When I look at the description of the Church in the book of Ephesians, I see certain concepts continually being highlighted; that of unity, togetherness and being joined. In chapter 2, the Church is portrayed as a building. It is designed to be the dwelling place of God and the members are the material with which the Church is built. As in a physical construction, where the bricks are placed together and joined by cement, so it is with the building of the Church. Each person, as a living stone, has a place determined by God and the cement are the relationships of love between the individual members. Some, in the early Church, saw this temple of God to be, as in the old covenant, uniquely Jewish. But the Architect, Builder and Chief Cornerstone revealed that it included all races, tongues and nations. There was a new covenant, based on the shed blood of Jesus Christ, that demolished the barriers of separation, prejudice and strife and gave life to this dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Although God is the Architect and Builder, we, the Church, are fellow workers with Him in the building process. As in any construction project, the laborers must be faithful to the architectural plans. Any deviation will alter the end result. When Nehemiah was organizing the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem, he gave responsibility to individual families to build certain sections of the wall and gates. Each needed to be faithful to build well their part, but always keeping in mind the bigger picture. The wall had to fit together. I am sure those involved had to, from time to time, check to see if what they were building was lining up with the other sections being built.
When German and Swiss engineers were building a bridge between their two countries at the town of Laufenburg, they found that when the two halves met, their elevations were 54cm off. This engineering gaffe occurred because the Germans’ based their measurement of sea level on the North Sea, whereas the Swiss based it on the Mediterranean. No one had thought to correct this difference until the project was well on its way. In the building of the Church, the exact measure is the Cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ. Every part of the building must line up with His purpose, plan and image. We should ask ourselves, from time to time, not only, if what we are building reflects Jesus, but also if all we are doing is according to His design and plan? Are we fitting into the bigger picture or are our individual ministries benefitting at the expense of the Church?
It is easy to get absorbed in our own ministry and our part of the building project. Dedication to our part brings a sense of fulfillment and worth. When we excel in what we are doing, we receive appreciation and praise. And that is all good. But we must remember that our part is not all there is to the overall project. We must connect with others. This is what being built together is all about. It is the considering of others as better than ourselves. It is esteeming their worth and value as co-heirs in the Kingdom of God. Everyone is important. Everyone is needed. Even when we feel we can do it better than others, we are not the measure of perfection. Only Jesus is. He is building His Church in a way in which the dominion of the devil will not be able to prevail against it. There can be no breaches in the wall, no uneven joints and no miscommunications. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith and the Architect and Builder of the Church. He knows what He is doing. Let’s keep our eyes on Him.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Eph. 2:14, 19, 22; I Cor. 3:9; 12:27; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Neh. 3; Col. 3:12-14