Temples, Centers for… (God’s Interventions with His People)
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March, 2020.

Introduction to the Series: Temple is a big theme in the Bible. Creation is a temple, God’s abode where he chooses to dwell and act. Eden is a temple, a center where God meets (reveals and fellowship) with Adam and Eve (human beings). Here he makes covenant (terms of relationship) and seals with rituals that suits his Holy nature and character (which human beings don’t fully understand, but are called to follow and obey). Sinai (see first sermon on Exo 24) is a temple, Israel turns to God, God speaks and instructs the people he chose for his presence (Exo 19:5,6). In this way, the temple theme continues through out OT. In the NT, Jesus comes as the new temple. Paul and Apostles speak of the temple with regards to (continuity and discontinuity of OT themes). We look forward to the Eschatalogical Temple, when God will dwell with his people.
These themes have deeper significance with our lives, with regards to our religious and spiritual lives, as we live in secular age. People claim, “I want spirituality but I don’t want to be religious.” In Eugene Peterson’s words, “we have insatiable hunger for God, but do not want church.”

The purpose of the series is to bring deeper hunger to surface and acknowledge and own our desire for God and know-how to turn and live before him. A study through scripture will make us aware of God’s purpose in giving Temples (and rituals around it) to people to make his presence immanent, yet in reverence and adorations. A secondary purpose is to know why this great big expensive church building in Kathmandu, we’ve just built. How to understand it and make best use of it.

The Goal of the series is to help people understand and desire God’s presence and learn to practice the presence of God. Come to Cross-Way to learn, seek and serve God as he wants to be known and obey his word and live his mission.