Being shaped

Matthew 16:18 declares, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”  The Lord is doing something fresh and new in fulfilling the prophetic words of Matthew 16:18.  The church that God is building is exactly the opposite of what man has built.   As honorable as man’s efforts have been in trying to establish the Kingdom of God, they have been in vain.  The Word clearly states in Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”  The church that God is building is a spiritual church.  First Peter 2:5 states, “We as living stones are being built up into a spiritual house…”  As living stones, we experience many pressures of life.  There are sorrows, pains and tribulations, but through them all, we are continuously being shaped into stones that can be fit and joined with others in the spiritual house that God is building.  In Acts 2:42-47, we have an example from the early church as they were becoming living stones and developing into a covenant community.    

•Verse 42:  They continued in fellowship (Koinonia).

•Koinonia means sharing, unity, close association, partnership, participation, a society, a communion, a fellowship, contributory help, and the brotherhood, a unity brought about by the Holy Spirit.  Literally, each person becomes a stone, set 

in proper position and held in place by this Koinonia (Holy Ghost cement).

•Verse 43:  There was a fear (respect) for God.

•Verse 44:  They had all things in common.  There was no competition, only the desire for completion of the Gospel being presented.

•Verse 45:  There was a spirit of generosity.

•Verse 46:  There was a simple joy of life that God had given them through Christ. Verse 47:  They had great favor with God and the church multiplied.  We can count on God to accomplish His promise that He will build His church.  As we continue to be shaped into His spiritual house, becoming living stones as a covenant community, we will see the Kingdom established and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.