Pentecost devotion: Thrown Down - Mark 13:2

Mark 13:2       "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; each one will be thrown down."

It was a shocking thing to say, but Jesus said it any way. When He declared that all the great Jerusalem buildings, including the Temple, would be thrown down, He was prophesying about an event that would occur almost forty years later. It was shocking because Jerusalem had just been through an architectural renaissance of its city. The great buildings and the new Temple were proudly admired by the Jews. Some of their national prestige had been restored by these new worship centers and edifices. Jesus was spoiling the celebrations and puncturing Jewish pride.

At His trial, Christ’s words would be used against Him and bring about His execution by both the religious and political authorities. His words would be treated as both blasphemy and treason, causing Him to be arrested, tortured, and painfully executed.

Sometimes I wonder if Jesus would say the same about our own structures, edifices, and policies. Maybe we have taken great pride in building up a Church that doesn’t have long to exist. Perhaps we are pinning our pride to a system that is ready to crumble, or a theology that will take us down a dead end. This is why it is important to focus on the Holy Spirit at this time of Pentecost. What is He saying to us? What is He working towards? What is He asking us to do?

After Jerusalem and its great buildings were torn down in AD70 by the Romans, Judaism was reformed by the rabbis at Javneh in AD93 and Christianity emerged as a new faith. Perhaps then, we should be asking ourselves this question: if our church buildings and structures were to collapse within a generation, how would our faith reform and what new ways to Christ would emerge?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are the Foundation and Corner Stone of our faith. Build our people into churches of compassion, truth, and mission. Give us the understanding to see the Way ahead and help us to embrace the Holy Spirit as He reshapes, reforms, and renews Your Church on Earth. In Your sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. if you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Pentecost drawing called “Spirit on Fire.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7077/7251220410_933cbb13fa_b.jpg