Building a Unified Temple for God's Presence

Devotional

Day 1: Shifting Focus from Self to Community

In our journey of faith, it is easy to become preoccupied with personal achievements and recognition, even within ministry. However, the true essence of our faith lies in being part of a unified temple where God's presence dwells. This requires a shift in focus from individual accolades to building a community centered on Christ. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's desire for a dwelling place among His people, transcending personal ambitions and embracing a collective purpose. [01:14]

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

Reflection: What is one way you can contribute to building a Christ-centered community this week, rather than seeking personal recognition?

Day 2: Breaking Barriers for Unity

The story of the Tower of Babel serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking personal glory. In contrast, through Jesus' sacrifice, the barriers that once divided us have been broken, calling us to come together as one temple where God can reside. This unity is not just a theological concept but a practical call to action, inviting us to break down walls of division and embrace our shared identity in Christ. [02:43]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV): "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: Identify a barrier in your life that prevents unity with others. How can you actively work to break it down and foster unity in your community?

Day 3: Longing for God's Presence

King David's desire to build a house for God exemplifies the heart we should have—a longing for God's presence above all else. Our ultimate goal should be to dwell in the house of the Lord, prioritizing His presence over personal ambitions. This longing calls us to create spaces in our lives where Christ can dwell, not for our own recognition, but to be near Him and experience His transformative presence. [04:09]

Psalm 27:4 (ESV): "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."

Reflection: How can you create a space in your daily routine to prioritize God's presence and seek His beauty?

Day 4: Building the Body of Christ

In today's world, it's easy to build towers for ourselves through social media and personal brands. However, we are called to build the body of Christ, drawing people from different nationalities to create a dwelling place for God. This requires intentionality in our interactions and a commitment to unity, recognizing that our diverse backgrounds enrich the tapestry of God's kingdom. [05:33]

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take to connect with someone from a different background and build the body of Christ together?

Day 5: Embracing the Church as Family

The church is not just a place to visit for personal time with the Lord; it's a family, a body meant to be together. As we unite, God's presence will dwell among us, fulfilling His desire for a unified temple. This calls us to embrace the church as a family, investing in relationships and fostering a sense of belonging that reflects God's heart for His people. [08:18]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to the sense of family within your church community this week?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, it's easy to fall into the trap of seeking personal recognition and building a name for ourselves, even in ministry. For many years, I found myself shining a light on my own abilities and achievements, desiring to be an outstanding communicator and preacher. However, I've come to realize that this is not the path I want to pursue. Instead, I want to be part of something greater—a temple where Jesus Christ is the foundation, and we are all joined together as one body, regardless of our backgrounds or nationalities.

The essence of our faith is not about individual accolades but about creating a dwelling place for God. This is what God desires—a unified temple where His presence can dwell among us. The story of the Tower of Babel serves as a reminder of the dangers of seeking personal glory. God scattered the people because they were trying to make a name for themselves. But through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, the barriers were broken, and we are called to come together as one temple, a place where God can reside.

King David's desire to build a house for God exemplifies the heart we should have. He longed for God's presence above all else, wanting to dwell in the house of the Lord all his days. This should be our goal as well—to build a place where Christ dwells, not for our own recognition, but to be near Him and experience His presence.

In today's world, it's easy to build towers for ourselves, whether through social media, personal brands, or platforms. But we must choose to build the body of Christ, drawing people from different nationalities to create a dwelling place for God. This is the future of the church—a commitment to unity and a desire to please God by joining ourselves with others.

The church is not just a place to visit for personal time with the Lord; it's a family, a body that is meant to be together. We must stop building towers to ourselves and instead join together, understanding that as we unite, God's presence will dwell among us.

