Good Housekeeping

-A church is a special place because we have set it apart as a place of worship. However, you find no reference in the Bible about the upper room being referred to as a special holy place- yet that is where the Holy Spirit was first poured out. And when the Jewish temple itself was destroyed in 70 A.D. it did not leave God homeless. First of all, He doesn’t live in temples made by hands. He lives in flesh and blood temples- you and me!

-I have many fond memories of going to my Grandma & Grandpa’s house near Sandy, Oregon. As kids we’d ride the little Honda 50 all over, explore the back woods and the creek, snoop through Grandpa’s greenhouse, raid the strawberry and raspberry patches. That is the house where I fell into the fireplace and was in the hotseat for awhile. So many fond memories…. Well, several years later, after my Grandparents had moved to Vancouver, I went back and looked at the house. Somebody else lived there and everything was just different. It was then that I realized, it wasn’t the place that was so special, it was the people. My grandparents made that place special.

-For us, this physical building is nothing unless God shows up here. And the only reason God shows up here is because He comes to church with you and me. No people, no presence. Where is the place of the temple? Wherever those who follow Christ are.

-TS: With that said, let’s look at why temples exist.

II. The Purpose of the Temple (Prayer, Worship, & Ministry)

-In Mark 11:17 Jesus quotes Isaiah saying, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” From OT times, when Israel carried the Tabernacle of God with them as a kind of temporary temple, it was known as a place where God was present. Later, when David had it in his heart to build a temple, God said, not yet. However, they still had the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant, and under David’s rule worship teams were formed so that there was continual praise going on in the tabernacle. Can you imagine having worship going 24/7? That’s better than a Walmart Supercenter! Anytime night or day, come and worship the Lord!

-Well, possibly the most basic purpose of the temple was to provide a place where people could connect with God. As we’ve already established, we are now God’s temple. We can connect with God anytime day or night, and we can help others connect with Him as well. And just as the Biblical temple was a place of prayer and worship, so we should also become people of prayer and worship.

-Again, Jesus specifically referred to His Father’s house as being a house of prayer for all nations – not for the Jews only. God-fearing Gentiles needed a place where they could come and connect with the God of Israel, Creator of all things.

-But many of the religious temple authorities in Jesus’ time were not interested in true worship or providing a place of prayer for Gentile dogs! No, they were interested in making money and fulfilling their sacrificial duties. However, what they failed to realize was that God does not want your sacrifice if He does not have your heart.