Becoming Living Temples: Embracing God's Presence Within

Devotional

Day 1: The Shift from Ritual to Transformation

The transition from the Old Testament temple to the New Testament temple within us signifies a profound shift from external rituals to internal transformation. In the Old Testament, the temple was a physical structure where God's presence dwelled, and rituals were performed to maintain holiness. With the coming of Christ, this changed dramatically. The new covenant established through Jesus invites believers to become living temples, where God's Spirit resides within them. This transformation calls for a life of holiness and purity, as our bodies are now the dwelling place of God's Spirit. The emphasis is no longer on external rituals but on the internal transformation that reflects God's presence in our lives. [39:28]

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you focus on internal transformation rather than external rituals in your spiritual life today?

Day 2: The Seriousness of Sin

Sin is a serious matter that defiles the temple of God within us. It is not merely an offense to God but also a self-inflicted wound that harms us. The call to cleanse our temples is a call to invite Jesus to purify us, to rid us of addictions and sins that defile our spiritual sanctuaries. This cleansing is essential for maintaining the holiness of the temple within us. The Apostle Paul’s teachings to the Corinthians remind us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we must honor God with our lives. By seeking Jesus' help, we can overcome sin and live in righteousness, ensuring that our spiritual temples remain pure and holy. [40:28]

"Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1, ESV)

Reflection: What specific sin or addiction do you need to bring before Jesus today for cleansing and healing?

Day 3: Living Sacrifices and Christ's Light

The elements of the temple, such as the altar and lampstand, symbolize the ongoing need for sacrifice and the presence of Christ's light within us. The altar represents the need for us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, allowing God to burn away our old selves and sins. The lampstand, representing Christ as the light of the world, calls us to let His light shine through us, illuminating the darkness around us. As living sacrifices, we are called to surrender our lives to God, allowing His transformative work to take place within us. By doing so, we become vessels of His light, shining brightly in a world that desperately needs His presence. [47:14]

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you present yourself as a living sacrifice today, allowing Christ's light to shine through you?

Day 4: The Power of Personal Testimonies

Personal testimonies of faith, like the story of the Japanese businessman, illustrate the power of obedience and the impact of sharing our faith. God uses our willingness to testify to reach others and bring them to Him. These testimonies serve as powerful reminders of God's work in our lives and the lives of others. By sharing our stories, we can inspire and encourage others to seek God and experience His transformative power. The challenge is to overcome fear and trust in the higher help that resides within us, enabling us to attempt great things for God. [56:11]

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

Reflection: Who can you share your personal testimony with today, and how might it impact their life?

Day 5: Overcoming Fear and Embracing Faith

Overcoming fear and trusting in the higher help within us enables us to attempt great things for God. We are called to reject fear, embrace our identity as God's temple, and boldly share our faith with others. This requires a deep trust in God's presence within us and a willingness to step out in faith, even when it feels uncomfortable or challenging. By embracing our identity as God's temple, we can confidently face the challenges of life, knowing that we are empowered by His Spirit to accomplish His purposes. [01:07:25]

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

Reflection: What fear is holding you back from embracing your identity as God's temple, and how can you take a step of faith today to overcome it?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound symbolism of the temple in both the Old and New Testaments, emphasizing the transition from a physical structure to a spiritual dwelling within us. The dedication of Solomon's temple, with its immense sacrifices, was a testament to God's presence and holiness. However, with the coming of Christ, the need for such sacrifices was fulfilled, and a new covenant was established. This new covenant invites us to become the living temples of God, where His Spirit dwells within us.

The seriousness of sin was highlighted, reminding us that God desires a pure temple. Sin is not just an offense to God but also a self-inflicted wound that harms us. The call to cleanse our temples is a call to invite Jesus to purify us, to rid us of addictions and sins that defile our spiritual sanctuaries. The Apostle Paul’s teachings to the Corinthians serve as a reminder that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we must honor God with our lives.

We also delved into the elements of the temple, such as the altar and the lampstand, which symbolize the sacrifice of Christ and the light of His presence within us. The altar represents the ongoing need for us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, allowing God to burn away our old selves and sins. The lampstand, representing Christ as the light of the world, calls us to let His light shine through us, illuminating the darkness around us.

The narrative of personal testimonies illustrated the power of obedience and the impact of sharing our faith. Whether it was the story of the Japanese businessman or the encounter with the night nurse, these accounts demonstrated how God uses our willingness to testify to reach others. The challenge is to overcome fear and trust in the higher help that resides within us, enabling us to attempt great things for God.

