Another toppled temple

Yesterday, the world watched in sadness as the historic Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire, resulting in catastrophic damage - especially to the spire and ceiling. Many were relieved to awaken this morning to news that not all was lost, and the thought that one day in the distant future, after much work, some replica of Notre Dame as it was might rise again over the city of Paris. 

Around 2000 years ago another temple to God was loved, revered, celebrated, and lifted up, only to crash and burn before a city that was, despite vestiges of external religiosity, far from God. But the fall of that temple was not a failure, nor was that temple's descent to eternal decay and destruction. In three days, it was raised back up and stands forever as a testimony to God's justice (punishing sins) and justification (purifying repentant and believing sinners). Those who enter it can freely confess sin and know that the temple itself intercedes for them, and in its halls are found righteousness to make us clean, sanctification to keep us clean and set us apart for special use, and redemption that buys us with a price, treasures, and keeps us safe forever.

That temple looked a lot like you and me, and its name was Jesus. 

This Passover/Easter week, of all weeks, we recall his words, as recorded by John, and celebrate their reality:

The Jewish Passover was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there. After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

 And his disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

So the Jews replied to him, “What sign will you show us for doing these things?”

 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”

Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?”

But he was speaking about the temple of his body. So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made. (John 2:13-22 CSB)

Furthermore, we call all who profess to follow Jesus, to be followers indeed, united to him as parts of the temple:

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and that is what you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 CSB)

Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 CSB)

Notre Dame might rise again. But Jesus is risen again. And all who follow him are united with him, something they portray as believers by being baptised in the waters of immersion. I'm excited this weekend to baptise a new sister in Christ, and will doubtless reference these words: 

Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who has died is freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:4-11). 

In fact, I may preach on them. And if I do, I'll probably tell the story of the burning cathedral, but I'll move swiftly on to the crucified, risen, and exalted Christ. It is good news! 

PS

Some of my friends may struggle with why I believe in the resurrection. I must first note that belief in the resurrection is an essential belief of the Christian faith. I would not be a Christian, if I did not believe in a truly risen Christ. 

I believe, in the words of The Apostle's Creed:

On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I affirm, in the words of Grace Baptist Church Wood Green's Statement of Faith:

We believe that God’s Son died at Calvary to effect propitiation, reconciliation, redemption and atonement for His elect people. God bore testimony to His acceptance of His Son’s work by raising Him from the dead for our justification.

We believe that God’s Son ascended to the right hand of His Father and is enthroned in glory, where He intercedes on behalf of His people and rules over all things for their sake.

But still you wonder, "Why?". 

Because I am persuaded that the Scriptural accounts of the resurrection are true. You can find them at the end of the New Testament gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each relate from different perspectives the chaotic events of those days. 

I am persuaded of the emptiness of Christianity apart from the resurrection - you can read the Apostle Paul for an explanation of that in 1 Corinthians 15. 

And through examining the facts reasonably I am left with no other adequate explanation or reasonable conclusion than the declaration of Easter Sunday: Jesus is Risen! 

If you have an hour, watch this lecture from Dr. Peter Williams: 

If you have less time, watch these two videos: