Unity in Christ: Building a Holy Temple Together

 

Summary

In Ephesians 2:20-22, Paul presents a profound vision of the Christian church as a unified body, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. This imagery of the church as a holy temple emphasizes the importance of unity among believers, transcending cultural and historical divisions. The miracle of Gentiles and Jews worshiping together as one new humanity in Christ is a testament to God's transformative power. This unity is not merely theoretical but must be practically lived out, requiring believers to be "fitly framed together."

To achieve this, we must first view ourselves as integral parts of the whole, not as isolated individuals. While individuality is preserved, it must not lead to individualism, which disrupts unity. The challenge lies in maintaining personal identity without becoming self-centered, thus fostering unity without uniformity. This involves prioritizing being over doing, ensuring that our actions stem from a genuine relationship with God rather than mere activity.

Moreover, the modern church faces the danger of mechanizing evangelism, reducing it to techniques and training rather than relying on the Holy Spirit's guidance. True evangelism arises from a life transformed by God's holiness, where believers naturally express their faith through their actions and interactions. This organic approach to evangelism is more effective than any scripted method.

In our roles within the church, we must recognize the diverse ways we can contribute, from attending services to offering financial support, participating in committees, or simply being a source of encouragement and love. Each role is vital, and no contribution is too small. Importantly, prayer remains a cornerstone of our spiritual life, fueling our efforts and aligning us with God's will.

Finally, our relationships with fellow believers are crucial. We must see each other as living stones in God's temple, supporting and complementing one another. By bearing each other's burdens and working together, we build a strong, unified church that reflects God's glory.

Key Takeaways:

- Unity in Diversity: The church is a holy temple where believers, despite their differences, are united in Christ. This unity requires us to see ourselves as part of a larger whole, preserving individuality without succumbing to individualism. [02:31]

- Being Over Doing: Our actions should flow from our identity in Christ, prioritizing being over doing. This guards against the tyranny of activity and ensures our efforts are Spirit-led rather than self-driven. [06:39]

- Spirit-Led Evangelism: True evangelism is not about techniques but about living a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. Our witness is most powerful when it arises naturally from our relationship with God. [20:58]

- Diverse Contributions: Every believer has a role in the church, from attending services to offering support and encouragement. Each contribution, no matter how small, is vital to the church's mission. [26:56]

- Bearing One Another's Burdens: In our relationships with fellow believers, we must support and complement each other, bearing each other's burdens and working together to build a strong, unified church. [42:18]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Foundation of the Church
- [00:51] - Riches of Ephesians
- [02:00] - Unity in the Church
- [03:23] - Church as a Holy Temple
- [04:42] - Individuality vs. Individualism
- [06:20] - Dangers of Activism
- [07:59] - Avoiding External Pressures
- [10:00] - The Tyranny of "The Thing to Do"
- [12:28] - God's Unique Call
- [14:00] - Preparation for Service
- [20:40] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [26:25] - Diverse Ways to Serve
- [34:08] - The Power of Prayer
- [37:57] - Relationships in the Church

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 2:20-22

Observation Questions:
1. What imagery does Paul use in Ephesians 2:20-22 to describe the church, and what is the significance of Jesus being the "chief cornerstone"? [00:13]
2. How does the sermon describe the miracle of Gentiles and Jews worshiping together, and why was this significant to Paul? [02:31]
3. What does the phrase "fitly framed together" imply about the relationships among believers in the church? [03:57]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being "fitly framed together" challenge the idea of individualism within the church? [04:42]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that modern evangelism might be mechanized, and how does this contrast with spirit-led evangelism? [20:40]
3. How does the sermon interpret the role of prayer in the life of the church and individual believers? [34:08]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your role within the church. How can you contribute to the unity of the church while maintaining your individuality? [04:42]
2. Consider your approach to evangelism. How can you ensure that your efforts are led by the Holy Spirit rather than relying solely on techniques? [20:40]
3. Think about your daily activities. How can you prioritize being over doing to ensure your actions stem from a genuine relationship with God? [06:39]
4. Identify a fellow believer who might be struggling. How can you support them and help bear their burdens this week? [42:18]
5. Evaluate your prayer life. What steps can you take to make prayer a more central part of your daily routine? [34:08]
6. Reflect on your interactions with others in the church. How can you foster relationships that support and complement one another? [37:57]
7. Consider the diversity of contributions within your church. How can you encourage others to recognize the value of their unique roles? [26:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Unity in Diversity: Embracing Our Role in the Church
The church is envisioned as a holy temple where believers, despite their differences, are united in Christ. This unity is not just a theoretical concept but a practical reality that requires each believer to see themselves as part of a larger whole. While individuality is preserved, it must not lead to individualism, which can disrupt unity. The challenge lies in maintaining personal identity without becoming self-centered, thus fostering unity without uniformity. This involves prioritizing being over doing, ensuring that our actions stem from a genuine relationship with God rather than mere activity. [02:31]

