Ephesians chapter 2, we'll start
reading in verse 10. Go to the end of the chapter. Ephesians chapter 2, and starting
in verse 10. We are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works. which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them. Wherefore, remember that ye,
being in time past Gentiles, in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called the circumcision, the Jews, in the flesh made by
hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens
from the common wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants
of promise, having no hope without God in the world. But now, in
Christ Jesus, you who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the
blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one
and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments
contained in the ordinances, for to make in himself of twain
one new man, so making peace, the Gentiles and the Jews through
Christ have peace. and that he might reconcile both
unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby,
and came and preached peace to you which were far off and to
them that were nigh. For through him we both, Jew
and Gentile, have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore
you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens
with the saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself
being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, in
whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through
the Spirit. Now what caught my attention
was the last phrase in verse 20, Jesus Christ Himself being
the chief cornerstone, the chief cornerstone. This concept of
the cornerstone, our Lord refers to this as Himself. The reference
is found, this passage is found first in the Scriptures in Psalms
118 and verse 22. And in Christ explains the metaphor
in both Mark chapter 12 and Luke chapter 20. I'm going to turn
to Mark chapter 12 and read that to us. Christ is speaking in
Mark 12 and verse 10. He's speaking of the parable
of the vineyard. What shall the Lord of the vineyard
do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen and will give
the vineyard to others. Christ is speaking. He says,
have you not read this Scripture? The stone which the builders
rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's
doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. So the Lord refers to Himself
as that stone, that headstone, that topstone, the stone in the
corner, all of these, He's Himself. And then when you look at this,
it's both great and yet it's wonderful and terrible, the headstone
on the corner, because it's going to, all who are on that head,
On that foundation, which no man can build but Christ, if
you're on that foundation, as he refers to himself, it's great,
it's wonderful, but on the other hand, that cornerstone, it's
going to grind small. So in judgment, it is a terrible
thing to fall in the hands of the living God. So I thought
to myself, what does it mean, this chief stone, which was refused
by the builders. It says in Mark, this is the
corner of the headstone, it was refused. They decided that they
could get to heaven by the Tower of Babel, in the Old Testament
they decided they could get to heaven by their own works, their
free will, and they refused Christ, this headstone. But when you're
building a house, When you're building this house, it's called
the top stone, the chief stone, the head corner stone. It's all
referring to the same thing. When the house is being built,
this was the foundation stone. set or placed by the Builder,
God, to firmly and strategically anchor the whole structure. So if your structure is not this
headstone, if your structure, your foundation is not founded
upon the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ, His blood
and righteousness for us, then it's, we sing that song, it's
sinking, your house is sinking sad. The storm's gonna come,
The waves are going to beat on it and it's going to simply fall. But this whole structure is set
on this cornerstone, this chief cornerstone. He says in verse
19, Now, therefore, you are no more
strangers, foreigners, fellow citizens with the saints of the
household of God." He's talking about walls and houses in this
passage in Ephesians 2. This household. Even though we
don't know maybe some other churches across seas or even in this country,
if they're founded upon the grace of God, the Lord Jesus Christ,
we're in that household. It's the church universal. So
in verse 19, he talks about a household. In verse 20, he says, we're built
upon the foundation, upon this foundation, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief cornerstone. So this house is built. That's
what we're doing. It's not this place, it's the
people. And so every time we gather together, we're talking
about that chief cornerstone. We're talking about that The
Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the corner. And that's who we
invite sinners in here. That's who we desire that they
be founded upon because there's no other foundation. It's built
upon a foundation, Christ being the chief. In verse 21 and 22,
"...in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth
into a holy temple." And this church, as it grows, whether
it grows in number, but it should be growing in the grace and the
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It should be getting more mature.
