For the people of Israel Solomon’s Temple became the place where they encountered God’s presence, but Jesus describes the church as a living body made up of those called and claimed through him. In either case we are left to ask: “What do place at the center of our lives?’ and “Do we really seek God’s presence faithfully?”
This weekend we celebrate the confirmation of 16 young people, some at each worship service. Please keep them in your prayers as they affirm their baptismal covenant.
Worship this week: Saturday 5:00 p.m. (in the sanctuary this week)
Sunday 8:30 a.m. – Traditional Worship
9:30 a.m. — Everyone invited to join in reception for confirmation class in fellowship hall
— Sunday School Classes
10:30 a.m. — Contemporary Worship
October 27, 2013
1 Kings 5:1-5; 8:1-13
Key Verses: “And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”
1 Kings 8:10-11
Time: 961 BCE
Background: King David, the second king of Israel, wanted to build a temple to God, a place for God to dwell. But God didn’t want a temple from David. Instead, God allowed Solomon, David’s son, to build a temple. The temple housed the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was not a boat like Noah’s ark, but was a box which held the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. The temple became the place all Israelites could come and worship God.
During this worship in which Solomon and the people celebrated the building of the temple, God’s presence filled the entire place. Although God allowed Solomon to build a temple in which God could dwell, no building could hold the magnificence of God. God’s presence extends far beyond the walls of any worship space.
Community: In the place where your community of faith worships, what helps and what hinders worship? What stands in the way of putting God first? What helps make God central to worship?
At Home: Are there aspects of your life that you have walled off from God? What could you do this week to open them so that God fills all the places in your life?
Read This Week:
Monday, Oct 28, Elijah Predicts a Drought, 1 Kings 17:1-7
Tuesday, Oct 29, The Widow Zarephath, 1 Kings 17:8-16
Wednesday, Oct 30, Elijah Revives the Widow’s Son, 1 Kings 17:17-24
Thursday, Oct 31, Elijah’s Message to Ahab, 1 Kings 18:1-19
Friday, Nov 1, Elijah’s Triumph over the Priests of Baal, 1 Kings 18:20-40
Saturday, Nov 2, The Drought Ends, 1 Kings 18:41-46
Next Week: Sunday, Nov 3, Still, Small Voice, 1 Kings 19:1-18
