Building the Spiritual Temple

The Tabernacle in the Wilderness, Solomon's Temple, Zerubbabel's Temple, and Herod's Temple were all considered the very center of God's presence in Israel and Judah. The Temple was the location where thousands upon thousands of sacrifices were made in response to God's instructions to His people, the children of Israel. The Temple also had important political and economic roles to play in Israel's society. I'm sure it was not exactly as God intended, but that's how it developed. In one sense, the Temple was the institution that held all of Israel's society together, past as well as present and future. Access to the Temple's courts identified who was considered a proper citizen of Israel and who was to be excluded from fellowship with Israel in terms of worship to God and that kind of closeness with God.

Economically, rooms in the Temple functioned as a treasury, the society's bank. Ties and offerings were brought to the Temple, and so a large part of Israel's economy passed through Temple personnel and storehouses. The Temple has played a very important role in the lives of God's people throughout the ages, but what role does the Temple play in the lives of God's people today? There is no physical Temple in Israel today. Some would like to rebuild the Temple, but so far in today's society, that has not been practical. And you're aware of all the complications, if that were to be the case, if they began to build a Temple there, there would certainly be outbreaks and revolts and so forth from the Muslims. So there's much that can be learned from considering the Temple. And it is important to realize that there is a Temple that actually is being built today. In fact, this Temple has been in the process of being built for many, many years. Of course, I'm not talking about a physical Temple like the ones we just mentioned for the tabernacle, but I'm talking about the spiritual Temple that God is in the process of building. What does the Bible reveal about this spiritual Temple, and what role do you and I have in the building of God's spiritual Temple? So this sermon is entitled, Building the Spiritual Temple.

As background to discussing the spiritual Temple, it's helpful to know that it's helpful to know certain facts about the physical Temples of God throughout history. So as I'm going through some of the physical information regarding the Temple, think how it might apply in a spiritual way today.

First, around 1444 BC, there was the tabernacle in the wilderness. It was a sort of mobile Temple that the people of Israel could move and take with them when they broke camp. God's presence was there in a cloud by day, a pillar of fire by night. And when God moved, they moved. They followed God. So His presence was there in a very major way in the wilderness. Later, around 966 BC, King David desired to build a more substantial house for God, a real Temple. So he made elaborate plans, and it was his son Solomon who was allowed to build the Temple. It was a splendid, a glorious, a beautiful Temple. I'm sure we would all have loved to have seen the Temple, Solomon's Temple, in all its glory. For nearly 400 years, Solomon's Temple was the center of worship in Israel. Now, that doesn't mean that Israel was always dedicated to God and using the Temple properly. In fact, there were times when the Temple was neglected. In fact, many years it was neglected under kings that were not good leaders, were not godly leaders. We know that during the time of Hezekiah and Josiah, there were revivals or restorations of the Temple, even cleaning debris out of the Temple in some cases because it was so neglected.

But for nearly 400 years, Solomon's Temple was the center of worship in Israel. What little worship there was at some times. But because of Israel's disobedience and because of their overall unfaithfulness, Solomon's Temple was destroyed in 586 BC when the Babylonians burned Jerusalem and took the people captive to Babylon. In 539 BC, Cyrus and the Persians defeated the Babylonians, and Cyrus shortly made the decree that the Jews could return to their homeland. Now, we can read about that in Ezra. Let's just take a moment to go to Ezra, read a few verses here in the book of Ezra, chapter 1, beginning in verse 1.

