Working on the Building

 

 

Scripture

 Ephesians 2:19-22

¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, ²⁰ built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; ²² in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.  (NRSV)

Devotion

 People who serve on a church's leadership team can let you know that there is always something going on with the building.  Though I've only served a handful of churches, I have already encountered mold problems, leaking roofs, air conditioners and furnaces on the fritz, "soft spots" in the floor, and trouble with the hot water heater.  A lightening strike destroyed knocked damaged the masonry and destroyed the carillon system of the church I grew up in.  Members at FPC Wadesboro still share stories of the time an bat infestation drove them into the fellowship hall for months.  Taking care of the building is a full time commitment.

With so much emphasis on our physical plants, we sometimes forget that we are supposed to take even greater care of another building: the building that is the Church Universal.  Paul reminds us that this building is made not out of stones, but of people.  Jesus acts as its cornerstone.  The apostles, prophets (and I would argue other faithful leaders we see in both Scripture and throughout history) form the foundation.  The rest of us are the other stones (or today the bricks, wood, etc).  And just as builders bring together bricks, pipes, wires, in order to create something greater than any of those one things, Christ knows that our combined gifts, talents, and passions can build up something bigger and greater than anything we could created by ourselves.  The Holy Ghost (which is Christ within us) joins us together as Church just as mortar joins bricks so that we may become integral parts of building up God's holy temple here on Earth.  Once that temple is complete, God's justice and mercy will reign everywhere.

Every week, I am blessed to witness my Building and Finance Committee spend time and effort tackling long-term projects and unexpected surprises.  After yet another discussion about the intricacies of plaster, woodwork, wiring, and bricks, I tend to imagine what Church could accomplish if we all threw ourselves into the task of renovating that great and holy Temple that we all help form.  What if the legal minds in our churches devoted 10% of their work to seeking justice on behalf of the oppressed and downtrodden?  What if electricians donated time to helping folks poverty with wiring issues and landscapers helped those physically unable to keep their grass trimmed or doctors offered a sliding scale clinic once a week?  What if our educators volunteered as tutors at local organizations and our cooks sat down and ate with those struggling with food insecurity?  What kind of Temple we could build if everyone from our oldest person to our youngest child did their part to build on the foundations that we have haven been given?  

I believe that if we think outside of our physical structures and do our best with what we have been given, then there is no end to the amazing things we can build in Christ's name. With Jesus to join us together, we can build places in which healing occurs, life-affirming work is done, and justice and mercy truly reign.  As that work flows beyond our individual spaces and convinces other people to take up the cause, Christ's building project expands into every corner of the earth.   If we do that kind of work on our Holy Ghost Building, then Jesus will smile with joy as he gazes upon what we have built upon his cornerstone. 

Prayer

Jesus, I am glad to be a part of your Church.  Thank you for being my cornerstone and for providing us with people to create a secure foundation for your work here on Earth.  I ask that you use me to help build up your Kin-dom on Earth.  Join my gifts, talents, and passions with those of others so that together, we can help erect a Temple that glorifies your name.  Amen.