[The Temple of the Holy Spirit]
Acts 7:44-50
It is a pity that we cannot go to church because of COVID-19. Until just a day ago, we had a lot of trouble deciding how to worship because it was an emergency, but we decided to go online for our Huimoon High School worship service. I hope we remember that there may be times when we cannot worship even if we want to. So, for a day like today, a day where we cannot worship in the temple, the title of todays sermon is 'The Holy Temple.' It seems that God gave us this title for us to worship in the temple of the Holy Spirit, even when our bodies are not in the temple together. Today, we will be focusing on the temple of the Holy Spirit.
First, everything must be constructed according to the pattern that God has directed.
The testimony plate of the Ten Commandments was placed in the ark, this ark of the testimony was placed in the sacred place of the tabernacle, and Stephen called this place the tabernacle of evidence. So, the most important thing in the tabernacle was the evidence (Gods Word). God taught the meaning of the temple through the Ten Commandments and with forms and figures of the tabernacle in Exodus 25-40. God mentioned the forms and figures of the tabernacle repeatedly and with preciseness, which means for us that we mustnt be negligent in faith. The form of the tabernacle are rules for us to build our own crosses for Christ. Since this is difficult, we are reminded that our following and longing for Gods Word builds the temple. Having Q.T. activities are part of the process of building the tabernacle. However, the inside of the tabernacle is not only beautiful. It is also a place for atonements and offerings, so you may hear the sounds that are heard in hell, such as wailing, and you may smell the scent of blood. The reason for this is because we think we are capable of living by ourselves, without God, and we remove those thoughts there. While people worshiped in the tabernacle, they worshiped their idols, Baalpeor and Molech. The people placed God in the center of their faith and believed the Temple to be a great place, but focused on sacrifices that God did not want. This caused the downfall of the Temple and the crucifiction of Jesus Christ.
In spite of this, Gods love allowed his children to be forgiven from their sins, even as they entered the land of Canaan. This is also why we must have a temple, since it may be difficult for us to repent alone. We should try repenting with others in groups, such as sharing with others in church. We must all give thanks to our loving God, who has forgiven our sins.
App) Do you enjoy participating in QT activities or do you find it mundane because you have difficulties understanding the Word of God?
Do you go to church because it is a place of joy, or for a charm of luck?
Second, God must build the temple.
After spending 40 years in the wilderness and settling in Canaan, God drove out the foreigners that dwelled there through an important figure who revealed the coming of Jesus-- Joshua. When it came to Davids time, David prayed that he would help prepare for Gods reign. Stephen said it was 'for the house of Jacob', but we actually had to understand how our temple was wicked as Jacob and evil as a sinner. God refused to build the temple because David shed so much blood in the war, but God was still happy for what he did. Because David would succeed the eternal throne through Christ, God made an eternal covenant to David that he would build an eternal house for him. David confessed to God, who refused to build the temple by saying that he was a sinner who could not live without the blessings of God. Like this, it pleases God when we know their personal stances. There may be times where we want to do things out of good intentions, and there may also be a lot of things we cannot do because of God. But, if we keep on discerning, obeying, and applying lessons in life for God, our spiritual descendents in the future will be able to continuously build on to Gods temple, which by then, will be mighty. When it came to the ruling of Solomon, the temple was built. This was about 490 years later when the children of God got out of Egypt. So, what all of this means is that we mustnt want to build a fake temple and become presentable for others. The prophecies of Stephen, which are, 'The seeds that will grow within you, I will plant them behind you and stabilize His kingdom,' and 'I will forever secure the throne of His kingdom.' were meant for Jesus Christ, not Solomon. Solomon asked, 'how God would live in the temple,' and said that his prayer would be, 'look at this place,' if there was crying for bloodshed and repentance in the temple. The temple is where God meets sinners for our holiness, so only God must build it.
App) Are you making a house for God, or is God making a house for you?
Third, our bodies are the temple of God.
God does not dwell in a place that is built by people.
Still, we are full of our own thoughts because we continue to say that God is present in a place built by our own hands. Our bodies are evidence of Gods tabernacle. We should not forget that we are active and living temples of God.
Because of this, we must be walking temples of God that are on the mission to show the presence of God and explain his message with our words and actions to the people of the world. The temple must holy, and that cannot be shown if you are a homosexual, watch porn, drink, smoke, and do drugs. Even if you may have a relationship with God and speak with Him because he is a part of you, He accompanies us by teaching through the Bible. Stephen quoted God in Isaiah 66:1-2 that 'it is not my job to live in the luxurious temple that I built, but to look back on those who repent and have nothing in their hearts.' Stephen continues and ends his sermon by talking about the temple of the Holy Spirit and saying that we should not be obsessed with the things we have made with our hands. Wooridle Church used to not have a temple. However, because we have built our individual temples by repenting our sins in tears and confessing that we are sinners that cannot do anything with our own strength, God has built a physical temple which we are in today. I hope that you will repent for your weaknesses and wickedness to the Lord in your Q.T. forms everyday, and I sincerely hope that you all will continue to build your temples for God, who always accompanies us, and for the visible and invisible Holy Spirit.
App) What are the things made by your hands that you adore?
Do you believe your body is the temple?
