At the time of Jesus, the Temple in Jerusalem was one of the greatest buildings in the world, so people were shocked when Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." Jesus, however was referring to the temple of His body, in which God was dwelling in all His fullness.

Though Jesus was the true temple, He did not appear to be magnificent like the temple in Jerusalem. He had no place to call His own, and soon no one would want to look at Him as He was mocked, beaten, and nailed to the cross. Yet in the temple of Jesus' body, God was making the once and for all sacrifice for the sin of the world, and after three days, Jesus would rise to life in glory.

The greatest thing about all this is that Jesus' body isn't the only temple. He who is God and man dwells in you and me, and that makes our bodies temples, His temples. As sacrifices were done in temples, so living sacrifices are done through us; the good works that flow from faith and the turning from sin so that Christ is glorified in us.

Our bodies are magnificent temples, not because of strength or abilities, but because even though we face illness and problems, Christ speaks to our ears with His live-giving Word, and nourishes us with his crucified and glorious body and blood. Even though our bodies will at last decay in death, they are marked with His cross in Holy Baptism, and watched over by Him until He will raise them to be like His glorious body.

As March leads us through Lent, Holy Week, and then Easter, may the resurrection of our Lord assure you of the special status your body has to Him.

In Christ,

Pastor Rick Milas

Pastor Rick Milas