Are You A Stubborn Brick

Today we were studying Haggai and looking at the 'temple' talked about there,

Haggai 2:9 The future glory of this Temple will be greater than its past glory

To those hearing this prophecy they were certain that the physical temple would be rebuilt and would be even more glorious than the temple that Solomon built, however the temple was rebuilt and they were all disappointed that the temple was nothing compared to the original, their hopes were shattered, the opposite of this prophecy came to pass. This is because it was a Messainic that would be fulfilled with Christ's coming.

We all know that the body is the temple ... but this morning God really gave me a paradigm shift, that too often we refer to ourselves as the temple of God, but we forget that we as the body of Christ - TOGETHER - are the temple of God

EPHESIANS 2:21 says
"We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord"

Just as bricks are overlaid and joined togethor to make a building that is strong and will stand, so we as the believers are to be like these bricks, not standing alone claiming to be the glorious temple of God. We will be strengthened as we join together, and the FULL GLORY of God's temple will evident.

Think about how good is a brick all by itself? What does a lone brick do?
One single brick can do cause alot of pain and damage. You're walking along and you stub your toe on one brick, this little brick can cause alot of pain! A single brick can even kill someone if used for what it wasn't originally intended for. It was never supposed to be used as a weapon. Don't be like the lone brick, causing other people harm.

When you look at a house, you don't look at one brick and say oh this brick is so beautiful and great I'd like ONE of those ... no! As the bricks are intertwined in a glorious masterpiece, you see a greater picture, a site that brings you to stand in awe and wonder. And not at the house itself, the house didn't build itself, why should it receive the glory. Instead all the glory and honor goes to the architect!

As a part of the temple of God, it isn't our job to bring attention to ourselves, but to help and support those around us, and to point to the greatness of our architect who places us together.

Don't be a stubborn brick standing alone
Don't be a proud brick proud of where you are
God is the builder of this house.
And as we work in the unity he has placed us in, all GLORY goes to HIM =)