Proper 28

In 1926, inventor Lee DeForest said that “while theoretically and technically television may be feasible, yet commercially and financially, I consider it an impossibility; a development of which we need not waste time in dreaming.” 

In 1943, Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

In 1949, Popular Mechanics magazine said: “Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh only 1.5 tons.”

In 1962, the Decca Recording Co. said: “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” They were referring to a few lads from Liverpool called The Beatles.

In 1968, Business Week magazine noted, “With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn’t likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market.”

And last month John Reese, a local priest, predicted that the New York Yankees would defeat the Boston Red Sox in the American League wild card playoff game.

As the disciples walked out of the Temple in Jerusalem Jesus paused, looked back at the Temple and predicted, “Do you see all these great buildings. Not one stone will be left on another.” To the disciples, this was preposterous. “Look, teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

The smallest stones in the structure weighed 2 to 3 tons. Many of them weighed 50 tons. The walls towered over Jerusalem, over 400 feet high in one area. Inside the four walls were 45 acres of bedrock mountain shaved flat and during Jesus’ day a quarter of a million people could fit comfortably within the grounds.

By all accounts, the temple was an amazing piece of architecture. At the time of Jesus, it had been under construction for almost 50 years and was finally nearing completion. Josephus, the Jewish historian, notes, “The exterior of the building wanted nothing that could astound either mind or eye. For, being covered on all sides with massive plates of gold, the sun was no sooner up than it radiated so fiery a flash that persons straining to look at it were compelled to avert their eyes, as from the solar rays. To approaching strangers it appeared from a distance like a snow-clad mountain; for all that was not overlaid with gold was of purest white.” This was more than a temple in which to worship God; it was an incredible accomplishment of man.

You can then understand the disciples’ surprise. As they walked down the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, and John wanted to hear more. Jesus’ prediction that a structure so immense would be leveled to the ground seemed implausible. But they pressed Jesus for more information. They wanted to know when. What would be the sign that this was about to take place? In their voice was fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear that their lives were about to change forever.

Forty years later the prediction came true. In 70 AD the Temple was indeed destroyed by Rome. What are we to learn from this prediction and its fulfillment? We learn what true bedrock faith is all about. The kind of faith you can stand on, build on.

First of all, bedrock of faith is not in temples. Try to place yourself in first century Jerusalem. From anywhere in the city you can look up and catch a glimpse of the Temple. The 45-year project of King Herod was the third such Temple. It had been the center of Jewish national life for a thousand years, since Solomon built the first Temple. In the Temple the Jews sacrificed. Confessed their Sins. Gave their first fruits of the harvest. Yearly sacrificed a lamb for the nations’ sins. It was here that Passover, Pentecost, Day of Atonement, Feasts of Tabernacles, and Feast of Weeks were all celebrated.

With the Temple so central to their life and worship, this major question then arises: How would they worship God without the Temple? It was a question for which the disciples had no answer. We understandably get tied to things. We can even develop sentimental attachments to them. But the Temple was unique. God himself is said in Deuteronomy to be the architect giving the exact dimension of the altar, the grounds, the walls, the doors, down to the very size of the stones. This was God’s building.

Did you know that the Christians continued to make sacrifices at the Temple after Jesus’ death? Paul even makes an offering (Acts 21). It is the place where John the Baptist’s birth was announced, Jesus’ preeminence was recognized by Simeon and Anna, Jesus’ religious intelligence was recognized at age 12 by the leaders, and where the money changers were driven out years later. It was here that Paul was arrested.

With the Temple so central to life, how would the disciples worship God without it?

There’s a story told about composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) in his later years. On a special evening at the Vienna Music Hall, his oratorio The Creation was being performed. As the majestic work moved along, the audience was caught up with tremendous emotion. When the passage “And there was light!” was reached, the chorus and orchestra burst forth in such power that the crowd could no longer restrain its enthusiasm.

The vast assembly rose in spontaneous applause in the middle of the piece. Haydn, weakened by age and confined to a wheelchair, struggled to stand and motioned for silence. With his hand, he pointed toward heaven and said, “No, no, not from me, but from thence comes all!”

Perhaps that’s the lesson Jesus would have the disciples learn. Haydn directed the crowd’s attention away from his talents to God’s talents, away from the beautiful music to a majestic God. Whether a great oratorio or a Temple devoted to God, neither deserves our devotion, only the One from thence comes all!

So first of all, bedrock faith is not found in Temples, places of worship. And secondly, bedrock faith is not found in signs. Tell us, the disciples insisted, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they all are about to be fulfilled?

A televangelist was talking for an hour about his new book that supposedly explained everything we needed to know about the imminent second coming of Jesus and the end of time. “You must have this book,” he said over and over again, a telephone number constantly flashing at the bottom of the TV screen. Seems that he had prophetic insight into world events, and for a mere $14.95 we could have the benefit of his wisdom.  

A viewer called the number and suggested to the operator that if this preacher really thought this was so vital to the survival of the planet, and that the end was so near, he would be giving the book away! He won’t need the money, right? It’s all coming to an end anyway. The woman on the other end of the line was not amused. “Sorry, sir,” she said, “But I don’t know much about theology,” to which the caller responded, “Neither does the writer of the book you’re selling.”

That’s because we’re on a need-to-know basis. For instance, parents do not tell their children everything. They don’t want their kids to be burdened or to worry about things children should not worry about.

And God, likewise, does not tell us everything, perhaps for similar reasons.

It is the greatest of all biblical mysteries. 23 of the 27 New Testament books claim that Christ will one day return but we have no indication of when or what will usher it in. The problem with predicting the Second Coming is that most predictions center on world events. But world events are not indicators of the End Times. Wars, earthquakes, international political instability, famine, persecutions – these, says Jesus, are not a sign of the end; they are simply facts of life from the beginning. Verse 7 reads: Do not be alarmed these things must happen; the end is still to come.

I can’t tell you when but I can tell you why – to redeem this planet and you and me with it. If you don’t live with the expectation that he will one day return, you’ve missed one of the bedrock teachings of Jesus. It ought to be part of your life. It will make you watchful, cautious, and prepared.

The bedrock of faith is not in Temples or Signs. The bedrock of faith is in Christ. One day Christ will return. And we all will stand, not in the bedrock of a Temple made with human hands which is here today and gone tomorrow. No – we will take our stand with Christ, the bedrock of our faith, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.