The Whole is greater than the Parts

EPHESIANS 2:19-22 “WHOLE > PARTS” SOMETIMES THE WHOLE •CAN BE GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS. •PLAY ROOT NOTE…. •PLAY THE 5TH… •PLAY THE MAJOR 3RD…. •NOW PLAY THE CORD… DID YOU NOTICE HOW MUCH •MORE POWERFUL THE CORD WAS. •HOW MUCH FULLER IT SOUNDS… •THIS IS BECAUSE THESE SOUNDS COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER •THEY REINFORCE EACH OTHER. •INDIVIDUALLY EACH OF THESE NOTES PLEASANT TO HEAR. BUT WHEN THEY ARE PLAYED •TOGETHER, THEY ARE MUCH MORE… •THE CORD IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE NOTES… •AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP GOD. •TO PRAISE HIM... TO GIVE HIM THE GLORY↓ TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL. •TO BE CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET IN THE WORLD… •IT IS WONDERFUL WHEN WE DO THESE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY. •BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL WHEN WE DO THEM TOGETHER… •WE NEED TO KNOW ↓ THAT WE WORSHIP & SERVE GOD •TO A FAR GREATER EXTENT WHEN WE ARE UNITED… •JUST LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL NOTES THAT FORM A CORD •HAVE MORE POWER, MORE IMPACT…. •GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE MORE POWER, MORE IMPACT…↓ MORE EFFECT, FOR GOD •WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY… •TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT PAUL •DESCRIBING THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH… •TURN TO EPHESIANS 2:19 •PAUL JUST TOLD THEM HOW GOD HAD BROKEN DOWN THE BARRIER BETWEEN •THE JEWS AND GENTILES… •HOW GOD HAD RECONCILED BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES •TO GOD IN ONE GROUP •HE HAD SAID BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES HAD ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST EPHESIANS 2:19–20 SO THEN YOU ARE NO LONGER STRANGERS AND ALIENS, BUT YOU ARE FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS, AND ARE OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD, HAVING BEEN BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF BEING THE CORNER STONE, CHRIST HAS UNITED US •AS A RESULT OF CHRIST BREAKING DOWN THE DIVIDING WALL… •AS A RESULT OF THE ENMITY BEING ABOLISHED… •AS A RESULT OF GOD RECONCILING THEM TO EACH OTHER AND TO GOD… •PAUL TELLS THESE GENTILES… YOU ARE NO LONGER STRANGERS AND ALIENS, •THEY HAD BEEN SEPARATED FROM CHRIST •EXCLUDED FROM ISRAEL, STRANGERS TO THE COVENANTS •THEY HAD BEEN WITHOUT HOPE… •BUT NOW THEY ARE NO LONGER STRANGERS AND ALIENS •BEING A STRANGER OR AN ALIEN ↓ MEANT YOU DID NOT BELONG… •YOU WERE NOT PART OF THE COMMUNITY… •YOU HAD NO RIGHTS OR PRIVILEGES, PROTECTIONS… •MOST OF THE PEOPLE LIVING IN EPHESUS •WERE STRANGERS OR ALIENS… MOST WERE NOT ROMAN CITIZENS •THEY HAD FEW RIGHTS OR PROTECTIONS… AND NO PRIVILEGES… •BECOMING A ROMAN CITIZEN WAS NOT EASY… •IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE DIFFICULT… •AND RIGHT HERE… PAUL IS TELLING THESE GENTILES… NOW YOU BELONG… •YOU ARE NO LONGER STRANGERS AND ALIENS… •AND THIS CHANGE WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY CHRIST… •IT IS THROUGH CHRIST THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE FATHER.. •IT IS THROUGH CHRIST THAT WE CAN↓ LIVE IN UNITY… •NOT ONLY ARE THEY NO LONGER STRANGERS