“Except the Lord build a house, they labor in vain that build it.” Psalm 127:1
Dear Ones:
It was following the great confession of Peter to the Lord Jesus, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” that the Lord declares one of the great applications of His sovereignty and power: “I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:19) On another occasion, using a parable, the Lord speaks of building, specifically concerning WHERE the “house” is built, on sand or on the rock. This time he refers to the choice of the one who “owns” the house. Paul would bring our attention to the application of the matter of building on the rock instead of the sand, when he wrote: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.” (1 Cor. 3:11) What is the great teaching here with regard to “the Builder and the building?” It is this: Christ is not only the foundation upon which our lives are to be built, He is the very MEANS, architect and builder of that house. When the Lord Jesus spoke of building His church, He was referring to the body of believers on this earth. These members of that church were, as Peter declared, “…living stones.” He goes on to say that, “…ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.” (1 Peter 2:5) The Lord Jesus is the Creator and Redeemer of the church, His living body of believers on this earth. He is also the One who builds up that body, by adding to it, and edifying it. He is the Head of that body, “…from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases WITH THE INCREASE OF GOD.” (Col. 2:19) Hence, the Lord Jesus is the Beginning and Builder of the church, and every individual believer in it. What should these truths mean to us?
The knowledge of the body of Christ, and the existence of every member of that body, having been “set” in that body, “…as it has pleased Him (God),” (1 Cor. 12:18), brings us to the realization that every member is unique, and God deals with every member “…severally as He will.” (1 Cor. 12:11) Not only are gifts, and spiritual capacities, given to every member of the body, but Christ works in and through every believer. “It is the same God who worketh all in all.” (1 Cor. 12:6) The question then arises: How then does He work, and to what purpose?
With the knowledge God’s work to put every member into His body according to His will and purpose, comes several promises. The first is, “I WILL build my church.” God has determined, and is determined in the present moment, to build His church, to make of it, and every individual, a person of faith, faith in the power and love of God. He will enlarge the faith of the believer, purify that faith, and strengthen it, in order that the believer appropriate the life of Christ by the Spirit for all things, at all times. The second promise is this: “He that hath begun a good work in you, WILL PERFORM it, until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) The Lord will take us as far and as high as we are willing to go in our quest to love and serve Him, all the time changing us into His image.
Dear Father, give us to be trusting “clay” in Your hands this day. Take us, and make us to BE what you have called each of us to be, in your wisdom and love, for Your glory. We praise and thank Thee, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad