Service Of Lasting Value
By Klaas Rot
“And Jesus went forth and went away from the temple, and His disciples came to Him to point out to Him the buildings of the temple. And He answering said to them, Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say to you, not a stone shall be left here upon a stone which shall not be thrown down.” —Matthew 24:1-2 JND
The disciples, with their hearts occupied with the outward appearance of their service, pointed out to the Lord the grandeur of the temple and the complex of buildings surrounding it. Yet, the Spirit of God was working in their hearts. At this time they could not reconcile the prospect that their Master would leave this earth without setting up His kingdom. These beautiful temple buildings would certainly have a place in His administration here on earth, they thought.
The Lord had already told them that He would be rejected by the Pharisees and elders, and be crucified. They did not understand what He had revealed, yet they were aware that something was going to happen. The Lord utterly destroyed all their hope by answering, “Not one stone shall be left here upon a stone.” The temple they were admiring was to be destroyed.
Have we ever heard the voice of the Lord concerning our outward service for Him? If our service is not an exhibition of His person, as fruit of His work in us, His verdict is: It will not last; it is yours and not Mine. The Lord had left the temple. His place was now outside, where He spoke to His disciples of the future. It is so important that the light of the future shines on our daily walk and service for Him. Paul understood this truth, writing to the believers in Corinth about “momentary … light affliction” (2 Cor. 4:17). These things that caused pain were light, not weighty, for Paul because the blessings of the future were already enjoyed in anticipation. What a lesson for us to learn!
The Lord directs us to what is to come. In that light, or revelation, we may evaluate our present condition. The Lord is near now. Soon He will come Himself to take us into the Father’s house – a place where there will be no night!