The Glorious Temple
Imagine if Christians had as much passion and dedication with their God as sports fans do with their teams. The possibilities would be endless.
Japan recently beat Spain and Germany at the FIFA World Cup. It was a scene of absolute passion, with thousands of fans in the stadium in tears. I could name countless other sporting occasions where this beautiful part of the human soul, passion, is in its rawest and truest form.
Why don’t we see more of this in Christianity? Why are many Christians passionless and lacklustre? Why is the church often perceived as dull? One reason has to do with the idea of pursuing.
God is certainly a God of passion. If there is one main theme between Biblical stories, it is God’s zeal for His people. If God is zealous, why are we not?
Sports fans have supported their teams for most of their lives. They know the team’s history, prospects, makeup, and idiosyncrasies, and they have remained loyal through the good and bad times. They put their hope in the success of their teams.
It’s no wonder then that the Japanese man was sobbing when Japan beat Spain. It’s because he has invested time into Japanese football. Hours of analysis, discourse, and prediction. But more than this, he put his hopes into the team.
When was the last time we prayed as a community for longer than five minutes? When was the last time we stepped out in faith and did something that scares us? When was the last time we woke up before the sun rises to meet with our creator?
We don’t see the same level of ardour in the church as in sport because Christians don’t spend time with God. We don’t pursue a relationship with Him. We aren’t loyal to Him through the good and bad times. We don’t put our hopes in Him. And maybe that’s because we don’t think it will be worth it.
God has revealed to us His truth and the possibilities of what He can achieve through us. He then waits for us to wake up, get out, and pursue Him. What would be the point if we didn’t have to pursue?
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”1 That is the passion I am talking about!
We don’t see this today because when a prayer meeting is called after church, three people arrive (one the pastor and the other the pastor’s son), pray for five minutes, and then leave.
When was the last time we as South Africans prayed for Ramaphosa, Eskom, or racial harmony “without ceasing”?2
The underlying issue here is a lack of faith. Why should I pray about these things if it will make zero difference? Why should I tell that person about Jesus if they will just keep living the same way? Why should I get up early to pray if I will just be tired the whole day? Why should I leave my old life behind for Christ’s sake?
The disciples also doubted Christ when they were in a storm, and He said to them, as He does to us, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”3
The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of Jesus around the year 580 BC. In the vision, Christ shows Ezekiel the construction of a glorious new temple.4
When the temple is complete, God’s presence fills it. “I looked and saw the glory of the Lord filling the temple of the Lord, and I fell face down.”5
Jesus says to Ezekiel, “Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins.”6
Jesus was showing Ezekiel the Israelite’s great potential. Potential to return to their God, to build a beautiful temple, and to pursue Him. He was showing them how good things could be if they pursue God wholeheartedly and put away their faithlessness.
But the glorious temple was never built. The vision was never fulfilled. The Israelites did not pursue God.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”7
Ezekiel’s vision can still be fulfilled today through us. Jesus has showed us Himself as the example of what our temples can look like - a temple brimming with God’s presence. So what are we waiting for?
I pray that we pursue Him and put our hopes in Him, because when the great victory comes, when the glorious temple is completed, and when the wedding feast begins, it will be absolutely unimaginable.
Acts 2:1-4
1 Thessalonians 5:17-19
Matthew 8:26
Ezekiel 40
Ezekiel 44:4
Ezekiel 43:10-11
1 Corinthians 6:19
So encouraging and true that in our obedience to this we would reap a harvest of holiness and peace. So often we know the truth but fail to run the race with His instruction and yet, the Lord reminds us of His love and grace even in our frailties .
Always encouraging always real
This is a plague in the USA as well. Sports teams and celebrities inspire more devotion and passion than maintaining their spiritual health. We are a pagan nation that "identifies" as Christian. For every deeply grounded pastor who is true in his faith and duty, there are 2 who want to make spiritual maintenance covered with an hour on Sunday and money in the collection plate. That is their "magic pill - no work" method of easing the guilt of all those not taking their faith seriously. Christianity was originally called "The Way" because it is a way of life - not a task to do once a week.