Sermon Reflections from A Temple For All | Alex Hardt & Bob Kilpatrick | February 26, 2023
 
Have you ever asked yourself, why did God provide His indwelling Holy Spirit after I became a believer?   Why did He want to become a part of me and stay with me?  I think the answer is found in His LOVE.  It is so beyond our imagining that God would love me that much that He would desire to stay with me 24/7.   In Old Testament times, before Christ came, God promised to be with the believers.  Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Today, since Jesus came, we have His Spirit living within us. 2 Timothy 1:14 tells us to, “Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” 

So where does God live within us?  According to our scripture this week from 1 Corinthians 3:16 “ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”   Our bodies hold his spirit once we become believers.  What does this do for you and me?  Pastor Alex reminded us of many benefits of this indwelling.  First, we can be healed from the wounds we receive in life.  Be they self-inflicted or received from the trials and tribulations of living in a broken world.  God delights in healing our wounds and binding us up.  Psalm 147:3 reminds us, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”  God is accessible 24/7 to heal your spirit and repair your brokenness.  Jesus told us that the hope the  Holy Spirit brings would be given to us.  “ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us”. Romans 5:5  With the Holy Spirit within us we can always have access to His healing hope for our lives.

The second point Pastor Alex made was the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is for all who believe.  The Holy Spirit is our advocate and helps teach and remind us of all things about God.  John 14:26 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  The Holy Spirit is not selective, he provides growth, help, knowledge and assurance of salvation to all who believe.  His indwelling is for everyone! 

Lastly, Pastor Alex wanted to assure us that being indwelt by the Holy Spirit provides a refuge for the world weary believer.  He promises to seal us eternally in Ephesians 1:13 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,.”  We can depend upon Him and know that He will keep us secure.

Reflecting on Pastor Alex’s message fills me with renewed hope.  God’s indwelling Holy Spirit within our earthly bodies is His temple here on earth.  We have part of Holy God living within us and His power will help to keep us from sinning.  He will help us to grow deeper in the knowledge of Him.  He will help us to  live a godly life that will glorify Him.  His temple for us is a safe haven that is with us 24/7 from now until eternity when we will be with Him.  Praise God for His provision of His Holy Spirit!

Linda

SERMON LINK
The Unknown Love | A Temple For All
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Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.   

Sermon Reflection from January 15, 2023 | A New Community
 
Pastor Alex has been seeking to awaken in us a sense of newness in this New Year.  He started with our need to look into God’s ageless scriptures for direction and purpose.  Did you ask God for a word from His Word for your year? Our challenge verse for the 1st Sunday of the year was from Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”  Cling to God’s Word and the truths revealed there and claim His promises that He so freely gives. God is eternal and so is His Word.

Hopefully, you have begun to focus on prayer as Pastor Alex directed us towards on the 2nd Sunday of the New Year.  Prayer for your own needs and for the needs of those around you, for direction, purpose and for the salvation of those you know that are without the Savior. Prayer is a weapon God has given us along with His Word to combat the forces of evil in our world and to communicate with Him so we can seek His guidance in our lives.  Our memory verse for this week was Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  What a precious promise to know that anyone who repents and turns to God can and will be saved.  For your loved ones that are not walking with God or do not even know Him, keep on praying as there is always hope for their salvation as long as they draw breath. 

Pray, pray, pray!

This Sunday Pastor Alex focused on the newness of heart that we need and find in community. Our community of believers is to hold us up in prayer and together in hope in times of distress, hardship, worry, as well as times of joy and rejoicing.  The encouragement of believers to believers is powerful.  Just as we have a relationship with Jesus through His death and resurrection we have a relationship held together by our mutual love for Jesus.  The love He showed us, we are to show to others.   Pastor Alex reminded us through the act of taking communion that we are reminded continually of Jesus’ love and sacrifice for us.  We are reminded that He wants us to be in community supporting and loving one anther just as He loved and continually loves us. 

Our verse for this week is 1 Corinthians 11:26 “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” 

The fact and the act of communion serves to remind us of His great sacrifice and keep us moving forward in community.  Jesus said these words when he was breaking bread, communing with his beloved disciples.  I like to imagine the Lord’s Table extending from that time into this and that we are all gathered there with the disciples as we are all joined together by Jesus.  Where are you exercising community in your life?  Do you associate with your fellow believers just on Sunday or do you see them in a small group, a bible study, or in a time of service?  Does your community invade and pervade your life?  Do you consider your brother and sisters in Christ family?  Jesus is saying that as we proclaim His death and join together with Him we are with Him, we are community, we are His family.  Where can you infuse more of Christ’s community into your life this week?  Let the new YOU who is now in the Word of God, praying daily and seeking community with others, reach out and seek to bring someone else into the family this week!  Touch a life with the love of Jesus.  God has you where you are for a reason.  Look for those God opportunities this week.

Linda

SERMON LINK
A New You | A New Community
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Sermon series, "A New Community " Today Alex Hardt share how Communion is a Covenant For God's People

​If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.