A Temple for Worship

By Pastor Paul

... you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5



What happens in a hospital? Healing stuff. What happens in a stadium? Athletic stuff. What happens in a restaurant? Eating stuff. What if you stopped healing people in a hospital? What if you didn’t eat in a restaurant? You wouldn’t have a hospital. It wouldn’t be a restaurant. What happens in a church? God said his church is a spiritual house that does spiritual “stuff” he likes. Two things:

1) It is spiritual. The “stuff” of church is to be driven by a spiritual agenda. It looks towards spiritual ends. It has a spiritual purpose and spiritual goals. It has a spiritual plan, spiritual events, and spiritual experiences.
2) It is acceptable. It is not driven by people. The church is driven by God. It wants God’s approval. It wants God’s acceptance. It finds the things God is looking for. It shares the things God is telling. It functions for Him, by Him, in Him. Another way, it has Jesus all over it. Not in branding but in vision. It proclaims Jesus, reveals Jesus, reflects Jesus.

Now stop.

Take everything you picture a church being. Look at everything you see churches doing, yours included. Is it spiritual? Is it acceptable? If a restaurant stopped serving food it stopped being restaurant. It is the same with a hospital and a stadium and any local church. Do spiritual things. Have Jesus all over you. Then you are a living stone that is acceptable, built and being built up for God.

Read 1 Peter 2:4-10.