TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
November 17, 2024
Daniel 12:1–3
Hebrews 10:11–25
Mark 13:1–13
The Crucified and Risen Body of Christ Jesus Is the True Temple of God
Despite its “wonderful stones” and “great buildings,” the Jerusalem temple would be torn down, with not one stone left upon another, just as this present world and its kingdoms will come to an end (Mark 13:1–8). But that temple pointed beyond itself to Christ, to His sacrifice upon the cross and to the resurrection of His body as the true Temple of God. In the midst of sin and death, by the proclamation of the Gospel, He now gathers disciples into His body, wherein “the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:10–13). For He is “a great priest over the house of God,” who “will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” By the pure water of His Baptism, they “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,” and by His flesh and blood, they enter the Holy of Holies (Heb. 10:17–22). Thus are His people delivered, “everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” For by the wisdom of His Gospel, He turns “many to righteousness,” so that “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake” to everlasting life (Dan. 12:1–3).
INTROIT Psalm 48:11-14 antiphon: Mark 13:13b
P The one who endures to the end
C will be saved.
P Let Mount Zion be glad!
C Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!
P Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers,
C consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels,
P that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever.
He will guide us forever.
C Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P The one who endures to the end
will be saved.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Daniel 12:1–3
1“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”
EPISTLE Hebrews 10:11–25
11Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”
17then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
HOLY GOSPEL Mark 13:1–13
1As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
3And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Summary of Sermon by Pastor John Riebhoff
Driving in this morning on this beautiful day, I noticed corn cribs, barns, and machine sheds that are run down and falling apart. Same thing is happening in big cities. Houses and buildings are closing and becoming empty and worn down. What is things are really built to last? Products now are made to be thrown away. God created things to last forever. His will and desire was for his creation to last. The result of sin entering the world by the eating of the forbidden fruit caused God's creation to not last forever.
We desire everything to last and last. Back in the day, things seem to last forever. Stoves, ovens, fridges, and etc. seemed to last for 40 years. Now they long last 7 years. Medical scientist are looking to make cures for so that a person can live longer. Because of sin, death will happen eventually. Because of grief none thing will last. The great buildings and temples from our lesson did not last. These were big stones for their times, 10ft wide by 15 feet long.
Jesus gives us a warning. In our gospel reading from Mark, he talks about the birth pains that will happen before judgement day. Clouds will hold rain causing crops to die and famines. There will be earthquakes and great fires. Rumors of wars, nation will rise against nation. These are just birthing pains to what will come. The end will come. Why don't things last? Sin. Our life is fleeting, we will return to the dust of the earth. Will that bring us joy? No it won't. Our lives get shaken when we are told that we have an uncurable illness or there was a death of a loved one. No treasures on earth will last.
Does anything last then? Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only thing that will last. He was a sinless man created to last forever. Jesus is God in bodily form. He is God's temple in bodily form not like the stones of the temple that will not last. From the gospel lesson the disciples thought the building stones would last. Jesus told them that not one of those stones will be standing. He was teaching them about this that will happen before the end day. The disciple thought it strange that Jesus would last forever and not the stones of the temple.
Jesus is God's holy temple and will last forever. But what happened when he died? He didn't even last forever? Wrong. Jesus the everlasting died as man for man. He fell to the subject of sin. But he was willing to take on the world's curse and punishment of sin and death. He did this so that we may live forever in heaven. The end of the world was destroyed in front of him. He pays for every sin. Jesus' death paid for it all when he said "It Is Finished."
Jesus said destroy the temple and will raise again in three days. He wasn't talking about the earthly stone temples but that of himself. He rose again in three days. Victorious over death. He is alive and back, everlasting and premiant. The Holy Spirit is turning mortal into immortality. He is clothing us. Victory of life to all of those that believe in Jesus Christ. In Christ we were renewed by his death. He is the eternal temple to last forever. Jesus has the power to fulfill all of his promises. All who believe will never die.