1 Peter 2:4-10

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b]

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[c]

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”[d]

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

In the above passage, Apostle Peter draws our attention to the importance of the Christian community, an emphasis that sometimes gets lost in individualistic cultures. Though Christians are individually converted and born again to a new life, we are not intended to remain in isolation. God's purpose is to build us together as "living stones" in his spiritual temple. God does not inhabit a building, he now lives in and among his people by the holy Spirit.

The promise that God will rebuild his church as revealed in Ezekiel 40-48 has already being fulfilled as God now dwells among his people, who themselves constitute the "temple" under the new covenant

John 1:14
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailling love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son

It is only as we joined together in worship, praise, and service will we function in the way God intended. Christians enjoy together the wonderful blessing of being the people God has chosen to carry out his mission to the world.

So what constitues the CHURCH then?

The church is now what Israel was originally, "a chosen people", "royal priest", and "God's very own possession".

We have being given a privileged status which comes with responsibilty.

To do what?

CONCLUSION

To proclaim God(Christ) to the nations. As we join in harmonious worship and together serve in various ministries that God plant us, our sole purpose is to show others the "goodness of God".

God bless