Glorifying God: Our Bodies as Temples
Summary
In today's reflection, we delve into the profound truth that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, as articulated by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. This passage serves as a reminder of our intrinsic value and the divine purpose God has for each of us. Paul emphasizes that we are not our own; we have been bought with a price, underscoring the sacrificial love of Christ and the redemption we have received through His blood. This knowledge should compel us to glorify God in our bodies, recognizing that our lives are not merely our own to live as we please, but are meant to reflect His glory.
The analogy of the bodega owner in New York City, who marked all items at $800 to deter theft, illustrates the concept of value. Just as the owner wanted customers to recognize the true worth of his goods, Paul wants us to understand our worth in God's eyes. We are valuable because we belong to God, and this belonging is not based on our feelings or circumstances but on the truth of His Word.
Paul's rhetorical question, "Do you not know?" is a call to awareness and understanding. Our faith is not blind but is rooted in knowledge and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This presence transforms us, making us sacred vessels for God's work in the world. The Holy Spirit's indwelling is a gift from God, a testament to His desire for a deep relationship with us.
Moreover, Paul reminds us of our transformation through Christ. We have been washed, sanctified, and justified, marking a transition from our former lives to a new life in Christ. This transformation is not just a change in status but a call to live differently, to glorify God in every aspect of our lives. Our worship is not confined to a place or time but is a continuous offering of our entire being to God.
Finally, we are encouraged to live sacrificially, presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This involves a daily commitment to stay on the altar, resisting the temptation to live for ourselves. Our lives, lips, and legacy should all testify to the transformative power of Christ's love and the hope of resurrection.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding our value in God's eyes is crucial. We are not defined by our circumstances or feelings but by the truth that we are God's beloved, bought with a price. This knowledge should shape our identity and purpose. [03:46]
- The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a profound gift from God, signifying His desire for intimacy with us. This presence empowers us to live lives that reflect His glory and purpose. [07:23]
- Our transformation in Christ involves being washed, sanctified, and justified. This new life calls us to live differently, glorifying God in all we do. [12:57]
- Worship is a holistic offering of our entire being to God. It is not limited to specific times or places but is a continuous act of glorifying God with our bodies, minds, and spirits. [19:42]
- Living as a living sacrifice requires a daily commitment to stay on the altar, resisting the temptation to live for ourselves. Our lives, lips, and legacy should testify to the transformative power of Christ's love. [22:58]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:17] - The Price of Redemption
[02:48] - Understanding Our Value
[03:46] - The Call to Awareness
[05:35] - Knowledge and Faith
[07:23] - The Indwelling Spirit
[09:02] - Worship Beyond Walls
[10:41] - God's Desire for Us
[11:37] - Transformation in Christ
[12:57] - Washed, Sanctified, Justified
[13:35] - The Legal Term of Justification
[16:54] - Ownership and Creation
[17:44] - Redemption at Calvary
[18:53] - The Price Paid
[19:42] - Glorifying God in Our Bodies
[22:09] - Living Sacrifices
[24:13] - Glorifying with Life and Legacy
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
- Romans 12:1-2
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul mean when he says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? How does this concept relate to the idea of value discussed in the sermon? [07:23]
2. How does the analogy of the bodega owner in New York City help illustrate the concept of our value in God's eyes? [02:48]
3. What are the three transformations Paul mentions that believers undergo in Christ, according to the sermon? [12:57]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between knowledge and faith in the context of being a follower of Christ? [05:35]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does understanding our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit change how we view our daily actions and decisions? [09:02]
2. How does the sermon suggest that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live lives that reflect God's glory? [07:23]
3. What does it mean to live as a "living sacrifice," and how does this concept challenge conventional ideas of worship? [22:09]
4. How does the sermon explain the significance of being "bought with a price," and what implications does this have for our identity and purpose? [18:53]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to see your value in God's eyes. How can the truth that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit reshape your self-perception? [03:46]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of knowledge in faith. What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of God's Word and its application in your life? [05:35]
3. Consider the areas of your life where you might be "crawling off the altar." What practical steps can you take to remain committed to living as a living sacrifice? [22:58]
4. How can you incorporate the idea of worshiping God with your entire being into your daily routine, beyond just attending church services? [19:42]
5. Identify one specific way you can glorify God with your body this week. How can this action serve as a testimony to others about the transformative power of Christ's love? [19:42]
6. The sermon mentions the hope of resurrection as a motivation for living sacrificially. How does this hope influence your perspective on challenges and sacrifices in your life? [25:50]
7. Think about your legacy. What steps can you take to ensure that your life, lips, and legacy testify to the transformative power of Christ's love? [24:13]
Devotional
Day 1: Our True Worth in God's Eyes
Understanding our value in God's eyes is crucial. We are not defined by our circumstances or feelings but by the truth that we are God's beloved, bought with a price. This knowledge should shape our identity and purpose. The Apostle Paul reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing our intrinsic value and divine purpose. Just as the bodega owner in New York City marked all items at $800 to deter theft, we must recognize our worth in God's eyes. We belong to God, and this belonging is not based on our feelings or circumstances but on the truth of His Word. [03:46]
"For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:20, ESV)
Reflection: What are some ways you can remind yourself of your worth in God's eyes today, especially when faced with challenges or doubts?
