We The Church: The Dwelling Place of God

Well, if you turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 2,

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

I'm going to be focusing on verses 20, 21, and 22.

But I just want to let you know this past fall,

Jenny and I got away for a couple days on a weekend.

And Jenny's my wife.

And we went down to Chicago.

And one of the highlights of our time in Chicago

was taking an architectural tour on the Chicago River.

And the lady that was given the guide,

she was just brilliant and articulate and just...

We learned so much about architecture in general.

In Chicago, architecture in particular, it was really sweet.

We learned that in 1871 at the Chicago Fire,

the city was basically razed to rubble.

And so Chicago needed to be rebuilt.

But it couldn't be spread out.

It needed to be built up.

And so one guy, Louis Sullivan, the father of the skyscraper,

he came on the scene and he designed some buildings

that are still standing in Chicago today.

And he was known for coining the expression,

form follows function.

This morning, I get to bring you on an architectural tour of a different type.

We're not going to look at multiple buildings.

We're going to look at one particular structure.

A temple.

The temple of the living God.

The church.

The triune God is the great architect.

And he has designed a particular building composed of particular people

with a particular purpose.

Our form has a function.

And so this morning, what I want to impress upon you

through God's word is that together, Christ the King Church,

we are the holy dwelling place of the living God.

We are one holy temple in which God dwells.

Our relationships form a holy habitation for the living God.

So if I were to sum up the point in just a few words,

it would be this.

Brothers and sisters,

we are the dwelling place of God.

We are.

So at the very outset,

I want to ask you this question.

We're going to see God pictured in Ephesians 2

as a master builder.

Are you joining him

in the work he is doing?

Or are you somehow resisting his work?

Are you trying to tear down or slow down

the work of our great stonemason Jesus?

This morning, we're continuing our series on the church.

And if you haven't been with us recently,

the New Testament paints these wonderful pictures

of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And there's a variety of them.

And so we're talking about the church

as the blood-bought people of God

indwelt by the Holy Spirit

on mission for Christ.

And so far,

we have seen the church

as the flock of God.

One flock

following after one shepherd.

We've seen the church

as one bride

exclusively devoted to one bridegroom.

And this morning,

we're going to see the church

as one temple

built on one cornerstone

with one purpose.

Did you know that

when you walked in here this morning,

you were walking into a people,

the very dwelling place

of the living God?

Our God

dwells in our midst.

And so,

we're going to look at a passage

at the end of Ephesians 2.

And I'm fully aware

that when I preach a sermon like this,

it kind of feels like

you're parachuting

into

a part of the Bible

that you may not have

kind of your bearings on.

So,

let me give you some bearings

on where we're at

in the book of Ephesians.

Just by way of

kind of bringing us up

to Ephesians chapter 2,

Ephesians 2:20–22

verses 20 through 22.

In Ephesians 1,

3 through 14,

Paul helps us understand

that the triune God

has this plan

for the fullness of time

to unite all things

in heaven and earth

in Christ.

And part of

what he's uniting

is a people.

Very diverse people.

People who may have

conflicting experiences.

Even hostility.

And this great plan

of the triune God

is a plan to unite

new people together

in Christ.

In verses 15 through 22,

Paul prays

for the Ephesian church

and he prays

that they would be able

to comprehend

the immeasurable power

of God

towards them

in Christ Jesus.

And then in chapter 2,

verses 1 through 10,

Paul explains

this power

on display.

And taking

an enemy of God,

someone who's

walking in darkness,

who has been

separated from God,

who is under

God's wrath,

and how God

in His glorious,

gracious power

takes someone

who is running

the other way

and by His grace

draws them near.

But God,

chapter 2,

verse 4,

by His grace

made us alive

in Christ Jesus.

And so what we see

happening in chapter 2,

verses 1 through 10

is this,

where we start off

as children

under God's wrath,

we end up

in verse 10

as His workmanship.

It's the word

we get poem from.

We are His craftsmanship,

trophies of grace.

And so what

chapter 2,

1 through 10

points us to

is this glorious,

peacemaking,

reconciling work

God does

by His grace

vertically

between God

and sinners,

taking people

who are spiritually dead

and making them

spiritually alive.

And then,

in 2,

11 through 22,

where our few verses lie,

God changes,

moves from this

vertical relationship

to a horizontal relationship.

