The thing that reached out and grabbed me was the statement, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” It just seemed to cry out to me. The things of man, of this world -- these things that we have made; they are all passing away.
The things that people make today are all eventually being torn down and new things built in their place. I think of old hotels and large department stores that have been imploded to make way for new buildings, new projects – not one stone left on top of stone. Even the twin towers of the World Trade Center that were brought down by two airplanes - and not one stone left on stone.
I ran across a picture of the old church the other day - the one that Tommy and I grew up in. The only things left from that church are the window above us here, and the altar in the children's chapel.
Things made in this day and age seem to be easy to get rid of. Many of the ancients built things to last – I'm awed by things like the pyramids, Stonehenge, and Easter Island - the huge stones that have lasted for centuries.. Even the old western wall of Herod’s temple – if you take the tour down underneath the Western Wall, you will see these massive stones, still one on top of another – not complete by any means, but you wonder how people of old could have moved stones as massive as these stones are. They were as long as this building and almost as tall. No wonder the disciples were impressed.
For the Jews, this temple was considered to be God’s dwelling place on earth. That is where you would go to be near God’s presence - to make sacrifices to him. The synagogues were where you went to learn about God and to worship him. But his presence was at the temple in Jerusalem according to the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Now Jesus uses this discussion of the temple adornments as a springboard to launch into an eschatological discussion – that is a discussion about the end times. And the disciples take off with it, wanting to know when these things were going to take place.
They missed the point - the point that things do not stay the same. Everything is subject to change. They wanted to be able to pinpoint it so that they could have some modicum of control or at least inside knowledge – so that they can be prepared. And Jesus lets them know that it’s not going to be tomorrow – not anytime in the near future.
There’s danger in thinking that Jesus is coming back tomorrow. Some of the people of Thessalonica were convinced that Jesus was coming back within days. So they quit living for the future – they quit working and started meddling in other people’s business and living off the handouts of the others in the community. They are reminded in today’s lesson that Paul set them an example while he was among them – working and earning his keep and he encourages them to do the same. We can't just give up because change is coming. We have to stay engaged.
Our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah starts off telling us that God is about to do a new thing – create new heavens and a new earth – and the former things shall not be remembered. Maybe each generation needs to have something to look forward to. Isaiah is writing this after the Babylonian exile. The people are coming back to Jerusalem and looking at the ruins of the former glory. They are lamenting the ruin and rubble of the destroyed temple.
And they wonder if it will ever be the same. God tells them “no” it won’t be the same – God will recreate in a different way, and so should they. He encourages them to build a better world – and gives them an image of the perfect world – where all live together peacefully.
And so they began to build - and the new temple is the same one that Jesus and the disciples are looking at in our gospel lesson - the very one that Jesus says is going to be torn down. (And it is only seventy years later, when the temple is torn down.)
These scriptures carry a message for us today. Not only as a nation, but for us here at Grace. We are in transition, just as the Israelites were as they returned from Babylon. Each person is expected to do their part in preparing a place for your new rector. Paul tells us that we are not to be idle and let others do the work if we want to succeed. Everyone has a part to play to make this church a success.
You can’t say, I’m too old and feeble. Moses was 80 when he was asked to bring the people out of Egypt and he spent 40 years doing just that. Don’t say I’m just a kid – what can I do? The Bible tells us very plainly that a little child shall lead them. Don’t say I’m not smart enough. . .
There is a story told about a young man named Johnny with downs syndrome. He worked as a sacker at a neighborhood grocery store. One day the vice president gave a speech about how each employee could make a difference at the store. Johnny thought and thought how he could make a difference. He finally happened on an idea of finding a “thought of the day.” He and his dad searched for a thought and when they found one, his dad helped him set it up on the computer and they printed out multiple copies and cut them into individual cards. Johnny would put a card in the grocery bag of each customer and tell them to “have a good day” and “thanks for shopping with us.”
The number of customers grew as people found themselves drawn back to the store even when they only had a few items to get. There came a day when the store manager noticed a long line at one check out stand – the one where Johnny was. The manager had employees open up other counters, but the people would not move to the other counters. They wanted to get Johnny’s thought for the day.
Other employees, inspired by Johnny, began to find ways to make a difference also. Each of you can make a difference, too. I invite you to use your imagination to find your contribution. The success of Grace is the responsibility of each member working together with every other member.
Those of you who are Daughters of the King are familiar with the motto:
I am but one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do.
What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.
Lord, what will you have me do?
No one person can do everything. But each person has something they can contribute. I invite you to entertain this idea – take the bulletin home, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the scriptures for the day – and pray for the future of the church. Plan what you can do – what God calls you to do. Where is it that God is calling you to make a difference today?
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