AND ALIENS THEY ARE NOW… •FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS, •BEING A CITIZEN MEANT HAVING RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS… •IT MEANT HAVING PRIVILEGES… IT MEANT BELONGING… •PAUL IS TRYING TO HELP THE GENTILES IN THE CHURCH UNDERSTAND JUST HOW MUCH THEIR LIVES HAVE CHANGED… •HE IS GOING TO USE A SET OF IMAGES TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND… •THE FIRST IMAGE IS CITIZENSHIP… THEY WERE NOT CITIZENS •NOW THEY ARE… THEY HAD NO PROTECTIONS… NO RIGHTS… NO PRIVILEGES… NOW THEY DO… •THE SECOND IMAGE PAUL USES MOVES FROM POLITICAL TO PERSONAL… •NOT ONLY ARE THEY FELLOW CITIZENS WITH THE SAINTS… NOW THEY ARE OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD, •THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL IMAGE… •THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH… •THE JEWS HAD BEEN PART OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD FOR 100S OF YEARS •AND PAUL HAD DESCRIBED THE GENTILES AS HAVING NO HOPE AND WITHOUT GOD AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE •BEEN RECONCILED THROUGH THE CROSS •THEY ARE BOTH OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD. •CHRIST HAD MADE BOTH GROUPS INTO ONE GROUP… •WE NEED TO NOTICE THAT THE GENTILES DID NOT JOIN THE JEWS… THE CHURCH DID NOT BECOME ISRAEL… •OR REPLACE ISRAEL… •BOTH GROUPS WERE MADE INTO ONE NEW GROUP… •PAUL DESCRIBED THIS BACK IN VERSE 15… EPHESIANS 2:15B SO THAT IN HIMSELF HE MIGHT MAKE THE TWO INTO ONE NEW MAN, THUS ESTABLISHING PEACE, THIS NEW GROUP… •THE CHURCH IS UNITED BY CHRIST… •THIS UNITY WAS BOUGHT WITH A PRICE… •THE BLOOD OF CHRIST… •SINCE THIS UNITY WAS BOUGHT WITH SUCH A PRECIOUS PRICE… •WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO LIVE IN IT… EVERY TIME WE HAVE CONTENTION •OR CONFLICT IN THE CHURCH •WE ARE FAILING TO LIVE IN THE UNITY CHRIST PROVIDED… •EVERY TIME WE LIVE IN HOSTILITY WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST… •WE ARE NOT LIVING AS MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF GOD… NOW, OUR CHURCH IS NOT •MADE UP OF JEWS AND GENTILES… •BUT WE DO COME FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS… •WE WERE ALL STRANGERS AND ALIENS… •WE WERE SEPARATED FROM GOD… AND FROM ONE ANOTHER… WE HAVE ALL BEEN RECONCILED •TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. •WE ARE NOW ALL CITIZENS OF HEAVEN… •CHILDREN OF GOD… MEMBERS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD… •AND…JUST LIKE THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS 2000 YEARS AGO… OUR UNITY WAS BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. •CHRIST’S BLOOD ON THE CROSS… •AND BECAUSE OF THE GREAT PRICE PAID FOR OUR UNITY… •WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO LIVE IN IT…NOT WASTE IT… ROMANS 14:19 SO THEN WE PURSUE THE THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE AND THE BUILDING UP OF ONE ANOTHER. WE LIVE IN UNITY •WHEN WE CONSIDER OTHERS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR SELVES… •WE LIVE IN UNITY IN UNITY WHEN WE ARE OF THE SAME MIND, •HAVE THE SAME GOALS… •WE LIVE IN UNITY WHEN WE ARE HUMBLE… WE LIVE IN UNITY WHEN WE •LIVE AS MEMBERS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD… •AND AS MEMBERS OF A HOUSEHOLD •WE LIVE TOGETHER IN A BUILDING… PAUL SAYS THIS BUILDING WAS •BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS •PAUL IS STILL TALKING ABOUT UNITY IN THE CHURCH… •HE SAID WE ARE UNITED AS CITIZENS •WE ARE UNITED IN THE FAMILY OF GOD… •AND NOW HE DESCRIBES THE CHURCH AS A BUILDING… AND THIS BUILDING, THE CHURCH, •IS BUILD ON A FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS… •THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS PRESENTED GOD’S WORD TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE…. •THE APOSTLES PRESENTED GOD’S WORD TO THE GENTILES… GOD’S WORD IS THE FOUNDATION •OF THE CHURCH… •THE CHURCH DID NOT EXIST UNTIL THE DAY OF PENTECOST…. •BUT THE FOUNDATION FOR THE CHURCH WAS LAID ALL THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL… AND THIS FOUNDATION IS CENTERED •ON CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE… •PAUL SAYS CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF BEING THE CORNER STONE, •THE CORNER STONE OF A FOUNDATION WAS SET FIRST… •IT WAS USED AS A GUIDE FOR THE REST OF THE FOUNDATION… EVERY OTHER STONE IN THE BUILDING •WAS LAID IN RELATION TO THE CORNER STONE… •AND CHRIST IS THE CORNER STONE OF THE CHURCH… •EVERYTHING IN THE CHURCH SHOULD BE SET IN RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST… •EVERY BIT OF THEOLOGY… EVERY INTERPRETATION •OF SCRIPTURE… EVERY DOCTRINE, CHURCH GOVERNANCE… EVERYTHING •SHOULD BE DECIDED… SHOULD BE LINED UP WITH CHRIST •WHO IS THE CORNER STONE… •THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO END UP WITH A FIRM FOUNDATION… OVER A 12 YEAR PERIOD •THEY SPENT 25 MILLION DOLLARS •TO STABILIZE THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA.. •WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY? •THE TOWER HAD BEEN TILTING FURTHER FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, •THE TOP OF THE TOWER WAS 17 FEET FURTHER SOUTH THAN THE BOTTOM… WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM? •BAD DESIGN? POOR WORKMANSHIP? •NO. THE PROBLEM WAS WHAT WAS UNDERNEATH. •THE SANDY SOIL ON WHICH THE TOWER WAS BUILT WAS JUST NOT STABLE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT A MONUMENT OF THAT SIZE. THE TOWER HAD NO FIRM FOUNDATION •WHEN THE CHURCH FAILS TO LINE UP WITH CHRIST, THE CORNER STONE… •WE ONLY DRIFT FURTHER AND FURTHER FROM GOD’S WORD… •OUR THEOLOGY, DOCTRINE… OUR BIBLICAL INTERPRETATIONS… •LEAN FARTHER AND FARTHER FROM TRUTH…. IF WE BUILD ON SOMETHING •OTHER THAN THE FOUNDATION OF GOD’S WORD… •A FOUNDATION THAT HAS CHRIST AS ITS CORNER STONE… •HOW CAN WE EXPECT WHAT WE BUILD TO STAND STRAIGHT AND TRUE… EPHESIANS 2:21 IN WHOM THE WHOLE BUILDING, BEING FITTED TOGETHER, IS GROWING INTO A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD, CHURCH GROWTH IS A PROCESS •THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH IS COMPLETE… •IT WAS BUILT BY THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS… •AND CHRIST WAS THE CORNERSTONE… •BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE CHURCH IS COMPLETE… WHEN PAUL WRITES •IN WHOM THE WHOLE BUILDING, BEING FITTED TOGETHER, •HE WRITES THIS IN A WAY •THAT MEANS THE PROCESS OF BEING FITTED TOGETHER IS STILL HAPPENING… •IT IS AN ON GOING PROCESS… •THE FOUNDATION IS FINISHED BUT THE BUILDING IS STILL GOING ON… AND I LOVE THE WORD HE USES •FOR FITTED TOGETHER… IT MEANS… •TO SKILLFULLY PIECE TOGETHER STONE