Paul starts explaining

in verses 11 through 22

how those who've been

made alive

through Christ

and made right with God,

peace with God,

they have also been made

to be at peace

with one another.

And so where

chapter 2,

1 through 10

is this vertical

relationship with God,

2, 11 through 22

is this horizontal

relationship

between Christians.

And so in 2,

11 you read,

therefore remember

that at one time

you Gentiles in the flesh,

at one time

way back in the day

before you met Jesus,

you were separated,

alienated,

you are without hope,

without God

in the world.

And then in verse 13

we read,

but now in Christ Jesus

you who were once far off

have been brought near

by the blood of Christ.

And then he goes on

to say in verse 14,

for he himself

is our peace.

Do you see the word

our?

Paul is talking about

himself as a Jew

and these Gentile Ephesians.

He's saying

we're all one now.

Now here's what

I want you to see.

In verse 14

we read this,

for he himself

is our peace

who has made us both

one

and has broken down

in his flesh

the dividing wall

of hostility.

Now look at verse 15.

By abolishing

the laws of commandments

expressed in ordinances

that he might create

in himself

one new man

in place of the two.

So making peace.

Look at verse 16.

And might reconcile

us both to God

in one body

through the cross,

thereby killing

the hostility.

And if you look down

at verse 18,

for through him

we both have access

in one spirit

to the Father.

We're in a passage

talking about

the unity of the church.

Oneness.

Paul is making the case

that God

by his great grace

has called sinners

not only to be

at peace with him

but to be at peace

with one another

in Christ.

He has made them

one new people.

He's taken

unbelieving Jews

and made some of those

unbelieving Jews

his own.

And he's taken some

unbelieving Gentiles

and he's made them

his own.

And he's united

these different people

into one new man.

And this

was all according

to God's plan

for the fullness

of time.

To unite

all things in Christ.

Christ.

So as we get

to verse 19

Paul begins

to wrap up

the whole section

on the unity

of the church.

He says

so then

you are no longer

strangers and aliens

you no longer

are away from God

and away from

other saints

but you are

fellow citizens

with the saints

all who believe

in Jesus

and members

of the household

of God

part of his family.

And then

when we get

to verse 20

Paul shifts

the metaphor.

He starts

talking about

a building.

He says

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.

when we

what I want you

to see this morning

one cornerstone

one structure

and one purpose

one function.

So from these

three verses

I want you to

help you to see

we are the dwelling

place of God

Christ the King

Church built

on one foundation

being formed

into one structure

and I've been given

one purpose

one function.

So let me now

direct you

to this

one foundation

in which

we have been

built upon.

It's in verse 20

we read this

built on the

foundation

of the apostles

and prophets

Christ Jesus himself

being the cornerstone.

we all know

that a foundation

is absolutely

essential

to any building.

A foundation

is critical

to a building

stability

its unity

its form

its definition

remember Matthew

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7

Jesus is wrapping

up the Sermon

on the Mount

and he's wrapping

up his teaching

and he says

whoever hears

my words

and does them

he's like

he's like a builder

who builds his house

on the rock.

Now when we

when you look at

verse 20

and you read

built on the

foundation

of the apostles

and prophets

that might be

a little surprising

to some of you.

You're like foundation

how can the foundation

be anything

but Jesus?

Who are these

apostles and prophets

anyway?

Well I don't want

to get into

too great a detail

but

the apostles

and prophets

that Paul is talking

about are

people in the

first century

who had been

gifted

and given

a particular

role.

Both these

apostles

and prophets

had something

in common.