Key Takeaways

1. The pursuit of personal recognition can distract us from our true purpose, which is to be part of a unified temple where God's presence dwells. We must shift our focus from individual achievements to building a community centered on Christ. [01:14]
2. The story of the Tower of Babel teaches us the dangers of seeking personal glory. Through Jesus' sacrifice, the barriers were broken, and we are called to come together as one temple, a place where God can reside. [02:43]
3. King David's desire to build a house for God exemplifies the heart we should have. Our ultimate goal should be to dwell in the house of the Lord, prioritizing His presence above all else. [04:09]
4. In today's world, it's easy to build towers for ourselves through social media and personal brands. We must choose to build the body of Christ, drawing people from different nationalities to create a dwelling place for God. [05:33]
5. The church is not just a place to visit for personal time with the Lord; it's a family, a body meant to be together. As we unite, God's presence will dwell among us, fulfilling His desire for a unified temple. [08:18]
** [08:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Personal Ambitions in Ministry
[01:14] - Joining the Temple of Christ
[02:05] - God's Desire for Unity
[02:43] - Reversing the Tower of Babel
[03:12] - Building a Unified Temple
[04:09] - David's Heart for God's Presence
[05:09] - The Temptation of Self-Building
[06:10] - Building the Body of Christ
[07:15] - Pleasing God Through Unity
[08:18] - Church as a Family
[09:08] - Experiencing God's Presence Together

Sermon Clips

"I wanted and at times pursued a name for myself and what I've learned now is I don't want this I don't want this I don't want to stand out I don't want everyone looking at me here's what I want I just want to just join this Temple to where you don't even see me you know I'm just joined with the temple Jesus Christ is the foundation." [00:58:21]

"The apostles and Prophets I'm joining all these Generations people who followed God for thousands of years and I'm like oh I just want to be a part of that I just want to attach myself to that and that's what he's saying here I don't care if you're Jewish I don't care if you're AR I don't care you know who whoever you are the idea is he came he died so that people from every single nation would form one Temple." [01:06:36]

"See at the Tower of Babel they were trying to make a name for themselves with this Tower and so God says I'm going to split you all up then I'm going to divide you everywhere so you can't do it but I'm going to use Abraham and then I'm going to use this nation and and he's going to draw everyone back cuz I want all all the nations together." [02:39:36]

"Everything that happened at the Tower of Babel it changed now we break down that wall and I'm bringing people back and I want people of every nation to come together because we are the temple now it's not like we're all to come together and build a temple on the mount again it's like no we form a temple that's what Ephesians 2 is about." [03:09:51]

"David Goes God I want to build you a house King David goes I want to build you a house why I want to build you a house so that you would live with us so not like Adam and Eve who wanted to separate from you not from all all of these people all around the world that just want to rebel against you David's going I want to build a house where you live cuz all I care about is your presence." [04:09:04]

"Man this is the one thing I ask and this is the one thing I'm after I just want to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life like that's the goal so it's easy in Ministry even to be like I want to build my Ministry and now it's like no I want to build a place where Christ dwells because I just want to be in his presence." [04:37:24]

"It's either you're going to spend your life building this a name for yourself that could be your goal and and and while we may not maybe none of you have an aspiration of building a tower for yourself literally physically we can do this online build a following build a name build a brand build a platform you're either going to spend your life building stuff for you or you decide." [05:20:16]

"I want to build the body of Christ I want to be a part of drawing people of different nationalities and creating this dwelling place because I don't care about a name for myself I care about the presence of God I want to build the temple and I really believe this is the future it has to be the future of the church enough of these Ministries and making a name for yourself." [06:03:63]

"Somehow we need to commit to go I want to join myself I really want to please God see if Ethan wanted to please God if Steve wanted to please God I don't believe you could please God without me without loving me in the same way if I want to please God I've got to join myself with you otherwise it's not pleasing to him." [06:39:59]

"I didn't come to just have you have personal relationships with me I'm building something different I'm building a temple and that's you guys this is the heart behind our church for us to understand that church is not a place you come and visit and have this personal time with the Lord the church was supposed to be like this family this body." [08:03:91]

"That's why you know even in the beginning when we're like hey let's gather together and what do we call it I'm like well there's no name because we are a church like it's not a place you go like he wants this body want this group of people that just always together it's like a family you don't you don't go to family you just are that." [08:31:72]

"If we really want to experience him we've got to stop building Towers to ourselves and we've got to say hey I just want to join myself with you guys because from what I understand in this book as we join ourselves God's going to dwell amongst us." [09:05:68]

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