WORK… •THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN OUR BIBLES THAT WE SEE THIS WORD… •THE PICTURE HERE IS OF A MASTER STONE MASON TAKING STONES AND FITTING THEM TOGETHER •WITH GREAT SKILL… AND THAT IS WHAT GOD HAS DONE WITH THE CHURCH… •HISTORICAL RECORDS INDICATE THAT EPHESUS •WENT THROUGH A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE ABOUT THE TIME PAUL WROTE THIS LETTER… BOTH THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES •IN THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS WOULD HAVE HAD A CLEAR IMAGE •OF JUST HOW MUCH WORK WENT INTO FITTING STONE WORK TOGETHER ONE DAY I DECIDED •TO PUT A STONE FLOOR IN OUR LIVING ROOM. •I FIGURED I COULD LAY THE STONE MY SELF AND SAVE SOME MONEY. •I MEAN THIS IS JUST STONE… IT’S NOT TILE.. •I DON’T HAVE TO GET ANYTHING LINED UP STRAIGHT… WHAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND •WAS JUST HOW CHALLENGING IT IS •TO FIT TOGETHER RANDOM UN-CUT STONE… •YOU END UP SPENDING MORE TIME LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT STONE •THAN YOU DO ACTUALLY LAYING THE STONE… BUT THE CHURCH IS BEING FITTED •TOGETHER BY GOD… •HE DOES NOT LOOK FOR STONES THAT FIT… •HE EXPECTS US TO GROW INTO EACH OTHER. •TO BECOME MORE CHRIST-LIKE… •AND WHEN DO BECOME MORE CHRIST-LIKE, WE BECOME FITTED TOGETHER… •THIS IS AN ON GOING PROCESS… THE CHURCH WILL NOT BE COMPLETE UNTIL CHRIST RETURNS… •BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WE ARE CALLED TO GROW THE CHURCH… •AND WE DON’T JUST GROW TO GET BIGGER WE GROW TO WORSHIP GOD.. •PAUL TELLS US THAT THIS WHOLE BUILDING WHICH IS THE CHURCH… •IS GROWING INTO SOMETHING SPECIFIC •IS GROWING INTO A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD, •THE CHURCH IS NOT GROWING INTO A POLITICAL PARTY… OR A FORCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE… •THE CHURCH IS NOT GROWING INTO A SOCIAL CLUB… •OR A BABY SITTER… •THE CHURCH IS GROWING INTO A HOLY TEMPLE… •AND TEMPLES ARE BUILT FOR WORSHIP.. •AND THE HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD IS BEING BUILT TO WORSHIP GOD… •NOW I AM NOT SAYING THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS.. •WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR GOD EVERYWHERE… •EVEN IN POLITICS… •AND I AM NOT SAYING THE CHURCH SHOULD NOT ↓ BE PART OF SOCIAL CHANGE… •THE CHURCH SHOULD WORK FOR CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY BASED ON GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S WILL. •BUT THE KEY PURPOSE… THE KEY TASK OF THE CHURCH.. •THE REASON IT IS BEING BUILT… •IS WORSHIP OF GOD… THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE •HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD •THAT IS WHAT WE ARE BEING FITTED TOGETHER FOR… •SINCE OUR FOUNDATION WAS BUILT ON THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS… •SINCE THE CORNER STONE OF THIS FOUNDATION IS CHRIST… •THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH↓ SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE WORSHIP OF GOD •THIS WAS TRUE OF THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS… •THIS WAS TRUE OF EVERY CHURCH THIS LETTER WAS READ IN… •IT IS TRUE OF OUR CHURCH TODAY… •BUT FOR US TO FULFILL THIS GOAL •WE NEED TO GROW AS INDIVIDUALS… EPHESIANS 2:22 IN WHOM YOU ALSO ARE BEING BUILT TOGETHER INTO A DWELLING OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT. INDIVIDUAL