We don't ever get off that foundation stone, that cornerstone. Everything, the whole work, the
whole framework, the whole household, the whole building, is dependent
upon the chief stone, Christ and Him crucified. Our Christ
not only is the chief or headstone, but as the Hebrew word signifies,
it's first. He's the first stone. He's laid
first. We don't come in with part of
our works, our denomination, however we raise, we don't bring
that and then supplement what Christ has done. No. No, we don't. It's like that in Kings where
they prepared for the temple and they cut the stones and it
was all prepared before it even got there. And Christ is the
one, the builder, the master builder. This tells us that the
whole support of His church and members is upon Christ. He's the first one laid. And
I thought that was interesting. He's the chief cornerstone, He's
the topstone, He's the headstone of the corner, but He's also
the first. Which makes sense, as in, He's
first in dignity. My Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Our Lord spoke when Christ was on earth. This is My Son. Hear
ye Him. Hear ye Him. In Him I am well
pleased. He's the first chosen. The church was chosen in Him,
which we know that Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4. You're chosen
in Him. All spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. He's the first elect, as it were. Is He not in the Old Testament?
He's also first in suffering. Isaiah says He's a man of sorrows,
acquainted with grief. And in Lamentations 1, it says,
Behold, see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. He's first
chosen of God, first in dignity, first in suffering. He's first
in order as the captain of our salvation. Hebrews chapter 2.
He's the first in the resurrection. For He is the first fruit of
them that slept. 1 Corinthians 15. He's first
in power. All power is given unto Him in
heaven and earth. Matthew 28. He's first in glory. For He goes before us to prepare
a room in glory. John 14. And there's something
else I want to bring up. If we are centered on this foundation,
on Christ and Christ alone, lastly, and properly, He should be first
in our affections. Because Matthew chapter 10 and
verse 37 says basically, for any who love anything above me
is not worthy of me. That doesn't mean you can't love
your wife, your children, your jobs, different things. But if
it comes in competition, and you know what that is, what competition
is, He says, you're not worthy of Him. I am not worthy of Him. Yes, in all things, Colossians
1, Christ must have and does have the preeminence with the
believer. We call it priorities. with the
believer. Now we get out of sorts. We do
things that we shouldn't be doing, or be in places we shouldn't
be, or whatever this might be. But if we're the Lord's, He brings
us back. If He started a good work in
you, and me, He's going to finish it. That's the comfort we have. That's the peace we have. Because
you know as well as I do, things, people, jobs, a pull and pull
and pull. And I've said this, I'm a proponent
of this, more so now than when I had a child and grandchild,
but you can say no. You can say no. And we're as
busy as we want to be. So, this last point, turn with
me to 1 Corinthians chapter 16. This outline here has helped
me out. I basically stole it from Tom
Hardy. So it's really good. And I'm
not ashamed to say that. And I texted him and told him
that was really good. I may use it. He said thank you. But my last point was these first
in dignity, He's the first chosen, the first in suffering, Christ
is the topstone in order, He's the headstone of the corner in
the resurrection, in power, in glory, and He should be first
in our affections. Look at this household. Look
at such a group of saints that's been spoken of here in 1 Corinthians
16 and verse 15. Paul says, I beseech you, brethren,
you know the house of Stephanus, he names them by name, that it is the first fruits of
Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of
the saints, that you submit yourselves unto such, and to everyone that
helps us and labors." So they were helping the Apostle and
they were laboring with the Apostle. He says, I am glad of the coming
of Stephanas and Fortinus and Achaus, for that which was lacking
on your part, they have supplied. Whatever that may have been,
money or food or whatever, whatever was lacking to Paul from the
Corinthians, they helped. For they have refreshed my spirit
and yours. Therefore, acknowledge ye them
that are such." Now, I want to look at this phrase, addicted. Now, I use a phrase myself, but
this is better. I use the phrase, all in. All
in. And you know what that is. Now,
now that these saints, these saints of the household of Stephanas,
They're united in the bonds of Christ because they're on that
one foundation, they're on that chief cornerstone, that's top
stone. So they're resting upon the finished
work of Christ and His sovereign free grace, but the actions,
they're doing stuff here. They said they were addicted
to the ministry of the saints. Now this word addicted, Today,
it's not a good thing. Brian can probably attest seeing
things in the hospital, things going on there that we don't
see. But the word addicted is not
very well referenced in today's society, but not so in the New
Testament. Matter of fact, this is the only
time it's used in the whole Bible. It means three things, three
variations. To surrender habitually, to become
dependent upon or to be enthusiastic about. This is how we are to
be towards our top stone, our cornerstone. Believers, believers,
generically, genuinely, specifically, continually surrender to the
Lord Jesus Christ His Word of Truth and is gospel of the grace
of God. Psalms 110 verse 3, Thy people
shall be willing in the day of Thy power, the day of His power.
