A Dwelling Place for God

Where God Dwells

Building temples.  . . . Bricks.  Stones.  Mortar.  Beams.  Building materials.  How many building programs have you been a part of?  How many times have you hauled materials, swung a hammer, painted a wall or door frame?  That's what we often think about when it comes to building temples or churches.  We even dedicated buildings when we are finished with the construction project.  All of which is well and good.  But when the scriptures, particularly the New Testament talks about building dwelling places in which God lives, it is something quite different from what we have been describing that it talks about.

"But Wait," someone says, "how about the sanctuary in the Old Testament . . . and the temple . . . those were physical buildings!  Lots of bricks and mortar there!"  But if you keep on reading and listening you will notice that they were structures that had symbolic significance that pointed beyond themselves - symbols that gave way to the reality when Jesus came (remember Him saying, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again"?).  Jesus was the reality that replaced what the temple pointed toward - it was in Jesus that all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily . . . and the reality of Jesus' presence is extended in the world today through the community that Jesus established, which the Bible describes as the "Body of Christ" - the church  (See 1 Cor 12).

The temple that Jesus talks about and that Paul describes has very little to do with bricks and mortar, and a lot to do with people and community - both of which are infused with God's Spirit.  There are no more "holy places" per se but rather "holy people."  Or to put it another way, whenever and wherever the community of believers gather, that is the temple, and we are standing on holy ground wherever that ground may be.  

That is what Pastor Jon explores with us this morning, as he talks about what it means to be a part of this community, this body, this living temple.  If you would like to listen to the sermon again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here.