I said the last lesson is my favorite, but I’m thinking this one may be my most favorite. It’s just filled with rich applications. As I’ve already written a couple of posts dealing with this points to be made in this lesson, I’ll not repeat the material — just link to it.
My favorite point that he makes in this lesson is one I’ve already written on, inspired by Vander Laan’s CD series, but adding a few thoughts of my own. It takes us back to times and practices unfamiliar to us, and in so doing, helps us understanding much of the Bible — and much of the Lord’s Supper.
The second lesson deals with the meaning of the temple and God’s dwelling within it. I just need to add two thoughts to the link, which covers much of the material Vander Laan covers in the DVD and expands on it.
First, Vander Laan mentions the meaning of the veil that covered the Holy of Holies being ripped when Jesus died. Traditionally — and correctly — we’ve interpreted this to mean that, as a priesthood of believers, we can now approach God’s throne directly, without an intervening priest.
But Vander Laan refers to a conversation he had with a Messianic Jew, who pointed out that it also meant that God was leaving the temple and dwelling within his people, the church. The indwelling of God moved from the temple on Mt. Zion to the temple within each of his people. The separation symbolized by the veil went both ways and has now been removed — both ways.
Second, the scriptures more often refer to the Spirit’s temple as being the church rather than the individual members. Both are true, but the scriptural emphasis is on God’s indwelling within the community, rather than the individual.
Which leaves us with an interesting discussion question: Why do we almost always refer to ourselves individually as the temple of God’s Holy Spirit and almost never refer to the church — our own congregation — as a temple of God’s Spirit?
WOW! That thought has some serious consequences.