Alive in God's House

November 15, 2015  “Alive in God’s House” I Samuel 1.4-20, *Mark 13.1-8 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

The gospel of Mark tells of a day that the disciples were admiring the magnificent stones as they walked around the Temple. We understand how awe-inspired they must have been. Every society has landmarks. Every community has historical buildings, monuments and temples that either reflect God’s glory or man’s God-given ability.

If you have ever been to Russia, you may have seen St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow’s Red Square.   . It was built in the 1500’s on orders from Ivan the Terrible and commemorates the capture of the fortified cities of Kazan and Astrakhan. The church is shaped like a flaming bonfire rising 156 feet high in the sky.

The Kiyomizu-dera of Japan is a Buddhist temple that was built in the 1600’s on the side of a mountain. Its name Kiyomizu means waters that are “pure” and “clear.” In the middle of this temple is a waterfall that flows from the hills. It is made without a single nail. When earthquakes come to Japan as they often do, this temple sways on its beams and pillars that interconnect and interlock in ways that stabilize the temple.

Africa’s massive Temple of Kom Ombo  was built during the Ptolemaic dynasty in the second century BC. It is actually two temples built for two ancient gods. The two temples are mirror images of each other, with two sanctuaries, two halls, two courts, and two entrances.

We do not have to go far to see beautiful architecture.  The Chester County Courthouse was built in 1846 at a cost of $55,346. It was designed by Thomas Walter who also designed the dome of the United States Capitol. 

Our own Bethel United Methodist Church began in 1844 at the bottom of the hill. The basement of the building we worship in today was dug by hand by members. Stones were hauled one by one before it was dedicated in 1932. Forty years later, in 1972, the education wing was built. In 2016 the First Phase of the renovations will be complete by the grace of God. 

It is a wonderful thing to build something majestic and beautiful! There is a great deal of satisfaction that comes with fulfilling a plan, overcoming every obstacle, smoothing out the rough places, and working each detail to its fruition.

Verse 13 tells us that as Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ 

They were in awe of the great accomplishment. Still Jesus reminded them that the physical building is very much a part of our spiritual building.

As buildings go up or down, so our spiritual life is regularly renovated. As wars ebb and flow in reality or in the rumor mill, so we struggle with one issue or another. We grow closer to God and one another. We deepen our understanding of God’s will for our lives. We are able to manage every burden knowing that God is making something beautiful out of our lives.

There are those days of terrorists and homelessness and such when the whole world could cry out in faith like the songwriter: Something beautiful, something good, all of our confusion he understood. All we have to offer him is brokenness and strife, but he makes something beautiful out of our life. No matter what is happening around us and in us, God means is working it out for our good. God is building a house not made with hands.

While we are building on earth, we are also constructing spiritual places where we can dwell secure even when all around us is sinking sand. We are building places where justice and mercy are the pillars that cause our church to sway rather than break. We are building spiritual places where unity brings us to the table together and we partake of the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (generosity), faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Then the world will know that we are Christians by our love and by our love our children, too, will know that we are Christians. Amen.