Living Stones by Dudley Hall

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)

"God is building a house. It is not a physical structure. It is relational. It isn't defined by geography - we don't go to the house of God. Neither is it racial - God does not favor races. His favor is on Jesus, thus it is on those who are in Jesus. Temples are important in all parts of the world. Mankind is constantly building things for the various gods of different religions. When we fly into cities, temples are easy landmarks. The temple is a major theme in the Old Testament. Shrines where people worship their gods are always an issue. Many battles are fought over houses for gods. Even today Christians will hear themselves speaking of some church building as the house of God. The house built by the one true God is very personal. Jesus is the house of God in one person. Those who are "in him" are stones in the extended temple of God. As these stones rest on the foundation of Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and as they mutually submit to each other, the glory of God is displayed in this temple. It is so big that all the world can gather in it to worship. It is so grand that mankind could never take credit for it. But we can participate in it. We are stones in God's eternal temple. We function as priests in that we re-present Jesus to the world. We proclaim to them that Jesus has done what was necessary to reconcile them to God, and that they can actually live in the temple themselves. They never have to be separated from God's presence. They do not have to travel to get to him. They don't have to make sacrifices - those have been made. They can live in worship. The holy of holies is open 24/7 for all who trust Jesus as their Lord." The sacrifices we make are the praises we extend because God has built his house and included us in it. We can do nothing for him, but he has done everything for us. When we are praising we are fulfilling our role as living stones in God's house."  (Visit Dudley's website at www.sclm.org)