The Temple

MESSAGE SUMMARY

One of the more common questions and comments that young believers raise is about the presence of God.

• How do we feel God’s presence?
• How do we know God is with us and in us?

In this series, we will introduce the Holy Spirit, who, as Jesus taught, dwells with us and is in us (John 14:17).

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he wrote the following concerning the lifestyle and faith of the Christians in Corinth:

• Flee from sexual immorality.  Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.  (1 Corinthians 7:18)
• Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Paul is comparing our bodies to the Jerusalem temple that hosted the presence of God.

• It’s intricate, holy, and sacred in its design and construction.
• It’s costly in his price and sacrifices.
• In the same way, our bodies are holy, sacred, and set apart for God.
• The price of our temple is much greater - for Jesus Christ was the sacrifice to purify our bodily temple.

So we are to glorify God in our bodies.  Two ways to glorify God in our bodies:

• Clean up the house
  • Is there anything in your “temple” that you wouldn’t want the Holy Spirit to see?
  • Is there anything that you can clean up that will bring delight to the Holy Spirit?
  • Confess and bring it to the light with other believers
• Give up the keys
  • Give control to the owner of the house
  • He is a good God and a good owner, he can be trusted with all your life
  • The Holy Spirit does not force his way into our temple - the more we give up, the more he will fill up.

God’s promise to the temple to us today is the same as the Old Testament

• His eyes and ears will be attentive to us, his heart will be there for all time (2 Chronicles 7:16)
• God’s presence is coming to the world through us as mobile temples to bring healing and restoration.

MUSIC CREDIT