Let me give you a bit of bible history. For the Jewish people, they knew that God was with them and that they were the chosen people . . . by the presence of fire. They had a tent, which they called the “Tent of Meeting” (Exodus 40:34-35). It contained a fire that never went out [Light the first container of alcohol]. This was after Moses led them from Egypt and they are wandering around. They lived in tents and so naturally God also lived in a tent.
That worked pretty well, but eventually the Jews settled down and began to construct homes of wood and rock. So they wanted to make a solid structure for God. Around the 950 BC, under the leadership of King Solomon (who came after David), they made this one huge temple (or church as we would call it) in Jerusalem. As it says in 1 Kings 8:10-13, when the building was completed and then blessed (or dedicated), fire entered the temple [light the second container of alcohol]. The fire was called the Shekinah of God.
Well everything is fine and good until 587 BC when mean people from Babylon came, captured most of the Jews, and also destroyed the temple. This is really bad, for not only are the Jews slaves (again) but the place that God lived is gone. [Cover the fire and put it out] Eventually three prophets, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Jeremiah, worked their whole lives trying to convince the people that they must go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple so God can be with them again.
They finally return back to Jerusalem around 515 BC, but nowhere in the bible does it says that the fire and glory of God ever descending on this rebuilt temple. [Try to light a third container which does not have any alcohol in it]. This is a problem. Anglican theologian, N. T. Wright, in his two-volume study of St. Paul, suspects that this is when faith started to change. He calls it “Pharisaism” (meaning acting like a Pharisee). This was the belief strong that continued into Jesus’ time that if they just obeyed laws more perfectly (including absolute ritual and being pure on the Sabbath) then the glory of God would return to the Temple. This is still a common pattern today . . . that IF we obeyed all the laws perfectly then God would be with us and the reason that we don’t feel close to God is because we sin.
But even though the Jewish people tried and tried for nearly 500 years. Still the flame didn’t return to the temple.
So . . . (and this is where it gets good) . . . along comes Jesus and during his whole life he is preaching and teaching to go beyond the laws and purity codes . . . and believe that God is with them already . . . as they love. God is love. God is in the loving. God is the loving.
Well, they still didn’t understand and actually killed Jesus for his radical ideas. But Jesus rises from the dead and ascends into heaven (which we celebrated last weekend). Today we hear of the returning of the flame. You just heard in the first reading. The fire from heaven descended, not on a building, but on people! [Light the forth container of alcohol]
Wow. This is huge! St. Paul wasn’t there at this re-connection with God (i.e. the spread of the Holy Spirit), but he understood it. He wrote many times “You are the temple.”
(1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:21-22)
Do you comprehend the significance of this? Theologian Wright says that this is the most important teaching of Paul. More important than “how to get to heaven” or “trying earn God’s love” (which Paul says that we can’t do anyway).
We are the temple, or the container, of God! Not a building. Not a tent. Right here [point to my chest]. Of course Paul develops this concept that we collectively are the Body of Christ. But this brings up some challenges for us . . .
If you are the temple of God. How are you caring for that temple? And what are some of the things that you can do to improve your temple?
Think about fire. It can be a help or it can be a problem. For example, it can warm us on cold days . . . or burn us if we get too close. It can help with cooking or with seeing . . . but can also destroy things.
The second reading says that there are different kinds of spiritual gifts. Classically we name seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul says that there are many different gifts of the Holy Spirit. That is what we are celebrating today. Your spiritual gifts. Oh there are many . . . kindness, patience, courage, strength, etc.
So here’s your challenge. What is the spiritual gift that you already have which might need some “beefing up.” Or what spiritual gift do you NOT have, but would like to have? Take a moment to think about that.
[Allow a few moments of quiet. Then I say a spontaneous prayer, asking for the Holy Spirit to come to us and strengthen this community]