THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever been to a temple? What did they worship there?
READ TOGETHER
In Jesus and Paul’s day there were all kinds of temples. A temple is a place where a god or goddess was worshipped. In the Old Testament, God had a temple where he lived among his people and they worshiped him. But the other false gods also had temples too. In the city of Ephesus there was a huge temple to the goddess Artemis. It was incredible. Pretty much everyone in Ephesus went to the Temple of Artemis.
All ancient temples had two things in common. First, the further into the temple you went, the closer you would get to the idol or “god” who lived there (but remember false gods are actually real). Second, not everyone could go to the center of the temple, only the priests. These two things were true of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, and the Temple of God in Jerusalem.
But here’s the shocking thing that Paul wants to teach the Ephesian Christians, and us – WE ARE the temple of God now. Listen to how Paul says it in Ephesians 2:
Ephesians 2:19-21. 19So then you are… 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
- Christians don’t go to a temple – we are the temple.
- Christians don’t offer sacrifices – we are living sacrifices to God.
- Christians don’t journey to God – we take God with us everywhere we go.
- Christians don’t need a priest – we are priests of God.
Everything that once happened in a giant temple now happens inside of us. Why? Because Jesus lives inside of us. The Holy Spirit lives inside of us. God the Father lives inside of us. WE ARE a holy temple in the Lord!
Because of Jesus we are the temple of God.
With Jesus we can be his living sacrifices that show him to others.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Do a Google or YouTube search of the Temple of Artemis. Look at how huge it was and all the artifacts that have come out of it. Talk about how we are God’s living breathing temples today where he lives in our hearts.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you are my God and I am your temple. Help me to be a holy temple for you. Amen.
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