The Temple Destroyed and Raised

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:55 pm Post subject: The Temple Destroyed and Raised

The Temple Destroyed and Raised

Scripture:

And Peter opening his mouth, said: You know the word which has been published through all Judea: for it began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached, Jesus of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit, and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things that he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed, hanging him upon a tree. Him God raised up the third day, and gave him to be made manifest, not to all the people, but to witnesses preordained by God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he arose again from the dead; And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God, to be judge of the living and of the dead. To him all the prophets give testimony, that by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe in him.
(Acts 10:34A, 37-43)

Therefore, if you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above; where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: Mind the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. For you are dead; and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, who is your life, then you also shall appear with him in glory.
(Colossians 3:1-4)

And on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen comes early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher; and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulcher. She ran, therefore, and comes to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them: They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple, and they came to the sepulcher. And they both ran together, and that other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying; but yet he went not in.

Then comes Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulcher, and saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place. Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulcher: and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
(John 20:1-9)

Reflection:

As we struggle with the ways of the world, lamenting our trials and tribulations, often failing to see our part in bringing forth our woes and sorrows; there is hope, but not in that which shall pass away, for hope is not found in that which shall decay. Our hope is found in the One who conquered death; the One who was destroyed and raised again on the third day; the One who lights the way to His eternal kingdom; the One who sent forth His Apostles to the corners of the world to preach the good news of the gospel, to make believers of all nations, and to baptize them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

What we consume of the world may satiate us for a moment, but soon we find ourselves empty once more. What we thought would bring us happiness quickly evaporates. No matter what we believe we gain or whatever our achievements in the world, all may be gone in a flash, all may be lost in the blink of an eye, sometimes in a single moment of the reversal of fortunes. Those who believe they are powerful will one day find themselves powerless. Those who believe they are wealthy will one day find themselves with nothing. Perhaps in such moments are we able to realize there is only One who can fill us with eternal blessing. He waits to take our hand, but we must choose to reach for His. We must understand, then, it is only our choice which prevents the moment of His embrace, for He already made His choice, demonstrating His love for us when He allowed Himself to be placed upon the cross.

We may allow ourselves to be distracted by the ways of the world, but we must consider what we ignore when we turn away from the ways of the eternal love of God. The things of heaven are the things of love. The sorrow of heaven is the observation that so many seek darkness before the light. The sorrow of heaven is over the souls lost in their refusal to take His hand and receive His loving embrace; but all is not sorrow, for there is great rejoicing over every soul which repents and turns to the One who poured out His love so that all the children of His creation might have the opportunity to live with Him forever within His eternal kingdom. (Luke 15:10)

We struggle as we endeavor to comprehend what is not of this world (John 18:36) by our knowledge of the world. We are tempted to see only that which decays, but those who are blessed to receive the good news of the gospel understand that there is a kingdom which does not decay, a kingdom which awaits to receive us, a kingdom which contains the blessings of eternal love.

Those who walked with the only begotten Son of God lamented at His death upon the cross, for they did not comprehend what He told them of the moment where the Temple destroyed would be raised in three days. (John 2:19) They did not know what to think when they discovered He was no longer in the tomb. They still did not fully understand. Only after He appeared to them (Mark 16:15) and called them to spread the gospel (Mark 16:15) did they begin to comprehend. He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them and put into motion His plan to spread His light from heart to heart. (John 20:19-23)

Let us lift our hearts in sorrow that such a sacrifice was required for our salvation, but let us also lift up our hearts in thanks and praise for the love which allowed this sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Let us also rejoice for every heart which turns to Him and every soul which seeks a new life through Him. If we struggle in our own comprehension as to what it means to believe in Him, then, let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us, for the One who sacrificed desired that we not be left orphans, but that we might always be reminded of all which He taught, (John 14:26) and that what He taught is truth. (1 John 5:6) Let us, then, listen within our hearts to the testimony of the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:11) and endeavor to live according to the blessings of that testimony.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways may we receive the good news of the Lord?

In what ways might we seek that which is from above over what we find here on earth?

What is the meaning to us of the blessing of His rising?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier