becomes. For however professionally organised we must become, we must still behave like family, with appreciative respect, pure affection and sacrificial kindness towards each other. We need to be there for each other, offering the warm support that many of us cannot expect from our earthly families.

Unchanging Foundation

Ephesians 2:20 ESV

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Our inclusion into the people of God means we are now founded on the gospel of Christ, which will never change because our chief cornerstone never changes.

A cornerstone was laid as the initial stone for a building. It needed to be level so what was built on top would be level, it’s sides determined the way the building would face, and it was the initial structural point for the building. A cornerstone that is off, can cause a building to crumble. The church will never crumble with Christ as the cornerstone.

Christ gives decisive shape to the whole foundation.

When Christ asked Peter who he was, do you remember Peter’s answer?

Matthew 16:16–18 ESV

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus has also talked about the wisdom of building a house on the rock.

Matthew 7:24–27 ESV

24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

The Church

What does this mean for the church today?

The foundation is finished. It’s already been laid. There will never be a new foundation. Every church planted today must be founded on the gospel rock of Scripture or it’s not a part of the heavenly church. We will always learn more about the bible, but we’re not hearing new guidance from God in our hearts or in our imagination to build a new kind of church.

God is not constantly relocating his church on new foundations. He is building His church based on the gospel revealed in Scriptures. The foundation will never change.

The foundation is sufficient. It doesn’t need reinforced, improved, or adapted. Christian’s don’t get the liberty to try and rebuild the foundation even if the truths it’s comprised of are unpopular.

Ephesians for You Your Church’s One Foundation

Great damage can come from churches trying to supplement these foundations. In 1934 in Germany, the “Confessing Churches”, led by Barth, Bonhoeffer and Niemoller, produced a brilliant statement called the “Barmen Declaration”, stoutly resisting the idea that God was leading his church into new truth through the National Socialism of Adolf Hitler. Barmen declared:

“We reject the false doctrine, as though the church could and would have to acknowledge as a source of its proclamation, apart from and besides this one word of God, still other events and powers, figures and truths, as God’s revelation.”

The foundation is a saving foundation. Anyone who builds their lives on the gospel are safe from the crashing waves and the storm to come. All other “gospels” and all other teaching are sinking and cannot save anyone.

The Spirit’s Home

Finally, the church is constructed.

Ephesians for You A Dwelling for the Spirit

The heavenly church is the home of God—his dwelling place, which was symbolised in Israel by the temple in Jerusalem. The last temple in Jerusalem, built by Herod the Great, was a wonder of the ancient world. It was constructed of enormous white marble blocks, inlaid with gold that sparkled in the sunshine for miles around. God had promised a building that would be his home, where he’d dwell among his people—his palace, from where he’d govern them, and his temple, where he’d receive sacrifices for their forgiveness.

Ephesians for You A Dwelling for the Spirit

Now united by faith with Jesus, every Christian is a temple, and every church is a temple of the Holy Spirit—a magnificent wonder of the modern world. We may meet in a crumby school hall, a medieval stone building, or a leaky corrugated-iron hut. But every gathered assembly of God’s people is God’s temple, his dwelling-place among us; his palace, where he governs us; and his temple, where we celebrate the finished sacrifice of Jesus.

Ephesians for You A Dwelling for the Spirit

Every local church—however unimpressive the people, however painful the music, however tatty the building—is a spiritually beautiful expression of the glorious church of God in heaven. In fact, each is intended to prepare God’s people for that vast and spectacular multicultural festival that is the heavenly church. Each one demonstrates in the heavenly realms the awesome power and victory of God over evil powers to accomplish his eternal plan to bring everything together under Christ through his reconciling death.

Conclusion

The next time you come to church you think to yourself, “man, I wish there was more here. I wish the people were better, the space was more beautiful or extravagant, the music was better,” remember this:

Ephesians for You A Dwelling for the Spirit

you’re welcomed into the precious family of God, so love those people deeply; you’re being built upon the foundation of the Scriptures, so listen to the teaching carefully; and you’re being constructed as a dwelling of the Spirit of God, so be holy in the way you behave. Your local church is a gathering of a new humanity, the temple of the living God, the only “local building” that will last for ever, and a wonder in the heavenly realms. Enjoy it!

Pray

Questions

What is the “perfect Christmas” for you and your family?

It’s easy for us to forget Scripture as the foundation of our life as Christians. What is an easy way we can combat that forgetfulness?

“Love your church family deeply…listen to the teaching carefully…be holy in how you behave…” Are you struggling in one of those areas particularly? How will the truths about your church in this passage help you in those areas?