[0:00] If we could turn to our Bibles and return to the passage that we read in the morning, Ephesians chapter 2.
[0:14] We'll read from the beginning and we'll read through the whole chapter, if we can. This is the living and active Word of God. May we be attentive to what He speaks to us.
[0:27] Ephesians chapter 2.
[1:27]
[3:57] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[4:13] Amen. May the reading of God's Word be blessed to us. We'll continue in our praise by singing again in Psalm 84. We'll continue in our singing of Psalm 84 from verse 4.
[4:29] And we'll have a final singing from Psalm 84 as well. Just so you know. Blessed are they in thy house that dwell.
[4:41] They ever give thee praise. Blessed is the man whose strength thou art, in whose heart are thy ways. Who passing thorough bake as veil, therein do dig up wells.
[4:53] Also the rain that falleth down the pools with water fills. So they from strength and wearied go, still forward unto strength. Until in Zion they appear before the Lord at length.
[5:10] Lord God of hosts, my prayer hear. O Jacobs, God give ear. See God a shield. Look on the face of thine anointed dear. We'll sing these verses to God's praise.
[5:22] Psalm 84 from verse 4. Blessed are they in thy house that dwell. Let's stand to sing. Amen. Psalm 84 from verse 4.
[5:58] Who passing thorough bake as veil, therein do dig up wells. Also the rain that falleth down the pools with water fills.
[6:22] So they from strength and wearied go, still forward and to strength.
[6:35] And till in Zion they appear before the Lord at length.
[6:48] Lord God of hosts, my prayer hear. Lord God of hosts, my prayer hear. O Jacobs, God give ear.
[7:00] See God a shield. Look on the face of thine anointed dear.
[7:13] And returning to the chapter we read together, we look at verse 22.
[7:28] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. In the morning we looked at what Paul spoke in the beginning of this chapter.
[7:43] To the Ephesians believer, he explained the old walk and its vanity and the riches of the new walk in Christ Jesus.
[7:54] And now he goes on to explain that in this new walk, all those who walk this new walk, there is no divisions between these people. We are all one and united in Christ Jesus.
[8:08] Whoever we are and whatever background we have come from, we are one in Christ Jesus. As we walk in him. And as he outworks his workmanship in us.
[8:21] And producing good works through us. And all these thoughts come together in what Paul says here in the building that is built at the latter verses of this chapter.
[8:35] So we'll look at the building and we'll concentrate on verses 18 through to 22.
[8:48] And as we think of buildings, there are many beautiful buildings across the world. And we may have our own favourite building that we would maybe love to go to.
[8:59] Maybe we've been to it. But one building I hope that we would all love or ideally hope that you do love is your home. And not that it's anything magnificent or admirable that people would come and see.
[9:17] Maybe it is. Or maybe people love to come and stay in that house. But it's not necessarily what people admire. It's what it is to you.
[9:30] It's what it is on the inside. It's about who's there. And what's it like in your home? What is it that you love about your home?
[9:42] And we look at this building being built here in the final verses of this chapter. What does it mean for us in the new walk?
[9:53] And what is built for us? And we consider, as we said from verse 18 through, I hope that we will see the complete workings of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit through these even just few verses at the end here.
[10:13] And even how the historical things through Scripture fall into place here and tie together beautifully and reassuringly for the believer in Christ Jesus.
[10:28] And using the image that Paul sets before us as the building, we can take three elements of our building as our points. Three elements in its most basic forms.
[10:40] We have a point of access. And there is, of course, the physical structure. And lastly, the building which is not built in vain.
[10:52] The building also has a purpose. A continuance of the purpose that we looked at in the morning of God's purposes. So we have the access.
[11:03] We have the building itself, the structure. And then we look at the purpose of this building. So, the access. Look with me at verse 18.
[11:15] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. For through him we both have access. That being, the both is the Jew and the Gentile.
[11:31] Which is set forth in our context from verse 11. It speaks of the Gentiles, the uncircumcision, and the circumcision in the flesh which are the Jews.
[11:42] Jews being the chosen race. The Israelites that had been saved back from Egypt. And you can trace it back to the family line of Jacob.
