A Holy Temple in the Lord

Silicon Valley Reformed Baptist Church

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

00:01

Well, today's message is called a holy temple in the Lord and today's

00:07

Bible reading is from Ephesians chapter 2 Verses 17 to 22 when you have that please stand for the reading of God's Word Ephesians the second chapter and we're going to be examining verses 17 to 22

00:26

Here all ye this morning the word of the Lord and he came and preached peace to you who are far off in peace to those who were near For through him we both have access in one spirit to the

00:45

Father So then you are no longer strangers and aliens Where you are fellow citizens with the

00:53

Saints and members of the household of God built on the foundation of the

01:00

Apostles and prophets Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the

01:11

Lord in Him also are being built together into a dwelling place for God By the

01:20

Spirit you may be seated gracious Father in heaven

01:27

We come before you this morning and begging and pleading by the name and blood of Jesus that you would fill us

01:33

If your most precious Holy Spirit to be able to discern that good and perfect word

01:40

To receive that which is from thy good and bountiful hand even the word of truth

01:45

Lord God help us in this morning to recognize who we are in Jesus and what it is that you are

01:52

Constructing and building throughout the ages even as we ourselves being living and living members and stones

01:59

Of this structure that you are building Lord help us to see our place in your divine economy and in your divine plan and we ask it in Jesus name

02:09

Amen, well friends. I have great news for you, and it's this

02:16

That Jesus Christ has come into the world He lived the life that you could not live.

02:24

He was holy perfect blameless in every way Unlike us who the scripture says of our condition

02:30

We are children of wrath We have fallen from a state of grace all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God But there is good news in that there is another who has come and his name is

02:42

Jesus Living again the life that you and I could not live dying the death that we all deserved

02:49

He died next to two criminals on a cross Dying as if he were a sinner

02:55

Yet was without sin the scripture says we also see Part of this good news is that this

03:02

Jesus though he died. He did not stay dead, but instead on the third day He rose again triumphing over death sin and Hades We also see in this good news narrative that through faith he has saved a people unto himself by means of his grace and That what

03:24

God is accomplishing in and through the people of God through his elect Is that God is building a new community a new people a new temple even?

03:36

We see in this marvelous word from Ephesians chapter 2 again if you look at verse 17 with me it says and he came this is

03:46

Jesus and he preached peace To you who were far off in peace to those who were near If you're following along in today's teaching and insert in the bulletin

03:59

I want you to write this in there Jesus came and preached what? peace brothers and sisters

04:07

There's peace. I Don't know about you. I don't know about your week too much

04:12

And I don't know about what's maybe going on in your life And maybe some of the things that you're hiding But I know for a truth and a reality that we all need to acknowledge this mornings that we need peace peace

04:26

We live in a world that's so divided live in a world that's so in need of desperate need of peace you turn on the news and you look at the news stories that are just a constant barrage of bad news conflict in the

04:45

Ukraine conflict of Russia conflict in in this nation with people groups not

04:51

Agreeing or seeing eye -to -eye we see in the news narratives even it's always bad news more inflation more concern

04:59

Economy is in decline all these things and it could make a person Go mad

05:06

And we are in desperate need not only peace amongst our neighbors peace amongst in our political systems and peace amongst nations

05:17

But we need peace Internally with God we are in desperate need of peace and The good news that Jesus came and he has come and proclaimed peace to you

05:33

Peace to you who were far off And also peace to those who were near Jesus came and preached

05:41

Peace to those who were far and this is a a clear reference as we've been going through the book of Ephesians We've seen verses 11 through 16.

05:50

Paul begins to distinguish the Jews and the Gentiles throughout redemptive history That God had chosen a distinct people for his name in the

05:58

Old Covenant Through Abraham. He chose the nation of Israel to be his representative on earth to be his unique people for his own possession and then he

06:09

He then begins to work through Israel to redeem the nations But Israel fell short of that divine command and instead the full

06:19

Gospel falls in the shoulders of one person Jesus Christ and through the ministry of Jesus He is able to bring both

06:27

Jews and Gentiles Near by the shed blood of his cross and that's good news.

