Unity in Christ: Building a Holy Temple Together

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]