[11:57] Back to the promise made with Abraham. And the sign of the circumcision that is mentioned there. This people, this children of promise that have dated back right to this time, have come through the plight of their history.
[12:13] Right up to Paul's day. And even to our own day. And the Gentile was simply the person who fell out of these promises.
[12:24] Of this chosen nation of God. But now we can read in verse 13 and 14. But now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
[12:41] For he is our peace who have made both one. And has broken down the middle wall of partition between us.
[12:53] He makes them one together. He breaks down the middle wall of partition. There is no separation now made by God between men and women.
[13:07] There is no longer a promise to the people made by family birthrights. No longer a promise visual and circumcision.
[13:19] By sacrifices, not even national citizenship. But now there is a new birth. Free to all who shall come.
[13:30] To be born within a new family. A new nation. A new promise by the Spirit. We all have access to the Father.
[13:41] Through Christ and by his Spirit. And this access is the same today for the Jew. Same for the Jew and Gentile as it is for you and me today.
[13:52] Or for whosoever shall come. But the question is, do you want that access? Do you want access to this building which is the Father's household?
[14:09] Do you want into it? And the wonder is that he would grant us access at all. Why would he let us in? We are sinful before a holy God.
[14:20] A God who will punish us if we do not come under the protective shelter of Jesus Christ. Would God choose us?
[14:32] In a sense, no. But he does through what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross. And there is a measurable riches and loving kindness that we touched on in this morning service.
[14:45] And it was all through Christ Jesus. And only through him and his works are we granted access to this Father and his household.
[15:00] So access through Christ means access to God. God being the most loving Father we could ever want. We have security within this household that he has.
[15:15] It's access to this heavenly home. It's access to someone that listens to our prayers. It's access to love.
[15:27] It's access to our family. And it's access to eternal life and enjoyment through him. And it says in verse 18 again, for through him.
[15:42] For through him and through nobody else are you and I granted such an access. It is only through him. And it says in John 10 verse 9, Jesus himself says, I am the door.
[15:58] By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. John 14 verse 6, I am the way. These are his words.
[16:09] There is one door, one way, one Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ. He is our access. But even access and having access implies that there might not be access.
[16:28] We have to have access through Christ Jesus. But what without Christ Jesus? There will be no access without him.
[16:39] Because Christ has broken down the wall of partition. There is no more separation between Jew nor Gentile nor yourself nor God.
[16:53] Christ loved you enough to give up on his heavenly privileges. You know, we thought of the rose in the morning and the glory of the rose.
[17:04] Well, this is the lily. But he gives up on what he had. The humbled lily that hangs its head low. Even to the giving of himself by the death on the cross.
[17:19] He is the one that gave his life for you. We should remember him. He is the one that gave our life, his life, that we would gain freedom.
[17:35] But yet, he's broken down his wall. And some of us still wish to uphold a separation with this man.
[17:47] We don't want to give our life to him. Is that you tonight? Are you someone that's willing to uphold that wall?
[17:59] In fact, it's not really upholding. It's building back up a wall of separation. He has torn his side down.
[18:11] He's taken his wall down that we could never have taken down. He's taken down that separating wall out of love towards us. And yet, still many of us try and build up a wall of separation between ourselves and Christ in our lives.
[18:31] Because we don't want him there. We don't want to see him. We want to blank him out. That's what many people are doing today. And they don't see the beauty of the man that tore his wall down with great cost to himself.
[18:49] So that you and I can have access. If he had left his dividing wall up, we would never have access.
[19:01] But he did it with great cost. It wasn't for himself. And still, many do not come to this man who displays such love towards us on the cross.
[19:18] And he would love to have you. Are you wanting to be separated from this man?
[19:29] Surely, surely not. How can you? And in a sense, every wall we try and build up to separate ourselves from him, in our quest not to have Christ in our lives, he fits a door into it.
[19:53] So that we can still have access. Even out of our own pride. Out of our own selfishness.
[20:05] He still grants us access. Even when we do not love him. Even when we refused him. Even when we were dead in our sins.
[20:16] As we read of in the morning. He loves us. And he puts a loving door into that division that we make between ourselves and him.
[20:31] So that we can always have access. If we would only come to it. And the door is almost like the preaching of priests to all men. Who are near and far off as it speaks to in this passage.
