Have you ever been on a construction site where a house is being built? What do you see?

Firstly, you see scaffolding all around the building from the ground up to the top. The scaffolding goes up with the building first but in the end it is not needed. Then you see the framework. There are supports which hold up the floor and walls. Then piles of material lying all around the building site. You also see machines, such as cement mixers and digging machines. Finally you see tools—all kinds of them.

You also see a group of men with various skills. There are steel-workers, bricklayers, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, and so on. All this is needed to erect a building.

The building site does not look very pretty during the building process. As the work nears the end, slowly the materials are being used and removed from their places. When the work is finally finished the scaffolding is taken down and the surplus materials and tools are removed. The skilled builders also go away. What remains? A beautiful building. All the others things were temporary.  Only the building itself is permanent.

In a spiritual sense, we are building a house. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5. We each  as lively stones are built up a spiritual house.   As a stone is cemented to a stone and timber nailed to timber, so we are making a spiritual house all together.  There are not separate units, but one house, one spiritual temple for our God.

Some are as lively stones cemented together with love so firmly that they cannot be separated. Others are as scaffolding. They are touching the building but are not part of the structure. Although they are helping in the building for awhile they will be removed in the end. With their tithes and offerings, they helped the building work, but they are not part of it because they were unconverted.

This world is a great construction site. After building a spiritual temple for God, when the scaffolding is not needed anymore, God removes them.

In the time of Noah and Ancient Israel everything seemed so confusing and out of order as on a construction site with scaffolding, but when the building of God was complete, many that helped were not useful any more and were removed.

Some worldly people, nations, and governments may also be helping in the cause of God, such as with financial assistance, equipment or supplies. They are the scaffolding. They are helping the building but are not part of it.

God called Nebuchadnezzar His servant (Jeremiah 27:6). Also, Cyrus, King of Persia He called him His shepherd (Isaiah 44:28). Persecuting powers cleanse the church of fearful cowards, those who are built of cheap building materials. The powers of the world cause shaking among God’s people. So they all work for the faithful remnant.

Our unbelieving relatives and neighbours are testing our faith, creating trials and tests to try our faithfulness and patience. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.” Romans 5:3

In the church, many are helping to preach the gospel to the world, yet in the end they are removed from the building site.

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens 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 corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19–22. All the building fitly framed together.

The only thing in us that fits into the building of God is our characters. Our characters only inherit eternal life. God has given us a body, and Paul calls it an earthly house. “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” 2 Corinthians 5:1–4

In this earthly house we grow and are being built. We are waiting for the time when we are clothed within the house that is from heaven. This earthly house in this human flesh is full of passion, desires, lusts, inappropriate appetites. We must live and build a character that is perfect.

So often this house is burdened with sickness, weakness, and deformity. Yet God has chosen this to be our place for a Christlike character.

How was the building work of Paul going on?  “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:23–28

This was all part of building a perfect character in him. These trials, persecutions, perils, hunger, and thirst, all were part of God’s workmen, helping Paul in his building work.

Paul did become impatient and wanted his life to be a little easier. “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:7–9

He thought that at least the thorn in his flesh should be pulled out, but God said, “no”. The thorn must remain even though it was troublesome for him.  What was the purpose of this thorn? “Lest I should be exalted.” v 7. There was given him a thorn in the flesh by God. Paul said that it had a purpose.

Children often complain when they have to wear braces in their mouths for a few years, but they are necessary even though they do hurt at times and are inconvenient. But the end result is beautiful teeth.

A cast on a leg is cumbersome but it helps to heal a broken bone.

In the hospital patients sometimes have to endure painful procedures or take bitter tasting medications. They have to be given injections and go through surgery. They all hurt, but they are necessary for healing.

Hosea wrote: “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.” Hosea 6:1–2

We read here that first, the Lord has to smite us. Then He will bind us and revive us so that finally we shall rise and live, just as a doctor has to operate, then bind the wound and then we shall continue to live.

This is a picture of the work of reformation. First, the church has to go through severe trials and persecutions, then a healing message is sent to it and the church is revived again and lives.

Many tools are on the building site for us to use in the building work.

Firstly, there is fasting and prayer. Satan may have controlled people but, “If the saints of God with deep humility fast and pray, their prayers will prevail. Jesus will commission holy angels to resist Satan, and he will be driven back and his power broken from off the afflicted ones. Mark 9:29: ‘And He said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 344

“Will you, through fasting and prayerful effort, attain to the completeness and consistency of Christian character?” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 400

Secondly, there is unity with others. “Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1

Then there is missionary work. “That church or those persons who shut themselves away from bearing burdens for others, who shut themselves up to themselves, will soon suffer spiritual feebleness. It is labor that keeps the strong man strong. And spiritual labor, toil, and burden bearing, is what will give strength to the church of Christ.” –Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, p. 188. “There are many  . . . . who would save their souls by thus working.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 390

“So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.  When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.  Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” Ezekiel 33:7–9

We are not able to build alone. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1

Jesus is our master builder. Without Him our building is a failure. Jesus Christ will actually become part of the building. He Is the true Foundation and the Cornerstone. He makes our building perfect and valuable. So our spiritual house that we are, as a church building, must have Christ in it.

We may not have much earthly goods, not many members or institutions, but if Christ is in our building this is all we need.  When we are rooted and grounded in Christ, when we have become one with Him—one building, then all those who also unite with Christ become one in love and fellowship.

For 6000 years Christ has been building His church. Men, women and children have been lively stones and added to it. Now in the last days, the 144,000 will form the highest pinnacle of this spiritual temple. The golden pinnacle that shines in the evening rays of the setting sun.

Do not look at your life as confusing or to the events surrounding us. It is all in control of the Master Builder. He is working and the building will soon be finished, whether we are a part of it or not.

May the Lord help that we will not only be a scaffolding, but cemented into the building with Christ for eternity.

Amen

Sermon by Timo Martin