Now, in the first year of Cyrus, the king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled. This was a prophecy that was being fulfilled by Jeremiah. The Eternal stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, the king of Persia. God intervened miraculously to stir up Cyrus, a king, not an Israelite king, of course, but the king of Babylon, a pagan nation. I'm sorry, this is Cyrus was the king of Persia, yes, not Babylon. So anyway, he made a proclamation throughout all of his kingdom and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus, the king of Persia, all the kingdoms of the earth, the Lord God of heaven, has given me, and he has commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judea, or I'm sorry, which is in Judah, who is among you of all his people. May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel. He is God, which is in Jerusalem, and whoever is left in any place where he dwells, that the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the free will offerings for the house of God, which is in Jerusalem. So there was to be a rebuilding of Solomon's temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the Persians were now reigning, but they had a policy of allowing the people to go back into the land. Notice verse 11 of Ezra 1. All the articles of gold and silver were 5,400, so they gathered up all the gold and silver. And again, the Persians were very gracious in allowing these implements in the temple to go back to Israel. All the articles of gold and silver were 5,400. All those, Shabbat took with the captives, who were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Now, in Ezra 2, it shows that approximately 50,000 Jews under Zerubbabel's and Joshua's leadership did return in 536 BC. So it took them a couple of years to get everything together, and they did return in 536 BC, around 50,000. Now, in Ezra 3, it talks about how worship is restored at Jerusalem, even though there is yet no temple, but there was an altar that was being used. And so temple worship sacrifices were once again implemented. It isn't necessary to have a temple. If an altar is built in Israel and sacrifices begin, then that will be a fulfillment of prophecy. So we don't have to wait for a temple, physical temple, to be built in Israel, but an altar could be built as it was here. Ezra 3, verse 4, they also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, those who came back and worship was restored at Jerusalem. They kept the Feast of Tabernacles as it is written and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day.

Dropping down to verse 18, now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, Joshua, or Joshua, the son of Josadak, and the rest of their brethren, the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem began work and appointed the Levites from 20 years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the Eternal. Then, Jeshua with his sons and brothers Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah arose as one to oversee those working on the house of God, the sons of Hennadad with their sons and their brethren, the Levites.

When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with symbols to praise the Lord according to the ordinance of David, the king of Israel, and they sang responsibly, praising and giving thanks to the Eternal. For he is good, for his mercy endures forever toward Israel. Then all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Eternal was laid. So their motives were good, at least for a while, as they laid the foundation of the house of Israel.

But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the Father's houses, old men who had seen the first temple, Solomon's temple, in its glory, they wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes, yet many shouted aloud for joy.

Many were ecstatic that worship was being restored. But those who had seen the glory of Solomon's temple were not as impressed, not as convinced. Verse 13, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout. There was so much joy they could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people. For the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.

So there was a lot of emotion. Some were sorrowing because this temple was not nearly as impressive and beautiful as Solomon's temple, and others were ecstatic with joy that at least something was being done. In Ezra 4, verse 1, Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the Father's house and said to them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do.

Now these motives were not pure, even though they claimed that they were, and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esir Haddon, the king of Assyria, who brought us here. But Zerubbabel and Joshua and the rest of the heads of the Father's houses of Israel said to them, You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God, but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us. Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah.

They troubled them in building. And this is a theme that will certainly reoccur in the building of the temple. There were many who were opposed to the building of the temple, and they tried to frustrate the efforts of building the temple. Verse 5, They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus, the king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius, the king of Persia.

So there was much opposition, and work has stopped almost immediately and has not resumed until 15 or 16 years later, in 520 BC under Darius I. So they were very successful in stopping the building of the temple. Verse 24 of chapter 4, Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius, the king of Persia. So a very sad thing occurred here, and the building of the temple was halted, and it was 15 to 16 years later before things were resumed. So the people lost interest in building God's house amidst interference from the Samaritans.

The returning Jews considered the Samaritans as half-reads who defiled the true worship of God. They saw themselves as they ethnically and religiously pure remnant of their nation and faith. Both Jews and Samaritans claimed descent from Abraham. They claimed worship of the true God, but they were deeply separated from each other. And there was again much opposition in building the temple. Now in Haggai chapter 1 and 2, and I don't think we'll take the time to go there now, but in Haggai chapter 1 and 2, the people were more interested in building nice homes for themselves than in obeying God and making the building of the temple a high priority.

