Fitly Framed Workmanship for Worship

Ephesians 2

January 10-11, 2014

Introduction

“Oh let me know The power of the resurrection;

Oh, let me show Thy risen life in calm and clear reflection;

Oh, let me give Out of the gifts Thou freely gavest;

Oh, let me live With life abundantly because Thou livest.

-Frances Ridley Havergal

Individual Dead Stones Brought to Life (2:1-9)

Since Adam, we are all born dead

1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in
the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the
others.

Ephesians 2:1–3 (NKJV)

Satan has the power to ‘energize’ dead men

We see the definition of a life lived in disobedience

God has brought us life through Jesus

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were
dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us
up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come
He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace
you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest
anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:4–9 (NKJV)

We did nothing previously to deserve salvation and will fail to do anything worth it in the future

We still have yet to see the full extent of the grace and blessings we have been gifted with
Living Stones Being Brought Together In Jesus (2:10-19)

We are the workmanship of God

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

God is constantly working in us as He desires to work through us

When Solomon built the temple, all of the cutting/chipping/chiseling took place at the quarry before the
stone was brought to the temple site

This world is the quarry where we are being refined and reshaped

The Body of Christ is composed of living stones from the “wrong side of the tracks”

11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is
called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—12 that at that time you were without Christ, being
aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope
and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought
near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11–13 (NKJV)

This Body is also made of stones from both “sides of the aisle”

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of
separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in
ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might
reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He
came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we
both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,”

(Ephesians 2:14–19, NKJV)

Together, we saints(members of the household of God) are the building blocks God is using to build His
church

“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also,
as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

(1 Peter 2:4–5, NKJV)

Fitly Framed For Worshiping Jesus (2:20-22)

Our foundation is important

““Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who
built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on
that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of
Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain
descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its
fall.””

(Matthew 7:24–27, NKJV)

The foundation is the Word of God

“having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
cornerstone,”

(Ephesians 2:20, NKJV)

The Word became flesh

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God.”

(John 1:1–2, NKJV)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

(John 1:14, NKJV)

Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone

“Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, He is
precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the
chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient
to the word, to which they also were appointed.”

(1 Peter 2:6–8, NKJV)

Building on solid foundation with the things of God

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of
God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.
But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which
is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be
revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has
built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he
himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that
the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the
temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

(1 Corinthians 3:9–17, NKJV)

Use the fruit of the Spirit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

(Galatians 5:22–25, NKJV)

We are being fitted together for the purpose of worship

We are constantly growing… which means growing pains

“having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in
whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

(Ephesians 2:20–22, NKJV)

We chafe against one another and endure the rough edges of ourselves and others

But we are being built TOGETHER for a dwelling place of God, to worship Him!

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you
may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were
not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained
mercy.”

(1 Peter 2:9–10, NKJV)

Proclaiming praises, not mumbling phrases because of the great mercy… and grace… and love!

Conclusion

God is a perfect builder who chose His stones specifically for His purposes

The Master builder is building His church daily, as He sees fit

The foundation has already been laid… we just have to build on it using the right things

The Church is for worship, not the other way around!