GROWTH IS A PROCESS •PAUL HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT UNITY… •SPECIFICALLY, UNITY BETWEEN JEWS AND GENTILES… •THEY WERE UNITED AS CITIZENS •THEY WERE UNITED AS MEMBERS OF GOD’S FAMILY, THE CHURCH. •THIS CHURCH WAS CONTINUING TO GROW ON A FIRM FOUNDATION… AND IN ADDITION TO GROWING •IN UNITY AS A CHURCH… THEY WERE TO GROW AS INDIVIDUALS… •WHEN PAUL SAYS… •IN WHOM YOU ALSO ARE BEING BUILT TOGETHER •HE WORDS IT IN A WAY THAT MEANS BOTH THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES ARE↓ BEING BUILT TOGETHER •AND AGAIN, THIS IS DESCRIBED AS A PROCESS… •THIS IS SOMETHING ON GOING… NOT COMPLETED… •IT IS AS IF PAUL IS SAYING… •EACH INDIVIDUAL STONE IN THE BUILDING IS BEING BUILT… BEING SHAPED AND REFINED… •WHILE THE WHOLE BUILDING IS BEING FITTED TOGETHER… •THIS IS A FANTASTICALLY ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE CHURCH… •EACH AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE BODY OF CHRIST IS CALLED TO GROW TO BE MORE CHRIST-LIKE… THAT IS THE “BEING BUILT” PART… •AND AS WE DO THIS INDIVIDUALLY… WE ARE FITTED TOGETHER IN THE BODY OF CHRIST… •THE PURPOSE OF THE FITTING TOGETHER OF THE CHURCH IS TO WORSHIP GOD… •BUT THE PURPOSE OF US GROWING AS INDIVIDUALS IS FOR US TO BECOME SUITABLE AS A DWELLING… •THE MOMENT WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR •THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLS US… •NOW I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU… •BUT THE DAY I TRUSTED IN CHRIST I WAS NOT A VERY SUITABLE DWELLING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT… I WAS NOT SUITABLE IN MY ACTIONS •I WAS NOT SUITABLE IN MY SPEECH… •AND I WAS CERTAINLY NOT SUITABLE IN MY THOUGHTS… •GOD LOVED ME JUST AS I WAS… BUT HE DID NOT WANT ME TO STAY THAT WAY… •THE GOAL OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS TO GROW TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST… •TO GROW INTO A DWELLING OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT •TO BECOME A MORE SUITABLE DWELLING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT… BIRDS MAKE NESTS THAT ARE •INCREDIBLE FEATS OF ENGINEERING •BUT BIRD NESTS ARE UTTERLY UNSUITED FOR ALLIGATORS… •ANT MOUNDS ARE INTRICATE MASTERPIECES… •BUT ARE OF NO USE WHATSOEVER TO AN OCTOPUS… THROUGH OUT OUR LIFE, •WE ARE SHAPED BY EXPERIENCES, EDUCATION, AND ENVIROMENT •WE ARE BEING BUILT INTO A DWELLING… •IT MIGHT BE AN IMPRESSIVE DWELLING OR A HUMBLE DWELLING… •BUT WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES A KEY QUESTION… ARE WE BEING BUILT INTO •A DWELLING SUITABLE FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT OR •A DWELLING SUITABLE FOR SIN? •BECAUSE, THE TRUTH IS…. •WE WILL BE FILLED WITH ONE OR THE OTHER… •WE ARE EITHER GROWING MORE CHRIST-LIKE… OR MORE WORLDLY… •IF WE GROW MORE CHRIST LIKE WE WILL GROW IN PEACE AND UNITY… •IF WE GROW MORE WORLDLY, WE WILL HAVE DIVISION AND CONFLICT IN THE CHURCH… •THE PRIMARY REQUIREMENT FOR BEING BUILT TOGETHER INTO DWELLING OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT IS YIELDING TO THE SPIRIT… •WHEN WE FOLLOW THE PROMPTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT… •WE PRODUCE THE FRUIT OF THE SPRIT… •AND WE GROW MORE CHRIST-LIKE… GALATIANS 5:22–23 BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELFCONTROL; AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW. AND