"Living Stones in the Household of God" By Jason Phelps

"Living Stones in the Household of God"

By Jason Phelps, Director of Worship & the Arts

This past Sunday evening we gathered at the Schmidt’s home for our second annual signing of the covenant. After we ate, we celebrated the Lord’s Supper, and then each of us grabbed a black river stone and in white marker wrote our first names. After we all had our rocks, I led us in worship as we sang “Good, Good Father” around the living room. As we sung, one by one, we placed our stones into a wire basket. What an incredible symbol of our covenantal relationship. One might say it’s an altar of sorts, a memorial. It's a reminder of who God is and who He is creating us to be—an extended spiritual family on mission together as we help others experience Jesus.

I’m reminded of the Apostle Peter’s words in his first letter to various churches suffering persecution. This is what he writes:

"And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple."
1 Peter 2:5a NLT

Each and every one of us, as God’s beloved children, chosen and adopted into His family, are being built by God into a spiritual temple. Not just any spiritual temple, but the οἶκος (oikos = extended spiritual family and household of God), as the original Greek text reads. Each of us, just like the stones placed in the wire basket, are being built and held together by God. As a spiritual extended family, we can take comfort, especially in times of persecution, that God is in control and loves us enough to invite us into His family. He will continue to grow it, and we get to be a part of it! I hope you are as excited as I am to be a part of such a wonderful, spiritual οἶκος.