When you look at our “New Church” what do you SEE? Some might see a delightful country church, or the fulfillment of a Thomas Kinkade painting, while others might think it will be a bastion of Christendom, or perhaps the beginning of a megachurch, while others might think it will be a relic of a dying era...what do you see? What does God see?
MALACHI 3:5 | The Prophet Malachi provides a strong warning about when God’s People are focused on THINGS rather than PEOPLE! See Psalm 127:1.
John 2:14-15 | The “temple tables” were places of evil oppression where the rich took advantage of the poor. Jesus directly intervened to demonstrate, once again, that we should focus on PEOPLE rather than THINGS.
John 2:16-17 | Jesus calls the Temple: “My Father’s House.” Before you rush to define it as a “holy place,” read all of Psalm 69 which gives us another glance at Jesus’ perspective in His bringing of the Kingdom and His time on the cross! (You guessed it, the focus is on...PEOPLE...). See Zechariah 6:12-13.
John 2:18-19 | Jesus declares outright that HE is the Temple! And indeed they would seek to destroy Him, but He would have victory when He arose on the third day! See John 20:1-9.
John 2:21-22 | The Temple is His Body. And what—remember the theme: not what but—WHO is His Body? Hint: 1 Cor. 12:27, Ephesians 4:16, Colossians 1:18, and Romans 12:4-5 (et al.)! And what does His body do? Believe His words and join Him in His mission!
We will call our new headquarters: The Praise & Worship Center! It will be the center-place from which we will launch out, one of many places where we will Gather, Grow, Encourage & Share!
Dig Deeper: 1 Peter 2, 2 Corinthians 4-5
The Foundation