06:34

I Think we fail because we're so far removed and maybe I'm not sure if you know too many

06:40

Jewish people today or if you have any ever lived outside of this country

06:46

Where there's two people groups that are predominant and at odds of each other But the the reality of the first century is that the

06:54

Gentiles and Jews they were not friends If you ever read them in this in Scripture the story of the

07:02

Good Samaritan You know why that story is so Countercultural why the story of the

07:09

Good Samaritan is so powerful is Because you have two peoples

07:16

Samaritan and a Jew Serving being kind being neighborly though There was great conflict between those two peoples and it was even truer in General with the

07:32

Gentiles and the Jewish people at large two people groups who could not get along who were in conflict whose very

07:40

Ideologies and religions were pit against each other the pagans saw the

07:46

Jewish religion as a As inadequate as you only have one

07:53

God we have several guys we have a pantheon of gods and of course a Jewish religion saw the

07:58

Gentile paganism as an affront to the true God and as a

08:04

Superstition and they could not see eye to eye yet in the person and work of Jesus Christ It says in verse 13 of Ephesians 2

08:11

But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off referred to the Gentiles have been brought near by the blood of Christ For he himself is our peace.

08:21

There's that word again peace He is our peace who has made us both one so out of the two

08:32

Jew and Gentile God makes one New and glorious people.

08:38

He's building something. He's constructing something He does so by breaking down the wall of hostility the scripture says the dividing wall of hostility and verse 13 says by abolishing the law of Commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two so making peace

09:00

So making peace again. We live in the world. That is just bursting at the seams of ideological philosophical economical even religious and spiritual divisions the need for peace in a divided world is greater now that probably at any other time in history and We see that God is the only one who has a trustworthy track record of bringing together warring factions and making peace

09:29

You know, we're not too far from election season Where candidates will come from several parties and they'll begin to say

09:36

I'm the right candidates I'm the right person because of X Y & Z because look at my track record.

09:43

Look what I've accomplished Look what I've done. Look what I've brought to the table. Can I tell you that every politician?

09:51

every leader of this world and age Fall short and in comparison to the excellencies of Jesus to bring peace

10:01

Because ultimately the purpose or at least what should be the purpose of politics is the pursuit of peace peace with with our fellow man and peace with with our neighboring nations

10:13

But all nations will fall short of this endeavor Because there's only one who can bring true and lasting peace and he is he is himself the

10:24

Prince of Peace even Jesus Christ our Lord and Jesus Christ alone has his trustworthy track record of bringing people together

10:34

Because he's been doing it Since his his hands were stretched out on that cross

10:39

He brought together in his flesh Out of two warring factions

10:44

Jews and Gentiles and he made them one He made them one When we look around even this church of ours

10:52

We see a living testimony of the reality of the gospel to bring people together The reality of Christ shed blood making peace between different people groups age groups economic social

11:05

Backgrounds all of us can come together under the same roof under the same

11:10

Lordship of Jesus and Worship the same and living God Hallelujah Praise God There's a testimony.

11:21

I want to share with you briefly About 60 years ago there was a

11:28

Missionary family that was sent to a far -off people group in the

11:35

Indonesian islands and This people group that existed there were indigenous

11:42

Some people would call them barbaric. They were in fact headhunters people who were count cannibalistic and This missionary family went to try to infiltrate try to share the gospel bring the good news of Jesus to this people group with no success and In fact in that people group that they were trying to reach there are two factions of that same people group

12:04

There were at odds of each other. They were fighting each other that were Constantly warring against each other and The two people and this is a story of the

12:18

Saui people Maybe you've heard of this story before again this tribal conflict in Western New Guinea, Indonesia And what they did in order to bring about peace

12:29

Between these two warring factions is that the tribal leaders came together? From one faction from the other they came together and they made a negotiation

