BY AL BUCHANAN
Two weeks ago in the last message that I gave here, that message was titled Building On The Rock. Today I would like to continue and make this Part II. So the title today will be Building On The Rock – Part II. Actually, as I see it now, there's going to be three parts to this. It's going to take three parts to get to where I want to get with it. We're not going to go all the way today obviously. So this will be Part II.
I'd like to begin back in Matthew chapter 16 where we began last time. I want to go back and recap just briefly a portion of what we covered in that message two weeks ago. Mainly for the purpose of adding some detail and filling in some voids that was left last time. Matthew 16 and in verse 13 if you remember the time setting that we mentioned last time, this occurred—what we're going to read here—occurred late summer, early fall. It's some time as the Feast was approaching in 30 AD. This would have been just prior to His death the following spring. Matthew 16 verse 13,
Matthew 16:13. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14) So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16) Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17) Jesus answered and said to him, (NKJ)
A very important statement here in verse 17!
Matthew 16:17b. "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood [did] not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven [revealed this to you]. (NKJ)
"So this information did not come from your own intellect, but it came from My Father."
And then verse 18,
Matthew 16:18. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail [or be victorious over] it. (NKJ)
So He said, "I will build My Church."
I didn't point it out last time, but this word "build" in the Greek literally means to build or construct a building. It would mean to assemble the various parts, including the foundation, and construct a building.
Now I think that all of us know that what Jesus is speaking about here is not literal buildings, but rather it is you might say symbolic. But rather He is talking about something that is literal but on a spiritual plane that He is actually going to be assembling the various individuals who will make up His Church.
And so the "building" of the Church is assembling the parts of the Church or those individuals making up the Church. And when the Church is complete, it will become His Bride. And so that Church, He had not yet begun to build at this point. He said, "I will, I will build My Church." Now the building of His Church would involve a process that would yet begin at the time when He spoke these words. And the process would take place over many, many years. It was yet to begin this particular building that He's talking about.
Now last time we talked, we said that we're going to be talking about "building." He is talking about a particular building project. And it involved the assembling of His Church. And it would take place over many years. Now remember the time setting is 30 AD. So that's been 1979 years since He said this! Now, again, I think that this was late summer-early fall. So we're approaching that time this year—not quite there—but we're close to 1979 years from the time that He spoke. The building process continues. He is continuing even till this day to build this Church.
Now He said here that the gates of Hades, or you might say "the grave" or "death," would not prevail or be victorious over it. So the building process was going to continue unabated until it was completed. Now we might think that there's gaps. We might think that the building stops at times. Or we might think it gets snuffed out at times.
If we could look out over the history of the Church, we
could see that it probably got to be very, very small at points of time since
But He says here to Peter, He says,
Matthew 16:18b. on this rock I will build My
church
"On this rock I will build My Church." The foundation on which His building was to be fixed was "this rock," He said. Now we've understood for a long time that He was referring to Himself here. That He is the Rock. He is the Rock on which He is going to build, but He qualified that other places to not be Him personally or Him as a personality, but rather on the words that He spoke. And right here we have a portion of the truth that He was sent to this earth to deliver that God the Father inspired Peter to state that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. And so this was a portion of the rock and it was on this truth that He was going to build His Church.
Now He was, in fact, the Christ, the Christos, the Anointed One, the Messiah. He was the Messiah that all of the Old Testament prophecies prophesied concerning and pointed to. Remember we read in Luke 24 where He said He had to fulfill every single one of those prophecies. He had to be. Now if He didn't fulfill all of those prophecies, then He was not the Christ. He was not the Messiah, but, in fact, He did fulfill all of them. And He was the Christ.
But it also says here that He was the Son of the living God. He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Now we understand that these two great God Beings had existed together from what John says, "In the beginning." From that time They existed together, but they did not exist throughout all of that eternity as Father and Son. We need to understand that. They became Father and Son when through the power of God's Holy Spirit, the Word became flesh within the womb of Mary. He then became the only begotten Son of God. He became a Son at that point and They became Father-Son as far as a relationship is concerned.
