Life On the Inside

LIFE ON THE INSIDE Spring Valley Mennonite; January 31, 2021; Ephesians 2:19-22 This is a brick. (Do I have a fine grasp of the obvious, or what!) It is obviously a building brick, for it has holes in the middle. These holes, in addition to saving costs in manufacturing and transport, allow mortar to partially seep through the holes and strengthen the bond between brinks. The holes also lessen the weight of a wall without sacrificing strength. This brick came from my yard, where I use it for such things as holding down a sprinkler that wants to move around or to hold down the trash can lid when it is windy, or to line a flowerbed. These uses, while valuable, are not really what these bricks are for. This brick was made to be part of a building or wall-it was not created to exist by itself. Its purpose is fulfilled by being part of something much bigger than itself. God is building a magnificent structure called "The Church." We learned in the earlier verses in Ephesians chapter 2 that God removed any reason for separation between Jew and Gentile and made something new, called in verse 15 "One New Man." Each individual believer is like one of these bricks, created with a purpose in mind, and we find fullness of life and joy as we understand our place in God's building. God's construction project, His "building" is composed of all those who trust Christ in this present Age, aptly called "the Church Age", which is the period between Pentecost and the Rapture of the Church, when Christ will remove all believers out of the world. All the bricks will not be in place until that time. Our Scripture today tells us that each one of us who names the name of Christ is included in this structure. Now, being part of a building, being a brick in a wall probably doesn't sound too terribly exciting, but when we realize that this building is alive and growing and providing a dwelling place for God Himself, our understanding will grow about our rights, privileges, and bright future-and that is exciting! This illustration of a building is one of many ways we can learn of who we are in Christ. Turn to Ephesians 2:19 and "gird your minds for action" as we explore this truly wonderful passage which speaks of our identity in Christ. (Read Ephesians 2:19-22) I. (We are) NO LONGER ON THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN If you study state maps, especially of the western states, you will see large areas designated as Indian Reservations. Driving through these areas, the impression one gets is of extreme poverty. These once proud and culturally rich people are generally living outside of what we would consider normal, prosperous society. These native Americans are on the outside of the American Dream, looking in. The same thing can be seen in many minority communities in urban areas. Earlier in this chapter, Paul has pointed out that before Christ came, we Gentiles were also on the outside looking in. God had chosen the Jewish people as His special nation so that they might be an example to the rest of world of the wisdom and blessing of worshipping the One True God. The Hebrew people were to be a nation of priests to the world. But to reach God one had to become Jewish. The Law of Moses effectively became a hedge or fence around the nation keeping the Jew in and the Gentile out. Paul points out that before Jesus came, we Gentiles were classified as strangers and foreigners. This past summer Alice and I visited Michigan's Mackinac Island. We flew into the nearest airport and rented a car. Even though we had a map, and navigational apps on our phones, being strangers, we got lost a few times. The area is rich in natural beauty, with many interesting sights to see, but we were ignorant and could not benefit fully from the richness of the area. I'm sure we missed more that we saw. In that area, I am convinced that there are many excellent places to eat, interesting sights to see, and wonderful Churches in which to worship, but we were ignorant of them, and could not benefit from such places. We were strangers. We were excluded from the privileges which come from being a resident and ignorant of the area's resources. Such was the state of the non-Jew before Christ, ignorant and shut out-strangers-- from the benefits of knowing God's ways and His love. This is also the situation of those outside of Christ today. They have many misconceptions and wrong ideas about Christians and Christianity, as well as about life in general. We all were like them at one time, so we have absolutely no reason for pride or feelings of superiority. It is our task to demonstrate the benefits and to inform them of the privileges on the inside. Being a foreigner is somewhat different than being a stranger, but in many ways even more difficult. This is a person who resides in a country but lives without the rights of a citizen. In these days of terrorist threats and covid-19 transmission, all foreigners are subject to suspicion. If a non-citizen desires to work in this country, there are many "hoops" to jump through. Foreigners do not enjoy the benefits and privileges of citizenship, and they could be required to leave at short notice. In like manner the Gentile was an alien, on the outside looking in. So are those who have not yet come to know Christ. A small number of Gentiles became Jews, but the wall of separation existed, illustrated physically by the wall in the courtyard of the Temple in Jerusalem. But that wall of separation was breeched and removed, much like the Berlin wall which came down in November of 1989. As East and West Berlin were joined, and later East and West Germany, the Jew and Gentile were united to become the Church. In the Church, there is absolute equality. For this age, from Pentecost to the Rapture, there is no special role or status for Jewish believers. Scripture teaches that God will resume working through the Jew during the Tribulation Period. Paul uses three illustrations to emphasize this equality as well as the excellent benefits and privileges of life on the inside as a child of God. II. WE ARE MEMBERS OF A NEW KINGDOM This idea of a kingdom comes from verse 19: we all are fellow citizens with the saints. Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God, saying "The Kingdom of God has come upon you" and the "Kingdom of God is at hand." Jesus told Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this world; this kingdom was unlike any worldly kingdom or empire. Jesus is the King of this Kingdom. Believers comprise the membership of this Kingdom, along with all righteous people of all time. We are "fellow-citizens with all those who have been made holy by the grace of God." The Bible recognizes two spiritual kingdoms in this world, and every person belongs to one or the other. Either we are under the domination and power of Satan, or we are under the power of God, and one of those two powers has the ultimate dominion over your life. When we come to Christ, Colossians 1:13 tells us that we are "delivered from the domain of darkness, and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son." As citizens of this kingdom our loyalties have changed as well as the one who rules our lives. In this Kingdom of Jesus, the King has absolute authority over our lives. Many of our problems as Christians come as we forget Jesus is Lord of our lives. He is God, and He allows no other rule. Satan whispers to us that the King's rule is unreasonable and arbitrary, that King Jesus is depriving us of our rights: understand that Jesus rules with perfect love and with all knowledge. He knows what is best and what will truly give us joy. Being part of this Kingdom also gives us vast privileges and resources. One of these privileges is that of protection. God is our shield and our fortress, and we no longer have any reason to live in fear. We think much of safety these days, we socially distance, and wear masks to protect ourselves. Admittedly, this virus is serious, and in certain unpredictable cases, even deadly. But to be completely honest, I am not living in fear of this virus, for I am under the protection of King Jesus. Absolutely nothing can touch me without His approval. The safest place in the world is to be right in the center of His will. However, I don't test God by making foolish choices. He has given us wisdom to avoid dangerous situations; we need to be prudent, but I don't lose sleep over worrying about my safety. As a Kingdom citizen, I can relax. I am under the King's protection and when it comes my time to change my address to heaven, I realize God has not abandoned me, but as an expression of His love is drawing me to Himself. Another joyful result of Kingdom citizenship is the eternal home we have waiting for us. I enjoy my earthly home, but it is only temporary. We have an eternal dwelling place that is indescribably beautiful and full of incredible delights of which we can only imagine! All my Christian friends and family will surround me for eternity, and best of all, we will live in the presence of Almighty God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit experiencing perfect love. Right now, we have the Kingdom resource of God's power. Earlier in this book we read of how we need to have the eyes of our heart opened to understand and utilize the great power available to us. In Acts 1:8 we are promised power to be witnesses as the Holy Spirit enables. Paul speaks of "the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe." And encouragingly, God often speaks of His power being demonstrated through our weakness, for example 2 Corinthians 12:9, "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me." God gives us power to live above our circumstances, to be "more than conquerors." In addition to being members of the Kingdom of Christ, another benefit of being on the inside is: III. WE ARE MEMBERS OF GOD'S FAMILY, HIS HOUSEHOLD There is nothing like family. My own extended family of origin did not live close to one another, being scattered across the country. I seldom saw my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I am always amazed at the extended family relationships I discover within the Mennonite community. Often, I hear, "He's my second cousin on my mother's side" or something like that. But in God's family, right now I have hundreds of cherished and dear Christian brothers and sisters all over the world. And this is just the beginning, for we will have eternity to spend with God's children. In God's family, as God's children we can only begin to experience the acceptance and support and love within our local fellowship and within the universal church, and I am so grateful for this benefit of being in God's family. But think of what we will be experiencing in heaven for eternity! Think of the implications: there will be no "good-byes", no separation, no sadness at seeing deteriorating health, no loneliness, no poor health, and perfect harmony everywhere! As members of God's family, we will always experience perfect love, respect, and equality. Many of us are blessed with supportive and loving families here on earth by God's grace. But that will be nothing compared with our eternal experience in God's heavenly family. The third illustration of who we are in Christ is... IV. WE ARE BEING BUILT INTO GOD'S BUILDING Near our neighborhood a new house is being built. It has taken almost a month from the time construction began for any walls to appear. These weeks were spent in creating a strong foundation. God is building a holy temple of which we