Ephesians 4:2-3 (ESV): "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to the unity of your church community this week, while still honoring your unique gifts and personality?


Day 2: Being Over Doing: Living from Our Identity in Christ
Our actions should flow from our identity in Christ, prioritizing being over doing. This guards against the tyranny of activity and ensures our efforts are Spirit-led rather than self-driven. In a world that often values productivity over presence, believers are called to root their actions in their relationship with God. This means that our service and ministry should be an overflow of our communion with Him, rather than a checklist of tasks to complete. By focusing on being, we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our actions, making them more impactful and aligned with God's will. [06:39]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: In what ways can you shift your focus from doing to being, ensuring that your actions are a reflection of your relationship with Christ?


Day 3: Spirit-Led Evangelism: Witnessing Through Transformed Lives
True evangelism is not about techniques but about living a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. Our witness is most powerful when it arises naturally from our relationship with God. This organic approach to evangelism is more effective than any scripted method, as it reflects the genuine change that God has wrought in our lives. By allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our interactions, we become living testimonies of God's grace and love, drawing others to Him through our authentic expressions of faith. [20:58]

1 Thessalonians 1:5 (ESV): "Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake."

Reflection: How can you allow the Holy Spirit to guide your interactions with others, making your life a natural testimony of God's transformative power?


Day 4: Diverse Contributions: Valuing Every Role in the Church
Every believer has a role in the church, from attending services to offering support and encouragement. Each contribution, no matter how small, is vital to the church's mission. Recognizing the diverse ways we can serve allows us to appreciate the unique gifts and talents that each person brings to the body of Christ. Whether through financial support, participation in committees, or simply being a source of encouragement and love, every role is important. Importantly, prayer remains a cornerstone of our spiritual life, fueling our efforts and aligning us with God's will. [26:56]

1 Corinthians 12:18-20 (ESV): "But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body."

Reflection: What unique gifts or talents can you offer to your church community, and how can you begin to use them more intentionally?


Day 5: Bearing One Another's Burdens: Building a Strong, Unified Church
In our relationships with fellow believers, we must support and complement each other, bearing each other's burdens and working together to build a strong, unified church. This involves seeing each other as living stones in God's temple, supporting and complementing one another. By bearing each other's burdens and working together, we build a strong, unified church that reflects God's glory. This requires a commitment to love, patience, and understanding, as we navigate the challenges and joys of community life together. [42:18]

Galatians 6:2 (ESV): "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Reflection: Who in your church community can you reach out to this week to offer support or encouragement, helping to bear their burdens?

Quotes

In order to be thus fitly framed together we must all always think of ourselves first and foremost in terms of the whole building not of ourselves we mustn't start with ourselves be self-centered no no we must think of ourselves as we are stones in this magnificent editors then having done that we must remind ourselves that nevertheless we are individuals and we all have our particular part and function to play. [00:04:38]

The problem in practice can be put in this form how can I remain an individual without being individualistic I am individual I'm to remain an individual Christians are not like a series of posted steps thank God the personality remains Saul of tsus became Paul he was still essentially the same men he was a fervent persecutor he was a fervent preacher his essential personality wasn't annihilated and thank God I say the individuality remains. [00:05:20]

