WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR TRUST?
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his
disciples said to him, 'Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent
buildings!' 'Do you see all these great buildings?' replied Jesus. 'Not one
stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.' (Mark
13:1-2)
With only days until Jesus' death, He taught
His trainee apostles about the future.
It was an important lesson which the church would need. In the dark days of persecution, they must
not run to the Temple for sanctuary, but run away from it - to the Lord who
would send them to the right place (Mark 13:14-18). The magnificent temple was largely completed
in 4 BC but was still under construction in Jesus' day, and was only completed
in AD 64. It was an architectural
wonder, a matter of pride for all Jews (who paid for it), as well as
Herod.
The back-story is: after the destruction of
Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the return of a remnant from
exile, Zerubbabel started to rebuild the temple in 535 BC. It was completed in 515 BC under Nehemiah's
leadership (Nehemiah 12:47) . However,
it was not a replica of Solomon's Temple, being 90 feet shorter and not
beautiful - more like a fortress. So,
Herod, who wanted to build favour with the Jews and leave a legacy of his power
through buildings, restored the temple and extended it. It was a massive reconstruction project. At best, buildings for worship are the
product of divine instruction and personal sacrifice; but at worst, they become
the objects of worship wrapped in mixed motives and self-interest (Jeremiah
7:11; Matthew 21:13). Such was Herod's
Temple.
Jesus, who knew the future, said that all the
revered buildings would be razed to the ground.
And that is what happened only 6 years after the scaffolding was taken
down, when the future Emperor Titus levelled the Temple Mount and surrounding
city in AD 70. As Jesus predicted, not
even one stone would be left in situ. Having rejected God's sacrificial Lamb,
there was no longer any point in offering sacrifices. Christless religion, in a
temple that was intended to point towards Him, was futile (Luke 19:41-44).
However splendid the architecture, if a
building which is made for the worship of God becomes the object of worship,
God is disobeyed - inciting His punishment to subsequent generations (Exodus
20:4-6). His intention is frustrated, and the building is redundant to His
purposes. Like any landlord of redundant
property, He is entitled to dispose of it as He wishes. Beautiful buildings are not wrong; but if
they are idolised, they and their worshippers are worthy of a dreadful
end. The true church is the people who
honour Jesus as their Head (Colossians 1:18) .
The buildings they meet in cannot be more special than Him. That thought should help us to distinguish
between ministry tools (such as buildings) and ministry itself; between
beautiful stones and a Beautiful Saviour.
At a personal level, the church building is not our ultimate refuge;
Jesus is. He has not called us to put
our faith in the church or its structures but in Himself. Religion will let you down, but the Lord
Jesus Christ has come to lift you up.
Let Him do so; and then ask Him to help you use the tools He gives you
wisely to His glory.
Father God. Thank You for helping me to worship
and serve You in the local church and at work. Forgive me when I have honoured
or worshipped the apparatus of the church more than I worship Jesus. Help me to
see Your gifts for what they are, but never to worship them; and to give You
all the glory. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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