the project [under construction #1]

The Project is part 1 of our Under Construction series at Westside.

Main: God's design for the church is for it to be his living and local presence in any and every culture through out history.

Read: 1 Peter 1:1-2; 2:1-10

Think: Peter speaks to marginalized (socially outcast) group of Christ followers in scattered urban centers throughout Asia minor (1st century). He refers to them as strangers, scattered, aliens, temporary residents - as he defines their context/cultre. As he (re)defines their identity he refers to them as a spiritual house: holy priesthood, chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation, a people belonging to God. Big difference from their context to their identity!!
Theologically/Biblically Peter sees the local church as the extension of Israel - they are the new Israel in Jesus (the Jewish language refering to Gentiles in foreign urban centers tells us this; Scot McKnight believes this text is the most clearest example of this in the NT); Israel's vocation was undoubtedly to be the light of the world - in the world.

2:5 is the key - you are being built into a spiritual house

Spiritual: God is living in them
House: God is living in their culture through them

All kinds of connections to God living in the temple with Israel (113x Israel is refered as the House of Israel); God having a local presence on earth through Israel. But now God takes up space in people - not just persons - a people - the church. And here it is....

The church is living... the church is local.

The church is God's work in progress (under construction) to be HIS living and local presence in the culture we live in. The church is a spiritual house - on a street, in a neighborhood, in a city, province, country...
The church is a worshipping community (v.5), not b/c of what it's singing, but b/c of what it's living. The church is a witnessing community (v.9) as it tells what God has done in and for people.

Live: are you being God's living presence locally on your street... in your office building... warehouse... circle of friends...?
Is the church living and local in it's surrounding community?
What's the big deal? Is there a difference on your street because you live there? Is there a difference in your comomunity because your church is there?

Pray: God, turn us into your living and local presence in our culture; build us into a spiritual house in our city; redefine our identity in Christ regardless of the culture we live in.