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Extreme Home Makeover Series

Extreme Home Makeover is dedicated to renovating homes and remodeling relationships. Remodeling older homes requires that you first clean out the mess. The renovation of our relationships will require a similar strategy. It will mean ridding our homes of aloneness!

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” ( Ephesians 2:19–20).

I. Introduction

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. And there is salva-tion in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4: 8–12).

The letter to the Ephesians reminds us that Jesus is our Cornerstone.

What is a cornerstone? The cornerstone (or foundation stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. It is not only the first stone set during construction; it is the most important because all other stones will be set in reference to it. The cornerstone determines the security and stability of the entire structure. Our cornerstone of faith is a person and His name is Jesus! And there is only one cornerstone.

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Colossians 3:16 Moment:

“Let the Word of Christ dwell deeply in you . . .” (Col. 3:16).

Pastor/Teacher: Pause to share a recent reflection on how you have experienced Jesus, the Cornerstone, caring for you.

“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken” (Psalms 37:25).

Mark Williams’ article entitled “The Prayer Life of Jesus Christ” provides an added resource. (Click Here)

II. Getting to Know Jesus, the Cornerstone

The year: AD 33

The setting: The Upper Room

In a few hours, Jesus will be dead. The disciples don’t realize it, but they’re having their last meeting with Jesus. The mood is reverent but filled with hope. (Read John 14:1–9)

Jesus speaks with a tone of certainty and promise: “If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”

Philip responds, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

With a tinge of disappointment in His voice, Jesus asks Philip a penetrating question: “Don’t you know Me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?”

Philip squirms in his seat, posturing for a reply. To Philip’s relief, Jesus doesn’t press him for an answer. In gentleness, Jesus simply answers his question. He vulnerably reveals the amazing relationship between the Son and His Father.

Philip had been Jesus’ disciple for three years, and yet he didn’t truly know Christ. How many years have you claimed Jesus as your Savior? Three years? Fifteen years? Thirty years? If you had a personal audience with the incarnate Christ, at some point in the conversation would He ask you the same question He asked Philip: “Have I been with you such a long time and yet you do not know me?”

Many of us would have to admit that though we may have had a legitimate encounter with Christ years ago, the relationship has not matured to the depth we desire. We really don’t know Him any better today than we did years ago. Perhaps our intellectual understanding of who Christ is has been enhanced, but intimacy is still missing.

Intimacy with God may seem an ethereal, elusive pursuit. He’s up there; we’re down here. His “thoughts are not our thoughts,” so we might as well wait till we “all get to heaven.”

But intimacy with God need not be difficult or baffling. Specific intimacy ingredients provide a practical process to really know God. Remembering that intimacy and closeness is always reciprocal in nature (it’s impossible for me to be intimate with you if you don’t want to be close to me), we will show how God has demonstrated each ingredient with us, and then we’ll give suggestions on how the experience can be mutual.

III. Caring Involvement: “I care for you.”

God cares for us!

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

I know God cares for me because:

� He knows me. “The Lord knows those who are his” (2 Timothy 2:19).

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L-3 Experiencing God as He really is through deepened intimacy with Him

� He speaks to me. “I will listen to what God the LORD will say” (Psalms 85:8).

� He entered into my world. “[He] made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7).

� He meets my needs. “God will meet all your needs” (Philippians 4:19).

� He will always meet my needs.

We have a “Cornerstone” who cares.

Experience Scripture

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give (Matthew 10:8).

We freely have received of our “Cornerstone’s” care, and prompted by His Spirit, we can care for Him!

We can demonstrate our care as:

� I care about how He feels. What grieves Him? What causes Him to rejoice? What angers Him?

� I care about what He has said to me. “You received the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

� I have a desire to know Him. “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

Pause and Reflect:

Consider how you might have recently expressed your care for the Lord. Have you expressed care about His heart? His hopes? His Word? His desire to relate to you?

I’ve recently demonstrated my care for the Lord by______________________ _____________________________________________________________

Now, tell Him of your gratitude for His care and how you desire to return care to Him.

IV. Vulnerable Communication: “I trust you.”

God has vulnerably shared with us. We have a “Cornerstone” who gets real with us.

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

He progressively reveals to me His will regarding my life (revelation).

He reveals to me what He wants to do in other situations (other people’s lives, my church, my community, the world).

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L–7 Entering often into Spirit-led praise and worship

The article entitled “When Jesus Prayed” by George Wood provides an added resource. (Click Here)

During His earthly ministry, Jesus vulnerably shared His:

� Hurts: “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me” (John13:21).

� Frustrations: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” (John 14:9).

� Needs: “I am thirsty” (John 19:28).

� Feelings of Joy: “I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

� Sadness: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

� Rejections: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18).

� Hopes: “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5).

Encountering Jesus:

“Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ my Lord” (Romans 7:25).

Meditate quietly on the aspects of Christ’s vulnerability that are mentioned above. Reflect on how He has vulnerably shared His hurts, frustrations, sadness, rejections and hopes. As you read each verse, allow your heart to respond to Jesus, the Cornerstone—with praise—with worship.