This had to happen. We understand. When we understand the plan of God that He was working out, this had to happen in order for that great plan to unfold. It couldn't unfold without that happening. They determined, these two great God Beings did, They determined to reproduce Themselves. They determined to create a Family. And so the first step in that involved the Word becoming a Son. Then we have the Father and the Son. The next step would require the Son to take a wife. Hence, the project of building His Church would have to begin. It had not begun yet, but it would have to begin.
Now, you remember back in Genesis when the Word Himself created mankind, He took a rib. He took bone and He took flesh, tissue, from Adam and from that, He built Eve. He built Eve for Adam. We know that Jesus Christ was the Last Adam. We have the first Adam; we have the Last Adam. Eve, we have the first Eve, physical Eve; we have the Church who was to become the Bride of the Last Adam. So the Church, like Eve was built to be perfectly compatible with Adam on a physical plane, the Church now was to be built to be compatible with the Last Adam, with Jesus the Christ.
Now let's go to Luke 24 very briefly, where we were last
time, Luke 24. And let's just read this
rather quickly. Luke 24 and verse 46,
Luke 24:46. Then He said to them, (NKJ)
And that is primarily the twelve here.
Luke 24:6. Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, (NKJ)
At this particular time it would have been the eleven. Let me qualify that. Primarily the eleven at this point although I wouldn't be at all surprised but that Matthias was there and he heard this. Because he literally had to here witness everything that Christ did when He went in and out among them all the way from the baptism of John until His ascension. So He had to witness these things. So, no doubt, the twelve were there at this time.
Luke 24:6. Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, (NKJ)
Then verse 47,
Luke 24:47. "And that repentance and remission
of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
So the building would begin with this process of repentance and remission of sins being preached in His name. And so He would engage the service of others in this process of building His Church. And so it would utilize the efforts of human beings. Jesus Christ is building the Church, but He's doing it through the services of others.
Luke 24:47b. repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at
The twelve were to have special roles as witnesses. Again, they had to witness everything when He went in and out among them from the baptism of John to His ascension when He was taken up from them. They had to see all of that. They had to witness the resurrection from the dead. That was one thing that they very specifically had to establish that He was, in fact, resurrected from the dead. And so they witnessed all of these things. So they had a special role. And they continued that role until that particular job was no longer needed, but it was very important immediately at the beginning of the building of the Church to have these witnesses who were there and saw all these things.
Now once again, they were witnesses from everything from the baptism of John until Him being taken up from them. And again, I have said before I think that all of them were disciples of John and I think that's exactly what that means. The baptism of John was not just the fact that he immersed people, but the baptism of John both involved what he taught.
If you remember when it talks about Apollos that he needed to have additional information for him to be able to speak the words completely, to communicate the message completely, because he only knew the baptism of John. He knew what John had taught him. And John did not teach about the Holy Spirit. He needed to understand that Apollos did. And so they taught him these things and then he proceeded then to continue his role.
So anyway, these individuals witnessed these things. They had a special role. And so they had a part to play in the building. They are workers who are participating in the building.
Then verse 49,
Luke 24:49. "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." (NKJ)
So those working and those becoming a part of the building were to receive the power of God's Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost when the building would begin. So, again, those working and building and participating in the building as well as those who became part of what was being built, all were to receive God's Holy Spirit and they did on the Day of Pentecost. So this project would begin on the Day of Pentecost.
Then let's go to Acts chapter 2, Acts chapter 2 and in verse 32. No, let's back up to verse 29, Acts 2 and verse 29. Here Peter is speaking on the Day of Pentecost. He says,
Acts
And those specific words from David are quoted up in verses 25 through 28 here.
Then verse 32,
Acts
It was very important, again, to have twelve witnesses. Our juries are made up of twelve. The number twelve is important. And so there were twelve witnesses of the fact that He was raised up from the dead.
Then verse 33,
Acts
So Jesus the Christ personally pours out God's Holy Spirit that initiates the beginning of the Church. So the building of His Church begins here, but notice who's fully involved: Peter and the other apostles as witnesses are fully involved as it begins, Peter giving this message.
