House of Stone

The church is a building. Whoa, if I said that to my boy he’d quickly rake me over the coals for being so dense. “Daddy,” he’d counter “you’re wrong. The church is the people. It’s Christians!” And, he’s right. But, so am I.

Peter discloses to us that “living stones” characterizing Christians “are being built up as a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). The church is a building, and Christians (living stones) are the material. From this perspective, my son and I both have it right.

In Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit descended to Jerusalem, the apostles recognized that moment as the kingdom of God coming with power (see Mark 9:1; Acts 2:1-4). They had anticipated this day since their first lessons with Jesus. While on earth, he repeatedly forecasted the near arrival of the kingdom. On that day, the day of Pentecost after Christ’s death, the kingdom arrived.

How do we know? One, Joel’s prophecy about the kingdom era found fulfillment (Acts 2:16). Two, Jesus had taken his seat next to the Father to reign (33-36). Three, sinners found redemption through appeal and obedience to the Messiah (37-38). Finally, the saved were placed together by God (47). Acts 2 unveils the first occurrence of God rescuing sinners from the domain of darkness and transferring them into the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13).

That’s the day God began building his house of stone. Jesus claimed, on the basis of his deity, he would under gird this house (the kingdom) as the chief cornerstone (Matthew 16:16-18; see also 1 Peter 2:6-8). As sinners place their faith in Christ as God’s saving Son and build upon that foundation through obedience, they transform into living stones. God then adds them to his house. Consequently, God’s house grows as sinners accept and obey the Christ.

I once heard a preacher describe in a sermon how this house contains no roof. As long as living stones multiply, the walls of this house will continue to extend endlessly. That leaves room for all sinners. Everyone owns the opportunity to become a stone in a wall of God’s house.

To understand the church in this manner would clarify countless misunderstandings. The house of stone typifies God’s church (see also 1 Timothy 3:15). The material utilized in the building of this house is living stones—Christians. If a humble and penitent sinner approaches God in faith and satisfies the conditions of salvation then that sinner becomes a living stone set in the house of God.

Pain--An Unsung Hero

Little Ashlyn Blocker can't feel the pain that would make the toughest men in the world cry out loud. She has a rare genetic disorder (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis, or CIPA), which hindered the development of her nerves that carry pain senses to the brain. (You can search for her story on Google).

She has eaten through her tongue and severely burned her hand not realizing it rested on an extremely hot pressure washer. Ashlyn runs the risk of slurping down scolding hot soup that could irreparably damage her throat. Pain is no friend to Ashlyn; it's a stranger she'll never meet.

Some might venture to assume Ashlyn's numbness as a blessing, but not Ashlyn nor her parents. She lives her life on constant tragedy alert. Her parents have to monitor her every move. At any moment she could kill herself because pain doesn't hang around warning her to stop hurting herself.

Pain, an unsung hero...

Countless lives have escaped death because of pain. One day your right side begins to hurt terribly, you go to the doctor, discover you have appendicitis, take care of it and go home; not Ashlyn and those like her. They die never to realize what took them.

Pain warns, strengthens, develops, teaches and saves people. God's blessings include pain. James discussed how the pain of trials should find welcome among Christians (James 1:2-3). Through various pains, emotional or physical, people experience spiritual refinement.

Atheists would say that the harsh realities of pain bolster their argument that a loving God doesn't exist or he'd eliminate pain.

Why don't they ask Ashlyn how she feels about that?

Playing Along

Hello…you there? Anybody there? Oh, there you are. Uh, I’m sorry I must have the wrong place. No? I didn’t recognize you.

What’s that? You didn’t want me to see you this way? Oh, I came at a bad time. Okay…fine, I’ll come back when you’re ready—when you have better time to prepare.

I have to say that you fooled me, but in a way it was nice. I mean, I felt like I really…anyway…I understand.

Before I go—I know you want me to turn around—why haven’t I ever seen you before now? You…you haven’t, you’re not yourself? Somebody else? What about the face I see…I’m sorry; you’re really uncomfortable…I should be going.

What was that? You don’t have to apologize. I was really hoping to get to know you…oh, you don’t…sure, no problem. Well, it was really good to meet you.

Yeah, tell him I dropped in and I’ll see him later.