A Dwelling Place

Main Theme

Restoring the Priesthood to create a dwelling place for God’s presence

Welcome

Welcome to House of Bethany. My name is Samuel Teka, I serve as the pastor here. 

If it’s your first time, I’m are glad you are here. And if you’re already part of the family, happy to see you guys again. 

Our what and why is very simple here: We create a space for people to encounter Jesus and be transformed. 

Regardless of who are or whatever your beliefs or background is, I believe one encounter with Jesus can change everything.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to have a place here.

My/our hope is that you would experience the love and presence of Jesus in a real way as you keep on coming. 

Main Passage

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Title

A Dwelling Place

Prayer

In Jesus name, Amen!

Introduction

Story

Explanation

Illustration

Application

Context

Historical Background

Author:

Peter, the disciple and apostle of Jesus, is the author of this letter.

Place:

Peter is writing from Rome

Time:

He most likely wrote the letter before or little after 60 AD, just before he was killed in Rome around 64 AD under Emperor Nero.

Audience:

Stated in chapter 1 of verses 1-2, Peter is writing to believers who are dispersed or scattered though out Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, which are regions through out Asia Minor, modern day Turkey.

Background:

The Christians in these regions are marginalized and facing persecution because of their faith in Christ. It wasn’t legal persecution, under Roman government, yet until emperor Nero in 64AD. Instead, it was primarily social and religious persecution.

Purpose:

Peter, with the knowledge that persecution was present and would soon arise in a greater degree, writes this letter to comfort and encourage Christians to face suffering with hope.

Transitional Sentence

We are going to learn about who we are as the church? What it mean to be dwelling place for God? and how?

Points

1: Living Stones

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Explanation

Peter is using OT temple, priestly, and sacrificial language to communicate the churches identity.

Just as God chose to dwell in tabernacles, tents, and temples; He now dwells in his people.

NT Wright says, “Those in whom the Spirit comes to live are God's new Temple. They are, individually and corporately, places where heaven and earth meet.”

The moment the Holy Spirit dwells in a person, they become what scriptures calls a, “living stone.”

Illustration

1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Ephesians 2:19–22 ESV

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Application

In others words, just as the temple was built brick by brick to host God’s Spirit…

… Similarly we are set apart as God’s people, living stones, and are being built up, brick by brick, to be a dwelling place for God’s Spirit. This is the point of what Peter is saying.

What does it mean be a dwelling place for God

Explanation

With that being said, I think there is something deeper Peter is trying to communicate in this text.

Not just who the church is but what it means to be a dwelling place for God’s Spirit and how?

A caveat before I continue with what I am about to say:

(1) In no way am I providing a formula to host God’s presence. Do ABC and then God comes.

(2) We can’t manipulate or demand God’s glory. He shows up when He wants and in the way he wants

(3) I am not taking about salvation.

What I am communicating is:

(1) What God is and isn’t pleased with that determines whether we are entrusted with his glory, in whatever way that shows up

(2) God does command his blessing where his people honor him.

(3) I am taking about the ways of the Kingdom after we’ve entered in.

Now when I say God’s glory or his presence, what do I mean?

(1) God is omnipresent, (2) God dwells in his people through the Holy Spirit to transform them from the inside out and (3) there is God’s manifest glory where He shows up in a particular time, place and moment.

Illustration

1 Kings 8:10–11 ESV

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

Application

What does it mean to be a dwelling place for God?

It means we host God; the person of Christ.

It means we want his presence/glory to be among us.

It means that we are not a hotel but we are a home for the Lord.

How do we become a dwelling place for God’s Glory

Explanation

So how do we host God’s manifest glory (His presence)? Where he comes to dwell and live with His people in a tangible and powerful way?

In the beginning of verse four, it says: “As you come to Jesus.” The phrase is written in the present tense which means continually or ongoing.

It’s also in the middle or passive voice. Middle means the subject is taking the action. Passive means the subject is being acted upon.

So when Peter says “as you come to Jesus”, he’s saying the believer is either taking action to draw near to God or God is enabling the believer to come to him. I think it’s both: As God enables us, we take the action to draw near to God.

As people are drawing near to God, individually and corporately, THEN God begins to build up his church; and a little side note, it has to be God who builds his church not man.

Psalm 127:1 ESV

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

So back to our question: how do we, as the church, host God’s glory? His presence?

Illustration

1 Peter 2:5 ESV

to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Application

It’s by restoring the priesthood and offering spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God. It’s a christian way of saying: live a set apart life (pure, holy) and offer him what’s acceptable.

Surrendering everything to God

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Generosity & Service unto God

Philippians 4:18 ESV

I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

Praise & Worship, from Spirit (faith) and truth (sincerity).

Hebrews 13:15 ESV

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Here’s the catch: when Peter says that they are to be a priesthood and offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God, Peter isn’t writing to individuals, he’s speaking to them as a unit.

Which means unity is absolutely essential.

It’s like an orchestra: if one person or instrument is off, it throws the whole band off.

ME:

I remember earlier on in my walk with the Lord, there was some ongoing sin in my life. I wasn’t confessing to anyone. I was living one way privately and another way publically. Living in sin and shame.

When I would go to church I would isolate myself, I wasn’t really part of the community, I was in and then out. I wasn’t serving or contributing.

My attitude was off, I had un-forgiveness and bitterness in me.

I was apathetic towards the Word of God, I was relying on myself and it showed because I wasn’t praying or seeking the Lord.

When the church I was part of was trying to build unity and host God’s presence, I was the one person in the orchestra throwing things off.

Illustration

Joshua 7:1-13

WE:

What we do privately and publically matters for creating a space for God to dwell.

Call to Action

Unbeliever: God’s presence to dwell in you and to experience his presence daily

Believer: Unity to restore the priesthood and offer sacrifices that are acceptable to God.

Prayer

In Jesus name, amen!