Acts #11 - God's New Temple

Acts 5:1-11 (NIV)
Read by: Summer Richardson

Yesterday we looked at the earliest community of Jesus followers and what they were like. They were unified, they shared all they had, and they were bold in telling others about the work of God in Jesus… And they were all of these things because they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The implication of this filling isn’t as obvious to us in our culture, but the early church would have understood that being filled with God’s Spirit meant that now they, rather than the temple, were the place where God was choosing to dwell—the place where heaven and earth were coming together. Jesus had referred to his own body as the temple (John 2:19), and now it was his followers who were being filled with the Spirit… They were the new temple.

In light of this perspective, today’s passage will make more sense. It’s one of these stories in the Bible that is either overlooked and ignored because it’s kind of scary, or sometimes it’s been taken out of context and used to scare people into giving to the church. But as you listen, try to set aside any preconceived ideas and hear it with fresh ears, in the context of what we’ve heard so far in Acts. It’s a continuation of yesterday’s story. Remember, we learned that this new Jesus community, in their unrestrained generosity, were in the habit of selling houses or land that they owned and bringing the money from the sale to be given to those who had need. The end of yesterday’s passage provides an example in Barnabas. But today we get another example—and one that calls attention to an important reality of being the dwelling place of God’s Spirit—his holiness. It shouldn’t be surprising to us, but when the LORD dwells in the hearts of people, he is still as holy as he has ever been. And he is still as unwilling as he ever was to share his home with sin.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What surprised you in this passage?

2. Have you ever lied or held back part of the truth to make yourself look good in front of others? How did that make you feel inside?

3. Honesty has been an issue from the day that Adam and Eve ate the fruit. When we lie, when we hide things and pretend to be someone we are not, not only do we break trust with others that is often irreparable, we’re also rejecting the Holy Spirit. We’re choosing not to allow God to dwell with us, and saying that we want to define good and evil for ourselves. We are no different than our first parents. Is there something in your life that you need to confess? Is there something you’re holding onto that is keeping the LORD from making his home in your life?

----------GO DEEPER----------

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