IF WE ARE GONNA LIVE IN UNITY •THEN THIS FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS MIGHTY HELPFUL… •JUST THINK HOW EASY IT WOULD BE TO LIVE IN UNITY IF WE ALL HAD… •LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL AND JUST HOW AMAZINGLY HARD •IT IS TO LIVE IN UNITY WHEN WE DON’T HAVE THOSE THINGS… •IF WE YIELD TO THE SPIRIT WE WILL GROW MORE CHRIST-LIKE AS INDIVIDUALS… •WHICH WILL MAKE US FIT TOGETHER AS A CHURCH BETTER… SO THAT WE CAN GROW THE CHURCH •AS A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD… •THIS IS WHY UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS IS SO IMPORTANT… •THIS IS WHY PAUL SPENDS SO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT UNITY IN HIS LETTERS… INDIVIDUAL NOTES OF MUSIC •CAN BE USED TO PLAY A MELODY… •BUT IT SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL… •HAS SO MUCH MORE IMPACT WHEN NOTES ARE PLAYED TOGETHER… •WHEN THIS HAPPENS INDIVIDUAL NOTES BECOME CORDS… AND THE CORD IS GREATER THAN •THE SUM OF THE NOTES… •AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE CALLED TO WORSHIP GOD. •TO PRAISE HIM... TO GIVE HIM THE GLORY↓ TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL. •TO BE CHRIST’S HANDS AND FEET IN THE WORLD… •IT IS WONDERFUL WHEN WE DO THESE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY. •BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE POWERFUL WHEN WE DO THEM TOGETHER… •THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS WAS DIVIDED INTO JEWS AND GENTILES… BUT CHRIST HAD BROKEN DOWN •THE DIVIDING WALL… •THE GENTILES WERE NO LONGER STRANGERS AND ALIENS… •THEY WERE FELLOW CITIZENS •THEY WERE MEMBERS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD… AND THIS HOUSEHOLD IS THE CHURCH •WHICH IS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS •THAT IS… GOD’S WORD… •AND THE CORNER STONE OF WORD OF GOD IS JESUS CHRIST… •EVERY BRICK LAID AND EVERY WALL BUILD IN THIS CHURCH… SHOULD BE INLINE WITH JESUS •ALL DOCTRINE, ALL THEOLOGY, ALL BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION •SHOULD BE LINE UP WITH THE CORNERSTONE OF CHRIST… •THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH IS AN ON-GOING PROCESS WE ARE CONSTANTLY •BEING FITTED TOGETHER IN UNITY… •GROWING INTO A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD… •BUT FOR THE CHURCH TO GROW WE HAVE TO GROW INDIVIDUALLY… •AND WE GROW BY YIELDING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT… TO BECOME MORE SUITABLE AS A •DWELLING OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT… •OUR CHURCH IS NOT MADE UP OF JEWS AND GENTILES LIKE EPHESUS WAS… •BUT THESE THINGS PAUL SAID TO THEM APPLY TO US… •WE WERE ALL STRANGERS AND ALIENS… WE WERE SEPARATED FROM GOD.. •ONLY THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST… •ONLY BY TRUSTING THAT HIS DEATH PAID FOR OUR SINS… •DID WE BECOME CITIZENS OF HEAVEN… PART OF GOD’S FAMILY… •AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GROW GOD’S CHURCH… IS BY BEING FITTED TOGETHER •IN UNITY AS WE YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT… •IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE TODAY WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR PERSONAL SAVIOR… •IN A MOMENT I AM GOING TO PRAY A PRAYER AND WE ARE GOING TO SING A SONG.