God's curse of poor crops was upon the land for their unfaithfulness in not rebuilding the temple. The people accepted Haggai's message to rebuild as God's word, and within 24 days, work was underway on rebuilding the temple. So Haggai was being moved and inspired by God in a major way to inspire the people of Israel, those primarily of the house of Judah, to begin rebuilding the temple.

Let's go back to Ezra chapter 5, where we read about this. Here we'll see the prophets Haggai and Zachariah were instrumental in leading the rebuilding efforts. So good leadership is very, very important if God's people are to please God and obey Him and move forward.

Ezra 5 and 6, then the prophet Haggai and Zachariah, the son of Ido, prophets prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, the son of Josadak, rose up and began to build the house of God, which is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, helping them, guiding them, leading them.

Important leadership is essential. Good, godly leadership is essential, and we all need to band together to do God's work and not fight against one another and not oppose one another.

Of course, the local opposition wasn't finished, however, and you can read about that in chapter 5 and 6. I'm not going to take the time to read through it, but local opposition to rebuilding the temple soon reappeared. Tatanei, one of the Persian Empire's local officials, tried to halt the work through intimidation. He actually took down the names of those who were doing the work and was going to report them, or did report them. When that failed, he wrote an official letter to King Darius, reporting what he considered as insubordination on the part of the Jewish settlers. An opposite effect actually resulted when Darius discovered that Cyrus had made a decree and given the Jews permission to rebuild. So, you know, the decrees of the Medes and the Persians were not supposed to be altered, so this was something that Darius was planning on following through on and backing up Cyrus. So Darius then commanded Tatanei to help the Jews and to even pay for their expenses from Tatanei's own regional tax collections. So if God is on your side, you really don't have to worry about money. You don't have to really worry about anything. If God is on your side, God will take care of you. God will bless you. God will be there for you. That's a very, very important lesson that we all need to learn and to cling to and to believe in and have faith in and trust God and look to Him. And as Mr.

Lopez said, we need to examine our own hearts and make sure that our motives are pure and that we are striving to please God and we're looking at ourselves. We're not pointing the finger at others. We're not blaming others for our troubles, for our trials, for our problems, but we are looking inside, looking at our heart because that's where God looks. God looks on the heart and He does want to see a people that will band together and work together and accomplish something beautiful and wonderful in the name of God. I believe that is what we are called to do at this time. In Ezra 6, verse 15.

Now the temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius. Again, there was much opposition. It was amazing building the wall and building the temple. There was just tremendous opposition. In some cases, remember, they were holding spears in one hand and doing the work with the other. It took a lot of perseverance on the part of those who were being faithful to God and to God's purpose. So the temple was completed in four years. Once they really got to work, after 15-16 years of basically nothing, the temple was completed in four years from 520-516 BC. This temple, again, was the center of the Jews' worship for nearly 500 years. This particular temple, Zerubbabel's temple, was the one that was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes in 169 BC when a pig was actually sacrificed on the altar. So again, the worship wasn't perfect by any means, but there were always some who were striving to obey God and fulfill His will. Herod the Great built a glorious temple on the same site beginning in 19 BC. My wife and I saw a tremendous replica of that building when we were in Israel last summer. It was really quite amazing. It was very educational to be able to walk around it. It was as big as this room. It was bigger, I think, than this room, the model that is displayed there at the Museum in Israel. It wasn't just the temple, but it was much of the area around the temple and in Jerusalem. So Herod the Great built a glorious temple on the same site in 19 BC. Now, there may be some speculates. Some people may think it wasn't the same site, but most would say that it was.

The temple was destroyed in 70 AD along with the destruction of Jerusalem.

Some are hoping to rebuild the temple in the near future on the same temple mount. Now, we went to the temple mount and we spent many hours actually walking around the temple mount, going completely around it. It was just really very inspiring to see.

Some are hoping to rebuild that temple in the near future on the temple mount. Again, there will be great opposition if that begins. And if an altar is erected, there will be great opposition to it. Now, we're not going to take the time to go to Ezekiel 43 through 47, but you can go and read those chapters because it talks about Ezekiel's millennial temple. There are prophetic things here. There are certainly a lot of figurative wording that's used.

