Each Sunday, we gather as a church—some of us wrangling toddlers, others weary from the week, some expectant, some uncertain. But all of us come in need of a word. A reminder. A reset.
This space is where I’ll unpack that word. Not as a theologian, but as a fellow pilgrim. Each week, I’ll share reflections on our Sunday sermon—what stirred, what challenged, what comforted—and how it’s shaping the rhythms of our daily life. Think of this as a devotional echo of the message we heard together, carried into Monday and beyond.
The goal isn’t to retell the sermon, but to live it deeper.
If you missed service, or just want to linger a little longer with what God is speaking, I hope these posts become a companion on your walk.
Right now we’re going through a series of the Holy Spirit. These takeaways come from the sermon written and preached by our pastor Dave Teixeira at Cedar Mill Bible Church in Portland, Oregon. Here is today’s sermon, and you can subscribe to the church’s channel if you’d like to hear more.
Let’s lean in.
In Genesis 3:8, we find God walking in the garden with Adam and Eve. Presence was His original plan. He didn’t want distance; He wanted nearness. Then sin entered, and that fellowship fractured. Still, God kept pursuing.
From the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) to the Temple (1 Kings 8:10–11), He made a way to dwell among His people. But it was always a bit removed—holy, glorious, but separate. Then came Jesus.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Literally, He “tabernacled” among us. Jesus was God’s presence on foot, healing, teaching, weeping, loving. And then He said something wild: destroy this temple, and I’ll raise it in three days (John 2:19). He was talking about Himself. Jesus was the new temple.
And now? That honor falls on us.
You Are a Temple
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you…?”
This isn’t metaphorical fluff. It’s reality. The presence that once hovered over the Ark of the Covenant now resides in every Spirit-filled believer. You carry the glory.
And yet, many of us live with a quiet dissonance. We call ourselves Christians, but often don’t live as Spirit-filled temples. Sin feels heavier, love feels harder, and sometimes church feels more like a checkbox than a community.
But when we remember who we are, everything begins to shift.
Three Shifts When You Know You’re a Temple
- Sin Hits Different
Not because you’re trying harder, but because it no longer fits. Greed, pride, lust, arrogance—they feel foreign in a sacred space. Not because you’re bad, but because you’re set apart. Paul isn’t wagging a finger; he’s reminding us of our identity. - Church Looks Different
1 Corinthians 3:16 reminds us, “You [plural] are God’s temple, and God’s Spirit dwells in your midst.” Church isn’t a social club. It’s a sacred gathering of living temples. And when we forget that, we miss the miracle of what we’re part of. - Worship Fills the Room
Ephesians 5:18–19 calls us to be filled with the Spirit, “singing and making music from your heart to the Lord.” Worship isn’t just what we do—it’s what fills us. It’s how we remember the presence within us and around us.
Final Thought
Tyler Staton puts it bluntly: most of us would trade a lifetime with the Spirit for one face-to-face with Jesus. But Jesus Himself said the Spirit is better (John 16:7).
So today, whether you’re stepping on LEGOs or facing something heavier, pause and remember: you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. The glory that once filled the Holy of Holies now fills you.
May you walk today in that presence—with joy, reverence, and maybe shoes.
Questions to Reflect On:
- Is there any thought or habit that doesn’t belong in the temple of your life?
- How might your view of church change if you saw it as a gathering of God’s temples?
- Is worship a regular part of your rhythm—or something you only visit on Sundays?
Closing Prayer:
Lord, thank You for meeting us today—in the worship, in the Word, and now in reflection. As we step into a new week, let these truths sink deep and shape how we love, how we speak, and how we see. Make us more aware of Your presence, more hungry for Your voice, and more willing to be led by Your Spirit. May we live as living temples, bringing Your light into ordinary places. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Luke at This! 
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