[20:44] The word of God is preached and declared unto all men. That we would come and knock at that door. See how wonderful his grace is.
[20:59] Even to the most hardest of hearts. He does not refuse anyone. But he welcomes you all to come. You see in our lives we are not granted access to anywhere we want to go.
[21:12] There are many stately homes where we are not welcome. And we would maybe like to sit in somewhere like the Queen's Buckingham Palace. Or maybe we would be lucky just to meet her.
[21:26] But would the Queen let you into her home? Would the Queen let you in to where she spends her time? Into her private quarters? I don't think so.
[21:39] It's not likely. We wouldn't be welcome in that personal space of hers. To share in the privileges that she experiences.
[21:50] And maybe we think ourselves. Well I am not going to go there. Because I don't belong there. I am not suitable for that environment.
[22:01] Often we think like that. But the Heavenly King. Regardless of who you are. Has granted your welcome.
[22:13] To share in the privileges of her home. He is willing to share of his personal privileges. As Christ Jesus is with you.
[22:26] You believe in him. Regardless of who you are. Or who you think yourself to be. You are welcome. To share in these privileges.
[22:38] Because it says in verse 19. Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners. But fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.
[22:50] You know we are not just a granted access. And you are welcomed. And you are not just even welcomed. As a stranger is welcomed. As a member of this household.
[23:04] Just as the chosen people of God. Like the promised Jew. There is no division there. We are welcomed. And we are warmly received. As gladly as we were always a part of this household.
[23:18] We are adopted into God's household. As a son and as a daughter. We are welcomed in Christ Jesus.
[23:29] But we will be refused without Christ Jesus. It is a time to end the separation that we build in our lives.
[23:41] And it is a time to accept his welcome that he offers to us. For what of this household that has been built? Well.
[23:52] It mentions a structure. Or a building. If we look at verse 20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.
[24:04] Jesus himself. Being the chief cornerstone. In whom the building fitly framed together. Groweth into a holy temple of the Lord.
[24:16] Every building has its part. And every part joined together in some way or another. Be it blocks or stones. Be it the sand and the cement.
[24:27] The joists and the timbers and the roofs. The nails that hold it together. The screws that join. Probably glue that gets used nowadays. Every part comes together to make this final plan a reality.
[24:42] And it is very important to remember the value of every part. Even if you see yourself as a little nail. Every nail has its worth.
[24:54] Without the nail the place would fall apart. The nail is not seen. It is in the background. But the nail has worth.
[25:05] Every part is of value. But there are without a doubt elements that are crucially important to its structural stability. Like its foundations that are mentioned here.
[25:19] What is the building built on? Well it says the foundations of the apostles and the prophets. And yes they were used as foundation stones. But Christ Jesus is the chief cornerstone.
[25:33] Jesus again central as he was in Araxis. Is a crucial element in the upbuilding of this structure. He is the chief cornerstone.
[25:46] In whom all is built upon. The cornerstone would be the first stone. The cornerstone was a reference point.
[25:57] That every stone laid after. Would cohere with. And be worked out from. The cornerstone. The whole building.
[26:10] Is formed from. The placement of this stone. And the plan is out worked. From the placement of that stone. The temple of the old testament. The temple of the old testament.
[26:22] The temple of the old testament. Had to get plans from God. And even this building where it would have been built. Would have had a plan. And these plans are set out for its hopeful completion.
[26:37] The father has a plan of salvation. Christ is its foundation. Christ is its foundation. And in perfect timing.
[26:48] As the spirit works in upbuilding. And out working in our lives. His kingdom will come in completion. The plan will come together.
[27:03] To completion. And we who have trusted in the only way. The only door. The only door. The only access. Will be included as part of this structure.
[27:14] Being joined together. A building. Fitly framed together. Groweth into a holy temple. Which is today still being built.
[27:26] And built upon Christ. His kingdom will come. And if the believer is a part of this structure.
[27:38] They need to be joined together somehow. And you might think of yourself as a small male even. You might be a greater part.
[27:50] But all the parts come together somehow. And it's particularly relevant when we think on the walls of a building. You cannot just stack the blocks on top of one another.
[28:02] There's no strength to it. They need some sort of bonding agent to hold the thing together. And as Christ as the foundation strength.