But you can go and read about Ezekiel's millennial temple and consider that in light of what we're going to be talking about for the rest of the sermon. So, what does all of this have to do with you and me today? What does this have to do with your future? Brethren, we all need to believe and know that God is now in the process of building His spiritual temple. God is not slack. God is doing His part. We need to do ours. We need to respond to God. We need to obey Him. We need to follow Him fully and completely. We need to submit to Him in righteousness. We need to have pure motives. So, I'd like to share with you seven principles regarding the building of the spiritual temple. This sermon is entitled, Building the Spiritual Temple, and I'd like to give you seven principles in regard to it. First of all, realize that God is much more interested in building the spiritual temple than He ever was a physical one. God is much more interested in building the spiritual temple than He ever was a physical one. In Acts 7, if you'll go with me there, Acts 7, verse 44, our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness. As He appointed, we talked about the tabernacle in the wilderness. As God appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that He had seen, which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David. So, when they went into the wilderness, I mean, I'm sorry, when they came out of the wilderness into the Promised Land, God was certainly with them, who found favor before God, Joshua and those who were going into the Promised Land, they found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob.

But Solomon built him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says. Verse 49, heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool. You know, a temple just doesn't cut it. A physical temple just doesn't cut it for the great and powerful God of heaven and earth and of the entire universe and beyond.

Heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool. God is a big God, a powerful God. What house will you build for me, says the Lord? Or what is the place of my rest? The Lord is my hand not made all these things. He goes on to call them stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Of course, this was Stephen in his response just before he was martyred. Stephen spoke some very powerful words here. He says, you always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do you. Well, they went on and they killed Stephen because of his faith and his belief in God. He became the first Christian martyr.

God is much more interested in the building of the spiritual temple.

Much, much more interested in that. The Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands. What house will you build for me? This is the question that God is asking you individually, and all of us collectively. What house will you build for me?

There are many attempts for people to please God in ritual ways. In fact, I recently read about a Buddhist priest who thought this was going to be pleasing to God. Let me read about it. It's from an article entitled, Marathon Monk Ends Seven Years on the Run. This came from the Chicago Tribune on September 20, 2003. It's amazing what some people will do to be spiritual. On September 18, 2003, Genshin Fujianami, age 44, a Buddhist priest, nicknamed the Marathon Monk, finished a seven-year, 24,800-mile journey in the Hial Mountains of Japan. It was intended to be a trek to enlightenment. Once a monk starts this journey, he must finish or kill himself. According to an Associated Press article, for the first three years, the pilgrim must rise at midnight for 100 consecutive days to pray and run 18 miles per day, stopping 250 times to pray along the way. During the next two years, he must up his schedule to 200 days. In the fifth year, the pilgrim must sit and chant mantras for nine days without food, water, or sleep in a trial called Dori, or entering the temple. In the sixth year, he must walk 37.5 miles every day for 100 days. In the seventh year, he must run 52.5 miles for 100 days, 18 miles for another 100 days, and then complete a 234-mile trek back to his home base.

Now, of course, that all sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? And it is ridiculous, because you don't become spiritual by following these kinds of instructions or dreaming up these kinds of instructions. Again, God looks on the heart. God looks at our motives.

A second principle in building the temple is that God the Father and Jesus Christ are actively guiding and directing the building of this spiritual temple. We can have faith that God is very interested in building a spiritual temple. The Scripture bears that out. As students of the Bible, you know that. You know what the Scriptures say. God is preparing a people for the return of His Son, Jesus Christ. We need to be among those people being prepared. We need to humble ourselves before God and seek Him with our whole hearts, and know that God is actively guiding and directing the building of His spiritual temple.

