Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword is taken from the Book of the Prophet Zechariah, Chapter 14 verse 9, “The Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one, “ (NRSVB). The Prophet Zechariah’s name means, “The Lord remembered.” His ministry started when he was still a young man, in the second year of the rule of King Darius, when the Jews were beginning to rebuild the temple of the Lord. Zechariah’s grandfather, Iddo, was one of the exiles who returned in 539 B.C. The visions that Zechariah received from the Lord encouraged the people to continue rebuilding the temple and to start celebrating worship practices that they used to perform before the long exile. Zechariah’s visions foretold of the glorious rebuilding of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. It spoke of the coming of the King of Jerusalem, entering on a foal of a donkey, and the ultimate peace that will reign in the city, once the King will return in glory. The prophecy regarding the rebuilding of the Temple was fulfilled when the Temple was completed in approximately 515 BC. The prophecy of the triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem was fulfilled approximately 2000 years ago, as Jesus entered Jerusalem ahead of his Crucifixion. When Jesus comes again, to rule as the Lord over the world that he created, the Words of the Prophets, as it is recorded in Scripture, will be fulfilled. In the Gospel of John it is written that the prophecies in the Word of God will be fulfilled “so that we may believe,” John 19 verse 35, (NRSVB). God’s word has been handed down to us in written form so that we can remember his Words, as He remembers his children. He continues to work for his children throughout history.
In these times worshipping in the various Houses of the Lord across the globe has been going through changes demanded by the pandemic. However, we can rejoice in the knowledge that God will rebuild the broken world and the quiet sanctuaries. He is with us in our time of exile and captivity that has enveloped the world during the past year. He has not left us alone, but comes alongside us as we worship him together, though apart, in small services, on-line forums and other forms of celebrating services. Now, as we are following our Lord to the Cross in Holy Week, we contemplate our second year of Passiontide isolation. Christ invites us to throw our burdens on him for he carried the cross on his shoulders for us. We do not know how long we will have to live with the restrictions that are placed upon us in order to contain the virus, but we do know that our Lord lives with us in and through this pandemic. He will not forsake us. God is the one who will keep his church safe. Christ is the sure foundation, the Rock and Refuge, who died for his church and her people. We can trust in and rely on his care for us.
On the Isle of Patmos, John received vision from God, revealing to him a glimpse of heaven and what awaits the children of God in their final home. “His servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads,” Revelation 22 verses 3 and 4, (NRSVB). When we are baptized the sign of the Cross is drawn with water on our foreheads, it is invisible to the world, but indelible to the believers. When Jesus came to earth, the people of the world were allowed to see God, in the form of his enfleshed Son, Jesus Christ. He lived and worked on earth and fulfilled the ministry he came for, to reconcile us with His Father, through the Cross. He died the death of a criminal and was not received as the Son of God when he came to earth. But when he returns, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess: truly this is the Son of God! We shall see him, we shall reveal his name on our foreheads and we shall worship Him.
We thank you, Lord that you will rebuild our broken worship as you restore us, Amen.