Ephesians 2:19-22 says...
Today's verses are Ephesians 2:19-22, which read,
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, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
What a great set of verses for a Sunday morning. Paul gives us another long sentence that he just can't seem to end. Let's pull apart the sentence for our devotional.
In other passages of Scripture we are called "strangers and aliens" of this world but Paul is saying in God's family we are not. In God's family we are "fellow citizens with the saints." We are connected to all those who have come before and all those who will come after that trust in the Lord as Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God.
The "apostles and prophets" proclaimed about a corner stone name Jesus that was set. Our church has a corner stone, actually every building should have one that defines the lines of the building going horizontally both ways and vertically. Every stone or block or brick is set in relationship with that corner stone. That stone is so important to the integrity of the whole building. God's house is build with the corner stone being Jesus and every stone, every believer is fitted to Him.
All those stones, all those believers make up a holy temple of God's church which is made not with stones but with our lives. If you are the stone or block or brick as a believer than there must be Someone who is putting you in place. It is not yourself doing this action. The Builder, God, is placing you in relationship to that corner stone of Jesus and the result is a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Paul brings us back to the beautiful fact of the Trinity.
Paul is attempting to help the Ephesian Christians who were both Jew and Gentile to set aside their nationally and take up a new Identifier to who they are. Put aside color and race and upbringing and establish that I and you are placed by God in His temple of His family in relationship to our common Savior, Jesus Christ. We all draw our lines that we will follow from Him and Him alone.
Paul has given us a beautiful physical analogy to hold unto as we go around and check out some corner stones on some buildings that we know. God's family, in which you are part of and placed there by God is because of a faith given to you to see Christ as the corner stone in which your life reflects. Let's end with another verse about that Cornerstone.
Isaiah 28:16 - Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed."
"Lord, again I am amazed at Your involvement in my life. You provide the Cornerstone. You do the placing of me in your family. You give me Your presence to enjoy and also to guide. What You have done has been set so that I can have assurance of Your love for me. May I sing and speak of You with that in mind today. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
What a great set of verses for a Sunday morning. Paul gives us another long sentence that he just can't seem to end. Let's pull apart the sentence for our devotional.
In other passages of Scripture we are called "strangers and aliens" of this world but Paul is saying in God's family we are not. In God's family we are "fellow citizens with the saints." We are connected to all those who have come before and all those who will come after that trust in the Lord as Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God.
The "apostles and prophets" proclaimed about a corner stone name Jesus that was set. Our church has a corner stone, actually every building should have one that defines the lines of the building going horizontally both ways and vertically. Every stone or block or brick is set in relationship with that corner stone. That stone is so important to the integrity of the whole building. God's house is build with the corner stone being Jesus and every stone, every believer is fitted to Him.
All those stones, all those believers make up a holy temple of God's church which is made not with stones but with our lives. If you are the stone or block or brick as a believer than there must be Someone who is putting you in place. It is not yourself doing this action. The Builder, God, is placing you in relationship to that corner stone of Jesus and the result is a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Paul brings us back to the beautiful fact of the Trinity.
Paul is attempting to help the Ephesian Christians who were both Jew and Gentile to set aside their nationally and take up a new Identifier to who they are. Put aside color and race and upbringing and establish that I and you are placed by God in His temple of His family in relationship to our common Savior, Jesus Christ. We all draw our lines that we will follow from Him and Him alone.
Paul has given us a beautiful physical analogy to hold unto as we go around and check out some corner stones on some buildings that we know. God's family, in which you are part of and placed there by God is because of a faith given to you to see Christ as the corner stone in which your life reflects. Let's end with another verse about that Cornerstone.
Isaiah 28:16 - Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed."
"Lord, again I am amazed at Your involvement in my life. You provide the Cornerstone. You do the placing of me in your family. You give me Your presence to enjoy and also to guide. What You have done has been set so that I can have assurance of Your love for me. May I sing and speak of You with that in mind today. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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