Ephesians 2:21–22 - “In whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
"What does God want?”
The modern era in the west is replete with individualistic stimuli and propaganda teaching us to believe in the power of self to accomplish whatever the self wants. We, as individuals, are the object of our own desire - everything is made to serve us. Social media has made the lives of other people entertainment for ourselves. We’ve all heard an aunty or uncle in some church somewhere highlight that our technology reflects our social climate: “iPhone, iPad, iMac.”
Now let’s put the debate about the superiority or inferiority of apple technology aside; anyone with enough of an objective lens can see that western society has become more selfish, not selfless. This selfish culture has seeped its way into the church, such that our access to excess - churches on every corner, online worship services with excellent music, amazing sunday school packages for children, “preacher-tainment" - has bred a sense of entitlement.
Now, in our minds, churches must compete for our attention and devotion, just like the social media algorithm does otherwise we walk. But today’s text helps to remind us of our proper place in the church. It reminds us that we are not the centre of the church’s focus, God is. Therefore, when it comes to our relationship with the local church, we must ask ourselves, according to the Bible, “what does God want?” not “what do I want?” And what God really wants is to build for Himself a temple where He can reside.
“God will not settle for less” Remember that God is too great to have a temple built for Him by human hands (Acts 7:48). This should remind you that your lone-wolf, individualistic efforts as a Christian will not make you a suitable dwelling place for God’s Holy Spirit - He does not dwell on your terms. God can only live in a place that He has built, and what He is building is not merely just the individual; He is building His Church of which you are part. This means God is not satisfied for you to remain unconnected to the Whole - God wants better for you. This is not a matter of personal conviction; it is a matter of obedience and the prioritisation of your own good as God defines it.
A person who chooses to remain disconnected from the church, is a person who is seeking what he/she wants and not what God wants. And since God is good and cannot desire evil, such a person would rather choose evil for themselves, than that which God knows is good for them. In God’s Kingdom no one grows alone; we grow by being connected to God and by being connected to one another.
“The Whole must Grow”
The second thing to note is that “the whole structure grows into a holy temple in the Lord… In other words, only the “whole structure” grows to become a Holy Temple and it only grows when we are “in the Lord” . When we do not participate in the church community, we stunt our own growth, perhaps inadvertently slow down the growth of others who God calls us to be connected to and potentially demonstrate that we are not actually “in the Lord.
” The Bible calls us “living stones” (1 Peter In every building, no stone is unimportant - every stone is necessary. But when we break away from community and are not “joined together” as our text says, we get in the way of our own growth and the growth of others - the growth of “the whole.
Remember, God wants a Holy temple. “Holy” means set apart or different. If we remain divided and are not a part of the whole, what makes us different from every other people group or organisation which is also divided in some way or the other? God wants a people who are Holy as He is Holy. Since we bear God’s name as Christians, we are a direct reflection of Him to the world. Whilst there is distinction, there is no division in God, and there must be no division in His people. This is what God wants: for His people to grow together as a whole, so He can dwell within the community He has built for Himself - the Church. Will you participate in God’s building project?
Let’s reflect:
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In what ways have you made your church membership about yourself and what you can
gain as opposed to what you can contribute?
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How can you be more intentional about contributing to a community that is conducive to
God’s presence?
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How might you help others plug into the church community?
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Based on your connection to others in the church, what pr
Reflection
- In what ways have you made your church membership about yourself and what you can gain as opposed to what you can contribute?
- How can you be more intentional about contributing to a community that is conducive to God’s presence?
- How might you help others plug into the church community?
- Based on your connection to others in the church, what prayers would you pray to bolster the unity and love within the church community?