There is a way that Jesus built His church to last through the living stones of real relationships. To truly find your place in God's biblical story of kingdom advance, you will need to build your life in like fashion.
Acts 14:19-28
Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.
They Gathered Around Paul
"There is no way to have a real relationship without becoming vulnerable to hurt."
- Timothy Keller
They Returned to Those They Knew
There are three things that you can do with the life opportunity bricks that you are given by God.
1) Scatter Them - In no way does this build a useful dwelling.
2) Throw Them - You can injure others in your bitterness.
3) Lay Them - It takes time and consistency building into people's lives to make a true impact for the kingdom of God.
They Stayed
We need to be careful of millennial tendencies living as if there is nothing bigger than me.
Going out of town or on vacation at every opportunity is like throwing bricks/stones at random and hoping to build a house.
Your decisions matter to those to whom you are connected in Christ. You need to live that way.
There is a difference between our generation's obsession with personal calling versus knowing God's purpose in the kingdom of God and finding your place in that.
“A man came across three masons who were working at chipping chunks of granite from large blocks. The first seemed unhappy at his job, chipping away and frequently looking at his watch. When the man asked what it was that he was doing, the first mason responded, rather curtly, “I’m hammering this stupid rock, and I can’t wait ’til 5 when I can go home.”
”A second mason, seemingly more interested in his work, was hammering diligently and when asked what it was that he was doing, answered, “Well, I’m molding this block of rock so that it can be used with others to construct a wall. It’s not bad work, but I’ll sure be glad when it’s done.”
”A third mason was hammering at his block fervently, taking time to stand back and admire his work. He chipped off small pieces until he was satisfied that it was the best he could do. When he was questioned about his work he stopped, gazed skyward and proudly proclaimed, “I…am building a cathedral to the glory of God!”
“Three men, three different attitudes, all doing the same job.”
Ephesians 2:17-22
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Meet Jesus at the cross where you can die to your own ambitions and preferences that you might truly live for His. This is the power of real resurrection life in Christ.
Second City Church: Chicago Fire Sermon Series 2017