“...I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:18
In my reading this morning 1 Chronicles chapter 22 records how King David prepared before he died. His preparation was to do with providing building materials in preparation for the building of the temple in Jerusalem for the glory of God.
The actual building of this massive and glorious edifice was not to be David’s responsibility but he certainly went all out in a needful provisionary role for this project. His son Solomon was the man God chose to complete this unique building task while David provided the ‘nuts and bolts’ along with a charge to Solomon with the responsibility and privilege of completing the task for the glory of God.
My thoughts were turned to another building project. This one is not constructed with bricks and mortar or nuts and bolts. But it is a building project that has been given to the Son of His Father to lay the foundation (1Cor. 3:11) and be the building’s “chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:20).
In other words this building project is a “spiritual house” where Jesus Christ the Son of God, is building a temple made up of “living stones” so that those “living stones” might do the work of be His priests and offer up worship “to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5).
After all, Jesus said, “I will build my church" - right?
And that’s exactly what He is doing in our world today. The project has not finished yet. There are still more dead stones (sinners) to be regenerated and added to this spiritual building. But when the last stone by God’s grace has been added, then all will be complete and the Lord will literally dwell among us in heaven. (1Thess. 4:17).
What a joy to be a “living stone” that is built into the most glorious an eternal building ever constructed!