The Rock of Offense

Background

Ephesians 2:11-12.

What you were before Christ

You were separated and alienated from Christ, and the covenants of promise

you were far from the commonwealth of Israel

Ephesians 2:13-18.

What Christ did

He broke down the dividing wall of hostility

He reconciled both Jews and Gentiles together to Himself

He did all this through His work on the cross and by His blood.

What you are now

Ephesians 2:19–22 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

V19 No longer strangers and aliens

God created the world, sin entered the world through Adam, and those living in the world that are not His people are “paroikos” aliens; literally, those living somewhere that is NOT their house.

Hebrews 11:8-13 Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah all acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” V10 [Abraham] was looking forward to the city with foundations, who’s designer and builder was God

That was the OT portion of the gospel; people looking forward to the Messiah, to reconcile man back to God, letting man be a part of His Kingdom once again.

The people of Ephesus, being Gentiles, were separated, were far off, and alienated from God and the Israelites. They were not part of the people of Israel, nor the covenants of promise.

NOW, because of the work of Jesus Christ, and the spreading of the gospel, the Gentiles living in the world that believe and follow Christ, are no longer strangers and aliens,

V19b but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

God has built what the OT saints were waiting for.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, may have had in mind a land near the sea, in the middle east, full of their people worshiping God, but God did much more than fulfill that.

God built a city on the foundation of His law, Jerusalem. Built on Mosaic law.

But this was a foreshadow of what was to come.

God’s household is comprised of His saints from all nations around the world

These saints are fellow citizens of the kingdom of God, all under the NEW covenant of promise

These aliens that were separated from God and His people are now part of a new society of saints

Saints is the word hagios meaning holy, set apart or separate. God has separated those who were dead and lost in the world, from the world, to Himself.

God has built a NEW holy nation.

V20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets

This new holy nation of saints has a foundation, a foundation that is built to withstand all the great tests.

lets take a moment to discuss our Master Builder

Job 38:4–6 ““Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,”

Matthew 7:24–27 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 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. 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. 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.””

Birj Khalifa: largest building in the world with the largest foundation in the world. funny enough, it was built on sand.

192 150ft deep pylons

25000^3 ft of concrete

built to withstand 240 KM winds

named after a coming messiah prophet of the Islamic people

But this is an example a physical construct, when we are discussing a spiritual construct.

So what is the foundation of Gods household standing on?

John Stott, a British theologian asked “on what rock, then, is the church built?

Paul wrote “the apostles and the prophets” here in v20.

What does that mean?

the definition of prophet from the OT carries on to the NT.

One proclaiming the word of the LORD, and that proclamation coming to fruition, and holding weight.

Apostles are NT prophets, those who brought and taught the revealed word of God to the Jews and Gentiles in the 1st century AD.

Matthew 16:18 “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.”

Here Jesus uses word play to illustrate apostolic foundation.

Peter is “Petros” word for rock, and Jesus says “petra” rock.

Some would say that this points to Peter being the first pope, but Jesus is pointing out that the church would be built on His word through the apostles.

OT prophets point toward the coming messiah

NT apostles or prophets, as it were, point to the risen messiah Jesus Christ.

So like the parable in Matthew 7, The Church stands firm on the rock of foundation that is God’s word. The doctrine or teaching of the scriptures

V20 Christ Jesus being the cornerstone

Surely, as long term Christians, you all have heard nearly every illustration of cornerstone imaginable.

from my perspective, being in construction, I love all the building and construction talk that the scriptures use to paint wonderful word pictures.

looking a Job 38:4–6 ““Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone,”

God being the original master builder describes building a foundation

Layout the structure

compressing soil

stretching out a straight line

setting the cornerstone.

The Cornerstone is what keeps the foundation stones straight and in place

the largest remaining cornerstone on Harod’s temple in Jerusalem is over 44ft long, nearly 11ft tall and about 15ft thick weighing over 500 tons.

As great as that is; The Church’s Cornerstone is far greater than that

Christ Jesus is the “rock of offense”, “the stone that the builders rejected”

Psalm 118:22 “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Those builders could not stop the master builder from building His church, nor can anyone tear it down

many have tried and failed

the closest was the Roman Emperor Diocletian, but he failed

V21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

Paul used this construction imagery to help build the concept of this new nation.

Starting with the society of the kingdom

then the household of God

Paul then focuses in on the foundation with its cornerstone

NOW the structure is being built upon the foundation

being joined together with Christ by His power, an unbreakable bond.

The wording pertaining to the foundation is past tense, but the joining together and growing into a holy temple is ongoing.

ongoing for 2 reasons

1. The kingdom of God is growing and the gospel is being spread, and God is saving people

2. Those who are now in God’s kingdom continue on to grow and mature.

This maturing is the sanctification of the saints

growing in wisdom

orthodoxy or correct doctrine should lead to orthopraxy meaning correct practice

V22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Paul reiterates his last statement, with slightly different words

The new temple is not a brick and mortar building, nor it is it a material structure that can be manipulated by hands, but it is a spiritual structure and international community.

Two structures in this ancient world dominated the attention of the people

in Ephesus there was a great temple and statue of Artemis (Diana) the goddess of hunting (pretty sure that one is still worshipped)

in Jerusalem the Temple of Harod stood in its greatness

These 2 structures in their own greatness, pale in comparison to that which is being built by God.

Once a believer sees the glory of God, the greatness of anything else fades away.

But, the God’s building is not yet complete, meaning God is still saving

and the church continues on in its mission to share the gospel, baptise, and make disciples.

Our calling as a church is to continue in our mission.

We serve in God’s army, we build up each other, we recruit new disciples and we die. The church does not die with us, it lives on.

What is your foundation?

The Israelite builders rejected the stone that has become the Cornerstone. Now while believers all keep the cornerstone, that is Christ, many will throwout or ignore completely the foundational blocks, the doctrine or teaching of the word.

here are some questions to ponder

Does your foundation and fruit thereof look like that of one living in God’s kingdom?

Do you have an unshakable faith firmly rooted in the word of the Lord, or are you swayed by any wind of doctrine?

Are you being built up by your church family, and are you building up your church family?

Is your thinking foundational?

Quoted from great theologian JFK

“say not what can my church do for me, but what can I do for the church?”

Call to respond to the gospel

Pray