WHAT ARE YOU IN GOD’S HOUSE?

“YOU also, as LIVING STONES, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” – 1 Peter 2:5

Experiencing the Fullness of God’s House demands that you know WHAT YOU ARE IN GOD’S HOUSE. Peter says to the believer in Christ: “You also, as LIVING STONES, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” The same term “living stone” is used to describe the Lord Jesus Christ in the preceding verse; hence verse 5 says “You also…” This implies that each believer in Christ is a living stone – active, quick, and breathing stone – which is a vital building block in erecting, restoring, rebuilding and perfectly constructing God’s Spiritual House – His Holy Habitation. Verse 9 adds: “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 marvellous light.”  

In essence, God is building an eternal spiritual edifice with all those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord. We are a holy priesthood, with responsibility to offer up “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” Moreover, each of us is being “built up” by God our Father through Jesus Christ in order for us all to become the “Building of God” for the world to see. Each stone is uniquely shaped, sized, and coloured by God, the Divine Designer. The least of the living stones is greater than John the Baptist (Lk.7:28b). Every stone has his function and place of significance. Imagine the big stones trying to brag to the small ones about their bigness when they cannot fit in the place the small ones fit and vice versa. The Lord ensures the beauty and blend of their colours based on their positioning! He that set each stone’s position achieved that beauty – He is the Divine Designer of Destinies!

Although the Chief Cornerstone has admitted us into His Body freely, we’re encouraged as individual lively stones to accept His design for our lives and press into the fullest measure of God’s life that mortals can enjoy on planet earth – Abundant Life! His eternal agenda is for each of us to find our place and fulfil our purpose by effectively accomplishing our functions as unique living stones in His Great House. You’re not a self-made or casually-molded stone. You’re a stone hewn out from Christ to bear His image, and praise and glorify the Father now and for all eternity. Imbibe and accept the knowledge, and let it work in you and conform you actively, daily to God’s pattern and purposes.

Enjoying the Fullness of God’s House has more to do with what we each bring to the table, than what we crave to get! The Church has three broad areas of ministry: ministry to God (Worship and Prayer); to the world (Mission and Evangelism); and to one another (Edification). Within these broad areas, there are as many assignments as there are needs under the sun! Romans 12: 4-5 admonishes “For as we have many members ion one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” The text then presents a list of areas of stewardship which include: prophecy, ministering, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and showing mercy.

At the level of the local church, there is an abundance of areas of service. Here is a list of few of such: janitors, ushers, greeters, hospitality hosts and hostesses for visitors, flower arrangers, decorators, nursery workers, hospital visitors, follow-up ministers, church magazine or bulleting producers, preparers of snacks for church events, choristers, instrumentalists, children ministers, youth coordinators, visitors to the aged, distributors of food and clothes for the needy, cleaners and maintainers of lawns and church property, cooking and preparing meals for the sick and needy at home, office administrators, church librarians, wedding assistants, running errands,counsellors, home fellowship coordinators, audio and video-recording assistants, general office workers, and telephones receptionists. What’s your place in God’s House?