Then in verse 36,
Acts
So here Peter's establishing right up front that He is the Christ. Remember the Church was to be built on, in the very initial stages, the fact that He was the Christ, the Son of living God. More information is going to be added to that, but that's part of what the Church was to be built upon. So here He is both Lord and Christ. He's Lord. He's our Owner. He's our Master. As a result of what He's done, He becomes our Owner. We become His. Those, who are given the power of God's Holy Spirit, beginning at this time forward would become His, His Bride-to-be, become His Church.
Then verse 37,
Acts
When those who heard these words,
Acts 2:37b. they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39) "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." (NKJ)
And so the process would begin, but it would continue as long as God is calling individuals to become a part and to receive this gift of God's Holy Spirit.
Then verse 40,
Acts
I pointed out last week, or two weeks ago; we only have a portion of what Peter said. We don't have all the words that he said. He said many other words that Day that the people heard. We didn't hear them. We don't have a record of it.
Acts
Then verse 41,
Acts
So a particular message had to be preached. The words had to be received. And the power of God's Holy Spirit had to be
given to these individuals at this time.
The power of God's Holy Spirit was involved in speaking the words. The power of God's Spirit was involved in
them being able to receive the words.
And the power of God's Spirit was very much involved in begetting them
and making them a part of the
Then verse 42,
Acts
So the converts "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine," or what the apostles taught. Now it is extremely important for us to understand what the apostles' doctrine consisted of. We're not going to get into that today fully. That's going to be the third part of this. And we're going to go through—and I might want to give you an assignment right now. We're going to go through the book of Acts and just take note what was it they were teaching as the Church began and continued through this book and then on into the epistles that they wrote. What was it? What was the heart and core, especially initially, of what they taught? We'll see that next time. And I just ask you to go through this book of Acts and take note of that. Focus on the message that was being communicated by the apostles to the people.
Now let's go to John 20 and verse 21, John 20 and in verse 21. What was it that they spoke? What was the apostles' doctrine? John 20 verse 21,
John 20:21. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." (NKJ)
This word "sent" here is apostello in the
Greek. To send forth on a certain
mission or one having a commission is what that means.
"As the Father has sent Me"—so, I don't know if you've thought about or this or not in these terms. Jesus Christ was God's Apostle. He was sent to this earth on a particular mission having a commission to fill. He was God's Apostle, but He said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." So He was God's Apostle. He was sent forth on a mission. He, likewise, sent forth others on a mission.
Now we read in John 3 and verse 34—you don't need to turn there—just let me quote it. It states,
John 3:34. "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, (NKJ)
John 3:34. "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, (NKJ)
Now let's go to John 17, John 17 and in verse 4. Take note of what He's saying here in this prayer to His Father just before His arrest. John 17 verse 4.
John 17:4. "I have glorified You on the earth. (NKJ)
Jesus Christ speaking to His Father,
John 17:4. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. (NKJ)
So as God's Apostle, He was a "Worker for God," you might say. What we need to realize is that there is a lot of building going on. God the Father is building. Within what God the Father is building, Jesus Christ is building. Within what He is building, others are building. We need to understand that and we'll see that as go forward. But here as God's Apostle, He was a Worker for God. He said,
John 17:4. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. (NKJ)
Then in verse 5,
John 17:5. "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (NKJ)
So He's asking to be re-established at His Father's right hand, at His very throne in heaven. And we know that that was accomplished. We've read in Acts 2:33 where He took His seat at the right hand of the power of God.
Then verse 6,
John 17:6. "I have manifested Your name [He's saying to His Father.] to the men whom You have given Me (NKJ)
So these individuals that Jesus Christ spoke to, these apostles, were given to Him by God. God is working. He has a work that He is doing. He gave to Jesus Christ these men.
John 17:6. "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. (NKJ)
Verse 7,
John 17:7. "Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. (NKJ)
John 17:7. "Now they have known that all things which You have given [to] Me are from You. 8) "For I have given to them the words which You have given [to] Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. (NKJ)
So He was on a mission and a commission. As God's Worker, He delivered God's words to them. So they were God's words.
Now Matthew 28, Matthew 28 and verse 18,
Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, (NKJ)
This was after Jesus Christ as the Christ had
completed His work. So He had completed
this work that the Father had sent Him to perform.
Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (NKJ)
He was given all of this authority following Him fulfilling
everything that the Christ was to do.
Then in verse 19,
Matthew 28:19. "Go therefore (NKJ)
He's saying to these individuals, those whom He is now sending forth as apostles.
Matthew 28:19. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NKJ)
Verse 20,
Matthew 28:20. "Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (NKJ)
So He sent them forth as apostles to begin the work of building His Church, of assembling His Church. The apostles' doctrine consisted of what Jesus had delivered to them, which in turn had been delivered to Him by the Father. So these are the words of God.
Now Matthew 7, Matthew 7 and verse 24—a very familiar Scripture—Jesus Christ speaking,
Matthew 7:24. "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, (NKJ)
Again, these are the words of God that He is delivering and He's saying,
Matthew 7:24. "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: (NKJ)
So God's words, which Jesus delivered, forms a rock solid foundation on which to build. Jesus the Christ is building His Church on this rock. The apostles' doctrine consisted of these words. It originated from God through Jesus Christ to them.
Now let's take note of this in verse 24. Christ said,
Matthew 7:24. "Therefore whoever [whoever] hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: (NKJ)
So "whoever hears these sayings and does them," the doing of them is likened to a man building a house. But you don't literally build a house and that's what He's saying. He's not literally building a house. He's building the Church. But anyone who hears these words and does them is likened to someone who builds a house on the rock.
So now, within what Christ is doing, He is utilizing human beings who lay the foundation. He is utilizing human beings to speak the words that people hear, these words, the words of God. When people hear these words, they are to begin to do them. So we've got individuals who are working, individuals who are receiving, all of which are to build, all of which are part of what His Being built. All of them are!
Now, let's go to Acts 2 and verse 41 again. I want to get back there Acts 2 and verse 41. We'll take note of some words that are used there. Acts 2 and verse 41, we just read this.
Acts
Now what does that mean—"gladly received"? The Greek means to embrace heartily, to accept gratefully. In other words, it's recognizing the value of them and latching onto them, seeing their value and latching onto them and taking them to yourself.
Acts
This "continuing steadfastly" means to cleave faithfully, to cleave to them faithfully in an ongoing basis.
You grab hold of them; you take them to yourself; and you don't turn lose of them! You cleave to them steadfastly. We are to continue in them. They are not just receiving the words; in other words, they're doing them. They are doing them. They are building on the rock. At the same time as we already pointed out, they are part of what is being built.
Now 1 Corinthians 3, we were there last time, 1 Corinthians 3. We spent a lot more time there last time than we're going to this time. I want to just go over this very quickly. We may come back to this chapter, however, because it's very important. It's important we understand what Paul is saying in this chapter in relationship to the subject. And we've read over it last time and I don't think we fully realized what He was saying, but 1 Corinthians 3 verse 5.
Paul mentioned back in chapter 1 that some of them were saying that they were of Paul; others saying they were from Apollos; others with Cephas; and they were aligning themselves behind men who were workers in the process. But those who were receiving their words were aligning themselves behind the men. They were focusing on the workers rather than recognizing and realizing who these workers were relative to Who was actually doing the building. Now verse 5,
1 Corinthians 3:5. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, (NKJ)
Yes, they delivered the words. These individuals believed the words. They received them.
1 Corinthians 3:5b. as the Lord gave to each one? (NKJ)
So it was through the power of God's Spirit; Jesus Christ Himself pouring out the Spirit that came from the Father that enabled them to speak the words, enabled them initially to understand the words and then to speak the words and enabled those who heard them to understand them and receive them. This is all as God chose.
1 Corinthians 3:6. I planted [Paul said.], Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. (NKJ)
"I didn't do it. Apollos didn't do it. God is the One giving the increase."
1 Corinthians 3:7. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. (NKJ)
He's trying to diminish the importance of men in their eyes and elevate God and His Son in their eyes is what he's doing.
Verse 9,
1 Corinthians 3:8. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9) For we are God's fellow workers; (NKJ)
So they're working. They're part of the process. They're working.
1 Corinthians 3:9b. you are God's field, [or] you are God's building. (NKJ)
So he's using two analogies here; one planting a crop in a field, another one building. But the individuals whom Paul is writing to He said, "You're the building. You're part of the building." But yet from what Christ said whoever hears these are to do them and they are likened to someone building on the rock. So there's a lot of building going on.
Then verse 10,
1 Corinthians 3:10. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. (NKJ)
So Paul as an apostle—it's interesting Paul was not one of the original twelve. He was not one who was a witness. He didn't have that job. He didn't witness everything that the twelve did, but he came along later. And in some ways, you might say—in more than some ways—that Paul may have done the greatest work of all, at least as what is recorded in the Scriptures, the New Testament. Paul at least has a little more record of what he did than all of the rest. But he came later. He was not one of the witnesses, but he came later. And he says in many places that he is an apostle. Jesus Christ sent him to lay this foundation for these individuals here.
1 Corinthians 3:10. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and [Apollos built] on it. (NKJ)
As far as what we have right here in this record. It's what he talked about. "I planted, Apollos watered. I built; I laid the foundation; Apollos built on it." So Paul as apostle was commissioned to lay down the rock.
Verse 11,
1 Corinthians 3:11. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (NKJ)
Now as far as the work of building the
Yet we see that others are involved. Others are being used. Here Paul is one whom Christ sent as a worker to lay the foundation. In this case again, Apollos then built on the foundation. He, too, was a worker. The people to whom Paul wrote were to receive these words that were delivered and they were to do them and they, too, were part of the building. All of them were to build. At the same time, all of them were part of what was being built.
Actually though—and we're going to go to Hebrews 3 now—we're going to see that the Church is part of something even bigger that's being built here. Hebrews 3, Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1.
Hebrews 3:1. Therefore, holy brethren, (NKJ)
And many of us believe that the apostle Paul is the author of this particular book.
Hebrews 3:1. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, (NKJ)
So he's writing to individuals who have received this
promise. And they were among those who
would be called to become part of the
Hebrews 3:1. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, (NKJ)
So Paul right up front here is asking all them and, in turn, all of us to consider God's Apostle, Jesus the Christ. Let's consider Him. Let's think deeply about Who He was and what He was and is doing.
Verse 2—speaking of Jesus Christ,
Hebrews 3:2. Who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, (NKJ)
So Jesus Christ was faithful. Remember He said in John 17:3, "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." He was Worker for His Father.
Hebrews 3:2. Who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, (NKJ)
Notice this though!
Hebrews 3:2b. as Moses also was faithful in all His house. (NKJ)
Now what house was Moses faithful in? Jesus Christ was not going to begin His
Church until
Hebrews 3:3. For this One (NKJ)
Now the "One" is capitalized. It could either be the Father or it could be the Son here. I personally feel it's referring to the Father. And let's go ahead and read and I think we'll see that.
Hebrews 3:3. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. (NKJ)
So the house that Moses was faithful in, this Individual built. This Individual is building you might say. That house hasn't been completed yet. The building process there continues as well.
Notice verse 4,
Hebrews 3:4. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. (NKJ)
Now as we go through this, I think we'll see that God is building. Within what God is building, Jesus Christ is building. Within what Jesus Christ is building now, others are building even down to us as individuals. As we hear these words, we are to build. We are to do them.
Now verse 5,
Hebrews 3:5. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, (NKJ)
He was a worker. He was a servant. He had a job to do. Moses had a very important job to do. As a matter of fact, Moses was a type of Christ. We can read that in the Scriptures. So he had a very important role to play, a very important job to do. So he was a worker in this house,
Hebrews 3:5b. as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, (NKJ)
Notice verse 6 then,
Hebrews 3:6. But Christ as a Son over His own house, (NKJ)
So it seems very clear to be talking about another house now than the one Moses was faithful in.
Hebrews 3:6. But Christ as 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. (NKJ)
So clearly here in verse 6, it's talking about the Church. The Church that Jesus Christ is building and those to whom Paul—if Paul in fact is the author—is writing he and the others make up the house that Jesus Christ is building.