12:40

They said we will offer to you our next born child in exchange for your child that will be born and So when the two children were born the two tribes met and they pass each other's children to the other tribe that way now the bloodlines are

13:03

Crossing and no longer can we war with the other side because that's family no longer can we hate the other side because that's our blood in their camp and This was known as the peace child

13:19

Friends through the peace child that they offered each other they found peace 60 years later and actually through that offering of the peace child

13:31

The missionary saw the perfect opportunity to come forth and to preach the gospel of God's peace child

13:38

Jesus Christ that God himself brought forth his peace child into the world through the person of Jesus Christ and that Jesus is the one who who brings two warring factions together and makes peace by his blood and Jesus Christ was made known and great in that island nation 60 years later the people of that island are predominantly

14:04

Christian Who serve now the true and living God? all through the testimony and the witness of the peace child

14:14

Friends there is a peace child that God has given us in the person of Jesus Christ Then the fullness of time

14:22

God brought forth his son born of the Virgin to live the life that you and I could not live to die the death that we deserve and raise them up to glory so That we can now be seated with him shoulder to shoulder with Gentiles and Jews alike in the heavenly kingdom of God What a beautiful witness and testimony of God's peace the peace that he can offer the peace that he can give

14:47

Now again, we see again. This is a reference in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far off Or who were the ones who were far off if you can go to Acts chapter 2 for a moment

15:03

Verse 39 tells us notice what the

15:09

Apostle Peter preaching after the indwelling of the Holy Spirit He says this in Acts chapter 2 verse 39 for the promise

15:19

This is the promise of eternal life the promise of a right standing before God a promise of justification through faith he says that this promise is for you and your

15:35

Children notice who he's talking to though in Acts chapter 2 to the

15:40

Jews who were gathered together in Jerusalem he says this promise is for you and your children to the

15:47

Jewish people and For all who are far off If you anything about the festival of Pentecost the this is a pilgrimage

15:59

Festival where people were in were called and anticipate to come forward into God's city on to Zion in order to Celebrate and so all those who were gathered from amongst the

16:10

Roman Empire were likely Jewish However, the promise is not only for them and for their children

16:17

But for all those who are far off who are still amongst the nations that would be mostly you and I All the nations were at one time far off The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 7 8 and 9 the nations were walking gloom and darkness

16:36

And a great darkness had come upon the land But notice with the the change in tenor of the prophecy is that there is a great light that has shown

16:45

This light brings forward peace through God's peace child in Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 and 7 when he says that a son has been promised and the son shall be known as wonderful counselor

17:04

Prince of peace to mighty God the Eternal Father and of the increase of his government. There shall be no end

17:11

This is the good news That this is indeed for those who were near and those who were far off.

17:17

We were once all far off unlike the people of God and Deuteronomy chapter 4 it says in verse 7 what great nation is there that has a

17:29

God so near it? As the Lord our God is to us Whenever we call upon him

17:37

You see the Israelites had access to God because they had the confidence. They had the promises of God But the nation's the

17:45

Gentiles were were were far off Not having the same assurances and promises not having the

17:51

God of Israel Yahweh near to them but now through Jesus who is

17:59

Indeed himself Yahweh God come in human flesh

18:04

Has brought us near even to the father and that's what we see in verse in Ephesians chapter 2 now in verse 18

18:13

Notice what God's inspired word says for through him the him being

18:18

Christ we both Jew and Gentile near and far

18:25

We both have access in one spirit to the father

18:33

Isn't it marvelous Do you not see the Trinitarian? Outworking of our salvation of ours being brought near to the one true and trying

18:42

God father son and spirit You see it is through the Son through God the Son the second person of the triune

18:49

God that we can be brought Near and be given access to God through the

18:55

Spirit of God And we have access to the Holy True and Triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit Faith in Jesus Grants us access once you write this in there.

19:10

You're following along in the notes faith in Jesus grants us access to the

19:15

Father Through the Spirit Again there's an emphasis here in the text of the

19:22

Triune God and salvation how each member grants us access as sons and daughters of the

19:31

Most High no longer strangers You who are once without access now you have received access

19:39

I'm not sure if there's anything in your life that could be reminiscent to this scenario

19:45

I Think of times in which in In high school, for instance,

19:52

I often felt like an outsider But you know where I didn't feel like an outsider When I came to church

20:00

When I came amongst the people of God Different age groups different races skin colors and amongst the people of God There was this unity and there's this peace that exists even today even in this church

20:13

There's a peace That God gives us he grants us access though.

20:18

We may be outsiders in other ways We are now the consummate insiders through faith in Jesus Christ And that's what we see again in verse 18 for through him we both have access in one spirit to the

20:32

Father I want you to I want to talk to you this morning as well But the power of the access that we have what is the nature of the access that we have?

20:42

Through Jesus by the Spirit to the Father and it's a marvelous one and it's one that you can partake in at any moment any part of the day and It's the access that we have not solely for our salvation

20:59

Not solely for our redemption as that's obviously given in the text But it's this access that we have to approach

21:06

God in prayer That we can approach He's approachable

21:13

Did you know that have you received that truth in your life? That God is approachable that God is good.

21:20

He's merciful. He loves you He knows you he wants to be in relationship with you

21:27

He offers that to you freely today through Jesus Christ God is in so is making himself accessible to his people through Jesus by the

21:39

Spirit That he's put in us to dwell in us now the privilege

21:44

That's most commonly neglected in the Christian life is prayer just yesterday myself and pastor

21:54

Conley were at a Reform conference just down here at Morgan Hill and one of the speakers spoke about the power of prayer and how one of the things that the

22:06

Puritans did right and One of the reasons why the Puritans saw revival time and time again in their generation

22:13

Was because not that they had some supernatural power or or something a lost knowledge that we don't have

22:21

Or that we've lost but instead it was their dependence and their humble submission to God in prayer

22:28

It's prayer I'll be honest that That talk that that brother gave really convicted me

22:36

And as I was preparing for this sermon even thinking about the power of prayer

22:41

How prayers often the thing that we we have the most unfettered access to and yet we neglect the most

22:48

And I thought for a moment. What if we had unfettered access to the most powerful person in the world?

22:57

We can just pick up the phone and call them I was watching a documentary a couple days ago on a political documentary and this

23:06

Congress person I won't name names but this Congress person still picking up the phone and just calling up the president whenever they wanted to and The president would pick up the call pretty amazing

23:18

Imagine if we had unfettered access to the most important person most powerful person in the world.

23:25

I Thought what would stop us? From taking advantage of that. I thought of two things

23:33

First we we would not take advantage of that Opportunity to have unfettered access to the most powerful person because we do not feel the confidence to approach them

23:46

We don't feel the confidence to approach them I was kind of taking it back in this political documentary that I was watching at how nonchalant this congressman was as He would just call the president up just to say a couple words.

24:00

I think that's that's pretty bold It's pretty bold of him If we did not take advantage of that is because we probably do not feel the confidence to approach them

24:09

To the second I think that I came up with is we're ashamed to show our face to this person

24:19

Now I speak to you spiritually What are some of the things that keep us? from enjoying being in Receiving this unfettered access to the

24:31

Father through Jesus and by the Spirit I Think the reasons would be similar one we do not feel confidence a confidence to approach this awesome fear inspiring father and Also, maybe two because we're ashamed to show our face and We often as humans because we're still fallen we still live in this broken world we we may feel shame over our sins

25:03

Which may be great which may be many and we feel like our sins rightfully

25:08

So are creating a barrier between us and our God But friends part of the good news is

25:17

That in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ the peace that he gives the peace that he offers is unfettered access to the

25:28

Father You have access when you sin You have access

25:34

Because if we sin we have a high priest in heaven who can intercede for our sins

25:42

If we fall short You have access To approach your father not in a way in which you feel his heavy hand of judgment

25:53

But rather his heavy hand of love and mercy for in Christ He is very merciful to his children and to his elect

26:03

We have access to God and our highs and our lows and everything and everywhere in between we have access and Why?

