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In the Mix

Words of Faith Final

In the Mix

Words of Faith 2-5-2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Ephesians 2

[17] He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.   [18] For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.   [19] Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,  [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.   [21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.   [22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  

 

     So why did Jesus break down these barriers between not only humans and God but between people? He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.    The reason was to create something much stronger than any one person and even stronger than the sum of the parts!

     We have to start by realizing that the strongest institutions in Ephesus had always been the pagan religious temple, Roman citizenship, and family.  This was the stuff that Ephesus was built upon. When Jesus came on the scene in Acts chapter 19, those foundations were shaken.  As strong as those institutions seemed, they would crumble with time. God was drawing the Ephesian believers to something much stronger than any earthly institution. 

     First, God had forged a peace between humans and God.  He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. You don't need a temple to pagan false gods. In fact, God is building a new Temple out of you!

     Second, as powerful as Roman citizenship may have seemed, it was passing away. So, God was offering citizenship that was not part of a temporal earthly government, but one that is eternal.  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people...  God created a new citizenship for you in the Kingdom of God.

      Finally, even human families and heritage will eventually be lost to time. Still, God has created a new household for you in the family of God.  You are now and members of God's household...

      The foundation of Christ's church is the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the chief cornerstone. In ancient construction, the cornerstone was the single point to which the walls and structures were aligned.  He is the single point of orientation for the family of God. He is also the structure in which the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.

       In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  

      Paul uses the Greek word sunarmologeo-- which means to be framed and fitted together, organized compactly, fitly joined, as a close-jointed fitting.  The word describes a joint of the body that is fitted together and moves smoothly. You are being built together... in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

      This is the language of the appeal Paul brought on behalf of the Holy Spirit. It is God's power that brings very diverse people together and unites them in Christ to form a spiritual aggregate.  An aggregate is a material that is much stronger than the sum of our parts.

      Have you ever mixed concrete?  Usually, there are three ingredients in concrete-- cement, sand, and water.  All are three are vital.  You might also add in "rebar" or even rocks for reinforcement.  But the cement, sand, and water are the essentials.  God's goal is to construct the church out of different materials-- with Jesus as the cornerstone. God's purpose is to bring together disparate materials to make one much stronger material than any part. 

     Here is a question.  Have you been resisting the mix?  We tend to be ruggedly individualistic even in our culture.  We prefer to be at least somewhat anonymous.  We don't want to show weakness or need.  We can end up in gatherings of disconnected believers.  This is not the concrete that the Lord is trying to mix.  Join in.  Mix with believers.  Get involved.  Be part of the strong aggregate. 

 

     Father God, use me in every way that You have planned.  Use me to strengthen others and use others to sharpen me.  Make me into Your strong aggregate.  Build us into the church You desire to serve and glorify You.  In Jesus' Name.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2010, 2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.