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S. Pentecost 26.24 Mark 13:1-13

“And Jesus said… do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

And the disciples are naturally… concerned about this! The temple they’re looking at was actually the third (and last!) such edifice, the Jerusalem dwelling place of Yahweh among Israel, the ultimate site and sign of his presence and favor. This one was not quite finished. Herod the Great started it about 49 years before (it’s 30 AD when Jesus says these things) to replace the 2nd one that Zerubbabel and the other small group of returned exiles had built (somewhat lackadaisically) around 518 BC and that even they admitted was pretty unimpressive compared to the temple Solomon built around 970 BC and that was a noted wonder of the ancient world, impressive in size and appearance.

This temple of Herod was designed to be bigger, way more better, in every way than Solomon’s. And—at least size-wise and statistically, it appeared bigger and better. Even before it was finished, it took its place as a wonder of the ancient world, a religious Disney-land of sorts that drew hordes of tourists and good revenue for the Sadducees, priests, and scribes who had charge of it.

The destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC had been literally The End of at the World for Jews of the day. And so, devout Jews like Jesus’ disciples figured the destruction of this bigger and better temple of Herod’s would be like de ja vu all over again. And about this they were… correct!

If the temple of God is destroyed, God’s presence is withdrawn from the world; and since his powerful presence upholds all the things that make the planet run, take that away, and it’s the End of the World as we know it and do we feel… fine?

Jesus’ reply as to when these things will be, and what’ll be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished is… alarming! Instead of saying: “burn less fossil fuels and you’ll avoid it’, or that, “like the Zombie Apocalypse, feigning a lack of excitement will be your only challenge,” Jesus foretells tough times, saying: “Don’t be led astray! Many will come saying I AM! and will lead many astray!

“So when you hear of wars, rumors of wars, rising temperatures/seas, hurricanes blowing harder, earthquakes, famines, floods, fracking, pandemics, and the globalization of everything, do not be alarmed. These things must take place, but it’s not the End of the World. No, the real end, for you, is when they deliver you to Synod Conventions, and you’re beaten in the local congregations, and you stand before governors and kings to bear witness against them (because the Gospel must be preached to all nations!). Be on guard for that. But, when they bring you to trial and deliver you over (like in a Kafka novel 😉 do not be anxious beforehand or lose sleep writing a prepared speech, but just say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit…

“And brother will deliver brother over to death and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death [as a little aside, here: do keep in mind that, as today, so in the ancient church, pastors called each other “brother” and congregations called their rabbis “father” and he called them “children”, so this might not be only about biological families, but the church family is probably more in view, here!]. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

And, I’ll bet, the disciples were much heartened by these bracing words of Jesus, and smiled and went, ‘Whew! OK! So, nothing, really, to worry about. Everything will be… fine! Hey! The line for the temple tower zip line looks pretty short. Let’s go!” And everyone had a nice day in religious Disney Land… 😉

Actually; no response at all of the disciples to this news is given. Like the Pharisees, scribes, Sadducees before them who asked Jesus questions, it seems they dared question him no further.

But… you have questions, don’t you? “What’s up with this?! I thought Jesus promises peace and prosperity for all believers! Family Values! Surely he’s just kidding about this apocalyptic shtuff, right?”

Uhm. Well… he seems pretty serious. Though, I suspect Jesus takes a little joy in the stunned look on our faces when he tells us how things are, how they’re going to be.

But, aside from discovering that Jesus shares my view of pastor’s conferences and church conventions 😉 there’s even more good news here! And it comes from getting clear on the word “temple”…

When the disciples hear “temple”, they’re thinking Solomon’s, Zerubbabel’s, Herod’s. But Jesus isn’t primarily thinking that!

In John 2, chasing the moneychangers out of the temple with a whip, when they ask for a sign how he can do this, Jesus says “tear down this temple and I will raise it up in 3 days.” And Jesus is talking here, always, mainly about THE TEMPLE OF HIS BODY! And, after Easter, the disciples remembered this and believed…

On Good Friday, the real Temple of God, the Body of Jesus, was torn down. And that truly is the End of the World that makes the Zombie Apocalypse look like a child’s video game!

But, Jesus’ Body is raised up on the third day, just as he said, indestructible, glorious, eternal-life giving for all who love his appearing.

Peter is surely referring to our Gospel this morning when he writes in his epistle “As you come to him, a living stone, rejected by men, but, in the sight of God, chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house…”

Jesus took the sin of the world into his body, baptized by John in the Jordan. The only way to get rid of that shtuff is to kill and damn it on the cross. And I don’t know about you, but I hate that part of me! If the only way to be sin-free is to die and rise with Jesus, well then: bring it!

And, in Baptism, he brings it: Jesus tore me up, tore me down, and raised me up. So the beatings in the synagogues, being seated always in front of the praise band at SED conventions, being hated by your brothers and sisters ain’t nothin’ but a thang! A tear-down and rebuild that’ll make you… like Jesus 😉

The vicar asked me last week: “So, what is the Lord’s Supper?” Well, it’s the tearing down of the temple of our body soul, spirit—not one stone of ours that won’t be torn down!—and rebuilding us into Jesus’ body. Dying with him in Baptism, his Word in my ear, his Body and Blood in my mouth, I’m torn down and raised up—holy, new, a living stone in the temple of his Body, glorious beyond telling.

And so are you. At his table, made his temple. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.