1 Samuel 1:4-20, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25, Mark 13:1-8
Everything on this earth is
temporary. Buildings, roads, jobs, even our lives are all temporary. No matter
how large or how secure we may be in our faith of the material world around us,
it is all temporary.
Most of us are familiar with the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Lighthouse in Alexandria, or the Statue of Zeus on Mount Olympus. These amazing feats of art and architecture were believed to last forever, but even they disappeared. Only the pyramids are still standing today but they too are slowly eroding due to the harsh desert winds. No matter how hard we try there is nothing that we can make that will stand the test of time.
This is partially what Jesus is talking about in today’s gospel. As the disciples and Jesus are walking around the busy grounds that surround the temple, they see large buildings and the disciples are clearly impressed. Why wouldn’t they be? If we were to close our eyes and imagine for a moment what the disciples were seeing. They were coming out of the temple, which by some accounts was ten stories tall and adorned in silver and gold. Out of the dimly lit interior they step out into the radiant sunlight.
Most of us are familiar with the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Lighthouse in Alexandria, or the Statue of Zeus on Mount Olympus. These amazing feats of art and architecture were believed to last forever, but even they disappeared. Only the pyramids are still standing today but they too are slowly eroding due to the harsh desert winds. No matter how hard we try there is nothing that we can make that will stand the test of time.
This is partially what Jesus is talking about in today’s gospel. As the disciples and Jesus are walking around the busy grounds that surround the temple, they see large buildings and the disciples are clearly impressed. Why wouldn’t they be? If we were to close our eyes and imagine for a moment what the disciples were seeing. They were coming out of the temple, which by some accounts was ten stories tall and adorned in silver and gold. Out of the dimly lit interior they step out into the radiant sunlight.
They were captivated by the
size and grandeur of the area. The disciples make this known to Jesus and
as usual, Jesus responds to the disciples in an unexpected way. Rather than
agree that these buildings are large or say that he too is impressed by them,
Jesus invites the disciples to see these buildings in a new way... to see how
temporary they are. He is trying to convey to his friends that the world
around them will fall, and that the new kingdom will come, but not without
conflict. The new Kingdom of God will stand the test of time.
The Holy Temple in Jerusalem plays a central role in the beliefs of the Jewish faith. They believe that the temple served as a figurative “footstool” of God’s presence. It is the central place where they believed God dwelled among them and thus was the center of sacrificial rituals. People would travel from all parts of the Mediterranean area to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. We know that Jesus and his family made the pilgrimage from Galilee to Jerusalem many times. If Jerusalem was the hub of Judaism, then the temple was the epicenter from which everything came from. For many of that time period, the destruction of the temple was incomprehensible.
The Holy Temple in Jerusalem plays a central role in the beliefs of the Jewish faith. They believe that the temple served as a figurative “footstool” of God’s presence. It is the central place where they believed God dwelled among them and thus was the center of sacrificial rituals. People would travel from all parts of the Mediterranean area to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. We know that Jesus and his family made the pilgrimage from Galilee to Jerusalem many times. If Jerusalem was the hub of Judaism, then the temple was the epicenter from which everything came from. For many of that time period, the destruction of the temple was incomprehensible.
So, when Jesus tells his disciples
that not one stone will be left we can imagine how skeptical the disciples
might have been. Jesus is providing a glimpse of the future. A
future that will take place after his time in this world. A future where
the grandeur of the temple mount will be no more. He warns of times of
upheaval, political and military unrest. He warns against being led
astray by false prophets. But he reassures the disciples that these are
the natural birth pangs of the coming of the Kingdom.
There are always going to be flashy people, politicians, preachers, presidents, who grab our attention and lead us. Regardless of their intention we are captivated by their message. Sometimes for a fleeting moment, while others hold our attention for years. Every four years we have a presidential election, and regardless of how much people like or dislike the candidates they are out of our minds in a few years. Their leadership is temporary, just as buildings are temporary.
There are always going to be flashy people, politicians, preachers, presidents, who grab our attention and lead us. Regardless of their intention we are captivated by their message. Sometimes for a fleeting moment, while others hold our attention for years. Every four years we have a presidential election, and regardless of how much people like or dislike the candidates they are out of our minds in a few years. Their leadership is temporary, just as buildings are temporary.
Jesus is doing something new here
in today's gospel. New things are scary, especially when it disrupts the
status quo. Instead of lying to his friends and reassuring them that everything
was going to be hunky-dory after he leaves them, Jesus decides to tell the
truth. I’m not going to lie, things are going to be strange, difficult, even
scary.
We all know that the truth can be
scary or even hard to hear and even harder to speak. But for Jesus it is
important to him that the disciples know what awaits them. We too find
ourselves in a similar situation. The second coming of Christ to usher in
his new Kingdom has not happened yet. We too are waiting just like the
disciples did after Jesus’ ascension. We are looking to the uncertain
future, scared of what awaits, and also excited for the opportunities.
This is the very nature of our faith. “Our faith is oriented
towards the future. Though our lives are organized around various concentric
and overlapping daily, weekly, and yearly cycles, the Christian faith is
essentially a linear faith. God has a mission, God is fulfilling and
perfecting, God is shaping the future toward an end.”
So then what do we do in the
meantime as we await Christ coming again in glory? We cannot be afraid to
live in the present for fear of the future. The Kingdom of God is not
just for heaven or the end times. The Kingdom of God is for the here and now
and we can help bring about the Kingdom.
Through our words, our actions, and how
we order our lives we can be prepared. We will be prepared to help those
in need. We will be prepared to be the light of Christ in the world.
We will be prepared so that when it is our turn to stand before our maker
we will know that we have totally and freely given of ourselves to the service
of God’s kingdom on earth. It is my turn to be truthful. Will this
be easy?...sorry it will not. Will you go unnoticed and unthanked by your
neighbor for your efforts?...yes, but God see it. Will you have to suffer
on account of your faith?...more than likely not, but it is possible. I
will tell you this though, it will be worth it.
Jesus equates the trials and
tribulations to come to that of birth pangs. “We must remember, this is a
natural part of the birthing process: these pang are necessary for birthing but
they are not meant to rob the expectant parent of the unfathomable joy that the
birth will bring. The birth pangs couldn’t rob Mary of her joy after Jesus was
born. Likewise, the pangs of God’s “upside-down” Kingdom being birthed among us
should never rob us from looking for the ways in which God calling each of us
to help “midwife” the birth of the Kingdom around us.”
As we move into Advent and grow increasingly expectant of the joyous birth of the Christ child, may the idea of becoming a midwife for the Kingdom become more and more relevant to us all.
As we move into Advent and grow increasingly expectant of the joyous birth of the Christ child, may the idea of becoming a midwife for the Kingdom become more and more relevant to us all.
---
Quotes are from workingpreacher.org
No comments:
Post a Comment