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Sermon Guide

Making Sense of Church
Week 6 | The Temple

Teaching Text

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

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 together are that temple.

Sermon Recap

This Sunday, Pastor Jon Tyson continued our sermon series, Making Sense of the Church, with a teaching on the Church becoming the Temple of God.

From Genesis to Revelation, God has shown a consistent desire to commune with His people. Eden was not just a garden, but a temple designed as the holy of holies on Earth. Adam and Eve invited sin into Eden, making us a people who were no longer able to dwell in the presence of a holy God. However, God still desired to be with His creation, and began creating spaces where unholy people could access His presence. The tabernacle in the Old Testament was a microcosm of the universe and served as a mobile Eden for Israel. It was a temporary reminder that even in the wilderness, Eden was in the midst of God’s people. Eventually, there was a true temple built in Jerusalem, as an attempt to make Eden permanent again, but just as Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden, the Israelites were cast out of Jerusalem for their idolatry and sin.

Still, God’s pursuit of a place to dwell with His people persisted, and came to a head in the person of Jesus, the Word made flesh to dwell among us. The story ends where it began, with God dwelling with His people through His one and only Son coming to as a man. In this way, Jesus literally tabernacled in our midst, and it is only through His death and resurrection that we can regain access to be with the Father here on earth. A day is still coming where there will be no need for a temple. The new creation seen in Revelation will be the cosmic holy of holies where heaven and earth will finally overlap in perfect harmony, and what began as a garden will end in a city where God will dwell with His people forever.

From cover to cover, the Bible is a story about God’s desire to be with His people. What God wants from you, is you. While the Old Testament structures created temporary windows to access the presence of God, through Jesus’ sacrifice and the giving of the Holy Spirit, those who believe become a living temple for a holy God. God isn’t out there somewhere far away, only found in the big and spectacular, or even only reserved for certain pockets of our lives. Instead, God has placed His very Spirit in us, and desires for us to live attuned to His presence so that we may extend the temple and bring Eden to earth.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  • What is your favorite aspect of the Fall Season?

  • Ask someone to read John 2:19-21 and 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. Then ask the following question:

    1. What words, phrases, or images stand out to you in the passage?

    2. What do these passages tell you about God’s intentions for His people?

    3. What do these passages tell you about the person of Jesus?

LEAN IN | THE NINE DISTINCTIVES

Radical Daily Pursuit

    • What does your current rhythm of Bible reading and prayer look like? Would you describe it as a feast, snack, or famine? Share honestly about the challenges or victories you’ve experienced in pursuing God daily.

    • How has regular Scripture intake formed you in recent months? Can you give an example of a way your thinking or behavior changed because of something you read in the Bible? (Conversely, what areas of your life do you feel are not yet formed by Scripture and need God’s truth to reshape them?)

    • Eugene Peterson emphasizes that we are formed by the Holy Spirit according to Scripture, not our own mix-and-match spirituality. In a culture that often picks favorite verses out of context or ignores uncomfortable truths, how can we ensure we’re submitting to the whole counsel of Scripture?

    • Practically, what plan or method of Bible engagement excites you or suits your learning style (e.g. listening to audio Bible, doing an inductive study, using a devotional guide, reading with commentaries)? Share tips or tools that have helped you delight in God’s Word.

  • 1. Do you consider your body as a temple for God’s Spirit to dwell within? How does this truth impact how you view/treat your body?

    2. Pastor Jon said that God’s central desire is simply you, to be with His people. How can you actively live into this reality this week?

    3. Pastor Jon laid out three distortions to avoid: The God is “out there somewhere”, only found in the big and spectacular, or compartmentalized to pockets of our lives. Which of these distortions is the most difficult for you to overcome or avoid?

    4. What are some ways you practice attuning yourself to God in your day to day life? Is there anything different you can try this week?

  • Pray for God’s help in living out the mission of actively bringing restoration to what’s been desecrated, hosting His presence everywhere you go, and extending the Temple of His people by sharing the Gospel. Cover individual prayer requests as needed to close.

  • As a group, consider memorizing a short passage together this week. For example, choose a 2-3 verse section (perhaps Psalm 1:1-3 or Colossians 3:16-17). Quote it aloud together a few times. Next meeting, see if you can recite it. Discuss how that Scripture’s truth can be lived out in your daily life.