living stones – a practical application of the Old Testament temple for New Testament believers
What is the purpose of your life? What are you living for? Why do you exist? How are you to be the best man, woman, husband, wife, single-person, parent, grandparent, boss, employee, teacher, or student you can be? What excites you? God gives a grand mission and glorious vision to His people. There are no small places or small people. He is building a new temple and has called you to a new identity and new purpose in Christ.
In the Old Testament, the temple was where God met with His people. They gathered there to worship and pray. Although no physical building on Earth could hold Him, the temple was the designated place where He would reside. The people gathered to sacrifice, dedicate, be united, and remember God’s promises and goodness. It stood as a witness to the nations, that there is only one, true, living God: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who rescued His people from slavery, the God who loves and shows His grace and mercy.
But God was at work on another project, bigger and grander. A new temple would be built out of living stones. How absurd! Stones aren’t alive! But there is a living stone, one who was rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious. Jesus the Messiah is the cornerstone of the new and living temple, His body, His people, the church. Believers and followers of Jesus are like living stones, being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. This is a high and valuable place. There are no small places or people in God’s work.
This is who you are in Christ, if you believe and follow Him. You have a new identity: a living stone, part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. You are valuable in God’s plan and economy. As a man, woman, husband, wife, single-person, parent, grandparent, boss, employee, teacher, or student, you are part of a grand mission and glorious vision. You matter. You have purpose.
What is this purpose? What are you made to do and live for? You offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, in your home, neighborhood, or workplace. You do everything (eat, drink, sleep) for the glory of God. You are a living sacrifice every day, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. You proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Be encouraged this season. In a world of trouble, where you are over-stretched and under-appreciated, small things matter, like praying with your kid at night or the mundane tasks at work. You in Christ are God’s workmanship and possession, a living stone who He placed where He needs you to be, according to His plans. There are no small people, places, or tasks in Christ. You have value and purpose.