Day 2: The Gift of the Holy Spirit
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a profound gift from God, signifying His desire for intimacy with us. This presence empowers us to live lives that reflect His glory and purpose. Paul uses the rhetorical question, "Do you not know?" to call us to awareness and understanding. Our faith is not blind but is rooted in knowledge and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This presence transforms us, making us sacred vessels for God's work in the world. The Holy Spirit's indwelling is a testament to God's desire for a deep relationship with us. [07:23]
"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence in your daily life, and what steps can you take to align your actions with His guidance?
Day 3: Transformation Through Christ
Our transformation in Christ involves being washed, sanctified, and justified. This new life calls us to live differently, glorifying God in all we do. Paul reminds us of our transformation through Christ, marking a transition from our former lives to a new life in Him. This transformation is not just a change in status but a call to live differently, to glorify God in every aspect of our lives. Our worship is not confined to a place or time but is a continuous offering of our entire being to God. [12:57]
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection: In what specific areas of your life do you feel called to reflect the transformation you have experienced in Christ, and how can you take practical steps to live out this change?
Day 4: Worship as a Holistic Offering
Worship is a holistic offering of our entire being to God. It is not limited to specific times or places but is a continuous act of glorifying God with our bodies, minds, and spirits. Paul emphasizes that our lives are not merely our own to live as we please but are meant to reflect His glory. Our worship should be a continuous offering, recognizing that every aspect of our lives is an opportunity to glorify God. This understanding calls us to live with intentionality, ensuring that our actions, thoughts, and words align with His purpose. [19:42]
"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." (Hebrews 13:15, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate acts of worship into your daily routine, ensuring that your entire being is offered to God in praise and service?
Day 5: Living as a Living Sacrifice
Living as a living sacrifice requires a daily commitment to stay on the altar, resisting the temptation to live for ourselves. Our lives, lips, and legacy should testify to the transformative power of Christ's love. Paul encourages us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This involves a daily commitment to resist the temptation to live for ourselves and instead live for God's glory. Our lives should testify to the transformative power of Christ's love and the hope of resurrection. [22:58]
"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: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
1. "If you don't know who you are you will not appreciate whose you are and the apostle Paul is is emphatically stating to this house church in the city of Corinth he is emphatically stating unto them that you are valuable you matter to God." [03:46] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "There will be days where you will not feel saved. Lord, help me. There will be times where you will not feel like you are God's child. But Paul is saying there are signs. Some things you must know. Here it is. He says. that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you." [05:35] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God is preparing a people for his temple. You see what God is doing. God is infiltrating the world with his people. God is establishing his kingdom through the presence of his people he says the Holy Spirit lives on the inside how many of you know that we are beneficiaries of an inside job greater is here that's in us than he that is in the world it's not what's on you as much as it is who is in you." [07:23] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You can't want more of God than God wants more of you. God desires you and I as more than we desire him. And he's benefited us. He's gifted us. He has granted us his spirit." [10:41] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "There was a former life, but now you have a brand new life. And that brand new life has been marked by, here it is, you've been washed. He says, you've been baptized into the body, into the family of God. You've been thoroughly cleansed. You have been washed completely. He says, but not only were you washed, he says, you've been sanctified. God saves us and then God sets us apart." [11:37] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "If the church ever comes to grips with who we really are we won't live inferior lives we won't live lusting after the proverbial Joneses we will be satisfied with who God has called redeemed and made us to be I believe that when the world is at its worst the church ought to be at its best." [14:47] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We're not our own because we didn't create ourselves. Pastor Williams read for us devotionally, Psalm 100. He says, know ye not that we are the sheep of his pasture. It is he who has made us, not we ourselves. So listen, he owns us in creation." [16:54] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "When Jesus says on the cross in those last seven statements when he says it is finished. He he wasn't saying that it was only finished for those that were at the cross. Are y 'all with me here? But he was speaking of those that came before the cross and those of us that come after the cross. When he says it is finished, he was speaking in terms of past, present, and future. He purchased us. Where did he do it? At Calvary." [18:53] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "There never should be a time where you are in private or public and you don't involve your entire being in glorifying God reverend you don't know me like that It's your first time in Chicago at Lily Dale. Hold up. I'm too dignified for that. I'm not cut like that." [19:42] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We ought to glorify God with our life on an altar yeah on an altar. Well if we're on an altar and we are glorifying him with our lips and we are glorifying him with our life. You do know that sacrifices they do die but as believers we're not afraid of death because there's a resurrection coming for us. So I glorify him in my life. I glorify him with my lips. And I glorify him with my life." [25:50] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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