FOUNDATIONS
MARCH 30, 2023
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”
5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Mark 13:2
Not one stone here will be left on another;
every one will be thrown down.
Graham Kendrick wrote a song several years ago, a song that many Churches have added to their worship song list. The song is called MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY! Do you know it?
Kendrick wrote in the fourth verse the following lyrics that I want to draw our attention to today.
We call you now to worship Him as Lord of all
To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall!
Graham Kendrick Copyright © 1986 Thankyou Music
That line “To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall” gets at the teaching of Jesus in our reading today. I am struck by the conversation at the outset of our account. “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.”
The temple in today’s gospel is more than just a building in Jerusalem, more than a place of worship. It was the center and anchor of Jewish life. It provided identity, structure, and meaning just like our temples of today. The disciples are impressed. “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” They are, however, looking only on outward appearances.
I believe there is an important message here that we might miss if we get too bogged down with “the abomination that causes desolation” or “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars”, earthquakes and famines, family betrayals leading even to death, rebelling children, hatred toward followers of Jesus. Not that these aren’t important but even in the context of Mark 13 Jesus seems to say not to focus of these things, he says “do not be alarmed”, and later in the chapter he will say “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. In today’s reading Jesus says, “You must be on your guard.”
This makes me think of the line from the song above To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall! Jesus has been teaching and challenging his followers and the Temple leadership to see that our focus ought to be on honoring God, he has called his followers to Love God with their whole being, “heart, soul and strength.”
The truth is one day the great buildings and structures of our life will fall. The very things that we often trust and rely upon to give identity, meaning, purpose, and security will crumble. This is not doom and gloom. It is just a statement of reality. Life changes, loved ones die, institutions fail, people disappoint, relationships break up, bodies get sick. In those moments, the great stones of our temples, our buildings are all thrown down.
We build all sorts of temples: families, beliefs and opinions, institutions, roles, reputations, accomplishments, dreams, and hopes. Jesus says, our spiritual work in those days is to not be alarmed or afraid, but to be faithful and to not be led astray, to be watchful, present, and observant.
This puts some hard questions before us about where we put our trust. I have learned in the last little while in my own life, that when our foundations crack, rock and give way that this is when we learn just how fragile our foundations are. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” These are moments of grace in which we discover something profound about God, that the only foundation on which to build is the foundation laid for us in God’s word in the person of Jesus. Our God is the God of life not death, the God of creation not destruction. Every moment of every day, new life is being created and given to us.
So let us, “have no gods before Him” let us allow their thrones to come crashing down. Let us “Make way, make way For Christ the King” and “Fling wide the gates and welcome Him Into your lives,” and “to worship Him as LORD OF ALL.”
Kendrick wrote in the fourth verse the following lyrics that I want to draw our attention to today.
We call you now to worship Him as Lord of all
To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall!
Graham Kendrick Copyright © 1986 Thankyou Music
That line “To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall” gets at the teaching of Jesus in our reading today. I am struck by the conversation at the outset of our account. “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.”
The temple in today’s gospel is more than just a building in Jerusalem, more than a place of worship. It was the center and anchor of Jewish life. It provided identity, structure, and meaning just like our temples of today. The disciples are impressed. “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” They are, however, looking only on outward appearances.
I believe there is an important message here that we might miss if we get too bogged down with “the abomination that causes desolation” or “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars”, earthquakes and famines, family betrayals leading even to death, rebelling children, hatred toward followers of Jesus. Not that these aren’t important but even in the context of Mark 13 Jesus seems to say not to focus of these things, he says “do not be alarmed”, and later in the chapter he will say “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. In today’s reading Jesus says, “You must be on your guard.”
This makes me think of the line from the song above To have no gods before Him Their thrones must fall! Jesus has been teaching and challenging his followers and the Temple leadership to see that our focus ought to be on honoring God, he has called his followers to Love God with their whole being, “heart, soul and strength.”
The truth is one day the great buildings and structures of our life will fall. The very things that we often trust and rely upon to give identity, meaning, purpose, and security will crumble. This is not doom and gloom. It is just a statement of reality. Life changes, loved ones die, institutions fail, people disappoint, relationships break up, bodies get sick. In those moments, the great stones of our temples, our buildings are all thrown down.
We build all sorts of temples: families, beliefs and opinions, institutions, roles, reputations, accomplishments, dreams, and hopes. Jesus says, our spiritual work in those days is to not be alarmed or afraid, but to be faithful and to not be led astray, to be watchful, present, and observant.
This puts some hard questions before us about where we put our trust. I have learned in the last little while in my own life, that when our foundations crack, rock and give way that this is when we learn just how fragile our foundations are. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” These are moments of grace in which we discover something profound about God, that the only foundation on which to build is the foundation laid for us in God’s word in the person of Jesus. Our God is the God of life not death, the God of creation not destruction. Every moment of every day, new life is being created and given to us.
So let us, “have no gods before Him” let us allow their thrones to come crashing down. Let us “Make way, make way For Christ the King” and “Fling wide the gates and welcome Him Into your lives,” and “to worship Him as LORD OF ALL.”
What temples of your life are falling or need to fall?
What new truth or reality is being shown to you?
How might God be creating and birthing new life in you?
LET US PRAY
Almighty and loving God, we confess that we put our trust in other gods. We honor these gods alongside of you and in place of you. By the Holy Spirit’s power, help us to know you, the only true God, as you have revealed yourself in your Word, to trust in you alone, to look to you for every good thing, humbly and patiently, and to love, fear, and honor you with all our hearts. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Text: adapted from
Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 94, 95 (Lift up Your Hearts Hymnal,
Faith Alive, #653)
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