THINK TOGETHER.
Do you know what a temple is? Have you ever seen a temple?
READ TOGETHER.
1 Corinthians 6:19. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.
The Christians in Corinth (the Corinthians) were really good at sinning. They were mean to each other, mistreated each other, were jealous of each other, and thought they were better than each other. And like all of us, the Corinthians did most of their sinning with their bodies. They didn’t just think sinful thoughts; they DID sinful things.
We all do sinful things with our bodies, don’t we? We will hurt other people with our bodies, and sometimes we might even want to hurt ourselves.
When the Apostle Paul chooses to address the sin of the Corinthians, he doesn’t tell them that they are breaking God’s rules (which they are). He doesn’t tell them that they can do better (which they can). He tells them who they ARE – your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Just like the Corinthians, if you have accepted Jesus, then your body is the temple of God too. You are a temple. And do you know what happens at a temple? God is worshiped at the Temple. That means that your body is where God lives and where God is worshiped. Everything we do CAN and SHOULD be an act of worship to God.
Playing basketball – that’s worship.
Eating dinner – that’s worship.
Dancing – that’s worship.
Sitting still – that’s worship.
But when we use our bodies to harm others or ourselves, well obviously that is NOT worship. Just like you wouldn’t destroy an actual temple or church building, you should not harm a person’s body.
Making fun of how someone looks – not worship.
Hitting others – not worship.
Taking things that belong to others – not worship.
Being lazy – not worship.
Always remember who you are with Jesus. You are the living, breathing temple of the Holy Spirit, God. So live like he lives in you.
Because of the Holy Spirit we are the temple of God.
With the Holy Spirit we can use our bodies to worship God.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Act it out: Take turns acting out things that we should or shouldn’t do with our bodies as the temple of God.
PRAY TOGETHER
Father, Spirit, Son, let me live like you as I remember that you live in me. Amen.
TLICfamily 