^ESV Matthew 24:1-2 “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when His disciples came to point out to Him the buildings of the temple. ² But He answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

From the Pastor:

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, about this time of year, around the time of the Jewish Passover, 1,955 years ago, Roman forces began to infiltrate Jerusalem and by August of 70 AD, they had breached the final defenses, destroyed the temple, and massacred much of the remaining population.  Tens of thousands of Jews were killed, enslaved, or executed, and the temple would never be rebuilt.  But this wouldn’t be the only time an elaborate house of worship would fall to destruction.

In the 21^st century, around the time of Passover, on April 15, 2019, fire broke out in the attic at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  The massive blaze destroyed most of the roof.  There were many analyses of the tragic event.  Some saw it as symbolic of the decline of Christianity in Europe.  Other, more vicious critics interpret it as a symbolic judgement on the Catholic Church.  And some criticized the President of France for his intention to rebuild the structure, saying that it would be an extravagant waste of money.  But, on Saturday, December 7, 2024, Notre Dame de Paris held an inaugural service and on Sunday, December 8, 2024 the first Mass was held in the restored cathedral.

Now, imagine what emotions might flood your mind if you suddenly heard that our church building here in Oil City had been destroyed by a tornado, fire, or some other disaster.  We all would consider it a terrible loss.  And in the news, we hear of such things happening to other congregations and they rightly mourn.  Yet, we also know that the Church is not simply a building, but is the people of God.  And we also know that a congregation doesn’t need a building at all.  In some remote places of the world, Christians gather in homes, tents, under shade trees, and even on battlefields to hear God’s Word and receive His gifts.  But when a group of believers is able, it’s fitting to erect a building to the glory of God and as a blessing to future generations.  After all, God directed Moses to build the tabernacle and later directed Solomon to build the temple and the temple was a magnificent structure because it reflected the splendor of our gracious God. 

Yet, we must never idolize a church building or anything else so that it becomes a god to us.  The most important thing is the blessings, (forgiveness, life, and salvation through Word and Sacrament), that we receive in God’s house.  After the first temple was destroyed and the faithful remnant returned from captivity in Babylon, the prophets urged them to rebuild and at times chastised them for their hesitation (Haggai 1:1-5).  However, we come here, not because God needs us, but because we need Him.  There’s a reason why our Sunday gatherings are called a “Divine Service.”  It’s because as we gather in the Name of the Triune God, He is present to serve us (Mt. 18:20).  And He serves us with the forgiveness we need in Confession and Absolution, and in the Lord’s Supper.  He also increases our knowledge of His Word through Scripture and in the Sermon.  He also hears our prayers and blesses us through the words of the Benediction (Numbers 6:24-27).  But tragically, in recent years, many on our membership rolls haven’t attended for a long time, not even for Christmas or Easter and are missing the gifts God so generously gives and we so desperately need.  Therefore, we need to pray for them and invite them to return because the Last Day is coming and we all need the spiritual gifts that God gives us here.                 In His Service, Pastor Oester