Sermon Central
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Sermon # 30 - We Are God's Temple Series
Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Jun 25, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: In the Old Testament the temple was the central place of worship. However, in the New Testament the focus is on the church, which is not a building, but a people of God who come together for teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
We read in Act 2:46-47, And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, ate their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Webster)
There are two words in the above mentioned verses that I would like to highlight in this message. In verse 46 there is a reference to the temple, and in verse 47 that is a reference to the church. Whether we refer to the temple of God or the church of God we realize that God is the focal point of both.
We will try to understand what the bible means with reference to the temple of God, and the church of God. As God is the central focus of the temple or the church, we will first and foremost try to comprehend who our God truly is.
God is holy
In Isaiah 6:3, we read, “And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Webster)
The prophet Isaiah in a vision beheld the Lord God seated on His throne, and around the throne of God, these were the happenings that he observed. The angels were worshipping God by declaring that the Lord of hosts was most holy, and that the earth was full of His glory. If there is one word to define who God is, it is the word ‘Holy’ for our God is a most holy One.
We read in Habakkuk 1:13, “Your eyes are too pure to gaze upon evil; and you cannot tolerate wickedness.”(ISV)
God is so holy that His eyes cannot even gaze upon evil, and He does not tolerate wickedness.
Let us be reminded that our God is a most holy God, and He gave man the authority to rule over all of His creation. The work entrusted to man was to rule and exercise authority over everything that God made. Just as a government employee is entrusted with powers by the government to carry out certain duties, so also man was endowed with powers by God to exercise rule over God’s creation. However, when Adam and Eve disobeyed the commandment of the holy God and dishonored Him, this was the consequence.
We read in Genesis 3:24, “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” (ASV)
When Adam and Eve got deceived by the serpent, and disobeyed the Holy God, both of them were driven out of God’s presence. The Lord also prevented from entering again into that Garden of Eden, lest they gain access to the tree of life. The Lord therefore kept a cherubim with a flaming sword to keep Adam and Eve out of that garden. Only after being driven out of God’s presence, Adam and Eve must have recognized what they had, and also must have discussed with each other about what they had forfeited.
It must have been these narrations about God that probably motivated their children Cain and Abel to bring sacrifices to the Lord. However, all those who descended after Adam and Eve, could never enjoy the wonderful presence of God that Adam and Eve relished in the Garden of Eden. While God remained holy, mankind became defiled because of sin.
The tabernacle in the wilderness
Many years later these were the word of God to Moses as recorded in Exodus 25:8,"The people will build a holy place for me. Then I can live among them.” (ERV)
The Lord wanted to dwell amongst the people of Israel. We see that the Almighty God is so loving that He wanted to make His abode with human beings. Though mankind was filled with sin and wickedness, it was still God’s amazing love that prompted Him to have this fellowship with fallen man. As the Israelites were wandering through the wilderness, they set up a tent into which the presence of the Lord descended. God’s desire we see is that He should come, and dwell among His people.
The temple at Jerusalem
After the wanderings of the Israelites were all done, they entered the Promised Land. It was after they had settled there that King Solomon built the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. Even the foundation of this temple was made of expensive stones. This temple was dedicated to the Lord, and these were the words of the Lord as recorded below.
We read in 2 Chronicles 7:15, “Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent, unto the prayer that is made in this place.” (ASV)