are a part. This structure has the strongest of foundations, the Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul states in relation to establishing a local church, "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Christ Jesus." We might ask, "What does it mean that this dwelling is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets in verse 20?" Paul was an apostle, and he said that he laid the foundation of Christ Jesus. The Apostles and Prophets laid the foundation, but the material of the foundation is Christ. When a builder lays a foundation, he digs the hole, puts up the forms, puts in the rebar, orders the concrete, supervises the pouring, tamps the concrete down, and smooths the top. But the builder is not the foundation. They only lay the foundation. The Prophets predicted what the Messiah would do, and what He would be like; the Apostles added their personal experience with Jesus, their testimony of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and insights given to them through the Holy Spirit. And since that time, believers have come to faith and have become part of that grand dwelling God is building. When a bricklayer begins to build a wall, where does he begin? In the middle of the wall? No, he begins at the corner. The most important brick or stone in a wall is the cornerstone. Great effort is made to ensure that the cornerstone is square with the foundation and placed exactly right, for if that first block or brick in the corner is crooked, the whole wall will be defective and out of line. The wall follows the lines set up by the cornerstone. Jesus is the chief cornerstone, Who determines the straightness of all four walls. So, in this dwelling God is building, Jesus is both the foundation and the chief cornerstone. This building will be strong and straight. There is something unique about this building: it is a living, growing building. It is an organism, not something dead and static. It is vibrant and alive, ever progressing and changing into something ever more beautiful and useful. The world has never seen such a structure, for it is indeed one-of-a-kind. And each one of us is a part of this structure, like a brick in the wall. And like the holes in a construction brick which enables the mortar to seep through and bind bricks together, each one of us is growing together. The Master Architect is overseeing our personal growth in relation to all others. As we yield to the Master, we all are growing to fill our unique place in the building. What a wonderful illustration of how the church operates! Every building ever constructed has a purpose. God does not build something just for the sake of building it. What is the purpose of the Church? You might say, "To carry out the Great Commission, to take the Gospel to the world." No-that is the Mission of the Church, and it is temporary, for this age. We are speaking of the Purpose. It is, as verse 21 states, to be a holy temple in the Lord. Verse 22 adds, "a dwelling of God in the Spirit." The Church is to be the dwelling of God, much like the Temple in Jerusalem, and the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. God chooses to dwell with man. He chooses to associate with us, each of us individually, and collectively as the dwelling place of God. The process continues through this age, and I don't think the finished dwelling will be discarded. God will dwell with us, and us with Him for all eternity. This speaks to the security of the believer. God doesn't dismantle parts of the building. A Pastor was watching a stonemason in India building a stone wall. He noticed how the mason looked over the pile of stones he had gathered, then how he would select one stone which he thought was the right size and shape. Then he would take a chisel and hammer and knock off a piece here and smooth off an edge there, and then place it where he wanted to go. If it didn't quite fit, he would knock off another piece here and there until it was exactly right. Then he would cement it in place with mortar. The Pastor observed, "That is exactly the picture Paul gives us here of how God is at work with us. He is knocking off the rough edges, shaping us up, getting us ready. And if He has put you with some people you don't like, it is because they are the chisel he is using to knock off some rough edges." This picture helps us understand history since the time of Christ, both the history of mankind, as well as our own personal history. If you try to read history without this perspective of God working and building His Church, events seem to have no pattern and little meaning. But if you see that God has a process in effect in preparing His people, chiseling a piece here, grinding down a piece there, getting His people ready, fitting them into the construction of this great Temple, we begin to understand. And someday, all the mighty buildings of our great cities, all the symbols of the hand of mankind and his accomplishments will turn to dust and rubble. But the Church of Jesus Christ will remain. And we are part of that structure. What a comfort; what a privilege to be the dwelling place of the living God! 1 Peter 2:5: You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." We are living stones, undergoing the shaping process during these few years we live on earth. One final word: this shaping process in our lives can be difficult or easy, depending on whether we yield to the Master's hand willingly or not. The shaping will take place. It is our choice to resist or yield. May God give us the wisdom as He conforms us to the image of Christ. Life on the inside means we are part of God's forever family, members of the Kingdom of His dear Son, and an integral part of the building which is the spiritual house in which God dwells. 2