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GREAT BUILDINGS, GREAT RELATIONSHIP
The temple must have been an absolutely magnificent structure. Huge, glorious, and majestic, the temple that Herod had built was one of the wonders of the world at the time.
The temple was also the center of the Jewish faith. The temple was where they offered their sacrifices, where they worshipped and where they prayed. The temple was a most important part of their lives. So as the disciples of Jesus looked out across the valley at the temple as they were leaving it, one of them said, “Look teacher! what massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” (Mark 13:1). The reply Jesus gave about the most magnificent and important building to their worship must have left the disciples gob-smacked.
“‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus, ‘Not one stone here will be left upon another: every one will be thrown down.'” (v.2).
Our worship is not about the buildings, places, people or programmes. Like the temple, they may mean a lot to us, but what is really important is our relationship to God and our faithfulness to him even when everything else gets torn away. People, places, attitudes, aims, directions and life can all fall apart. Let us grow a relationship with God, so that when everything else falls apart, we can remain faithful.
DECEPTION
The twelve disciples were not ready for Jesus to die. Even though he had told them plainly time after time that he was to go to Jerusalem, be crucified and be raised from the dead, this concept just went straight over their heads. It was only well after it had all happened that the reality dawned on them.
Another similar era is approaching for us. Again the scriptures warn us time after time of what is going to happen in the last days, but because it all too often it doesn’t fit with what we see happening around us right now, it’s significance can be completely missed by us.
We are waiting for Jesus to return, just as the disciples were waiting for Jesus to restore the kingdom. But are we, as believers, prepared for a deception that might come, potentially strong enough to deceive even us? “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christ’s and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect – if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.” (Mark 13:21-23) This deception is also spoken about in Daniel 8, 11, Matthew 24, 1 Thessalonians 2, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 19 and other places.
Let’s be warned so that we don’t get taken in by the signs and miracles that could so easily deceive us.
ASSIGNED TASKS
We don’t know when Jesus is coming back. We have been given sign that tell us when his time is close, but Jesus said, “You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:33) He continued by telling a parable about what it means to be one of us waiting for his return. “It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.” (v.34)
Jesus has gone away. He has left his church, and left us, his servants, in charge. What an important responsibility we have! But it is not an overwhelming responsibility. None of us have been given more than we can handle. All we have to do is our assigned task.
Our role in our churches, families or communities may give us an idea of what we should be doing. Our talents and abilities can give us some idea. And circumstances and requests can also point us in the direction of our assigned task.
Jesus will come back. What will he find us doing? Will we be grudgingly grumbling through our task, wondering why no one else is helping us with it? Will we have abandoned the task to do our own thing? Or will we be willingly doing our very best to please the Lord? When he comes may he find us busy, willing and productive, doing our assigned task with all our hearts.