God will not leave us. God will not forsake us. You're here today because you have faith in God. You believe in God. You trust in Him. You want to serve Him. You want to be loyal to Him. You want to be faithful to Him. You want to continue to learn to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. You want to learn to love your neighbor as yourself. This is what motivates you. This is why you're here. This is why you remain faithful. This is why I'm here and why I've been here for 37 years, and some of you for 50 years. We have a heart to obey God. We want to obey Him. God is actively guiding and directing the church. On the last holy day, we talked about that somewhat in Oklahoma City. God is directing and building His church. We are becoming unleavened. We are putting sin out of our lives. We are considering our very motives, looking within deeply, repenting where we've been wrong. None of us are blameless, brethren. None of us are blameless. We all need to repent of our sins. We all need to look deeply within. We need to allow God to build His spiritual temple in us, which leads to the third principle, which is closely linked to the second one. God is actively guiding and directing us. That's the second point. Number three is, you individually are an integral part of that spiritual temple to whom Christ will return. You individually have an integral part, and we talked about that on the last holy day, how we are all a part of God's church. And God grants us spiritual gifts that we are to use to the benefit and service of one another. And we are to pull together as God's people and not be separated and not divided, but we are to pull together as God's people. In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 16.

And I believe we read this recently. In fact, I know we did when we went over lessons from Corinth on the last holy day. We talked about the foundation that we're building on, and that foundation is Christ. Christ is the chief cornerstone. Christ is the head of the church. We're building on that foundation, which is a sure and stable foundation. We have faith that Christ is the head of the church. Verse 16, do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Don't you understand? Don't you see that, brethren? You need to be stirred up each and every day to realize that God's Spirit dwells in you.

And you are bought with a price. This is a high and a holy calling, and we need to be motivated and zealous to do God's work. If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy. Which temple you are. You are the temple of God. God has called you and chosen you and ordained you as a holy priesthood, a chosen people, every one of us. Not just the ministers, but every single one of us are called to be a chosen people, chosen vessels to God.

And thankfully, God grants us repentance so that we can remain holy. None of us are perfect. If we think we are, we sin. The truth is not in us. For the temple of God is holy. You are to become holy even as God is holy.

We're in this for our very lives, brethren. This is a life and death matter.

Take it seriously and consider your calling. Verse 19.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written, he catches the wise in their own craftiness. And again, the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile. Therefore, let no one boast in men, for all things are yours. We must not boast in men. We mustn't look to men. We mustn't look to physical leaders We must only look to God as people follow God and follow Christ and follow the principles in the Bible of love and compassion and concern and obedience and faithfulness to God's laws and His truth.

We are to look to men who remain faithful and true to God Almighty.

We must not just follow men. We must follow them only as they follow Christ. Christ is not divided. He hates division. We need to pull together as God's people.

In 2 Corinthians 6, it says we ought not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

We have to live in the world, but we are not to be of the world.

We're still here to set an example. We're to be a light to the world.

But we are not to be overcome by the world. We are not to follow in its sins. We are to come out of Babylon.

2 Corinthians 6, verse 14. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? What communion has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. God is actively involved in your life. He's actively involved in guiding and directing you and helping you to become a spiritual temple, holy and acceptable to Him. So do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

Stand up for what is right and good and truthful. Do that which is right and pleasing to God.

I'd like to read from an article from a recent Leadership Journal article by John Ortberg from Leadership Journal.

In this article, John Ortberg argues that sometimes stressful and painful situations can actually help us grow. This is going to lead us to another point that we'll be discussing shortly. Ortberg creates the following scenario. He says, Imagine you're handed a script of your newborn child's entire life. Better yet, you're given an eraser and you have five minutes to edit out whatever you want. You read that she will have a learning disability in grade school. Reading, which comes easily for some kids, will be laborious for her. In high school, she will make a great circle of friends, but one of them will die of cancer. After high school, she will get into her preferred college, but while there, she will lose a leg in a car accident. Following that, she will go through a difficult depression. A few years later, she'll get a great job, but then she'll lose that job in an economic downturn. She'll get married, but then she'll go through the grief of separation. With this script of your child's life and five minutes to edit it, what would you erase? Psychologist Jonathan Haid, H-A-I-D-T, poses this question in this hypothetical exercise, Wouldn't you want to take out all this stuff that would cause pain?

