Temple

Spiritual Disciplines – Part 2 (The discipline of church participation)

Title: Love God – Love his body (church)... “love the head/love the body”

Text: 1 cor 3:10-17

Subject: Why does church engagement matter enormously?

Complement: since Christ has ascended – and the Spirit has been given - the church is now Christ’s body on earth – and is therefore holy. ... the firstfruits of heaven...(!)

1 Cor 3:16 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple – God will destroy that person, for God’s temple is sacred and you are that temple.” (NIV) “temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Big idea: “We are the temple (Tabernacle) of the Holy Spirit!”

Read text: 1 Cor 3:10-17 (spiritual disciplines...)

Introduction:

Lets begin with our name – “Elim Pentecostal Tabernacle”

What does “tabernacle” mean? ? place where God dwells! (Temple)

Move #1 - Elim ? “In reach...out reach...up reach”

Mission Statement (core identity)

Worship God,

cultivate Christian community,

build bridges.

Our Vision/mission/values...

Vision Statement: (aspire to...) At Elim we see a unified,

Multi-generational church where people are

engaged and equipped to share the love of Christ

with the community.

Core Values

Elim Pentecostal Tabernacle

(May 19, 2020)

1. Glorify God (gathered worship & scattered worship)

2. Outreach – sharing the gospel of salvation in Jesus

3. Discipleship – following him

4. Excellence - Honouring God with our very best is an essential quality of Christian living.

5. Relevance - In an ever-changing world, the church must find ways to engage culture without compromising the gospel.

6. Community/Church Family – taking good care of each other//love in action

7. Generosity – time...talents...finances...

Consider Membership!!!

The strength of our inheritance and our devotion is rooted in the word and in church allegiance.

Move #2 – I’ve been thinking... “Attending church” is more than attending a hockey game/soccer game ...right!

Cooper Kupp – Super Bowl MVP (last Sunday)

– on his twitter account – “do it for a crown that will last forever.”

GAME...

• Not Entertainment...

• You are Not a spectator!

• Seats are free!

• Season ticket holders for TML – 40 games + pre-season +playoffs.

o $200/game x 40 = $8000.00

• Golf membership - The Vintage Club (CA) has an initiation fee of $250,000 in addition to an annual membership fee of $32,000.

• But the church is not made up of consumers

• You can yell at the referee... but not the pastor???

• You can’t ask for autographs!!! (I’ve never been asked...)

• You can’t buy a pizza or a hot-dog... and certainly not beer... in fact we like to give away food...

So what is the difference?... lets look at our text in 1 Cor 3...

Context of 1 Corinthians - young church...

stress of change...

old habits/biases...

now some growing pains... factions/opinions/ ....leading to some division...

Paul has to get their focus on Christ and their common identity.

• 1 cor 1:10 “I appeal to you... agree...no division...be united in mind and thought.”

• (that’s a lot to ask!)

• Personalities are some of the issue – Paul...Apollos...Peter...

• Ch 2 – Paul says “I preach Christ”

• Ch 3 – if there is jealousy and quarreling among you = worldly.

So Paul is talking about church life and community building and discipleship...

1. God Is The Architect Of The Church! V. 5-10

• OT – call of Abraham... (bless all the nations...)

• Israel is God’s instrument to reveal himself to the nations

• “A kingdom of priests”

• TEMPLE is built in stages... (“Tent” .... then a permanent structure)

• Even before this we can see Eden as a temple

• Then Abraham builds an altar to the Lord and he comes

• Moses meets God at the Burning bush – a kind of temple

• Then God gives instructions to build this portable temple

• They carry it with them

• They assemble and disable it as needed...

• Solomon builds the temple in Jerusalem

• Exile

• Temple re-built

• Upon Jesus crucifixion the cutain of the temple is torn apart – opeing the way into God’s presence for all (not just the Priest)!

• AD 70 – Romans destroy the temple

• Now... church is the temple!!!

• Now when we read this passage – we see how dramatic these words are!!!

Verse 16 “don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s Temple – and that God’s Spirit dwells among you!”

God’s temple is holy

God will protect his temple

The temple is you – us - collectively!!!

2. Christ Is The (Only) Foundation Of This Temple - Church: V. 11

The Cross

His Sinless life

The Teaching of Jesus

He is “I am”. – God incarnate!!! (relationship...)

The cross is necessary and without substitute