Let's begin this study in prayer...
Psalm 89:5-8The heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord, Your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the Holy ones. For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? In the concil of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him. O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds You.
Let us begin our study by reading what Jesus said to Peter when Peter
came to the realization of who Jesus Christ really is.
Matthew 16:13-18
I. BACKGROUND
QUESTION: What is this church that our Lord Jesus Christ is building?
What is it composed of? Well, in order to find out let us first read
how our Lord Jesus Christ has reconciled both the Jew and the Gentile
to God, the Father.
Ephesians 2:11-22
A. RECONCILIATION OF THE GENTILE
Ephesians 2:11-13
B. HE IS MAKING A NEW RACE & NEW PEOPLE
Ephesians 2:14-15
Notice vs 15b "...create in Himself one new man from
the two..."
In order to see this a bit clearer, let us read from what the Holy
Spirit said through Peter in,
1 Peter 2:9-10
And it is this "new" holy nation that now,
C. HAVE ACCESS TO GOD THE FATHER
Ephesians 2:16-18
Hence, as born again believers (i.e. the royal priesthood) we find
that it is us who,
D. ARE BEING BUILT INTO A HOLY TEMPLE OF THE LORD
Ephesians 2:19-22
Notice vs 21(b) a holy temple in the Lord
22 a habitation of God in the Spirit
QUESTION: Besides being called a holy temple, how else does the
Bible refer to us, the born again believer?
Well, to find out let us consider how through Paul the Holy Spirit
addressed the assembly in Corinth as they were being corrected
about their behavior towards one another.
1 Corinthians 12:27
So we see that when we become born again we also become a habitation
of God in the Spirit and are now members of the body of Christ, which
is often referred to as the Church (Colossians 1:18a). Hence, we find
that the Church, body of Christ or dwelling of God in the Spirit, is
not a physical building composed of brick or stone or wood made of
human hands, but is composed of His people, the born again believers
in Jesus Christ, i.e. the children of God; thereby fulfilling what
God had said back in the times of King David. To see this, let us
read how God responded to King David when he (David) wanted to build
God a temple to live in.
II. THE PROPHECY
2 Samuel 7:1-17
A. DAVID DESIRES TO BUILD GOD A TEMPLE
2 Samuel 7:1-3
B. GOD RESPONDS TO DAVID VIA NATHAN, THE PROPHET
1. GOD NEVER ASKED FOR A HOUSE TO BE BUILT FOR HIM
2 Samuel 7:4-7
2. GOD TELLS DAVID THAT HE WILL MAKE HIM (DAVID) A HOUSE
2 Samuel 7:8-11
And now God proceeds to explain further what He plans to do.
3. THE PROPHECY
2 Samuel 7:12-17
Notice vs 12 remember Jesus' human lineage came
from King David.
13(a) He shall build a house for My Name
NOTE: As we saw from above, that this house is
the Christians!
16 Oh My ! Oh My !
However, as we all know David, Solomon and all of Israel for that
matter assumed that our God was talking about the Temple to be built
of stone and cedar in Jerusalem. Even though God permitted them, the
Israelites, to build the temple, as a shadow of things to come, we
can now see that His ultimate intent or purpose was to build His
church, the body of Christ, the true temple of God in the Spirit.
III. CLOSING
And now before we close let us review one more time the mystery that
has been revealed to us relative to the special, holy state that the
Christians (i.e. church) is really in. To do this let us read from
the place where Paul tells us that he (Paul) rejoices in his sufferings
for us, the church.
Colossians 1:24-27
Now with this glorious truth in mind, let us close with the following
Psalm of praise.
Psalm 150:1-6
Let's end this study in prayer...
Hebrews 3:1-6Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Read the book by John Sweet, Jr.
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