Sermon Central
-
Mystery: The Church Is The Temple Of God Series
Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Apr 14, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: There are 3 parts to the Mystery of the Church. The Church is the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ and the Temple of God. In this study we look at how to expel our fear of death through an extraordinary vision of the glory of believers in eternity
Mystery: The Church is the Temple of God (Eph. 2:19-22; I Cor. 3:9)
Expelling Fear through an Extraordinary Vision
In this study we are looking at a 3rd aspect of the Mystery of the Church.
First we learned that the Church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). God fearfully and wonderfully designed the human body to be a natural Type of the Spiritual Body of Christ, which is His church. We learned that we must live in complete submission to Christ as our Head if we are to experience life to the max.
The second facet of this Mystery of the Church is that the Church is the Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:23-32; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rom. 7:4). We learned how much Christ loves us as His Bride. We are His one great and holy passion. These two aspects of the Mystery are intimately related because a man’s wife is his body (Eph. 5:28-32; Gen. 2:21-24).
Now we are looking at the 3rd part of the Mystery of the Church and we learn that the Church is the Temple of God (Eph. 2:19-22; I Cor. 3:9). The Scriptures teach us that “the body” is also “a temple” (John 2:19-21; I Cor. 6:19). Our Bodies are for the LORD and the LORD for the body (I Cor. 6:13). Our human bodies are designed to become an eternal dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Eph. 2:22; 2 Cor. 3:3; John 14:20-23; Rom. 8:9-11; I John 3:24; 4:13). We were created to eventually be filled with all the glory of God in Christ (Col. 1:27; 2 Chron. 7:1).
The Mystery of the Body reveals our fellowship of Life in Christ;
the Mystery of the Bride reveals our fellowship of Love in Christ;
and the Mystery of the Temple reveals our fellowship of Glory in Christ (Eph. 3:9)!
The Scriptures make it very clear that it is important to understand what the rewards are for faithfully following Christ. In this world it brings temporary persecution and hardship. But in the World to come it brings eternal glory and fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11). Knowing that Jesus loves me with one great and holy passion as His Bride is a powerful motivation to serve Him out of love. But to know the glory awaiting me in Heaven for faithfully serving Him is just as legitimate and powerful a motivation (Rom. 5:2).
When we have a clear vision of the glory awaiting us in Heaven we will not fear death like lost people do. We will look forward to going (Phil. 1:20-23; Acts 21:13). Pray that God the Father “may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the… riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints” (Eph 1:17-18; 3:8).
` Moses didn’t fear death and he didn’t fear suffering because he had a clear vision of his eternal rewards in Christ.
“By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; (25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; (26) Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Heb 11:24-6)
Knowing the glorious reward awaiting us motivates us to persevere through every hardship and trial.
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Rom 8:17-18; Matt. 5:11-12)
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2Co 4:17-18).
Our LORD Jesus Christ also sets an important example for us of just how important it is to know the eternal joy awaiting those who choose to suffer for the cause of Christ.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, & is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2; Ps 16:11; I Pet 1:11)
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (11) To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1Pe 5:10-11)