Introduction
Sometimes, it's good to review what we've learned before. Repeating things helps us remember them better. Today, we'll look at some verses we read yesterday from a new perspective.

Today’s Scripture
Ephesians 2:20-22 (New Living Translation)

"Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him, you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit."

Explanation and Reflection
In these verses, Paul tells us that we are like a house. For a house to be strong, it needs a good foundation. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 7:24-27:

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

Without question, Jesus cares deeply about what we build our lives on. Paul is no different. Paul shared that the church at Ephesus must be built on three things:

1. The Apostles
   The word apostle in the New Testament literally means “a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders.” The term apostle isn’t just a general term for anyone who does these things. It’s a specific term denoting those who knew Jesus Christ firsthand and, through the power of the Holy Spirit in a specific season, were called to lead and write in the early church so that we may have the New Testament that we enjoy today. They wrote scripture that is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). This includes Paul’s letter here to the believers at Ephesus.
2. The Prophets
   This term refers primarily to the prophets of the Old Testament (Moses, Elijah, Samuel, etc.), although some prophets are mentioned in the New Testament as well. Prophets in the Bible had two jobs. First, they foretold the future. Among the biggest and most important prophecies they told was of the coming savior, Jesus. The second job they had was forthtelling. This is when the prophets would boldly proclaim a truth already known, but warn the people that they were living out of alignment with God’s ways and needed to repent. The prophets were the great reformers in the Bible.
3. Christ
   Jesus Christ is the central figure in the Bible and the church. On him alone rests the hope and salvation of all people. That’s why Paul here refers to Christ as the “cornerstone.” Today, cornerstones are usually ceremonial on buildings and serve to commemorate the date of a building's construction. In the first century, the cornerstone was the first stone of the foundation stones and was critical to support all of the other stones. Christ comes before all things, and in him, all things are held together (Colossians 1:15-20). The life of Christ is found in the Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament. They help us become familiar with our cornerstone.

We do not have a legitimate church if it is not founded on the New Testament writings of the Apostles, the Old Testament writings of the prophets, and the Gospels about the life of Jesus Christ. These materials are critical not only for building a church but also for building a life. If one piece is missing, our lives are incomplete.

Question of the Day

Here's a question for you to think about and apply:

In reading the Bible, which areas of reading do you want to grow in the most? The epistles (letters of the New Testament), the Old Testament (the prophets and the law), or the Gospels (the writings about the life of Jesus)?