Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, February 19, 2017
“You know you are the Temple of God, don’t you? You know the Holy Spirit dwells in you, don’t you?” You’ll remember that God’s Temple began as a large tent in the wilderness. They called it the Tabernacle. It was a portable Temple. Details of its construction are at the end of the book of Exodus. It was built the finest material and precious metals. It was broken down as the people of God traveled. It was rebuilt each time they reached their destination. For 40 years, this was the place to meet with God and where God met with his people. The glory of God—which looked like a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night led and dwelled among the people of God. And when they erected the Tabernacle, the glory of God would take up temporary residence. And so it was for many generations even when they entered the Promised Land. The Tabernacle remained the center of worship, sacrifices, and the forgiveness of sins until King David. But God would not let him but his son Solomon build it.
So when the time came, Solomon only had to say the word and they built it. It was a permanent structure—built out of precious stone, cedar, fabric, gold, and silver. When Solomon dedicated the Temple, he prayed these words:
“But will you, O God, indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! …Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive. ...Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel…comes and prays toward this house, then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name…” (1 Kings 8:27-43). Even the Temple made of stone in Jerusalem was to bless not just the people of God—but every tribe, nation, tongue, and people—just as God promised to bless Abraham and his family and, through them, bless all the families of the earth. Sadly, it was the people of God that got in the way of God’s vision and plan. Kings and queens rose up who served their own interests and not God’s mission. There were generations who forgot their greater purpose and call. The Temple was there to remind the Israelites of God’s universal reign. It’s purpose was not to give them a false sense of security to protect them from foreign threats. It’s purpose was to draw everyone in to God’s blessings and peace.
Solomon’s Temple was destroyed when God’s people were attacked by the Babylonians nearly 600 years before Christ. Nehemiah rebuilt the Temple a generation later—less glorious—so much it made those who remembered the first Temple grieve and weep. Jesus would predicted the destruction of the second Temple which happen in 70 AD. And maybe that is why Paul tells us that there is a new Temple being built—not one brick at a time—but one life-transformation at a time.
“You know you are the Temple of God, don’t you? You know the Holy Spirit dwells in you, don’t you?” Paul is concerned that the same kind of arrogance and division will undermine God’s Temple just as it did before. Just like before, there are threats on every side. And it is tempting to live in fear and to trust in the strength of human leaders. It is easy to follow the path of least resistance and look only after ourselves and put our energy into self-preservation. Some people thought that Paul or Apollos or Peter had the answer. It is not unlike our divisions today whether they are different denominations or camps. “No,” Paul says, “There is only one foundation to this Temple—that is Jesus Christ.” We build with humility—not the wisdom of humanity—but the wisdom of God. We know that it is a privilege to serve God and one another. We know that we build Christ’s Church not by our strength but by the sweat and blood of Jesus who carried his Cross and gave his life for the world.
“You know you are the Temple of God, don’t you? You know the Holy Spirit dwells in you, don’t you?” What an exciting time! We are living in the third and final wave of Temple construction. This new Temple is not just portable and headed toward the Promised Land. This new Temple is not just being constructed in one city among a people of one ethnic heritage. It is universal. The Holy Spirit is breaking ground all around the world—boldly ignoring human borders—joyfully bringing diverse people together into one building project. A new Temple construction has already begun. It is not built of costly fabrics, wood, stone, gold, or silver—but of you, and you, and you—and of them—whoever they may be—those God is calling to himself. This building has one Name upon its foundation: Jesus Christ. He is the one who lived, died, and rose again to unite people from all over the world and bring them into one structure of grace, mercy, and love. There is a beautiful slogan placarded on this new Temple: “All belong to you. You belong to Christ. Christ belongs to God.” We are co-heirs. We are vested. We are God’s investment paid with his blood. Christ is God’s gift to the world. You are God’s Temple for the world.
“You know you are the Temple of God, don’t you? You know the Holy Spirit dwells in you, don’t you?”
O Spirit, who didst once restore
Thy Church that it might be again
The bringer of good news to men
Breath on Thy cloven Church once more.
That in these gray and latter days
There may be those whose life is praise,
Each life a high doxology
To Father, Son, and unto Thee.
("O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth" LSB 834, v. 1)
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