Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
1 Kings 6: 7
6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor ax [nor] any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.
The Jewish temple was built of hewn stones quarried out of the mountains; and every stone was fitted for its place in the temple, hewed, polished, and tested, before it was brought to Jerusalem. And when all were brought to the ground, the building went together without the sound of ax or hammer. This building represents God’s spiritual temple, which is composed of material gathered out of every nation, and tongue, and people, of all grades, high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned. These are not dead substances, to be fitted by hammer and chisel. They are living stones, quarried out from the world by the truth; and the great Master-Builder, the Lord of the temple, is now hewing and polishing them, and fitting them for their respective places in the spiritual temple. When completed, this temple will be perfect in all its parts, the admiration of angels and of men; for its builder and maker is God. {HS 136.5}
Let no one think that there need not be a stroke placed upon him. There is no person, no nation, that is perfect in every habit and thought. One must learn of another. Therefore God wants the different nationalities to mingle together, to be one in judgment, one in purpose. Then the union that there is in Christ will be exemplified. {HS 137.1} HS - Historical Sketches of the Foreign Missions of the Seventh-day Adventists (1886)
Just as the Jewish temple represented God’s spiritual temple, each one of the bodies of God’s children also represent God’s spiritual temple. As God works in us, we are fitted more and more to be witnesses to the whole world of whom we serve, our risen Savior. We are to be under one accord with each other and with God to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We are instructed to go out to every nation, tongue, and people, with the truth of the everlasting gospel, and then shall the end come. Remember to keep your eyes on Jesus.
Our kind and gracious Father,
We thank You for working in us to will and to do of Your good pleasure. We pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, to live and dwell within us. We pray that You use us as Your vessels, fill us with oil that we may impart to others who are in need. Let Your light shine through us and reflect unto others who are walking in darkness. We pray for our brothers and sisters to learn of one another that they may come together under one accord. Our bodies are our Holy temple; we pray that none desecrate that which is Holy. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
