Succession and infrastructure
Series: Follow me | Bible text: Ephesians 2:19–22; 2 Chronicles 6:18
What is the significance and importance of infrastructure for church life? In ancient Israel, the temple was the place of God’s presence. God dwelt among the people. His presence was bound to a house. Since Jesus, his followers together form the house in which God dwells. Buildings and infrastructure have lost their indispensable importance, but continue to serve the current house of God, the church, as helpful accommodation to provide a space for their life together before and with God.
The official opening ceremony of the football stadium in St.Gallen, then still known as the «AFG Arena», took place on 5 July 2008. Despite the attractive, atmospheric stadium, FC St.Gallen’s defeat in the barrage against Bellinzona in the same summer sealed their fall into the second division. As in sport, buildings are also important in the church, but the main thing is always life. Today we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our main building, 119 years of the youth centre with a gentle adaptation to current circumstances, the inauguration of our new stage and the launch of our Livestream 500(0) project. What is the significance and importance of infrastructure for church life?
Just like in the temple back then
When the people of Israel had settled down in the Promised Land and had established themselves somewhat, the great desire arose to build a house in which God could dwell among them. After a long period of preparation, Solomon was allowed to build the house on Mount Moriah according to God’s plans. The result was a magnificent building; very aesthetic and equipped with the most valuable building materials. There are striking parallels to the construction of our centre.
God is greater
Before the building was handed over to the cultic life of the Israelites, there was a large inauguration ceremony. The entire population of the land met at the temple in Jerusalem. Solomon presided over the ceremony. He began by saying: «But does God really dwell with men on earth? Behold, the heavens and all the heavens cannot contain you; how then can this house that I have built!» (2 Chronicles 6:18 SLT). The book of the prophet Isaiah says that the hem of His garment filled the whole temple (Isaiah 6:1). What a realisation! God is much greater than He can be grasped by a house, by a church or by our minds. Due to the vastness of his being, God is incomprehensible. Because of our limited vision, it is easy for us humans to confront God, to criticise him, to complain about his lack of action and to ask whether he acts at all. The temptation is great to make up a god that fits on a car sticker or in our trouser pocket. We would like to have Him under control so that we can use Him for our own purposes. But hand on heart: do you really want a God who can be grasped by our limited rationality? If that were the case, we would be bigger than God and He could merely take on the role of a mascot. No thanks, we don’t need a God like that. Because God is the creator and sustainer of the entire cosmos, the following applies: « «My thoughts are not your thoughts,» says the LORD, «and my ways are not your ways. For as much as the heavens are higher than the earth, so much higher are my ways than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts» » (Isaiah 55:8–9 NLB). Our view of the world and our lives is a frog’s‑eye view. HE has a bird’s eye view. His thoughts and actions are perfect, even if we often don’t understand them.
It is our desire that we speak about God in our homes with humility and wonder, that we do not approach Him overbearingly, but rather with reverence and respect – in the knowledge that our knowledge can never, ever comprehend God.
Place of worship
Anyone who lets the incomprehensible greatness and majesty of God melt in their mouth can only surrender and humbly worship. This is exactly what the temple in Jerusalem was meant for. The temple stood on Mount Moriah. This is the same mountain on which Abraham should have sacrificed his long-awaited son Isaac 800 years earlier. At the very last moment, he was prevented from doing so by an angel. It was different later with Jesus. When he was crucified, no one came to call off the executors. Thank God! In any case, this unconditional trust of Abraham in God’s ways was the prototype of all worship. It is significant that Abraham said to his servants on the way:
« «Wait for us here with the donkey,» he instructed his two servants. «The boy and I will go a little further. Up there, we’ll give God worship and then come back to you.» (Genesis 22:5 NLB).
For the first time ever, the word worship in the Bible. This is no coincidence, but has a deep meaning. Worship is, in its very essence, entrusting ourselves to God, even if we do not understand Him at all. The very fact that I cannot understand God is the basis of all worship. We worship God in our home with beautiful music and cosy emotions. That is good, but we never forget that it is about the devotion of our whole life.