If you could erase every failure, disappointment, and period of suffering, would that be a good idea? Would that cause them to grow into the best version of themselves? Is it possible that we actually need adversity and setbacks, maybe even crises and trauma, to reach the fullest potential of development and growth? Orkberg contends that God doesn't always erase all of our stress and pain before it starts. In fact, we know he doesn't. Instead, God can use the failures, the disappointments, and periods of suffering to help us grow.

Hurtberg writes, God isn't at work producing the circumstances I want.

God is at work in bad circumstances to produce the me that he wants. God is interested in producing the person that he wants in you. So that's why you go through many trials. Through difficulties, through depression at times, through loss of life, family members, loved ones. Because God is interested in what you become. So how we respond to these trials is all important. And remember, this point was, you are an integral part of the spiritual temple. And you have to take everything that comes to you in stride. You have to realize that God works with you individually as you need to be worked with.

So don't doubt God when he allows trials to come along. I mean, I know we all agree that Rose Maralia is going through the problems that she's going through now. And that many others have gone through these issues. But when we respond to God in faithfulness and submission and in faith, and even when we don't, all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. You have to have that faith. You have to know that God is there for you. You have to look to Him for strength, for direction, for guidance. Because God is working in you individually. He loves you with all of His heart so much that He gave His Son for you. That is the truth. That is the proof that Christ gave His life and that the Father gave His only Son. God loves you individually and is working with you. God has not forsaken you. God has not abandoned you. God is with you and will lift you up. And we need to lift up one another's hands because it leads to the fourth principle that we're going to discuss in building the temple. And that is, we collectively are the spiritual temple to whom Christ is returning. We are the spiritual temple to whom Christ is returning. Let's go to Ephesians 2. Let's consider what the Scripture tells us here in Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2, verse 19.

Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners. I'm in Ephesians 2, verse 19. The Apostle Paul says, You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens. In other words, we're all in this together. We're all fellow citizens. We are the body of Christ. We are the Church of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints. We are members of the household of God. Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. It is to Christ that we look, and only to men who follow Christ. As Paul said, imitate me as I imitate Christ. Produce the fruit of God's Spirit in your life and follow the fruits of God's Spirit.

Love and joy and peace and patience. These are the fruit of God's Spirit. This is how we need to be reacting each and every day of our lives, brethren.

What are you becoming? Are you becoming a person who's patient, who's loving, who's kind, who's generous, who's gracious, who's merciful, who's faithful? Is that the kind of person that you are becoming? We are in this together.

Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ himself, the chief cornerstone in whom the whole building, not one individual. Yes, God is calling us individually, but collectively we make a building in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, a holy temple in the Lord. That's what God is doing in our lives. We are to become a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together. Again, built together, not individually, but together. First, we have to realize our calling and we have to take it individually, but then we have to go beyond that and realize that we're all in here together. We have responsibilities to each other, to love each other, to care for each other, to be here for each other. In Ephesians chapter 5, clearly it shows that we are to become the bride of our Savior Jesus Christ and the head of this church. We are to become His bride. He loves us dearly. Ephesians 5 verse 25, Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her. He gave himself for this church, the body of Christ. Anyone who has the Spirit of God dwelling in them is a member of the body of Christ. If they've chosen to go to a different organization, if they have God's Holy Spirit, they are part of the body of Christ and we should strive to reconcile with them as best we can. That is our job. This should be a ministry of reconciliation. We should welcome anyone back who would want to come back and be a part of our organization. And even if they don't, we should still love them, reach out to them, care for them, be there for them, because if they have God's Spirit, they are a part of us, even though for a time they may have chosen not to be physically a part of our organization. Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it just as the Lord does the church. My wife and I have been married for, what, 33 years? 33, 34? I lose track. I'm getting old. 78, that's 33. I was right. Will be. 32, 33. Who's counting? But, you know, our love grows more and more all the time. Our love is getting stronger by the day, by the year. It's not that we haven't caused each other some grief along the way, but we love each other. We stick together. We're not leaving each other. We're not divorcing each other. We love each other. We're here for each other. That's the way God's church needs to be. We need to be here for each other. When one member suffers, we all suffer.