It was a unique

ministry

a unique

ministry

of

proclamation

and if you

want to see

that spelled

out

look at

look at

chapter 3

and verses

5 and

4 and 5

Paul is saying

when you read

this you can

perceive my

insight into

the mystery

of Christ

which was not

made known

to the sons

of men

and other

generations

as it has

now been

revealed

to his

holy apostles

and prophets

by the spirit

and these

holy apostles

and prophets

are making

known this

mystery that

God has kept

hidden

for the ages

until this

time

and that

mystery is in

verse 6

this mystery

is that the

Gentiles are

fellow heirs

members of

the same

body

the same

building

and partakers

of the promise

in Christ Jesus

through the

gospel

so what you

need to

understand about

these apostles

and prophets

they go unnamed

here

it's more about

what they do

and why they're

foundational

they are

declaring

Christ

as the

unifier

of all

things

a unifier

of a

people

into one

new

man

essentially

they are

pointing

to

Jesus

and make

no mistake

about it

Jesus

plays a

unique

role

Christ

Jesus

himself

being

the

cornerstone

Paul is

very clear

in the

language

Jesus

himself

and no

other

is the

cornerstone

of the

church

a

cornerstone

was the

most

important

stone

of a

first

century

foundation

it was

the first

stone

to be

laid

and

often times

there are

just these

massive

blocks

of stone

put down

as a

cornerstone

it would

bear the

weight

of a

structure

as it

was built

up

and built

out

a

cornerstone

was the

unifier

of a

corner

of a

building

itself

you build

up on

a

cornerstone

and it's

where two

walls

become one

structure

it's a

unifier

a

cornerstone

would also

kind of

determine the

shape of

the building

its initial

footprint of

what it would

look like

and so

you could say

this

that everything

depended on

the cornerstone

everything was

united by the

cornerstone

everything was

shaped by

the cornerstone

the cornerstone

defined everything

about a

building

on our

building

this

building

there's a

cornerstone

right on that

corner out

there

and it gives

some definition

to who

this

what this

building

is

tells of the

date it was

built

1874

says a couple

other things

too

it doesn't

bear any

weight

it's

mainly

aesthetic

what Paul

is clearly

stating here

is that

a local

church

must

be founded

on Christ

Jesus

alone

and here's

what this

means for

us

no matter

what we do

as a church

we never

outgrow

our cornerstone

everything we

do

is built

on that

cornerstone

all of our

preaching

is cornerstone

preaching

all of our

teaching

cornerstone

teaching

our children's

ministry

is a

cornerstone

children's

ministry

our life

groups

are cornerstone

ministries

everything that

we do

depends on

determined

by

shaped

by

existing

for

the

cornerstone

it's who

defines

us

as a

church

now the

risk

of a

metaphor

like this

is to

start

imagining

Jesus

as some

kind of

lifeless

block

but we

all know

that he's

alive

this

cornerstone

is not

a lifeless

block

this

cornerstone

is a

living

cornerstone

and on

this

living

cornerstone

God is

building

a living

structure

so we've

looked at

our one

cornerstone

now let's

look at

this one

structure

because

brothers and

sisters

we are

the dwelling

place

of God

so in

21 and

22

we have a

very

interesting

way of

communicating

in the

Bible

it's called

a parallelism

don't worry

you're not

going to get

quizzed on

that

but here's

how you

can see

it

in 21

it begins

with

in whom

the whole

structure

being joined

together

grows into

a holy

temple

in the

Lord

and then

in 22

it starts

with

in him

you also

are being

built

together

into a

dwelling

place

for God

by the

spirit

they

parallel

each

other

and in

fact

the

verse

21

in whom

in the

verse

22

in him

in Greek

are identical

phrases

and they're

both referring

back to the

cornerstone

Jesus

and what

they're saying

is on him

and by him

this structure

is being

built

did you see

those two

phrases being

joined together

together in

verse 21

and being

built together

in verse

22

those are

present tense

verbs

and here's

why that

matters

it's a

work in

progress

we are a

work in

progress

Christ the

King

Church

and so

here's the

picture that's

being portrayed

our risen

Lord Jesus

is like

a stone

mason

who is

fitting a

people

together

into one

structure

have you

ever seen

a stone

mason

at work

well here's

what they do

they first

select

the right

stones

and then

after they

pick the

stones

they prepare

those stones

and after

they prepare

those stones

they start

fitting

those stones

into a

particular

structure

and often

times that

fitting

regards

sanding

and chipping

and cutting

so that

that stone

fits into

the rest

of the

structure

and then

that stone

mason

sets

the stone

in place

there is

a house

on 75th

street

and 18th

avenue

it's on

the northwest

corner

I passed

it this

morning on

my way

here

and it

looks like

the stones

that make

up this

house

were literally

taken out

of Lake

Michigan

80 years

ago

