Too Big To Fail

One of my favorite spots in my kitchen -- the grandma wall. The lenten journey reminds us to
not take the really important things for granted!

Scripture:

Mark 13:1   As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” ² Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

Observation:

The disciples had been spending time with Jesus in the temple as he taught. Now, as they left they glanced over at the beauty and glory of the building. Josephus, a first and second-century Roman-Jewish historian described the temple: 

“Now the outward face of the temple … was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun’s own rays. But this temple appeared … like a mountain covered with snow; for as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceeding white” (Josephus, J.W. 5.5.6 §222). If you paused and took it in, it was easy to be overwhelmed and to think that this incredible edifice would remain for all of time. 

The words of Jesus must have created great pause for the disciples. What kind of power or authority would come and destroy this great building? What they didn’t understand was whether he was talking about the buildings, or about himself. Ultimately, the temple was to be replaced by living stones, a living organism, filled with the spirit, and more wonderful than anything humanity could have ever imagined. 

Application:

This is a rather sobering week for not only is it the first week of Lent, but it’s also a time when the entire world seems to be threatened by a virus — something so small that it can only be seen through the lens of a microscope. So often we look at the institutions of our world through the eye of the disciples, awed by the power and grandeur, imagining that they are too big to fail. Jesus was challenging the disciples to consider the foundation of their faith. The building would not survive, but he would. The things of this world will not always be here, but God will. 

Without realizing it we all probably have things in our lives that we believe are too big to fail. These are the things in which we have put our trust. Are we trusting in our own health, or that of a family member? This can be removed in an instant and without any warning. Are we trusting in our retirement account? A big chunk of that probably disappeared this past week. Are we depending on humanity to solve all the big and complex problems of this world? If we are, then we are displacing God with humanity and that will lead us to destruction. There is literally nothing and no-one on this earth that is too big to fail, no matter how big, strong, beautiful or self-confident. 

Jesus was trying to help the disciples understand that only God was big enough not to fail. When we look around and see that the things of this world are thrown down, we turn and look at Jesus. In that moment we are drawn into a holy bond where we are united together with our sisters and brothers in Christ to become the temple in which there is hope. We become the living stones which are infused with the breath of God, offering eternal hope to all those who are weary. This is what is too big to fail — our God, and our participation in God’s kingdom. During the lenten journey, may  this become our vision, and may we then move into a future without fear, learning to depend upon the one who will never fail. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the vision of the new temple, and the invitation to participate. May I be a faithful living stone. Amen.