Paul was invited to share at the Areopagus. Areopagus was where many philosophers, educated, and common people hangout to share and listen to new philosophies, ideas, and teaching. Since many people in Athens had not heard the teaching of Jesus, they wanted Paul to share more about Jesus. Paul began to share by sharing his first and second points. He said, "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else" (Acts 1724-25). Paul's first point was that he wanted the people in Athens to know that God created the universe, the earth, and everything in it. And that God does not live in temples. A temple is a place of worship, but God does not live in temples. During the Old Testament, God's presence was in the Tabernacle (the Tent of Meeting) to be in the midst of His people, and Solomon built a massive temple to replace the Tabernacle. However, the people of Israel rebelled against God and worshiped other idols. As a result, God removed His presence from the temple and allowed it to be destroyed. And to this day, the temple in Jerusalem is still in ruin.
When Jesus came and died for our sins, all the believers became the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Our body became the temple of God because He lives in us. Every Sunday, we go to a place of worship called church. We meet at our church to worship God with others, but God doesn't live there. God's presence stays with us wherever we go because God never leaves us, even when we sin or rebel against Him. When we sin, the Holy Spirit grieves in us (Ephesians 4:30), and so He convicts us of our sins. The second point was that God does not need our help because He is the God who is complete and lacking in nothing. After all, He created everything. When we serve Him, He allows us to participate in what He is doing to bless us.
Let us remember that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. God lives in us and is with us wherever we go. We go to church to worship God with others, but let us not think that God lives in that building. We represent God wherever we go. When we serve, we serve because God wants us to participate in fulfilling His mission on this earth. He doesn't need our help because He is a self-sustaining God, but He wants us to serve Him as an act of worship. It is a way we honor, adore, and love Him.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully and meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speaks to you). What does the Bible say about my body? What does serving God means since God can fulfill His mission without me? What lesson can I learn from this devotion?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for saving me through my Lord Jesus. Thank you for teaching me that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit because you live in me. Please help me to live according to your will as I represent you in this world. Thank you for allowing me to serve you so I can worship, adore, and love you with my life. In your name Jesus, I pray. Amen.