26:13

Why do we have access It's not because of anything you've done. It's not because you're great

26:19

It's not because you're so important like this congressman who is super powerful and could just make the phone call

26:24

But instead he he gives you access Because he's called you into his family

26:32

I'm friends of a pastor a good pastor friend of mine from Oklahoma Who his children are in the midst of adopting a child from Africa?

26:43

and One of the hiccups that they've run into is that they are in a state of limbo with the child the child

26:51

Is in a detention facility? in the Some United States Airport and the hang -up is that the family

27:03

Is having a hard time proving the history of the child because in this country that the child came from This person this child was just abandoned dropped off no documents and this one family in America desperately

27:18

Loves and wants this child to be part of their family and they are moving heaven and earth to make sure that this blessed beautiful little girl gets home to be with mom and dad and Brothers and sisters

27:37

God has moved mountains especially Calvary's mountain in Order to bring you near to God in order to bring you to the father

27:52

So don't neglect This most powerful tool this most blessed

27:58

Blessing that we have in Christ that we can approach him in prayer

28:05

Let's not neglect it. Let's not think so lowly or little of prayer Let's think highly of it so much so that even in our church life.

28:14

We don't just want to Facilitate prayer Sunday mornings, but we have a facilitation of prayer later in the afternoon but even then is that the highlight of our prayer life of our prayer week or Should Sunday just be the tip of the iceberg for our prayer life in Jesus We have great confidence and reason to have confidence the

28:38

Word of God says in Hebrews 4 verse 16 Paul says let us stand with confidence draw near Remember you who are far off.

28:48

He says you can now have confidence to draw near To the throne of grace

28:55

That we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

29:01

You know, it's often in times of need that we tend to isolate ourselves most We feel the pride and and we feel too proud maybe to reach out and ask for help.

29:12

Maybe we're too proud to ask for resources or help or or or we feel too pride for in order to even approach and and share where our

29:23

Struggles are and our difficulties are in life But it's in those times of need

29:29

That you ought to have the most confidence to approach the throne of grace not the throne of judgment

29:39

Because that is a Jonas that is a in fact the throne of judgment and it shall be a throne of judgment on that great day but you and I can appear before that throne

29:51

Not with the expectation of judgment both the expectation of grace and grace changes everything it changes

30:01

The way that we live function and can approach God because we have in fact through Christ access in one spirit to the

30:11

Father above And the next verse may help us overcome that spiritual

30:17

Malignancy of not praying in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 19

30:24

Paul goes on to say this so then You are no longer

30:31

Strangers and aliens But you are now fellow citizens of the

30:39

Saints and members of the household of God Isn't this incredible If you're following along in the teaching in Christ, we're no longer

30:50

Strangers or you can put outsiders into that Space there.

30:56

We're no longer strange. You're no longer the outsiders. We're no longer the others but now members of God's house

31:07

We're now members So we can approach then God boldly no longer as strangers no longer as foreigners no longer as outsiders but now we can draw near to him and that is one cast out but as one grafted in as Members of the same household.

31:29

That's how we are to approach our father like we're members of the same house Now often my kids have no shame

31:38

Right, Nehemiah No shame in coming to me and asking me for things and I've heard some weird requests over the years some strange requests won't put them in a spot, but Some requests

31:54

I'd be like really you're gonna ask for that But that's the boldness of a child to his father and That's the boldness

32:03

I want all of us to have with our father That though it may sound silly though.

32:09

It may sound weird though. It may sound Far out or or or far -fetched.

