This morning, building on lessons previously given, I would like to
suggest that the church will grow if we know who we are, where we're
going, and how to get there. So as we search the Scripture today, I’d
like to answer these questions:
*Who are we? - Identity
*Where are we going? - Direction
*How do we
get there? - Process
2. Paul referred to all Christians as “saints”. Here are some
examples:
*Romans 1:7- to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called
as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
*1 Corinthians 1:2- to the church of God which is at Corinth, to
those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all
who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and
ours:
(cf. also Acts 26:10; 2 Cor.1:2; Phil. 1:1; Col 1:2; 1 Thes.3:13; 2
Thes.1:10)
To really understand the depth of the term saint and who we are, lets take a moment to look at who we were. Read Ephesians 2: 1-5
B. No Longer Dead “Children of Wrath”
1. “The
walking dead” according to verse 2.
2. Made alive by God’s
grace (vs. 4-5)
3. Saved (from God’s wrath)
C. No Longer “Far Off” Read Ephesians 2:11-18
1. Gentiles, unclean, uncircumcised, separate.- terms referring to ungodly.
2. We who were excluded are now included. (v.13)
3.
Reconciled in one body (v.16)
4. One access to the Father (v.18)
D. No Longer Strangers and Aliens
1. Citizens
with the saints (Jewish holy ones) (v.19)
2. God’s Household (v.20)
3. Built upon the foundation of Apostles, Prophets, & Jesus
(*lay 3 large building blocks on the table labeled as such)
A. Going Upward
1. We are of God’s building -not of
our own (V.9)
2. We are to be building upon the foundation of
Jesus(vs. 10-11) (cf. Matt 7:24-27)
3. We all have something
different to offer (v.12)
B. We Are Going Through “Fire”
1. This is a testing
of each man’s work
2. Not a burning of the Christian, but of the
wasted material- a refining
3. A checking of motive or method for
our works.
C. We Are Going To Be Rewarded
1. Individually
(v.14)
2. Reward not salvation - The Christian will be saved
in spite of the quality of work.
3. Just Keep on building!
(v.15)
A. Be a living Stone (v.4) -An active part of the body
(building) cf. Rom.12:1
(Pull out a block from the bottom to show the
result of inactive members)
B. Do Your priestly service(v.5)
1. Some will
accept -Some will reject (vs.6-8)
2. We must remember who we are
and our purpose in Christ. (Vs.9-10)