PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: 2 Chronicles 3-4
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“He adorned the temple with precious stones.” (1 Chronicles 3:4)
The glory of this building expressed their sense of the glory of God.
They would have been impressed by the precious stones, but would God be?
“Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1)
The disciples were impressed by the beautiful (2nd temple) building.
But Jesus sees past the external glory to the spiritual deadness within.
“Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Mark 13:2)
God is not impressed with our buildings, he wants our hearts and lives.
Do we as church spend more time on (and in) our buildings than on our calling?
Are we in the ‘house of prayer’ more than we are a people in prayer?
Gold is just pavement to God for people to walk on (Revelation 21:21).
The real glory of God is us, his children; this is what impresses him.
“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5)
God wants us to accumulate people, not payments for building or maintaining a building.
The question is: are we building a church for people, or building the church with people?
PRAYER
Lord, may chapters be written about our people building efforts. May we invest as much of ourselves in this calling as Solomon did in his temple building.
I remember as a child watching a house being built in our neighbourhood – I’ve always been fascinated by what materials go into the building. I would have loved to see the construction work – the 1000s of labourers at work – the smelting of bronze, silver and gold – the overlaying of gold – the scaffolding that must have been erected and the weigh of the dressed stone that made the pillars and walls of the temple itself – or even seeing the gold cherubim with their huge wings being fabricated. Even the administration of all the activity – from the wood and stone being brought in – and the exact tracking of all the precious metals and gems. I do think from God’s perspective – it was a pleasing sight. God watched as men tried to build the tower of Babel – and he stopped that – but this He had blessed! So, what kind of temple am I building? Jesus says I am a temple – I have been given the gift of the HS. May I also do and make beautiful things for God. After all God had Solomon’s temple destroyed because His people forgot whose they were. I must not forget whose I am either!
Impressive.
All the work, time and effort focused on completing the temple of the Lord. All for Jesus. A place of worship. A place for God to dwell among His people. And our God continues to dwell among His people. He can not be contained in a building for He lives in our hearts/my heart. That needs to be prepared for my King. His residence is there and not in a physical building. I am the church. You are the church.
Refrain:
I am the church! You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
all around the world!
Yes, we’re the church together!
1. The church is not a building;
the church is not a steeple;
the church is not a resting place;
the church is a people.
(Refrain)
2. We’re many kinds of people,
with many kinds of faces,
all colours and all ages, too
from all times and places.
(Refrain)
3. Sometimes the church is marching;
sometimes it’s bravely burning,
sometimes it’s riding, sometimes hiding;
always it’s learning.
(Refrain)
4. And when the people gather,
there’s singing and there’s praying;
there’s laughing and there’s crying sometimes,
all of it saying:
(Refrain)
5. At Pentecost some people
received the Holy Spirit
and told the Good News through the world
to all who would hear it.