A new architectural drawing for the future foundation of our building we call the Kingdom.

January 26th, 2019

By: David Hoskins

Hint,  its built out with five graces in mind and two of those graces have a very foundational role to play.

Apostles and prophets are not building with brick and mortar but instead they are building and knitting together the living stones we call the church.  

1 Peter 2:5 (NASB )

you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Cornerstone, the owner and should be the alpha of all we do in His name, and yet he trusts a key part of the building out process of His Kingdom to apostles and prophets.  

The Church is built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets with Jesus as the cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (NASB Strong’s (Lockman))

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

I am a practitioner more than a theologian as most of you well know so I tend to study the word based upon my desire to get the job done more than just to gain knowledge.  We as leaders must apprehend the how to’s of the days ahead.

It seems to me that part of the role of apostles and prophets is to lay foundations that others can build upon.  Their role is truly foundational to our success.  

1 Corinthians 3:10-11 (NASB )

According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

You might ask, what is the foundation they are building?  I see it from a two fold perspective.  

Firstly from the above scripture I see that foundation as doctrinal.  It is apostles and prophets along with the elders who help lay a true foundation of the doctrine of Jesus which has its entire emphasis upon the Gospel of the Kingdom.  We must know what the Father expects from us as His children and how we are to partner with Holy Spirit to unlock the Kingdom of God and reign with Him.  

Secondly it is their foundational responsibility to help the body of Christ discover and maintain its joints and ligaments.  Connectivity and unity are key in developing our corporate identity.   Apostles and prophets help us discover that corporate identity and the potential which comes as we work together.  It is by wisdom that the house is built.

Philippians 2:1-2 (NIV)

Imitating Christ’s Humility

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Proverbs 24:3-4 (NASB )

By wisdom a house is built,

And by understanding it is established;  And by knowledge the rooms are filled

With all precious and pleasant riches.

As I see it,  apostles and prophets are not the building ingredient such as cement is to the foundation of a house but they are the architects of that building process.  As far as the builders are concerned, a home is built upon the architectural design of the architects but in truth, it is the owner who first must impart their dream and ideas into the heart and mind of the architects.  In a sense the architects are the foundational side of the building process as they move in the desire of the owner.  We need the architects to help us advance.  

If the things we develop in His name does not originate in His heart then we are building in vain.  Let us build according to the dream, desire and motivation of the owner of the vineyard.  

Psalms 127:1 (NASB)

Unless the Lord builds the house,  They labor in vain who build it…