November 17, 2018
To read full passage, click: Mark 13:1-4 …“When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’” vss. 3-4
The view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives is spectacular. Every day busloads of pilgrims disembark from their tour buses to have their pictures taken with the old city as a backdrop. Of course, now the featured building across the Kidron Valley is the Dome of the Rock and it stands right about where the temple stood in Jesus’ day. It’s not hard to imagine him stopping with his disciples at one of the viewpoints for rest and reflection. The view from a distance would have been even more astounding than standing on the temple mount itself. According to Mark, Jesus told his disciples that one day there wouldn’t be one stone standing on another. It must have been hard for them to believe. Of course he was right! That’s generally how it is with all things we regard as imperishable. The tough part is predicting when the end is going to be. We look for signs but they’re pretty tough to read. The good news is that, in Christ, we find solid ground–a foundation that will stand forever. When the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, followers of Jesus adjusted and found new ways to practice their faith. What seemed to be an ending was really a beginning.
Thought for the Day: Why do we think some things will last forever?
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