The word of the Lord endures forever
by Pastor Fraser Pearce
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Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down’ (Mark 13:2).
Read Mark 13:1–13
Jesus has been teaching in the temple, and the last thing he does in the temple precinct is to praise the faith of a poor widow, who, in her poverty, put all that she had into the temple treasury (Mark 12:41–44).
As Jesus and his disciples leave the temple, one of his disciples points out to Jesus the magnificence of the temple stones and buildings. Maybe this disciple thought that Jesus would agree with him – after all, he had just praised the widow for her faithful contribution to the temple. But instead, Jesus says, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down’.
Jesus’ response is helpful for us to hear as we live as his disciples here and now. As God’s people, we contribute to things, including the church buildings where we meet to receive God’s word and sacraments, which will not last. No matter how precious our church buildings are to us or how many memories we have connected with them, we know they will one day cease to exist. Maybe you have already experienced this reality in your life – that the church you worshipped in as a child is no longer.
But we do not need to be despondent about this. Jesus, who called the temple his Father’s house, knew that the temple would one day be destroyed. He knows that the things we faithfully contribute to will one day no longer exist. But the word of God we receive as we meet will endure forever. As we put our trust in God’s word, we will never have cause to lose hope.
Jesus, the Word incarnate, was the one who endured to the end. He went to the cross to bear your sins, and he is now raised to the right hand of the Father to pray for you and bring you to the home with God that cannot be destroyed.
Jesus, you are the Word of God, and you endure through death and the grave. Since you live with the Father, send us your Spirit so we may always have the joy that comes from trusting you. Amen.
Fraser Pearce grew up in Sydney and has served as a pastor in Melbourne, Bendigo and Adelaide. He is married to Margaret, and they have four children ranging in age from 15 to 23. Fraser enjoys being with family and friends, listening to (and playing) music and reading.
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