[28:13] He also is a bonding agent. He is what joins us to one another in this great building that has been built.
[28:24] As the spirit works through us. And the spirit binds us. In love and peace together. It's a wonderful thought that the believer in Christ Jesus.
[28:39] Has a connection with each other. Whatever we are. Whatever we are. Whatever background we have come from. We are one in Christ Jesus. And those who have travelled and done mission work.
[28:53] I hope can cohere with that thought. That the people they have met. Have lasting bonds of fellowship. Through Christ Jesus.
[29:05] People who are strangers to them. People who are strangers to them. But now they've grown close together. And they are together in this building. For it says in Galatians 3 verse 28.
[29:20] There is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither born nor free. There is neither male nor female. For ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's.
[29:31] Then ye be Abraham's seed. And heirs according to promise. See that's it there. The access through Christ Jesus.
[29:42] The inclusion in. In this building. Through Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. Who is a foundational cornerstone. But what is this one structure?
[29:56] What is this one structure built into? It reads in verse 21. In whom the building fitly framed together. Groweth unto a holy temple.
[30:09] In the Lord. A holy temple. And as a Christian. Does it not say in 1 Corinthians 3 verse 16.
[30:20] Know ye not that ye are the temple of God. And that the spirit of God dwelleth in you. Know ye not that you are the temple of God.
[30:32] And that the spirit of God dwelleth in you. And it's something that we struggle to grasp. And clearly understand. That God dwells in us. As we walk in him.
[30:46] And he works in us. Every part of this building as we are. Are suitable to be used in the construction.
[30:58] Of the ultimate holy temple of the Lord. The ultimate holy temple of the Lord. Approved by God as parts that are his creations.
[31:10] And they are good for use in this building. And he is the one that places this part in his building. And he is building. See all these segmented.
[31:25] It's almost like these miniature temples. Come together to make this great temple of the Lord. All these segmented parts as we are as Christians.
[31:36] Come together in God's plan and purposes. To build his kingdom. And his kingdom will come.
[31:47] Built together groweth into a holy temple in the Lord. The temple was for men. In the Old Testament.
[32:00] In the Old Testament. This is where they would meet with God. This is where they would seek God. This is where they would praise God. This is where they would pray to God. This is where they were honest with God.
[32:11] This is where they felt humbled before God. This is where they came to cry to God. And it's this our hearts as we come before God.
[32:23] That God that dwells in us. Maybe we think that's not me all the time. To meet with God all the time.
[32:34] To seek him all the time. To praise him all the time. You know, it's hard to explain what it's like when God dwells in us. What we're meant to be as a temple of God.
[32:48] but maybe it's best explained when there's well we can say that there's something in us as Christians that's not of us. There's a desire in us for Christ that dwells not of us.
[33:04] It's been placed there. It's something in me that loves God and maybe it's only clearly seen when there is a battle between the sinful nature, between the old walk and the new walk and the new nature what has been built within us there comes a fight to you. It's a sign of God's indwelling in you. When we war between the old sins and the new walk, the old walk and the new walk have you ever thought there was special something special about a Christian you know as someone who is not a believer and you've met this Christian person and you thought you know there's something special about him. Well this may explain it.
[33:57] It's not of himself. It is because God dwells in him. He is the temple where God resides in. The temple that is built was for man but it was also for God of the Old Testament. We have access through Christ Jesus.
[34:17] He is making us part of the structure which is founded upon Christ Jesus also. But what of the purpose? The purpose of this building.
[34:27] Verse 22. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. In whom ye also.
[34:40] Verse 21. In whom the building is fitly framed together groweth into a holy temple in the Lord. Verse 22. In whom ye also are built together an habitation of God through the Spirit.
[34:54] Not only have we the foundation in Christ Jesus and been built as part of the temple. But we also you also are being built together for a dwelling place for God.
[35:12] His purpose for this building is a dwelling place. It's not a house. It's a home. And there's a vast difference as we said at the beginning.
[35:25] It's not just a structure. It is a place of habitation. As the Greek implies it is a home. God takes a residence within the new believer.
[35:38] And it's a work that has been built upon continually by the Holy Spirit to perfection. In the passage we can see a personal indwelling in the believer's life.
