Flashback Episode — Destined for Destruction: Mark 13:1-2

As Mark begins winding down the events that happened in the temple during the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, he shares a brief statement one of Jesus’ disciples makes, and a startling response Jesus shares with the group of disciples. It is likely that the response Jesus gives prompts the conversation that we will focus in on during the next two episodes.

With that said, while it would be easy to skim past or skip over these two opening verses, these verses set the stage for a much bigger conversation, while also being surprisingly powerful on their own. Let’s read what happened when Jesus and His disciples leave the temple.

Our passage is found in Mark’s gospel, chapter 13, and we will read it from the New American Standard Bible. Starting in verse 1, Mark tells us that:

¹ As He [and this is referring to Jesus] was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” ² And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

Let’s stop reading here. The next verse transitions into a conversation Jesus has with the disciples later that evening, and while that conversation is likely directly related to this short statement and response, what Jesus has shared here is too significant, and I don’t want us to miss this significance by attaching it to a larger passage in one episode.

In this short passage and conversation, Jesus makes a direct prediction, and He also makes a subtle one. The direct prediction was the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem which ultimately happened several decades later. The subtle prediction is that other buildings we build up will likely be torn down.

While I don’t know what the temple in Jerusalem looked like during the time Jesus and the disciples were alive, I do know that it was likely one of the most magnificent buildings in that region, and perhaps the grandest building that any of them had ever seen.

The Jews took pride in the temple they had built and decorated in Jerusalem. However, what was likely started as a project focused on giving God the best they had, over time and generations, the temple had become the focus in itself rather than simply a place designed to help those present focus on Someone else – specifically on God.

We can see that the temple was the focus in the statement this anonymous disciple makes. This unnamed disciple in verse 1 comments, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”

This statement has nothing to do with glorifying God, which is the only reason the temple had been originally constructed. This disciple’s statement is only focused on praising the building and those who constructed it and not on God, who it was constructed to glorify.

We could say the same thing about many of the iconic buildings in some of the most famous cities. Some of the most distinct buildings that immediately identify the city they are a part of are amazing to see, and they are engineering masterpieces. But few, if any, are constructed to glorify God. And when we look at what has been built, culture never praises God for it, but it praises itself and human ingenuity.

However, a building is simply a building. Jesus’ response, while shocking to all the disciples rings true with a huge, challenging truth: The best buildings we can construct as a human race are nothing but stones, wood, brick, and cement. The best buildings we can construct will ultimately not last past the disaster that Jesus knows is coming.

This leaves us with a question. Knowing that what we build will crumble at some point in the future, should we even try to build anything new, grand, or spectacular?

I would answer this question with a yes. In Jesus’ response, we don’t see any hint that the temple or other grand buildings are evil or wrong. A building is simply a building.

However, a building is never meant to be our focus. Instead, buildings are meant to be places where people can live, work, and collaborate with each other.

In the case of the temple in Jerusalem, it was constructed to be a place where Jews came to worship God and to offer their sacrifices to Him. In the cases of buildings today, they are constructed to help us fulfill purposes beyond simply looking pretty on the outside or inside. Houses are constructed to be places where families can grow and live together. Office buildings and factories are buildings constructed for people to be able to work and accomplish things with the help of each other. Churches are buildings designed for people to come together to worship God.

Buildings should never be seen as the ultimate answer to problems. This is because buildings come and go. Instead, buildings are to be seen and used as tools helping us achieve things together. Just like buildings are a result of hundreds, if not thousands, of people working together in many different industries, buildings are used by many people to accomplish things together.

The best humanity can create or build is nothing when it comes to what God has in store for us in heaven. Culture wants us to minimize God while glorifying what humanity is capable of building. Jesus challenges His followers to glorify God while being realistic about what humanity is able to accomplish.

Natural disasters, terrorism, and other catastrophes can easily destroy in minutes a building that took years to construct. This is why Jesus challenges His followers to not focus on amazing or extravagant buildings. Buildings come and building go, but what matters above everything else is giving glory to the One who created life, and the One who gave His life for each of us!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and choose to glorify Him in whatever environment you are in. Whether you are in a home, an office, a factory, a vehicle, or outside, take a few moments to give God the glory and thank Him for blessing you with life, with breath, and with the gift of eternity together with Him. Resist the culture’s temptation to place buildings over relationships, especially when it comes to your relationship with God.

Also, continue intentionally praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn, grow, and move closer to God each and every day. While what we pray and study might matter to some, what matters more is that we actually pray and study. Praying and studying our Bibles is infinitely more significant than trying to find the best place to study in. Don’t let the lack of an ideal location stop you from growing closer to God through prayer and study.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!