A place of prayer and encounter with God
The temple was a place of prayer and an encounter with the presence of God. The order of Solomon’s prayer is revealing: first he asks for repentance and forgiveness, which is the basis for further blessings. A cleansed relationship is the basis for an encounter with God and brings a person back into the original design. There is no place that makes a person feel better or gives more meaning than in the presence of God. Solomon then prays for everyday concerns such as political security, rain and food and finally for the well-being of people from other nations.
seetal chile is first and foremost about helping people to find their original design. From this identity, blessings should flow out into the neighbourhood and the whole world. Intercessory prayer helps us not to lose this focus.
And yet completely different
During my active time as a youth group leader, we had the audacity to set up a miniature golf course in the worship room of our church. The tee of one lane was positioned in the gallery and we hit towards the stage. We were reprimanded and reprimanded by the church leadership. Without intending to do so, we were straining the religious sensibilities of these people. My question is(s): Should a church building be treated differently from a secular house? Is a church holy today? Does God dwell specifically in churches?
Jesus Christ came to this earth almost a thousand years after the consecration of the temple. His death and resurrection changed almost everything, not least the relationship between discipleship and infrastructure. Paul writes: «Therefore, you are no longer strangers and without citizenship, but you belong to the faithful, to God’s family. We are his housebuilt on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. This cornerstone joins the whole building together to form a holy temple for the Lord. Through Christ, the cornerstone, you too will be incorporated and become a dwelling place in which God lives through his Spirit» (Ephesians 2:19–22 NLB).
It was not in vain that the years at the time of Jesus were set to zero; it was indeed a turning point in time. This also applies to the topic of discipleship and infrastructure. From now on, the house of God is no longer built with dead stones, but with people. Jesus is the cornerstone, the reference point to which the entire building is orientated. This cornerstone adds living people to the building. By entrusting himself to Jesus and allowing Him to guide him, a person becomes part of the temple in which God is present.
From now on, there is no longer a specific place, but God is present wherever his followers are. St Bernard of Clairvaux: «You don’t have to travel across the seas, you don’t have to climb up into the sky, you don’t have to cross the Alps. The journey is not far. You only have to go as far as yourself towards God.»
When the LORD introduced himself to Moses by name, he said: «I am, the I‑am-there» (Genesis 3:14). God introduces himself as the one who is here. His presence is here. This present moment, the present, is the only moment, the only place where you can meet God. The only place where relationship can take place. When our thoughts are in the past or the future and we worry, we are automatically away from the present. The only one who is always in the here and now is God. HE is here in this moment. HE dwells in those who follow Jesus. Unfortunately, we are usually too busy to meet Him there.
God dwells in the house that consists of living people. But He also dwells in every single person who has orientated their life around the cornerstone Jesus: «Don’t you realise that you are the temple of Godid and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?»(1 Corinthians 3:16 NLB).
So we don’t have to make an effort in prayer and try to work our way up to God. That is not true. It works the other way round: We don’t have to work our way up to God, but God has made himself small in order to meet me down here. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Theresa of Avila writes about this fact: «If I had realised earlier that the tiny palace of my soul housed such a great king, I would not have left him alone in it so often.»
The football arena in St.Gallen offers a super infrastructure. It is a bulwark for every opponent. The architecture supports the fans» chants and promotes a good atmosphere. The St.Gallen footballers regularly surpass themselves. It’s the same with our centre with the new stage and the redesigned youth centre. It is an aesthetically wonderful home with beautiful architecture and practical rooms. But – our centre is neither mystical nor magical. Since God has not bound himself to our infrastructure, it is also possible to hit a minigolf ball. Nevertheless, we are very happy and grateful that we, as a house of God – consisting of living building blocks – can meet here, encounter Him, worship Him and carry His love out into the world. And – there is still plenty of room for more people!
Possible questions for the small groups
Read the Bible text: Ephesians 2:19–22; 2 Chronicles 6:18 (or whole chapter)
- What was it that made the temple so important in ancient Israel?
- What function did the temple have in the cultic life of the Israelites?
- What does it mean that all followers together are the house of God, of which Jesus is the cornerstone? Is it now allowed to play minigolf in church? ;-)
- How can we encounter God in his presence today? How can we be in the here and now?
- What role does silence before God play in this?