Key Takeaways

1. The transition from the Old Testament temple to the New Testament temple within us signifies a shift from external rituals to internal transformation. Our bodies are now the dwelling place of God's Spirit, calling us to live in holiness and purity. [39:28]
2. Sin is a serious matter that defiles the temple of God within us. It not only offends God but also harms us. We are called to cleanse our temples by seeking Jesus' help to overcome sin and live in righteousness. [40:28]
3. The elements of the temple, such as the altar and lampstand, symbolize the ongoing need for sacrifice and the presence of Christ's light within us. We are called to be living sacrifices and to let Christ's light shine through us. [47:14]
4. Personal testimonies of faith, like the story of the Japanese businessman, illustrate the power of obedience and the impact of sharing our faith. God uses our willingness to testify to reach others and bring them to Him. [56:11]
5. Overcoming fear and trusting in the higher help within us enables us to attempt great things for God. We are called to reject fear, embrace our identity as God's temple, and boldly share our faith with others. [67:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:39] - Solomon's Temple Dedication
[35:20] - The New Temple Within Us
[36:44] - Cleansing the Temple
[37:57] - The Seriousness of Sin
[39:28] - Our Bodies as God's Temple
[41:05] - Warning Against Defiling the Temple
[42:33] - Living Sacrifices
[45:39] - The New Testament Temple
[46:54] - The Altar and the Fire
[50:33] - The Lampstand and the Light
[52:37] - The Altar of Incense
[53:15] - Access to the Holy of Holies
[54:52] - The Call to Be a House of Prayer
[56:11] - Personal Testimonies of Faith
[67:25] - Rejecting Fear and Embracing Faith

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
John 14:23

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Observation Questions:

What was the significance of the sacrifices made during the dedication of Solomon's temple, and how did God respond to them? ([34:59])
According to the sermon, what does the Apostle Paul remind the Corinthians about their bodies in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17? ([40:09])
How does the sermon describe the role of the altar and the lampstand in the New Testament temple within us? ([46:54])
What personal testimonies were shared in the sermon to illustrate the power of obedience and sharing faith? ([56:11])

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the transition from the Old Testament temple to the New Testament temple within us change the way we view our relationship with God? ([39:28])
In what ways does sin defile the temple of God within us, and why is it important to cleanse our spiritual sanctuaries? ([40:28])
How do the elements of the temple, such as the altar and lampstand, symbolize the ongoing need for sacrifice and the presence of Christ's light within us? ([47:14])
What role does fear play in preventing us from sharing our faith, and how can we overcome it according to the sermon? ([01:07:25])

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your own life: Are there any "temple cleansing" actions you feel called to take? What steps can you take to invite Jesus to purify your spiritual sanctuary? ([36:44])
Consider the seriousness of sin as discussed in the sermon. What specific sins or addictions might be defiling your temple, and how can you seek Jesus' help to overcome them? ([37:57])
The sermon emphasizes being a living sacrifice. What does it mean for you personally to present yourself as a living sacrifice, and how can you let Christ's light shine through you this week? ([47:14])
Think about a time when fear held you back from sharing your faith. How can you trust in the "higher help" within you to overcome this fear and boldly share your testimony? ([01:07:25])
Reflect on the personal testimonies shared in the sermon. How can you use your own story of faith to reach others, and what practical steps can you take to share it this week? ([56:11])
The sermon challenges us to reject fear and embrace our identity as God's temple. What specific fears do you need to reject, and how can you embrace your identity in Christ more fully? ([01:07:25])
Identify one person in your life who might benefit from hearing your testimony. What is one specific action you can take this week to engage them in a spiritual conversation? ([56:11])

Sermon Clips

The old Tabernacle foreshadowed the new Temple and the new agreement between God and man so now we come to the temple of God uh in the new Testament what does that Temple look like and the Apostle Paul spoke with a very carnal church he spoke with the corent church and he reminded them that through faith in Christ through the Son of God when when they made this uh decision to follow Christ to give their lives to Christ to have their sins forgiven that they had become the temple of God. [00:39:19]

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the spirit of God dwells in you and then there comes a warning in verse 17 so first he says don't you know that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you and then verse 17 if anyone defiles the temple of God God will destroy him for the temple of God is Holy beloved which Temple you are you're holy so why would you allow s into your Holy Temple we don't need to do it anymore because God will help you if you ask him Jesus will help you. [00:40:05]

Flee flee that means run away from sexual immorality there's another verse that says flee youthful lust well I'm a strong Christian Lord I can I can deal with it no no no don't let pride get into your way don't be disobedient to God flee it says here flee sexual immorality every sin that a man does is outside the body but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body or do you not know that your temple that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have from God and you are are not your own for you were bought at a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are gods. [00:41:25]

