Temple

Sunday Reflection – November 13, 2022

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Destruction of the Temple

Luke 21 5 Some people were talking about the temple, how it was decorated with beautiful stones and ornaments dedicated to God. Jesus said, 6 “As for the things you are admiring, the time is coming when not even one stone will be left upon another. All will be demolished.”

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will these things happen? What sign will show that these things are about to happen?”

8 Jesus said, “Watch out that you aren’t deceived. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I’m the one!’ and ‘It’s time!’ Don’t follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and rebellions, don’t be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end won’t happen immediately.”

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other. 11 There will be great earthquakes and wide-scale food shortages and epidemics. There will also be terrifying sights and great signs in the sky.12 But before all this occurs, they will take you into custody and harass you because of your faith. They will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.13 This will provide you with an opportunity to testify. 14 Make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance. 15 I’ll give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to counter or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed by your parents, brothers and sisters, relatives, and friends. They will execute some of you. 17 Everyone will hate you because of my name. 18 Still, not a hair on your heads will be lost. 19 By holding fast, you will gain your lives.

Performed by Margaret Whisselle

Kids Korner: Destruction of the temple (November 13th)

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Read Luke 21:5-19 with your family.

Every time we read the Bible we have to remember both the people around Jesus when the stories first happen and the people with the writer who heard the stories after they were written down. Listening with our imagination in two places will show us if the message of the story was for the people with Jesus or the people decades later reading and learning about Jesus through the stories.

When the people first heard this story read from the Gospel of Luke, the Temple in Jerusalem had already been destroyed by the Roman army (it was destroyed about 40 years after Jesus’ resurrection). The Hebrew tradition was focused on the Temple because they believed God lived there, and the destruction of the temple meant the destruction of their way of understanding and caring for God. The Hebrew people were very sad.

Jesus never told his followers that he was more important than the Temple, but he did tell them God lived in all people, not just the Temple. That meant God was for all people, not only those who lived in the Holy Land.

The people who heard the story from the Gospel of Luke understood that even though the Temple was destroyed and Jesus was crucified on the cross, God was still very much alive with the people. Jesus was resurrected, but the temple was never rebuilt. God was no longer restricted to one place.

All the floods and wars and hard times were not predictions to watch for, they were normal life that people all over the world experience. Jesus was not giving us a checklist of bad things until something good happened. Jesus was telling us that even in the bad things, God is there and ready to work with us to make a new world where this things will stop happening.

Sunday Reflection – December 26, 2021

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Jesus in the temple at Passover

Luke 2 41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.42 When he was 12 years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to their custom. 43 After the festival was over, they were returning home, but the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t know it. 44 Supposing that he was among their band of travelers, they journeyed on for a full day while looking for him among their family and friends. 45 When they didn’t find Jesus, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple. He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and putting questions to them. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed by his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were shocked.

His mother said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Listen! Your father and I have been worried. We’ve been looking for you!”

49 Jesus replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they didn’t understand what he said to them.

51 Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. His mother cherished every word in her heart. 52 Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people.

Performed by Margaret Whisselle