Not one stone here will be left on top of another

Mark 13:1-2 (TNIV) -

1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”

2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

My thoughts -

We've got buildings. Some beautiful, some more utilitarian. We've got stuff. Some of it shiny, flashy, new and improved; some of it the same old stuff we've had for what seems like forever. We've got doors that close and lock to protect our stuff. We've got renovations, remodeling, and rebuilding projects to maintain and improve our buildings. We take great care in caring for what we have in this world. But it will not last.

What is a church? If we make our churches about the stuff we have we're building on a foundation that will crumble. If we make our churches about the beautiful sanctuary, the stained glass, the awesome Media Shout presentation, the big screens, the headset mics, the electric guitars, the pipe organs, the choirs, or any of the "trappings" of church we are not building on the eternal. These things will pass. They're just stuff. Not one stone here will be left on top of another.

The church is where we gather to worship God and to learn how to know and to do God's will. The people who make up the church are to be the hands of Christ in this world. Insofar as we are accomplishing that we are doing our job. The rest is just decoration. It's not that there's anything wrong with that, but it is not our mission to have the best choir in the county. It is not our mission to have the best praise band in the city. It is not our mission to have stained glass so beautiful people travel for miles and miles to see it.

Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Our "stuff" won't last.