every stone

that makes

up this

house

is unique

and yet

each has been

carefully placed

together to

form one

building

one house

made up

of

many

stones

when we

talk about

the church

as a

building

under

construction

it's a

metaphor

and the

stones

they represent

individual

Christians

it's what

Peter calls

in 1st

Peter

living

stones

stones

and what

we're seeing

here is that

Jesus

our great

stone

mason

what he's

doing is

he is

intentionally

selecting

preparing

fitting

and setting

into place

particular

stones

into a

particular

structure

and if you

want to get

theological

about it

it goes

something like

this

before the

foundation

of the

world

God the

Father

selected

the stones

for the

building

and then

Jesus

by his

blood

prepared

each

stone

for use

and then

our Lord

Jesus

is purposely

fitting

shaping

readying

positioning

particular

stones

to be placed

into a

particular

structure

and then

he sets

them in

place

it's

his

doing

every

Christian

is a

living

stone

with a

place

among

God's

people

you have

a fitting

place

brother and

sister

our

great

stone

mason

he

he takes

all things

into

consideration

when he

fits

and joins

his

living

stones

together

our

great

stone

mason

actually

chooses

to use

a variety

of stones

to build

one structure

that's what

he was doing

in first

century

Ephesus

our Lord

Jesus

was building

one structure

out of two

very different

people

culturally

Jews and

Gentiles

there was

known hostility

between them

and the

Lord Jesus

brought peace

to them

through his

blood

making them

into one

new man

so that's

why in

verse 21

Paul begins

with in

whom the

whole structure

is being

joined

together

Jews and

Gentiles

and then in

verse 22

he narrows

it down

to saying

in him

you

you

converted

Gentiles

are being

built into

the church

into

this building

together

what he's

saying is

he's singling

out these

people who

may not

have been

felt feeling

like they

were a

part of

God's

people

God's

plan for

the fullness

of time

was to

reveal a

mystery

through the

church

to make

his wisdom

known

and that

wisdom

that mystery

is bringing

together a

people who

would otherwise

not want

anything to do

with each

other

and bring

them together

into one

united

people

through

Christ

God

our Lord

Jesus

is intentionally

selecting

living

stones

who were

separated

and hostile

to each

other at

one point

prepares

them

he fits

them

and he

sets them

together

and it

speaks a

word about

our great

God

the great

stone maker

intentionally

chooses

stones of

different

colors

different

textures

different

shapes

and sizes

from different

quarries

and he

brings them

together

fit together

as one

multicultural

temple

for God

to dwell in

together

it's glorious

work he's

doing

Jesus

is in the

business of

uniting people

who would

otherwise

not like

each other

who would

otherwise

avoid each

other

ignore each

other

write each

other off

here's what

this means

for us

maybe you're in

the room

here and

you're thinking

well

I need

to be a

Caucasian

in order

to be a

part of

Christ the

King

Church

in order

for me to

feel like

I fit

into

Christ the

King

Church

I need

to be a

certain

skin color

well it's

not true

because Jesus

the great

stone maker

Mason

he's bringing

in different

stones from

different shapes

and sizes

and colors

it's all to

array his

structure

because he

has a

purpose

the form

serves a

function

rather

if you're

aware of

your ethnicity

when we

gather

together

could it

be that

Jesus

has you

here to

set you

in this

people

for a

purpose

maybe

maybe the

issue

you feel

out of

place

not so

much

because of

your

ethnicity

but more

because

you're like

I have

no church

background

everybody

around here

when the

pastor says

open up

your Bible

they know

right where

to go

I have

no idea

where to

go

and you

can start

feeling like

you don't

belong

you don't

fit in

because you

don't have

a working

knowledge

of the Bible

you don't

have this

history

in the

church

well it's

just not

true

the great

stone

mason

Jesus

he doesn't

include you

as part of

his building

because of

your experience

with the

church

he includes

you in his

building

through his

blood

so if you

think you

need to

become more

churchy

in order to

fit into

Christ the

king

church

it's just

not true

you have

a fitting

place here

and this

building will

benefit from

your being

placed in

our midst

or maybe

it's something

like this

you think

you need to

have your

act together

you look

around you

and you

and you're

like oh

I'm not

like that

sharp

dude

I'm not

like that

lovely

gal

and you

think you

feel out

of place

because

you're

like if

you knew

my life

if you

knew my

history

if you

knew

what

what's

behind

me

no no

not like

that

all of us

need help

none of us

has their

act together

the only

thing you

need in

order to be

part of

God's

temple

is to

be

purchased

by the

blood

of Jesus

that's

what you

need

you don't

need to

act

together

you don't

