“God’s Building Project: Living Stones”
1Peter 2:4-12 Nov.5, 2006 Play
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Building...an Idol?
○ raises questions of worship, response,
attachment
○ perils of construction: conflict, taxes
commitment
○ unhealthy attachments to church furnishings
○ God forbids making of idols: jealous for our
affection (Ex 20:3ff)
Worship - Beyond the Box
○ human-made temples not lasting - elements
will be destroyed (2:12; 3:10,13)
○ God’s design to have people as His indwelt
possession (Ex 19:5f; Jer 31:33)
○ torn curtain symbolic of believers’ priestly
freedom of approach (Mk 15:38; Heb 4:6)
○ Jesus ‘living Stone’, chosen, precious; to
be trusted in (Is 28:16; Mt 3:17, 17:5; Jn 5:22; Ac 17:31)
○ Jesus building His church on basis of
confessed belief (Mt 16:16,18; Ps 118:22; Mk 12:10)
Stones that Live: Precious & Praising
○ believers living stones - spiritual house;
temple in which Spirit dwells; worship anywhere (2:5; 1Cor 3:16; Eph
2:22; Jn 4:21ff)
○ church not a building but people - chosen
holy nation, God’s own lavishly-loved people (2:9f; Ex 19:5; Titus
2:14; 1Jn 3:1)
○ priesthood as worship & ministry: offer
spiritual sacrifices - declare, desires, deeds (2:5,9,11f; Ps 50:23;
Rom 6:12f, 12:1)
Motivation / Focus: Wanting to Build for the Wrong Reasons
○ correct “no” answer to only 1 of 12 questions
○ Principle of Focus / motivation: mustn’t
shift focus from ministering to people to building a building
○ (Q1-3) mistake to expect building to
minister: need accompanying outreach training
○ (Q4-6) unbiblical to assume building
buildings is the work of the church: incessant appeals to pay for
mortgage; programs for homeless cut back
○ (Q7-8) beware worldly values: big buildings
as symbols of success; Kingdom values lead to structure that’s simpler,
welcoming, not overpowering
Tools for Ministry
○ buildings CAN do some things, just can’t
meet non-building needs
○ focus on people shapes the building, keeps
resources free for church’s real work