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Sunday Life Mirror
Theme: UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH (3)
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Topic:
THE CHURCH AS A "BUILDING"
TEXTS: Eph 2: 10-22, Ps.118: 22, Isa. 28:16, Mat16: 18, 21:42,1Cor.3: 9-10, Eph.4: 11-12, 1Pet.2: 4-5.
Memory Verse:
You too, are built upon the foundation laid by apostles and prophets,
Christ Himself Jesus himself being the Chief Corner Stone. He is the one who
holds the whole building together and makes it grow into a sacred temple dedicated to the LORD.
In union with Him, you too are being built together with all the others
into a place where God lives through His Spirit. Eph.2: 20-22 (GNB)
INTRODUCTION:
The Lord committed the doctrine of salvation first to the prophets, and then to the apostles. Their teachings and prophecies refer to Christ, some directly some indirectly. They came at different times and dispensations in history; the prophets in the Old Testament and the apostles in New Testament. This doctrine or prophecy of salvation, which pointed to and based on Christ, according to the opinion held by majority of bible
Scholars and commentators is what the bible refers to in Eph.2: 20, as the FOUNDATION OF THE APPOSTLES AND PROPHETS. There are no two foundations but only one which is Christ and God Himself laid it by them, “For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ”-1Cor.3: 11.
As the foundation carries the building so the truth and revelations of God’s word declared by the prophets and apostles sustain the faith of all believers (both Jews and Gentiles). Christ Himself being the foundation, is also the Chief Corner Stone of the foundation which connects, supports and cements the whole building both of the believing Jews and Gentiles, and unites both in one body (Himself) by the Spirit and makes it grow into a holy temple dedicated to the LORD.
STUDY:
Let’s examine some of the prophecies and doctrine of salvation as declared by the prophets and apostles;
- OLD: Deut.18: 15,18-19, Ps.27: 31, Isa.50: 6, 53:5, Isa.9: 6, 26:18, Habk.2: 4, Dan.9: 6
- New: Mat.16: 16, Lk.24: 44, Acts.26: 22, 2:38, 4:12, 17:3, 28:23, 3:22, 7:37, 3:32,13:32-34,46.1Cor.3: 11, Rm.10: 9-11, Phil.2: 10,1Pet.2: 4-5,16:31.etc.
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- In union with Christ, we the Gentile believers are also being BUILT TOGETHER with the Jewish believers into a place where God lives through His Spirit. Eph.2: 21-22.
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- Christ is the living stone rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. In the same way we are also living stones; the reason being that since Christ who is the foundation and Chief corner stone of His building (his body-the church) is a living stone, we who are the building blocks or stones are also living, because in the body of Christ- the Church, there is not supposed to be found any thing dead; every part of it is supposed to be alive with the very life of Christ himself flowing in and through them, that is why His body the Church is not an organization but an organism. 1Pet.2: 4.
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- We also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1Pet.2;5, 9.
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- Christ is a son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Heb.3; 6, therefore, if any one speaks, (let him speak) as the oracles of God.. If any one ministers, (let him do it) as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion for ever. Amen! 1Pet.4: 11 (NKJV)
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