have to

become more

churchy

you don't

have to

become white

in fact

we believe

that the

greater diversity

brings greater

richness

to our

gathering

our

Lord Jesus

Christ is

fitting together

men and

women from

different

even hostile

backgrounds

opposing

cultures

and conflicting

experiences

and he's

building

one

new

structure

through his

blood

I just

want to

remind you

that those

phrases being

joined together

and being

built together

well they're in

the present

tense

it's a work

our Lord

Jesus is

doing among

us now

in this

city

we're not

where we

want to

be

but Jesus

is working

on that

he's

growing us

and he's

diversifying

us slowly

he's

he's

getting us

in close

proximity

to one

another

of different

backgrounds

so that we

can learn

from one

another

do you

know how

to get

in close

proximity

to somebody

who's

unlike

you

use your

dinner

table

invite

them over

invite

yourself

over

to someone's

house

get close

to one

another

you have

so much

in common

if you're

both

blood

bought

so

Christ

the King

Church

if you're

hearing what

I'm saying

if

if what we're

reading here

is true

are you

ready to

welcome

people

into close

proximity

who are

different

than you

who may

not look

like you

who may

not

have the

same

tastes

as you

lifestyle

as you

or background

as you

are you

ready

are you

ready to

welcome

them

because

Jesus is

bringing

them

and he

wants to

join

them

to us

through his

blood

our great

stonemason

is actively

at work

bringing

people

and fitting

them and

setting them

into this

particular

temple

Christ

the King

Church

use your

dinner table

wouldn't it

be great

three or

five

seven years

from now

that when

you pan

over our

church

and when

you see

the leadership

team of

our church

our leadership

team is

marked by a

diversification

of culture

and experience

our deacons

and our life

group leaders

our worship

leaders

our volunteers

there's just

greater and

greater diversity

because our

Lord Jesus

the great

stonemason

is bringing

different stones

and setting

them in place

we have one

cornerstone

and we have

one structure

our Lord Jesus

is building us

together

which brings me

to the last

point

we have one

function

we are

the dwelling

place of God

one cornerstone

one structure

one function

our Lord Jesus

is forming

us together

for a purpose

and that purpose

is clued in

with the word

into

look at verse

21

in whom

the whole

structure

being joined

together

grows

into

a holy

temple

in the Lord

look at verse

22

in him you

also are being

built together

into

a dwelling

place for God

by the spirit

now what you

need to understand

is that the

function for which

Jesus is

joining us all

together and

building us

is not to be

an entertainment

center

we know that

it's not to be

a self-help

center

we know that

it's not to be

a keep up

with the

Joneses

center

we know that

our Lord Jesus

is fitting us

together into

a

temple

do you know

what a temple

is

it's a place

of worship

where people

would come

offer sacrifice

offer prayers

sing praises

in Ephesus

at this time

that Paul wrote

this

the temple

of Artemis

was standing

it was one of

the seven wonders

of the world

and it was a

huge money maker

for that

local economy

at the same

time

Jerusalem

the

temple that

Herod the Great

had built

it was still

standing

it only had a

couple years

before be raised

in 70

but it was still

standing too

both temples

were temples

built by

human hands

but what's

remarkable about

this

is this temple

that is

being talked

about by

Paul

is a temple

being built

with the hands

of our great

stonemason

Jesus

into one

new man

the word

holy means

to be

distinct

set apart

set apart

from common

use

and set apart

for sacred

use

the blood

of Jesus

has set

all of us

apart

from the world

in order

in order

to be

set apart

for God

and together

we live

distinct

lives

for our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

and what

sets us

apart

is the one

who dwells

in our midst

we are being

joined together

into a

holy temple

being built

together

into

the dwelling

place

of God

by the Spirit

God

dwells

in our

midst

Christ

the King

Church

God

is present

among us

by the Holy

Spirit

Christ

the King

Church

what's interesting

is that

Paul is writing

to Gentiles

and these Gentiles

in the first century

were fully aware

that the temple

in Jerusalem

they had

a certain section

only for Gentiles

and they could go

no more further

into the temple

well here

what's being said

is

you

are the temple

you are the temple

of God

the dwelling

place of God

in the Bible

is a story

of God

dwelling

with his people

in his place

starts off

in Genesis

God dwelling

with Adam

and Eve

in the garden

he soon

kicks them out

because of their

disobedience

God goes on

to dwell

with Israel

in the tabernacle

that fancy

tent

that was mobile

in Exodus

into Joshua

God with his people

as they go

to the promised land

but that

fancy tent

doesn't last

because when they

get in the promised land

a temple

is built

by Solomon