At our family service we looked this month at the subject of ‘Building the Church’ (1 Pet 2:4-5). We used a variety of building blocks to have a go at building (Jenga blocks, differently-shaped wooden blocks, pebbles etc.) and discovered that it’s easier to build with regular shapes that have no curves!
Building with Jenga blocks
Building with irregular-shaped blocks
Building with stones
Did the bear get in on the act?!
The Bible tells us that foundations matter enormously (Matt 7:24-27) and Paul reminds us that we must build on Jesus Christ Himself as our foundation (1 Cor 3:10). He is our cornerstone – the most important stone in a building. (1 Pet 2:4, 6) Whatever we try to build ourselves without Jesus at the centre won’t last (Ps 127:1), but with Him at the centre, all kinds of people can be fitted together as ‘living stones’ into the building He calls His church (people are the church, not the buildings we meet in!)
Naturally speaking, it’s not easy to build with stones, though those who build dry stone walls are very skilled at getting those layers of stones to hold together. It’s not easy for people of different genders, races, ages, personalities and beliefs to come together as the church, but God is able to do this work so that we are able to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hell would not be able to overcome it (Matt 16:18). We can be confident that Jesus is building His church here and He will prevail!