Lord Jesus, as I read about Your ____________________________________

my heart is moved with__________________________________________

and I want to tell You____________________________________________

For example: Lord Jesus, as I read about Your frustrations, my heart is moved with compassion and understanding. I want to tell You how saddened I am that You experienced frustration with those closest to You. It hurts my heart to think about what that must have been like for You.

We can vulnerably share with God.

Like the Psalmists of the Bible, we can tell God how we’re feeling and what we’re thinking. He has even provided for us a supernatural way to communicate to Him. We can express the deep things in our hearts, even when we don’t know the right words to say, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).

We can vulnerably communicate with God:

� How we’re feeling—our joys and disappointments, our hopes and anxieties

� What we’re thinking—our plans and ideas, our choices and decisions

� Our struggles and temptations

� Why is it so important for me to share with God even if He already knows? God wants to hear from us: it’s the reciprocal aspect of intimacy. He cares.

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Colossians 3:16 Moment:

“Let the Word of Christ dwell deeply in you . . .” (Col. 3:16).

Pastor/Teacher: Share a recent time when you sensed God was involving you to share His care with others. Reflect on a recent time when you sensed you were “co-laboring” with Christ—a time when you and Jesus were sharing life and love with others. Talk with a partner or small group about your experience.

I sensed the Lord was pleased to involve me in . . .

For example: I sensed the Lord was pleased to involve me in being the salt and light in my world. I was able to talk about my faith during my summer school class. It felt great to be bold enough to declare my love for Jesus. I think He was pleased with my courage.

� It’s important and an expression of our faith for us to share. We are not alone.

� Our trusting vulnerability distinguishes us from those who are not following Christ.

� Gives God the opportunity to give discernment and guidance through His Spirit. “In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6).

� God has made it a condition for His response, “Call to me and I will answer you” (Jeremiah 33:3). “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).

Pause and Reflect:

Jesus, I want to share some of the things on my heart. I have recently been experiencing…

For example: Jesus, I want to share some of the things on my heart. I have recently been experiencing frustration in my marriage. I feel some of the same things You must have experienced. The one person who is closest to me doesn’t seem to understand or really know me. It hurts to say that. I need Your comfort and wisdom.

V. Joint Accomplishment: “I need you.”

We have a Cornerstone who longs to involve us.

God wants to involve me! He wants to involve me in:

� Distributing His divine grace: (love, comfort, acceptance, forgiveness) to others—(John 15:12; 2 Corinthians 1:3–5; Romans 15:7; Colossians 3:13).

� Reconciling men to God: “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

� Sharing His truth: “If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me” (1 Corinthians 9:17).

� Being light and salt in the world: “But you are a chosen people . . . that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

� Preparing His Son’s bride: “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).

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M-1 Imparting the gospel and one’s very life in daily activities

and relationships, vocation and community

Engage Community:

Christ, the Cornerstone, would be pleased to hear of your need of Him. Reflect on these possibilities . . .

I need Christ to:

� Empower me to be the spouse, parent, and friend I need to be: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

� Abundantly provide for my physical, emotional, and spiritual needs (Philippians 4:19).

� Empower me for ministry: “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:1–4).

� Be my everything: “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Experiencing Scripture:

“Spur one another on toward love and good deeds . . .” (Hebrews 10:24)

Consider the statement:

At this point in my life, I need Christ to _______________________________

For example: At this point in my life, I need Christ to abundantly provide for my physical needs. Since I’m now the only parent at home, I’m asking God to bring plenty of sales leads so that I can provide for our family.

Share your responses with a partner or small group, allowing others to speak into your life with encouraging words, and then pray for one another.

VI. Mutual Giving: “I love you.”

God loves me! We have a Cornerstone who IS love.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1)!

“God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. God demon-strated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:5, 8).

I can express love to God through:

� Expressing my thanks to Him (Psalms 7:17)

� Praising Him (Psalms 150)

� Worshiping Him (Psalms 95:6)

� Loving His people (1 John 2–3)

� Keeping His commandments (John 14:15)

M-10 Living submissively within His Body, the Church as instruction and

encouragement, reproof, and correction are graciously received by faithful disciples

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The Apostle Paul’s magnificent commitment was to know Christ: “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). We too, should strive to know Him deeply and intimately. The four intimacy ingredients provide us with a practical strategy and a plan of action for pursuing a close relationship with Christ, our Cornerstone.

Engage Community:

“…the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).

Consider the five expressions of love noted, plus any others He may bring to mind. Talk to Jesus about your own commitment to better know Him and love Him.

Lord Jesus, I long to know You better and love You more deeply. I am especially committed to _________________________________________________

For example: Lord Jesus, I long to know You better and to love You more deeply.

I am especially committed to loving Your people well. As I grow in my ability to love others around me, I want to experience a greater appreciation for how You love me.

Now pray together with confidence that these things will become true, claiming the promise of 1 John 5:14–15:

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”

L-3 Experiencing God as He really is through deepened intimacy with Him