The altar is to remind us of the sacrifice that Christ has made for us but there's a second reason, beloved that altar still has fire in it and then in Romans 12: 1 and 2 it tells us but I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a Living Sacrifice which is your be holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service now a Living Sacrifice is just that a Living Sacrifice means you're still alive but you're also a sacrifice and you come to a holy Altar and you lie down on that Holy Altar and let yourself be burned burnt of the old self burned of any sins. [00:46:54]

We ought to be on that Altar and that a sweet Savor Rises to God of this burnt sacrifice a sweet Aroma a sweet Aroma of our uh commitment to God a sweet Aroma where we cry out to him and where we say father I'm all yours I belong to you I belong to you father and so we give up all and we let it be burned for his glory and for his honor and that is a sweet smelling Aroma that will come from you and that sweet smelling Aroma will also will be heard and felt in your community it will be felt by your fellow workers it will be felt by your neighbors it will be felt by family members. [00:48:04]

The lampstand inside of you is Christ himself and then he said let my light shine through you let it shine through the world and in Matthew 5:4 to6 it says you you you are the light of the world Christ is supposed to shine from us Christ is to be seen and heard from us and in Matthew 5: 14-16 Jesus said you are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden nor do they light a lamp and put it underneath a basket but on a lampstand and it gives light to all praise God let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works. [00:50:57]

Christ is in you beloved Christ is in you in this new Temple and then we now come to the altar of incense and we know from The Book of Revelation that even as the prayers are said by the Saints they rise together with the smoke of the incense to arrive at God and so then we come to the entrance of the holy of holiest where God dwells in the old old Temple a priest could only enter once a year and then an amazing thing happened when Christ died on the cross and I believe most of you know about this but the curtain was torn the curtain was torn that divided the holiest of holy and free access was given to man from God to the father through the Lord Jesus Christ. [00:52:37]

God hates and detests sin are you a House of Prayer or or a den of Thieves are you a House of Prayer does God want to live inside of you God hates and detest sin and Ephesians 4:30 says and do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption and so when grieving occurs leing always includes tears and we read in the Old Testament that God wept over the nation of Israel we read in the New Testament that Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem because many would die many would reject Christ and then they died but beloved we are the temple of God and so we need to ask God a new to be cleansed from sin to be filled with his holy spirit. [00:54:52]

We have higher help and is Jesus with us us and in 1 John 4:4 it says you are of God little children and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world and this talks about Jesus the one who is in the world and evil is Satan the one who is in US is Christ himself praise God and we all know Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 where the Apostle Paul said I am crucified with Christ is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me I have higher help right within me if I want to believe it if I want to ask him for help so the New Testament Temple is inside of us. [00:59:11]

Attempt great things for God expect great things from God but let us start small let us start small so after I realized that I had all this higher health I thought well I better I better uh share my faith but I was very hesitant I was full of fear then one night and this was shortly after I was saved um uh I had uh a dream at night that I was to take a Bible uh to a Japanese businessman the Japanese businessman uh uh lived in Japan we had a joint venture with Hitachi and so uh the question was would I share a Bible with President hamamoto. [01:07:25]

I cannot share my faith with him but God wouldn't listen he wouldn't let me sleep and so for several nights I could not sleep and finally I got so over tired I said Lord I give in I give in I give in and I wrote to the uh uh American Bible society and ordered a Bible in Japanese and then we would have a board meeting with some Itachi board members and I would represent the American company and um I said Lord uh I have to bring presents for the other board members but I won't bring the Bible no you know take socks ties whatever and so we had them all wrapped up and my secretary also wrapped up this Bible. [01:10:20]

I said Lord cleanse me new Lord fill me with your Holy Spirit I don't know what to say and you know I just cry out quickly myself I say cleanse me a new fill me a new with your Holy Spirit then help me to give me words to say because I don't know what to say and then you have to believe that you're filled and that God will help you to do that and so words came out of my mouth and I said to her well that's wonderful that you have this belief in the goodness of the these Gods but can you tell me which one of these Gods is telling you the truth how do you know which one is telling you the truth. [01:16:03]

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Becoming Living Temples: Embracing God's Presence Within

Devotional

Day 1: The Shift from Ritual to Transformation

Day 2: The Seriousness of Sin

Day 3: Living Sacrifices and Christ's Light

Day 4: The Power of Personal Testimonies

Day 5: Overcoming Fear and Embracing Faith

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Becoming Living Temples: Embracing God's Presence Within

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