Now let's go to John 14, John chapter 14 verse 1.
John 14:1. "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (NKJ)
And again I think all of us know these words were spoken after He changed the symbols on Passover evening. It was that Passover evening.
And then He says in verse 2,
John 14:2. "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (NKJ)
Now we've understand for a long this gets connected with the Feast of Tabernacles each year. And it's been taught for so many years that this is the governmental structure here. And there's positions within that structure in the Father's house. And we know Mr. Armstrong taught it so clearly the he said that, "The Kingdom of God is the Family of God. And the Family of God administers the government of God." And so for anyone to administer a role, fulfill a role within the government requires him first of all to become a member of the very Family of God. And it's members of the Family of God that fill these roles.
And so this "house" involves the Family of God. So "In My Father's house," in the Family of God, there "are many mansions." There's many places to reside. "If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." He's speaking to those who would form the nucleus of His Church. And He's saying, "I'm going to prepare a place for you."
John 14:3. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (NKJ)
So notice that the Church that is being built sits within the house of God. So God is building a Family. Jesus Christ is part of that Family. He as the Father is part of that Family. A Bride is being assembled for the Son that will become part of the Family. That Bride now is being shaped and formed and assembled and that process continues.
Now I want to go to Ephesians 2, Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians 2 and in verse 19, Ephesians 2 verse 19, now here Paul is writing to primarily Gentiles who are being included in this building and being made part of it.
Ephesians 2:19. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (NKJ)
You're part of God's house. You have become part of God's house.
Ephesians 2:20. Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, (NKJ)
So notice they are being built. This is something that's being built. We are all part of building that God is constructing. The foundation of this building includes the apostles, the prophets, and Jesus Christ, all of them part of the house, but forming the foundation of the house. Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.
Ephesians 2:21. In whom (NKJ)
Who do you think that's referring to?
Ephesians 2:21. In whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, (NKJ)
This "joined together" here in The Authorized Version is rendered "fitly framed together" and that's probably a better rendering than The New King James has of "joined together," but "fitly framed together."
In the Greek it means to fit or frame together, to join closely together.
In The New International Version it renders it, instead of "In Whom," it says "In him."
Ephesians 2:20b. Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21) In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. (NIV)
We read in 1 Corinthians 12—I won't want to go there—but I think you know there that we're all baptized into one body, remember? We're all given the same Spirit and that we all become members of the one body. And it states very clearly that God places the members as He chooses within the body. It's fitly framed together by God Himself. He chooses the individuals and brings them together.
Ephesians 2:21. In whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22) in whom you also are being built together for a [habitation] of God in the Spirit. (NKJ)
So God is building.
I didn't intend to go there, but let's go to Hebrews 11 just for a moment. My eye falls on this. Hebrews 11 verse 8, it says,
Hebrews 11:8. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would [afterward] receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9) By faith he [sojourned] in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (NKJ)
God the Father is creating a Family. We have been so privileged to be called to become part of what He is doing. But within what He is doing, He's given Jesus Christ an assignment, even now, to build His Church, to build the Bride for Jesus Christ. That will take another step toward completing the Family. Again there are many, many others that will be added later. The building of the Church is only part of something much bigger that's being built.
Sometimes we can focus in on our needs and our own problems and our own troubles and it becomes very big to us. We really need to think about the fact that we are part of something way bigger than ourselves. Who and what we are is very little compared to what God is doing.
It's a huge project that He's undertaking. And He enables us by the giving of God's Holy Spirit to become a part of it. We've got a responsibility within it. We've heard the words. We're to do them. We're to be building. And we're to be building on the Rock.
Now let's notice Ephesians 4. We'll finish up here—I'm not going to go back to 1 Corinthians 3 today; we don't have time—but Ephesians 4. Let's notice what we read, Ephesians 4 verse 1.
Ephesians 4:1. I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to [have a] walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (NKJ)
So we need to think deeply about what we've been called into, what we have become a part of. Again it's something much bigger than us. And it requires a certain walk based upon what we have heard. We're to walk based upon the foundation. We're to live our lives based upon what we know is contained in the rock.
