The Lord Arrives in His Temple
The Lord Arrives in His Temple
God has come to live with us.
“And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.”
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org
Today's morning meditation comes from the Old Testament reading from this Sunday from Malachi three, beginning at verse one: "Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me: And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight: Behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years."
Yesterday was The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ at the Temple. Forty days after the Lord's birth, Mary and Joseph come to the Temple to fulfill the Law of Moses to present their firstborn son to the Lord. And as Jesus is presented in the Temple, we're reminded of these words of the prophet Malachi who says that, "The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple." The people of Jesus’ day were waiting in expectation for the Lord's presence to return to the temple.
Remember in Ezekiel, because of the faithlessness of God's people, he saw the presence of the Lord leave the Temple grounds? And so the remnant of God's people that were faithful to him were waiting in expectation of the Lord's presence to return to the temple so that God would be with them and Israel's fortunes would be restored.
And the Lord does come suddenly to his temple in this little baby Jesus, but it points to a much deeper reality. See, the Lord has come into the temple of his human body. He dwells with us in an even more intimate way. And the Lord, Yahweh, taking on flesh, human flesh, now he experiences life like us. Hebrews says that, "he was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin." And in taking on a human body, he's even able to die, enter death; and through his resurrection, destroy death.
And so let's meditate on that today, that the Lord has come suddenly into his temple, that our Lord knows the temptations and struggles we go through; and that through his death and resurrection, he has provided a way for us to be cleansed and to offer ourselves as pleasing sacrifices to the Lord. To love him and to love our neighbor.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. The collect for The Presentation of Christ in the Temple can be found on page 626.
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