The danger of putting doing activity before being that's always a danger the second danger is that we may have false Notions with respect to doing as to what we are to do and thirdly I indicated that there was a false conception very current at the present time with regard to the great biblical doctrine of a call and of calling and of vocation the idea that God has a separate task for us each and everyone and that he will call us to it if we allow him to do so. [00:06:29]

We must never let others dictate to us or to become our conscience in this matter now I mean this we're always in danger of becoming victims of the thing to do that's very true in the world isn't it there's nothing more pathetic about the life of the non-Christian than their utter slav to the thing to do they see it in the press and on the film so they all do it they dress the same they speak the same they use the same slang they have the same silly little affectations the thing to do. [00:08:02]

The art of salesmanship won't sell your commodity for long if it isn't a good commodity of course the man with a flashy manner May succeed in selling you an article the first time he comes you're impressed by what is called personel he puts it across and you buy it but if you find that the thing you bought isn't of much value though he comes with all his blandishments the second time you say no I'm not interested thank you and the same thing applies to the Christian Church what really sells is the value of the commodity. [00:21:18]

The Glory of great art always is that it's essentially simple and it's unconscious and it's inevitable the sign always of a master in any business or art or occupation is that all he does seems to be so spontaneous and so natural so inevitable there's nothing fast about it listen to a great pianist or violinist watch a great surgeon operate and it seems the simplest thing in the world look at any man I say who's great and who's a perfect arst artist there is something inevitable about art. [00:21:58]

We realized that as babes in Christ we need a general preparation we need to come to an understanding of the truth we need to submit ourselves to God but above all we need to be filled with the Holy Ghost listen in whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an Holy Temple in the Lord you know my friend when you and I become holy we'll already be evangelists we won't need a technique or a mechanism when we Are Holy oh may God give us Grace to remember that the temple into which we are being built is a holy Temple. [00:24:30]

There is also it seems to me a grave danger at the present time that we may fall into wrong conceptions and ideas with regard to the preparation of Christians for their particular work now there's a great deal of this at the present moment we are living in a mechanistic and a mechanized age and everything is being organized and if it isn't organized it's regarded as being of value and the great interest at the moment is evangelism and the point is being made very rightly and very truly and very scripturally that every Christian is to be an evangelist. [00:14:00]

Merely to attend a place of worship regularly is to serve a most vital purpose and function my dear friends you have no conception what a help it is that certain people can be relied upon always to be there let me put it like this what a great encouragement that is to the preacher it's a very discouraging thing to any preacher to have a small congregation on the other hand it's a great encouragement to have a good congregation so your mere physical presence in the house of God when you might prefer to be sleeping in bed is an activity in the Holy Temple of the Lord. [00:26:25]

There is a great need in the Church of God today for people who've got time just to sit and listen and to sympathize and to understand then take that further and add visiting visiting the sick and those who are in trouble you have no idea what it means you have no idea of the value to the soul that this kind of thing means it's an activity of stones in the wall don't despise it don't think that speaking is the only thing these are all the activities of Christian people and as they do it they evangelize and they help to build up the church. [00:33:06]

We must always do all we can to help them to help them to function if they are difficult and angular well that surely is all the more reason why we should help them and assist them it's the same task it's the same calling it's the same Enterprise it's the same Great Master so as you look at their deficiencies and defects not only remember that they are seeing the same in you but help them to overcome them for the building sake or if I may put it finally our great business with respect to others always is this to help them to Bear the stresses and the burdens and so to help them to play their part. [00:42:18]

The Glory of this fitly Frame together comes in that big massive Stone there is helping the stone that's next to it that's a little bit smaller it takes something of the burden and the stress fitly framed together bury one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ if you know if somebody who's been born with a nasty awkward temperament he or she can't help it in a sense we're born differently well if you know that there is that person and that he's got that load that problem Oh I say go and bear something of it you're a stone in the same building share the stress partake of the Lord and thus fitly framed together everyone bearing his own burden and load but also helping others the Glorious building goes on the Holy Temple in the Lord is going up and God finally will enter in and take his blessed in the glorified perfected purified Church. [00:42:58]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 25, 2017. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?