In 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter 2, verse 1, Therefore, laying aside all malice, Now listen carefully. We are to lay aside all malice, laying aside all malice, putting the leaven out. We've just come out of the days of the leavened bread, but we are still to become unleavened spiritually, laying aside all malice, all deceit, all hypocrisy, all envy, and all evil speaking. As newborn babes, pure and innocent, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and we have all tasted God's gracious presence, the food that He provides for us spiritually, God has been wonderful to us, and we're grateful to Him. Verse 4, Coming to Him to Christ as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. That is your calling, chosen by God and precious. You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. He's not just talking to the ministry, He's talking to all of us. A holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. We all have the same calling in that sense. We're all supposed to come out of malice. The leaders, especially, in leading the way. And where we've fallen short, those men will need to repent. We've all fallen short. We all need to repent where we've fallen short. Where we've allowed envy, jealousy, and malice, and those things to guide and direct us, instead of putting them out, whatever we've done to contribute to any trouble in the Church, we need to repent of it. We need to become pure. Because we are a holy priesthood, and we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. If we believe in Christ and are faithful to Christ, we will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Christ knows what it's like to suffer. He suffered for us. And he became a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble being disobedient to the Word, to which they also were appointed. And that's been the history of Israel. But spiritual Israel is to be different. We're to come out of that. We are to be holy. And we are to have the fruit of God's Spirit in our lives, actively working in our lives. Verse 9, but you, you are a chosen generation. You are a royal priesthood. You are a holy nation. You are his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Now, this goes back to the book of Hosea. We don't have time to go to Hosea, but in the book of Hosea is a wonderful lesson of love, God's love for his people.

Brethren, God loves his people. God has not forsaken us. God is with us to strengthen us, to lift us up.

Which leads to a fifth point and principle here. Brethren, there will always be great opposition to building the spiritual temple. There will always be great opposition to building the spiritual temple. You can count on it. You can bank on it. There will always be great opposition to building the spiritual temple. But with God's help, we must continue to allow the building of this spiritual house, both individually and collectively.

This is God's spiritual temple. God is coming back to his temple.

In 1 Peter 2, verse 11, where we finished reading here, Beloved, I beg you, as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. We should be producing good works. We are to become blameless. Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake, whether to the king, as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him, for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God. It's the will of God that we learn to submit one to another. Learning to submit one to another. If we would all just do that, so many of our problems would disappear. But we don't submit one to another.

And it's a sad commentary that we don't. Submitting one to another. Verse 15, For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice.

Yes, we are free in Christ. Our sins are forgiven in Christ Jesus as we accept Him as our Savior, and as we repent of our sins and have repentant heart and minds, we are free. But we can't continue in sin, and we can't use it as some kind of cloak for vice, but instead as bond servants of God.

Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King. Servants be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it when you are beaten for your faults that you take it patiently? What credit? There's wonderful credit when you take it patiently. It is commendable to you when you take it patiently, but when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. Of course, the opposite is true. If we're not patient, then it's not commendable to us. For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth, who when He was reviled did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. Christ was treated more unfairly than anyone.

Christ was perfect, and He was crucified. He set the perfect example for us. We are to submit to one another in love, not in rebellion and not in strife, but in love. For when He was reviled did not revile in turn, when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. For Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your soul. We have all returned to God who has called us out of this world and given us His marvelous light. He has brought us out of darkness. We have tremendous liberty in Christ.