32:16

I want you to have that confidence to go to Abba father and approach him because he's been made approachable in Jesus Christ and So don't don't fear him as a stranger or an alien or an outsider

32:33

But now you are a fellow citizen with the Saints and members of the same household of God Brothers and sisters what confidence we ought to have to appear to come before the throne of mercy the throne of grace

32:50

Again, no longer does the does the Lord look past the nations of the earth But now he brings them forward into his divine economy

32:59

I want you if you can turn to Isaiah chapter 2 what a glorious prophecy lies therein

33:08

In Isaiah chapter 2 the prophet Isaiah under the inspiration of the

33:14

Holy Spirit He sees days which are to come days, which are glorious Days, which

33:22

I will say to you are the days in which we are living in verse 2

33:27

He says of Isaiah 2 it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the

33:35

Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be lifted up above the hills and all nations shall flow to it and Many people shall come and say come let us go to the mountain of the

33:52

Lord to the house of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways and then we may walk in his paths

34:00

For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isaiah saw that there would be days latter days in which the mountain of the house of the

34:14

Lord would be Firmly established above all the nations and indeed that all the nation would be streaming to it

34:21

Brothers and sisters we have come to heavenly Mount Zion to heavenly

34:27

Jerusalem and amongst myriads of angels we are now in the midst of the congregation the household the people of God and The nations are indeed flowing

34:42

Into that great mountain of Zion Saying come let us go. Let us worship.

34:48

God. Let us worship the God of Jacob the God of Israel Indeed brothers and sisters we live in such blessed times that the nations are indeed flowing to God's mountain

35:00

They are indeed flowing into the gospel of Jesus Christ who brings both

35:07

Jew and Gentiles near through Jesus No longer strangers no longer outsiders

35:14

We are now members of the household of God the nations are indeed streaming to the mountain of God Aren't these days of great joy?

35:24

that all nations can come bow before the Father through the

35:29

Messiah Jesus and There's a point here God is building something nations are flowing to it.

35:38

God is and is making an edifice for himself And we see in verse in Ephesians to our main text this morning

35:48

Paul in verse 19 at the end of it. He alludes that we're members of the household of God a house verse 20 says built on the foundation of the

36:00

Apostles and prophets Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone

36:07

God is building something The church That's what

36:13

God's building. He's building you and me through Christ Now what is the church the church is

36:24

God's people of all ages of all nations Jew and Gentile who have put their faith in Jesus Christ They have become this new one new people

36:37

The covenant promises that were for the Jewish people now Belong not only to them but to us who believe in Christ It is ours it is our possession now

36:51

No longer outsiders, but now God is building One as he says in Ephesians 2

36:57

God is making one new man through the two And so the church is built on the foundation.

37:05

There's a rock -solid foundation of the church is built on and it's of the

37:11

Apostles and The prophets I want you to write that in there Verse 20 again says built on the foundation of the

37:19

Apostles. That's the 12 and the prophets Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone

37:28

So the foundation is laid. This is one of the reasons in Scripture why it is the conviction of many in this church

37:35

That we no longer There's no office of Apostle that is needed in our day.

37:41

Why because the foundation has been set We don't need new apostles to come and lay other foundations lest a good foundation that was laid belayed waste

37:53

Indeed we have one phenomenal powerful great Foundation that he that God has laid through his

38:01

Apostles through his prophets with Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone

38:09

I Will say this in 1st Corinthians 3 11. No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid which is

38:17

Jesus Christ We're in no need to build other foundations and everyone who tries to attempt to build another foundation

38:26

Which we see often in religious history and movements We see for that for instance in the

38:32

Restorationist movements of the Latter -day Saints the Mormon Church We see that in the restorationist movement of Jehovah Witnesses Christadelphians others who all claim to be laying at the new foundation a new cornerstone for God's people and in Reality, there is no need for them to come and restore because Jesus Christ has already restored and been himself the chief cornerstone of his people

38:55

No need to lay any other foundation Jesus Christ is indeed himself the chief cornerstone and the foundation of his people which is why in Matthew chapter 16 verses 16 through 18

