People of God - Building - Jo Wood -Sunday 7th September

·        Read Ephesians 2 v 11 – 22 and discuss the following questions...

o       What do buildings ‘do’ / provide / mean?

o       Why do you think Paul uses this image for the people of God here?

o       What is the main point he is trying to get across?

 

·        I want to look particularly at verses 19 – 22 which is the bit about being a building. And draw out a few things that really spoke to me when preparing this:

 

1.     ‘Consequently’ – what is this a consequence of? Because of Jesus!! The fact that Jesus has made it possible for everyone EVERYWHERE to be part of God’s people regardless of how we started out. We live in the freedom and consequence of this every day. Jesus has reconciled us to God and to each other and He is our peace. 

 

 

2.     Fellow citizens, God’s people, members of God’s household – WOW!!! How often do we stop to consider what that means? What does it mean to be a member of a household? - welcome, warmth, acceptance, freedom to move around, responsibility etc. 

 

3.     Built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets –  That we are part of something that started so long ago and has its foundations in the obedience and commitment of people that went before us. Church is historic – it has never been wiped out or God has never changed his mind about us. The church is still meant to be his Plan A for this world. 

 

4.     Christ Jesus himself the chief cornerstone – this one is really amazing. Consider that you are part of something that Jesus has JOINED HIMSELF TO FOREVER. Jesus is the central component of this whole thing, right at the centre and holding it all together. 

 

5.     Joined together and rises to become a holy temple –  Temple was once a place, now it is wherever God’s people are present and joined in the purpose of true worship. Forgiveness and holiness and worship busted out onto the streets when Jesus died and tore that curtain in half!!!   

 

 

6.      A dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit – The Holy Spirit of God living in the atmosphere we create as the people of God. The same Spirit that was brooding over the water at creation, the same Spirit that fell on Jesus like a dove, the same Spirit that fell on the disciples at Pentecost. When we are being built together as a solid, stable temple the Spirit of God dwells amongst us. That is mind-blowing.  QUESTION – What kind of conditions do you think need to be present for the Holy Spirit to be present?