We willingly are addicted. We willingly surrender habitually
to the Lord Jesus Christ. And turn with me to Philippians
chapter 2. Philippians 2, verses 9 and 10. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted Christ, and given him a name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in
heaven, earth, and things under the earth. Surrender, that's
surrendering. We lay up our arms, As our arms
are, we're ready to kill God, we're ready to smite Him as those
lost so long ago smote the Lord Jesus Christ, which we would
have done if we'd have been there. But the believer who now has
the only foundation worthy to talk about, the foundation, that
rock that cannot be moved, that rock that is our defense, we
have addicted ourselves to the ministry of the saints. continually surrendering to the
Lord Jesus Christ. And secondly, believers are always
dependent upon Christ. That's the second word, to become
dependent. We are always dependent upon
Christ for all our salvation, our righteousness, our justification,
and everything God-ward. Acts chapter 17. Acts chapter 17. And verse 28, for in Him we live and move and
have our being. Everything we do, we are totally
dependent. We are totally dependent. I know
we raised our daughter and you raised your sons and daughters
to be independent. And that's fine, that's human. But the believer is opposite.
We're dependent. Lord, save me ere I perish. Lord, help. These are some short,
quick, spontaneous prayers of the believer who is and acknowledges
he's dependent. Not like Henry said, you can
get your hand caught in a cookie jar. Oh, no, I'm sorry. No. We are totally dependent upon
Him and because of Him. We are not our own, the Scripture
says. We are bought with a price. The precious and spotless blood
of the Lamb, 1 Corinthians 6. We voluntarily bow to His kingly
rights and prerogatives over us. We willingly submit to His
providential care towards us, knowing that He knows best in
every situation and every circumstance. And that's just learning. That's just growth and grace.
You know, we try to fix things, and then we realize, I can't
do it. I'm totally dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ. who
I'm willingly and thankfully surrendered everything. And it's
habitual. We don't just, one time, oh,
I was baptized, I find my baptismal certificate, or I took communion. No. Peter says, unto whom? Unto Him coming. And we just
keep coming, and keep coming, and keep coming. Lastly and thirdly,
believers, they're enthusiastic. in regards to His truth, His
Gospel, gathering together, and worship. Now, I know, I'm human
just as human as you. Sometimes I get up here and it's
just like, I can't talk, or I don't feel
like I speak right, or I don't verbalize things right. I don't
want to be here. I'm just like you. You know, you sing a few hymns,
like some of those Isaac Watts, it just gets me enthusiastic. And I've said this so many times,
and I've heard others say it, and I can say it from my heart,
there is no other place I'd rather be. This place, these people, you
all, the family here, have the words of eternal life. Yeah, you'll get some greenbacks,
you do something, they'll give you this, they'll give you that,
they'll give you insurance, these different things. But again,
no, God and mamma, you can't, you can't... We are enthusiastic. And a lot
of times we're enthusiastic about things in the world until the
Lord takes them away. And He needs to take them away.
Because we are way too enthusiastic about things other than His Word,
His truth, His people. We still being sinners, we long
to hear that same old story, the good news of Christ and Him
crucified. And in Mark 7 we confess, and
that often joyously, He hath done all things well. He hath
done all things well. So I close and I say, let us
be founded upon that rock, that foundation, that sure, solid,
unmovable cornerstone. By Him, through
Him, and for Him. And may we be addicted to the
ministry of these saints. All saints, yes, but particularly
these saints. in this place, bonded together,
standing firmly on that rock, which is Christ, with the cords
of His sovereign love and infinite grace. All to the praise of the
glory of His blessed name. Let us strive to be addicted,
enthusiastic, surrendered, to His grace, and
I pray the same for our children. I pray that the Lord, even though
it's none of my business, but I pray that He just keeps this
place here, just keeps it going. It is a sad place when a church
that preach the gospel, when it shuts down, I think. But I'm
only responsible for this generation. Let us help one another, as Stephanos
did. He's addicted to the ministry
of the saints. Because we're unified and bonded
together by that chief cornerstone, that first cornerstone, God's
first. Bruce, would you close this?