39:07

We have this confession of faith where Simon Peter says you are the Christ Speaking to Jesus the

39:14

Son of the Living God and Jesus answered him and said blessed are you Simon Barjona? For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven

39:24

But I tell you you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell should not prevail against it

39:33

Jesus is building something He's building something on the solid rock

39:39

Now, what's the rock? If you come from a Roman Catholic background You know that the

39:45

Roman Catholic Church says that Jesus was talking to Peter that Peter was the rock That was to be the foundation of the church

39:55

That's Protestants. We have a little bit of a different view. Don't we our view being the confession is really key to this

40:04

The confession that we see in verse 16. You are the Christ The Son of the

40:09

Living God. What's the foundation? Is it a man? Is it Peter? No It's the truth the reality the foundation that Jesus is the

40:18

Messiah that Jesus is the Son of the Living God and That by means of this proclamation

40:24

Jesus can say to Peter who in here in the Greek the word Peter means little rock He says you little rock you've confessed this great truth, but on this rock the rock

40:34

I will build my church And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it

40:41

He's building something He's building something marvelous. So powerful with such sure a foundation that even the gates of hell

40:51

Can prevail against it What a solid rock what a solid foundation we have and it's

40:59

Jesus Christ Jesus is the foundation of his people in Ephesians chapter 2 closing our time in Ephesians 2 this morning

41:09

Verse 21 says in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the

41:18

Lord in Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirits and that last bullet point

41:29

Christ or the church is Built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Christ being the cornerstone

41:36

But now God is building something new He's building something magnificent And we see in the last bullet point we are growing into a holy what?

41:52

Temple a holy temple That's what God is creating. That is what

41:57

God is Erecting that is what God is bringing forward into this world on this

42:03

Mount Zion It's this new in living temple. Can I tell you this as well?

42:09

to dispel a False view a false doctrine. That's very common amongst evangelicals even today this idea

42:20

That there will be a third temple built in Jerusalem where presumably

42:27

They claim it will be God's temple where there'll be a re -institution of sacrifices a re -institution of the shadows and the things that Christ abolished

42:39

Even if such thing were to be erected it would be a complete Blasphemy and an affront to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in fact

42:54

There is no need for a third temple in Jerusalem because there's already a temple That God is erecting not with human hands

43:01

But with his own hands and that temple is the temple of his people you and I in Christ Jesus you are the temple of the

43:13

Living God why It says in verse 22 in him.

43:19

You also are being built together into a dwelling place the idea of the temple in the

43:24

Old Covenant The idea of the temple even though the the tabernacle in the wilderness was for God to come and dwell amongst his people

43:32

To commune with his people and God is indeed communing with us He's dwelling in us through the indwelling of his

43:39

Holy Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ If you be in Christ this morning

43:46

You are indeed part of that beautiful edifice that God is creating himself

43:53

Bible says in 1st Peter 2 verses 5 and 6 the scripture says you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a

44:02

Spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices

44:08

Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ for his stands in scripture behold I'm laying Zion a stone a cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in him

44:21

Will not be put to shame This is why we ought to have the confidence to approach our great

44:29

God and Father It's because no longer do we have to go outside to foreign temples

44:36

Temples built with human hands in order to approach the magnificent God of creation But instead we can now approach him because we ourselves are that dwelling place of God through the spirit

44:48

Isn't that good news? Isn't this marvelous that God is indeed growing and making a holy temple as God's dwelling place by the spirit of God This is indeed marvelous news

45:04

Verse 21 again says in Ephesians 2 in whom the whole structure being joined together

45:10

Grows into a holy temple in the Lord in him You also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the

45:22

Spirit you are Being built up as a dwelling place for the

45:29

Most High God Let's not forget who we are in Jesus.

