Symbolism - The Temple Contrast | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus

The Temple Contrast | Pastor Greg Ford Sermon | One Church Columbus

ICEBREAKER:

How did you see God move this last week?

Summary:

This study invites us to explore what it means that believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Rather than a literal building, God desires a living relationship with His people. We will contrast ancient temple concepts with the biblical understanding of God’s dwelling, examine the implications for our daily lives, and consider how gratitude, obedience, and community shape our spiritual temple. The goal is to deepen trust in God, cultivate holiness, and live as welcoming dwellings for His presence.

Key Points

  1. God’s presence is relational, not transactional. Unlike ancient temples that housed gods to be appeased, God invites fellowship with humanity. He dwells with us through the Spirit, making intimacy the design.

  2. Believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies, communities, and lives collectively form God’s dwelling place on earth.

  3. Gratitude over ritualism. Genuine worship flows from grateful relationship, not mere outward duties.

  4. Holiness as a habitation. Because God dwells in us, lives marked by holiness and love honor Him and reflect His character to the world.

  5. Unity in the body of Christ. The temple is not an isolated space but a converging place where diverse members are joined together in one Spirit.

    • Scripture References

    • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

    • 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

    • Ephesians 2:19-22

    • 2 Corinthians 6:16

Conclusion:

In embracing that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we are invited into a daily rhythm of relationship over ritual, presence over performance, and unity over isolation. As living stones, we participate with Christ in building a dwelling place where grace transforms thoughts, words, and actions. May we steward our bodies, minds, and communities as sacred space, cultivating holiness, gratitude, and love so that the world sees and encounters God’s dwelling among us.

Discussion Questions:

  1. In what ways does viewing yourself as a temple change how you approach daily choices (thoughts, speech, actions, media consumption, relationships)?

  2. How does the corporate aspect of being God’s dwelling place shape your attitude toward church, fellowship, and service?

  3. What does it mean that “the Spirit dwells in you” in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, and how should that affect your approach to sanctification and humility?

  4. How does the imagery of a household or building in Ephesians 2:19-22 help you understand your place within the church community and your responsibility to others?

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts, grateful for the gift that we are Your dwelling place. We acknowledge that You desire relationship over ritual and that Your Spirit makes our lives a living sanctuary. Search our minds and our motives, Lord, and reveal anything in us that stays far from Your holiness. Forgive the ways we have neglected Your presence, and renew our desires to walk in truth, love, and light. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit, empowering us to live as living stones joined to Jesus, building up Your church in unity and grace. Help us guard our hearts, guard our words, and guard our eyes so that we honor You in thought, word, and deed. Teach us to serve selflessly, to pursue reconciliation, and to extend grace to others as You have extended it to us. May our bodies be temples that honor You in every choice, and may our communities reflect the fullness of Your presence. Draw us into deeper intimacy with You today and each day, that the world may encounter Your peace, truth, and love through us. We entrust our lives to Your shaping, confident that You are at work, making us holy and usable for Your kingdom. In the name of Jesus, our Lord and Dwelling, we pray. Amen.

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