The Old Testament Temple
Our New Testament Temple
Then we started talking to them about the Old Testament Temple. The Temple was the place where God promised to meet with the people. The priests served in the Temple. They sacrificed animals there for the sins of the people. The people actually saw the Temple as the very presence of God in their lives.
And that's why the people were so angry with Stephen! He preached what Jesus taught...that Jesus would destroy the temple and raise it again in three days. The people thought Stephen meant that the actual Temple building made of stone and wood and gold would be destroyed. The Temple meant so much to them that the very thought of the Temple being destroyed made them feel like God would abandon them if that happened. They became very angry with Stephen for this. Stephen also preached that it was not necessary to follow many of the Old Testament laws anymore, the laws of Moses. There were no more food restrictions or sacrifices necessary for forgiveness of sins. This also angered the people because they were all about following the law.
And that's why Stephen was killed! He was the very first martyr...Christian who died for his faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 7:54-60
We discussed with the kids then what they consider Jesus to be to them...Savior, friend, Lord of their lives, sacrifice for their sins. We talked to the kids about how Jesus became our High Priest when he died on the cross for our sins and rose again three days later. He became the final sacrifice. No longer were animals being sacrificed necessary for forgiveness. And Jesus is the glory of the Lord. God's glory is Jesus. It doesn't have to live in some building made by man anymore. And what building could ever house so much glory anyway? Acts 7:48-50
Therefore, a Temple made of stone and wood and gold is no longer necessary. Our Temple is a living Temple. It is Jesus Christ! And can that Temple ever be destroyed? NEVER! But the physical Temple was...in 70 A.D. when God sent the Romans to destroy it.
The Temple of the Lord is always being added to also, stone by stone....every time a new Christian is added to the family of believers. 1 Cor. 3:16 We gave the kids stones then that they could write their names on as a visual reminder that, if they have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are one of those stones in that glorious Temple!
In closing, we reminded the kids how easy it is to let things distract us from Jesus. The enemy is the master of distraction. The Pharisees, Scribes, and other teachers of the "law" were good at focusing on the Old Testament laws and they and the people were so distracted by and focused on them, they missed out on the truth of Jesus. We illustrated this for the kids with Ben's shadow puppet theater. Cool visual! Thanks Pastor Billy!