In 1 Peter 3, it talks about how we are to be of one mind, compassionate and tender-hearted. I'm not going to take the time to read that, but it's 1 Peter 3, verses 8 through 18. We are to be of one mind, compassionate and tender-hearted to one another. The sixth principle, and we'll go through these last two quickly, those who endure to the end shall be saved. That is a promise that God has given us. If we will endure to the end, we shall be saved. Matthew 24 and Mark 13 are parallel accounts that talk about enduring to the end, and it talks about how great tribulation will come upon God's servants, God's people. There will be earthquakes, there will be tsunamis and tornadoes and so forth in various places. That's the beginning of sorrows. Some will be delivered up to authorities and be martyred in the last days. Those days are yet to come. We haven't seen anything yet. We haven't seen anything yet. Those days are coming. Matthew 24 will be fulfilled. Mark 13, verses 9-13, they will be fulfilled. The truth is, if you will endure to the end, you shall be saved. But you, as a holy priesthood, as a holy people, must endure to the end. Not give up. Learn to love people more and more as the days go by, because God is love, and we are to become love.

So those who endure to the end shall be saved. You can go read Matthew 24 and Mark 13. Let's go on to our last principle.

Building the spiritual house. Let no one take your crown. That's the seventh principle. Let no one take your crown. Because God has laid up for you a crown of righteousness. He is building a spiritual temple. He won't leave you or forsake you. Only you can leave him.

Let no one take your crown. Satan is a roaring lion. Satan is seeking whom he may devour. By the way, brethren, I gave this sermon about 10 years ago. So if anyone thinks that I'm giving this sermon in response to what's happened recently in the church, they would be mistaken. Now, much of it, I think, applies. But, you know, really, this was prepared years ago. It's timeless. It always applies. It always applies.

Let no one take your crown. Revelation 3, verse 12. Revelation 3, verse 12.

Verse 11 speaks of Christ coming quickly, coming back to his church, coming back to his people. Verse 11, Behold, I am coming quickly. Hold fast what you have that no one may take your crown. People, Satan especially, will try to take your crown. Satan will use people at times to try to take your crown.

Satan is the great deceiver. He works in many ways to deceive and to destroy. Hold fast what you have that no one may take your crown. Verse 12, He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.

You can become a pillar in the temple of God.

Not only just a part, but a pillar in the temple of God. If you will overcome and grow and develop and dedicate yourself fully, you will be rewarded according to your works. You will be saved by grace, but rewarded according to your works, as the Scripture says. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Those who are being called now will be pillars in the temple of God, in the house of God. Verse 13, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

There's much that could be learned. If you haven't listened to Gary Petty's series on the churches of Revelation, I strongly recommend you get those sermons and listen to them. He's also giving a series of sermons on the ministry of reconciliation, which are outstanding. He's in his third one now. Mr. Bob Dick has given numerous sermons over the past several years. If you need to be fed spiritually, if you're not getting enough here every Sabbath, which I don't think any of us are getting enough here every Sabbath, we need to go daily to the Word of God, read and study the Bible each and every day of our lives. Pray faithfully and fervently, fast on occasion. We believe in fasting. We need to fast. We need to draw close to God. But go to some of these men who I know have had some outstanding sermons. I've been listening to them. My wife and I have, and they're very good messages. I don't look to Bob Dick. I don't look to Gary Petty. They're mere men. But as they follow Christ, I will look to them. I will follow them.

Brethren, the various physical temples have played an integral part in the history of God's people, but the much more important spiritual temple is being built today. God is forming and shaping you into His spiritual temple. Both individually and collectively as the Church, God's temple is now in the process of being built. It is being built. What you do is up to you.

In large part, you have to respond if you are to be a part of the temple. It is being built. You and I must be sure that we are not neglecting the building of the spiritual temple like the exiles from Babylon did for nearly 16 years. It takes diligent, consistent effort and dedication to develop perfect, righteous character. Mr. Armstrong talked a lot about developing perfect, righteous character. It takes a real submission and a yielding to the Spirit of God in you. God is doing the work. He is the one building the temple. But you must be a willing instrument. God is calling all of us to repentance. We are all to repent. God is now working a glorious work in you. You can believe it or not. But God is working a glorious work in you. I suggest that you believe it and act accordingly.