45:36

Let us not forget Lest we shrink back and forget to engage our

45:42

Most High Heavenly Father in prayer Lest we forget to render on to him that which is rightfully due to his name rather we remember and we recall the truth and we stand on the solid rock of Christ and we say we are indeed his people and we have become his dwelling place and God has a marvelous future ahead for all of his people

46:08

The last scripture I want to share with us this morning is in Revelation chapter 21. I Love the book of Revelation Let's not fear it but instead the scripture says blessed as he who reads the words of these prophecies and Look at the blessed

46:32

Hope that we can all look forward to in Revelation chapter 21 3 and 4 it says and I heard a loud voice

46:40

From the throne saying behold the dwelling place of God is with man He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself

46:49

Will be with them as their God and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more

46:57

Neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain more for the former things have passed away

47:04

God is restoring his dwelling place amongst man through Jesus Christ in the church

47:12

God is making a new thing a beautiful edifice for his own

47:17

Glory, and it says in verse 9 and 10 of Revelation chapter 21 He says I saw in this as I come.

47:24

I will show you the wife the bride of the Lamb And he says he carried me away in the spirit to a high mountain

47:30

Isaiah to the high mountain that we saw and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God New Jerusalem will descend from heaven and will dwell here on the earth

47:46

There'll be a new heavens a new earth God's dwelling place will be with man But in that great day, will there be a third temple built with human hands?

47:56

Notice what verse 22 says of that same chapter And I saw no temple in the city

48:06

For its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb And the city has no need for sun or moon to shine it for the glory of God give its lights and its lamp and it's the

48:19

Lamb and By its light will the nation's walk and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it and its gates will never

48:27

Be shut by day and there will be no night there They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations, but nothing unclean will enter it

48:38

Nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the

48:44

Lamb's Book of Life church What a future what a glorious future lies ahead for you and I For we are that temple of God joined to Jesus Christ Joined to God the

48:58

Father by the one spirit of the Living God who now dwells in you and you

49:04

Yourself are that dwelling place for God. May you live in that? May you know that then you've not made that this if you've not come to that realization

49:13

You've not come to that confession of faith that we can approach the throne of grace with boldness

49:21

What you need to know today is that you are a sinner What you need to know today, there's only one way to salvation and that is through faith in Jesus Christ There is no other name

49:34

Given among men by which we can be saved but the name of Jesus who lived for you

49:42

Died for you and was raised again for you and who sits at the right hand of Majesty interceding for you

49:54

Receiving by faith Repenting of your sins and the Bible says God will grant you the gift of everlasting life

49:59

Scripture puts it this way you will pass from death to life What a marvelous thing it is to know

50:06

Jesus And if you know Jesus this morning May you walk and growing confidence to know that you are indeed the temple of the

50:15

Living God Who dwells in you by the Spirit so therefore approach the throne of grace with all boldness?

50:23

Let's pray Lord Jesus Our great high priest in heaven

50:34

Who became man Who dwelt among us? Who lived a holy?

50:42

blameless perfect life Lord Jesus you are perfect in every way without sin and That you would come and die for us

50:57

Words fail There's no words that can adequately describe

51:06

Your infinite wisdom and love that you've expressed so blessed

51:11

Savior Help us to grow in holiness Forgive us of our sins

51:18

Oh Lord Help us not to neglect You and your word

51:25

Or in the fellowship of the Saints Or in the private life of our prayers

51:32

Lord we we fall so short But thanks be to you

51:39

That you are the righteous advocate Who brings us near to the

51:44

Father? And you have indeed given us and sent to us The Blessed Spirit To dwell in us to be the dwelling place of God so that when we feel far we are actually near God You are so marvelous

52:01

Help us to see these truths in Scripture to live by them to breathe them

52:07

That they become the very fabric of our lives that we know not anything else But the truth of who you are and what you've done for us as sinners

52:17

That you've changed our state from children of wrath The children of God Oh blessed

52:23

Savior to you belongs all the glory the wealth wisdom knowledge and power

52:29

For you were slain and You are worthy in Jesus name.