Able to Build You Up

Able to Build You Up

 Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (KJV)

Last week I came across this scripture and it stopped me in my tracks.  I know you understand, sometimes you are just reading along and, BAM, you read a sentence and you just stop and say, “WOW!”, then you re-read it and highlight it and think about it off and on all day.  That is what this is for me.  I pick up my Bible to read further, but my eyes and mind go back, so obviously He isn’t finished talking to me (us) about it. 

Last week this scripture brought to mind a reoccurring dream I had years ago about a house and garden that represented the work the Holy Spirit was doing in and for me. So my daily muse has turned to, “Why?”  He (the word of His grace) is ABLE to build me up, but why?  There is a purpose in all He does.  Some, to be sure, build just to be building or create, just to create.  There is pleasure in the process of building and creating – such an investment of time, creativity, physical and emotional energy, however, seems such a waste without a purpose, at lease for me. 

The Greek for, “build you up” is epoikodomeo (I don’t even try to pronounce it):  meaning to edify, build up in the faith, or build any kind of structure.  Other places you will find this Greek reference is I Cor. 3:1-14 (v9 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building); Eph. 2:  ²⁰And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; Col. 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. And, Jude ²⁰But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost…(all KJV).

This need to build us up suggests a ruin of man, just like the house and garden I saw in my dream; a wreck of our body, soul, and spirit, which must be repaired and made new again as (and here it is, beloved – the PURPOSE) The Habitation of God by the Spirit.  Oh my, all that for this – that I may be His habitat.  I am (me – the least deserving of the litter) the Temple, the dwelling place of His Spirit.  I am God’s movable house – His Winnebago (no, really!).

To further examine this process I can go deeper or challenge you to do your own research and ponderings with the following seven topics.

1.      The Foundation:  I Cor. 1: 11-15; Eph. 2: 19-22

2.      The Model or Plan:  II Cor. 3:18; Col. 3:10

3.      The Materials:  Rom. 3:23; 5:12-21; I Thes. 5:23; Psm. 51:5; Eph. 2: 1-9

4.      The Tools: 

a.       Word – Rom. 1:16; Jn. 15:3; 17:17; Eph. 5:26; Jas. 1:18; I Pete. 1:23; Heb. 4:12

b.      Blood – Matt. 26:28; Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:20; Rev. 1:5;Heb. 9-10

c.       Grace – Acts 20:32; Jn 1:7; Eph. 2: 8-9;

d.      Spirit Gifts – I Cor. 12: 4-11

5.      The Workers:

a.       God – Jn. 3:16; Phil. 2:13

b.      Christ – Matt. 1:21; Gal. 3:13-14; Heb. 4: 14-16; Jn. 16:23-26

c.       Holy Spirit – Jn. 16: 7-15; Rom. 8: 1-13, 26; I Cor. 6:11; Tit. 3:5

d.      Angels – Heb. 1:14

e.       Man (us) – Jn. 3:16; II Tim. 2: 4; Rev. 22: 17; II Cor. 6; Phil 2: 12; II Pete. 4-10; I Jn. 1:7; Jude 20-24; Eph. 4: 11

6.      The Goal:  II Cor. 5: 17; II Cor. 3: 18; Eph. 2:19-22; 4:13; 5: 27; Col. 3: 10;

7.      The Result:  Eph. 2:19-22; 4:13; 5: 27; Jn. 14: 1-3; I Thes. 4: 13-17; Rev. 21-22.

Who knew the Word talked so much about buildings and building (construction)?  Who knew that all this work He does in us and for us is as important to Him as it is to us?  He is worthy and He makes us worthy – sea worthy, road worthy, habitable.  Good news all around, agreed?

I wonder if I have finished my musing of this passage?...we will see