Verse 2,
Ephesians 4:2. With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, (NKJ)
There really should be, once we think about this, it ought to humble us. That's what Paul's talking about here "lowliness," "With all lowliness and gentleness." We should become much smaller in our own eyes when we think about this. Our own personal importance should become less and less in our own eyes.
The great God and His Son should become much, much bigger to us when we recognize who and what They are and what They're doing and what They're building. But at the same time, there should be a great deal of respect for each other as we've all been called into this. And we should certainly have even more respect for Jesus Christ and for His Father and our Father.
Verse 3,
Ephesians 4:3. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (NKJ)
There ought to be peace within the
Ephesians 4:3. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit (NKJ)
Certainly the Spirit of God will inspire that. It will inspire humility. It will inspire peace. It will inspire harmony. It will clearly reveal to us the Rock.
Verse 4,
Ephesians 4:4. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5) One Lord, one faith, (NKJ)
The faith, the truth, and the rock are one and the same. There's just one. There's one faith. There's one rock.
Ephesians 4:5b. [There's] one baptism; 6) [There's] One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (NKJ)
Although He's the One building this huge endeavor but He's in us all. He's thoroughly involved from the very smallest of us to the one who has the greatest role. He is involved. His Spirit is the enabler that enables us.
Verse 11,
Ephesians 4:11. And He [Jesus Christ] Himself gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and [some] teachers, (NKJ)
All workers, all participating in the building, all engaged in the process that Jesus Christ is ultimately doing in building the Church.
Verse 12,
Ephesians 4:12. [These individuals are] for the equipping of the saints (NKJ)
And "equipping" means the bringing to completion. There's a responsibility to contribute to helping the saints come to their completion.
Ephesians 4:12. For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, (NKJ)
To be an attendant, a waiter, one who serves, one who teacher, one who pastors, one who works, one who contributes. And what is it for?
Ephesians 4:12b. for the edifying (NKJ)
Or as the margin has it "building up"
Ephesians
If everybody were doing their job, if everybody was firmly affixed to the Rock and building on the Rock, this would be happening.
Going on in verse 13 this is to proceed
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come to the unity of the faith (NKJ)
Till we all understand perfectly what the Rock is, what the faith is, what the truth is.
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, (NKJ)
Understanding fully who He is, understanding fully what His role was when He come to this earth, understanding the words that He brought, and understanding that those words came from the Father and formed this Rock on which we are to build.
Ephesians 4:13b. to a perfect man, (NKJ)
We're to come to be
Ephesians 4:13b. a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (NKJ)
He is our example. He is the One that's going before and we're to follow. He is the Firstborn now among many brethren. We are to follow in His footsteps and become like Him, follow His course.
Verse 14,
Ephesians 4:14. That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about [by] every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness [by] which they lie in wait to deceive], (NKJ)
We got some who are turning away from the Rock to other sources. Probably talk more about that next time.
Verse 15,
Ephesians 4:15. But, [what should be happening, each one of us should be] speaking the truth in love, [and that they] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—[Jesus] Christ— (NKJ)
The One who is building the Church on the rock.
Verse 16,
Ephesians 4:16. From whom [Notice! From whom or from Him] the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, [and it] causes growth of the body for the edifying [or the building up] of itself in love. (NKJ)
Notice how The New International Version has rendered
verse 16.
Ephesians 4:16. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (NIV)
Brethren, each one of us has been called by God, given to Jesus Christ and we've been begotten at that time with God's Holy Spirit to become one of His own children. Begotten at this time and become part of this Church that Jesus Christ is building. We're part of it. All of us have a role to do. All of us are to build on those words of Jesus Christ. And we'll be likened to a man building on a rock. All of us are to build. Brethren, in order for this Church to be what God would want it to be, what the Son wants it to be at this time, everyone of us need to be doing our part. Every one of us needs to be solidly affixed to the Rock on which the Church is built, but every part of the Church needs to be established on that Rock.
So next time, if you would, go through the book of Acts and take note of what the apostle's taught. And we're going to be looking at that next week—not next week, but probably two weeks from today—as to what the apostles' doctrine is. We'll see it is the Rock.
Transcribed by kb