Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)
Recently, I’ve been thinking more about the Church. Not my physical church or any church I pass as I drive through town but, “the Church”. You know, US. The Bible says that the body of believers is the Church. It’s not about a building or a service, it’s about people.
Also in Scripture it says that we are God’s holy temple. (1 Cor 3:16) And here is what I find amazing. God designated each one of us individually as his holy temple. A place he comes to stay when we choose Jesus. What a mind blowing thought to know that the God of the Universe is that close; that intricately involved in our lives.
To top it all off, in today’s verses it says that he then takes each one of those holy temples and builds this massive Church! It started with the apostles and the prophets as the foundation. Then, Jesus was the cornerstone (that on which everything depends). Then, each one of us is added; one by one, cherished piece upon cherished piece being joined together through Jesus making a Holy Temple.
Imagine it! Every single person joining together to make a Church that functions as Jesus would. Every single person praising God, loving each other, caring for those in need and sharing the Good News. We were all intended to be part of this plan. This is the true function of the Church.
What I am awestruck over is that God took the very thing he cared about most (us) and he used it to build something that would reach more of us. His plans always has and always will be about loving us.
If you ever have a moment where you think the church is not relevant, maybe the reason is you have the wrong definition of church. It’s not the building, the service or even the Pastor. It’s about you. How are you going to redefine that?