November 13th 2022 – “Painting With A Large Or Small Brush”

Dear friends,

This Sunday, the Rev. Linda Faith Chalk will be leading us again in worship. 

We are continuing through the Gospel of Luke. 

In last week’s sermon, we remember how the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, but instead of rekindling their passion and love for God their Redeemer, and increasing their adoration, desire and worship for God, the temple worship and ministry became corrupt, forsaken and forgotten. Although many had an outward appearance of holiness and devotion, their inner hearts were far from God. 

“Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 7:11

All of this is leading us to our current lesson in Luke 21: 5-19, where Jesus prophesies that this glorious temple, one of the most beautiful buildings in the ancient world, would come crumbling down – utterly destroyed. This prophecy was ultimately fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans. A Jewish historian by the name of Flavius Josephus records this in detail. 

God promises us that even amongst all of the tribulations we face today; he is in control and we can rest securely in Jesus, the Ark of our Salvation.