Published 3/29/19
Read Ephesians 2:19-22
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Reflect
· What are your expectations for church?
· Would you rate your church experience as good or negative? Why did you rate it this way?
· What can you do to improve your church experience?
When you think of the word church, what images come to mind? Steeples, crosses, altars? Consider this: A church is not just a building. And what takes place inside is much more than a "well-timed Sunday service" or a "busy schedule of classes and socials."
As the Apostle Paul explains in today's Scripture passage, you are the church, "built on the foundation of Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." And as a Christian, you are a holy temple--a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. So, by itself, a church facility is just a bunch of bricks and windows and doors. But add to it the real holy temple--YOU--and the building becomes a church; a sanctuary inhabited by God Himself; a sacred house of worship where the Creator and the created commune.
Pray
Lord, help me to rethink the purpose of church. Help me to stop just being a spectator during worship services ... and to start becoming a participant. Amen.