Stones & Temples

The incident was connected with the building of the first temple. While it had a special application at the time of Christ's first advent, and should have appealed with special force to the Jews, it has also a lesson for us.

When the temple of Solomon was erected, the immense stones for the walls and the foundation were entirely prepared at the quarry; after they were brought to the place of building, not an instrument was to be used upon them; the workmen had only to place them in position. For use in the foundation, one stone of unusual size and peculiar shape had been brought; but the workmen could find no place for it, and would not accept it. It was an annoyance to them, as it lay unused in their way. Long it remained a rejected stone.

When the builders came to the laying of the corner, they searched for a long time to find a stone of sufficient size and strength, and of the proper shape, to take that particular place, and bear the great weight which would rest upon it. Should they make an unwise choice for this important place, the safety of the entire building would be endangered. They must find a stone capable of resisting the influence of the sun, of frost, and of tempest. Several stones had at different times been chosen, but under the pressure of immense weights they had crumbled to pieces. Others could not bear the test of the sudden atmospheric changes.

At last attention was called to the stone so long rejected. It had been exposed to the air, to sun and storm, without revealing the slightest crack. The builders examined this stone. It had borne every test but one. If it could bear the test of severe pressure, they decided to accept it for the cornerstone. The trial was made. The stone was accepted, brought to its assigned position, and found to be an exact fit.

All the other stones in the temple were rendered useless if the cornerstone wasn’t in its place

Acceptance (God’s Way - The Rock)

We build our lives on a foundation of SURRENDER allowing GOD’S LOVE to lead us.

1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV

Let all that you do be done in love.

Love for Who? - God & Others

God & Others

As you love God and Others, your needs will be met

Practical Illustration: If we are all doing this…You pay it forward.

You buy lunch for a friend at school, randomly someone buys you dinner.

The Building

The Building = Our Life

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 AMP

19 Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, 20 You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.

We are building a place for God’s Presence to Dwell

Housing the Presence is a Gift

Gift = Choice // We have the choice to accept a gift or not accept it

You don’t have to be a house for the Presence.

It’s an honor...

It is an honor to house the presence of God

The Temple: The process it took to come into the presence of God - long and risky

The Torn Veil - Jesus’ death on the cross, broke the barrier that prevented everyone from experiencing the presence of God in a personal way

You Were Chosen

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

You are CHOSEN

You are ROYAL

You are a HOLY NATION

You are GOD’s POSESSION

It is out of this ^ that we are able to humble ourselves and receive the presence of God.