[35:50] But also a collective indwelling of all the believers together. because in whom ye also are built together for an habitation of God.
[36:04] The tabernacle of the Old Testament was where God would speak to Moses. It was where the glory of God was on earth.
[36:15] Where God would dwell with his people. And that follows through with the temple that Solomon built. that's what the temple would symbolise you see.
[36:28] The dwelling place of God and where he will meet with man. But what did Christ say about the temple? He was the temple that would be torn down and rebuilt in three days.
[36:46] You see the same things are going on here. The Father's glory that was in him and represented in the temple of the Old Testament. Jesus who dwelt among the people as the dwelling place of the Father of the people of the Old Testament.
[37:04] But this was a living temple where God would reveal his glory and he as that dwelling place of God amongst sinful people.
[37:20] And because of Christ we have received this Holy Spirit the third person of the Godhead same in substance equal in power and glory that dwells in us who believe.
[37:36] We are God's temple. A new temple not made with hands but by his spirit. And does that inheritance not leave us in awe?
[37:50] The Bible says in John's Gospel if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him.
[38:05] What a home this is. A home of love founded upon the one who loved us before we loved him. he opens the door for anyone who knocks. The believer is welcome.
[38:18] You can almost hear his words to you as you open it. My faithful servant whom I have loved I am so glad to see you and look at what I have been preparing for you in your coming here.
[38:37] Come and see all the family that is yours. this is your family that have been longing to meet with you and this shall be your home forevermore as it is my own home.
[38:55] We shall dwell together. The beauty of the home is found in the residents who reside in it. and in a sense without giving too many thoughts Eden will be restored where God dwelt with man.
[39:15] we will be in the presence of God and his kingdom will come and be restored.
[39:27] The tabernacle of the children of Israel in the Old Testament was in the centre of the twelve nations toward the twelve tribes and that image comes together in Christ also who is our centre of his new nation in the spirit.
[39:52] He is our access to God. You see the curtain has been torn. Any division has been torn apart. His wall is torn down in his death.
[40:06] He is our foundation for our lives. He is the strength of our being, the strength of our faith and in whom we find purpose.
[40:20] Walking with him and dwelling with him as this passage sets out for us. Walking with him and dwelling with him we have a purpose placed within his plan to adopt us into his household out of his loving kindness and grace towards us.
[40:45] We are reborn into a nation of a new promise. See here in these few verses scripture ties together for the believer right back to the garden of Eden right forward to eternal glory glory.
[41:07] But at the center is Christ as he always will be. So what do you consider your home? Where is your home? Is it in the old walk or is it in the new walk?
[41:22] What side of the wall are you dwelling on? Are you building a wall of separation? Is it time to knock down that wall of separation?
[41:33] Is it time to go to the door that he so lovingly places before us and knock upon it and ask that he would receive us and forgive us of our sins?
[41:50] That he would be the one that would wash us clean by his blood and brought close by that blood of Christ that was poured out for us on Calvary's cross?
[42:03] does he dwell in you? If not will you come to that access point and be receivers of a great inheritance in Christ Jesus so that you can say as every believer can say themselves that I dwell in him and he dwells in me.
[42:31] May that be the song of our life as we walk in faith, as we go through the unknown days of what lies ahead of us.
[42:47] We pray that we would be reliant upon the one who is faithful to us and loving to us and that we would come to trust in him with all our hearts, not to be deceived by the devil, not to walk in any other roads, but to walk the new walk in faith and love.
[43:07] May these thoughts be blessed to us. Our Father in heaven, who does so lovingly provide for us a dwelling place and where we can be welcomed, a place where we will find rest and peace, a place that has been prepared for us.
[43:30] Lord, we pray, break down any walls of division that we may have within our hearts towards this man. May we see his love that was poured out for us on the cross at Calvary and may we not hinder in coming to him, placing all faith and trust upon him, the one who can give us a purpose in our lives, that we would find purpose in every step therefore that we should walk with him, that we will at the end of our days say that none of them were empty, all of them had worth, and if I trust in Christ, he will bring me home to be in his home, and there we shall dwell together, and it shall be a lovely dwelling place for us to remain.
[44:20] Amen. We conclude our