As Jesus was leaving the Temple in Jerusalem for the last time , one of his disciples pauses, and looking back , takes in the magnificence of that  splendid building they had just been inside.   Many times before they had visited the temple, and like any magnificent building which one visits frequently, its very easy to take it for granted and to overlook the architectural beauty of it. But on this occasion, the disciple pauses – and drawing Jesus attention to it says  “”Look Teacher! What wonderful stones and buildings!”    Here was a building which was so awe-inspiring and magnificent that it would surely last forever. It was regarded by devout Jews as the very place where God’s throne was established on earth – and would surely last forever.   But Jesus – in a way that seems to prick the disciples balloon – states quite bluntly -  “You see these great buildings? Not a single stone here will be left in its place; every one of them will be thrown down.”    So far as the Temple was concerned  - Jesus was saying that it wouldn’t last – and very soon it would all be destroyed.

Well Jesus was right – wasn’t he?  Within forty years of Jesus saying these words the Temple was utterly destroyed by the Roman occupation forces in retaliation for an uprising against Rome. The Temple was systematically pulled apart and left in a heap of rubble. And today  - where once the Temple stood at the very heart of Judaism – stands now the Blue Mosque of Islam with its gleaming golden dome.    Nothing lasts – does it?  But we somehow expect everything to carry on just the same – we expect kingdoms to continue forever, and buildings to stand for eternity.     Just this week we read in the papers that archaeologists have discovered almost completely undisturbed some of the First World War trenches of Passchendale  -which were the scene of the bloodiest fighting of the First World War.   And they have come up with plans to protect and preserve these trenches as a monument to that War.  I’m sure it will be very interesting and extremely moving for tourists to visit such a site – but how long might they last for ? – 100 years ?  200 years before the ravages of time erode them?   What lasts ?       Nothing much!

1800 years ago the followers of  Buddah  carved two 53 metre high statues of Buddah into the cliffs of Bamiyan.  They had been there for 1800 years – surely they would last forever. But in 2001 the hardline Taliban militia in Afghanistan decided to purge the area of Buddhist influence and blew them up. Nothing Lasts – does it? 

Perhaps a reason why so many of us have an interest in old and antique things is because they help us feel connected to some intangible time –line which extends from the past and hopefully into the future, and these antique things give a sense of security and timelesness.  

            A couple of years ago, for Father’s Day, my daughters paid for me to do a  Harbour Bridge climb.  It was a great and very safe experience.  After we had donned all the thermal clothing ( it gets very cold up there!) , the radio headset and safety belts, we were shown how to connect our own safety harness to the wire guide-rope which we were to follow.  Once we connected our harness on to the guide line and commenced our bridge climb – we could only temporarily uncouple ourselves at 2 or 3 specially enclosed areas under the bridge, before we re-connected and continued back to where we began.     I sometimes like to think that my place in this world will be like that – that we are linked in, hooked on , and everything  will just progress into the future.   But it doesn’t, does it?             Of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world – only one – the pyramids of Egypt - are still standing intact?     In more recent times, when visitors came from around the world to stand in awe before the Pink and White Terraces, how many would have ever contemplated that without warning Mount Tarawera would erupt and completely obliterate the area.  Nothing Lasts, does it! 

            We admire, as did the disciples, those man made constructions and those natural attractions which seem so wonderful that they will last forever – even those civilisations which gave so much to the world – but what happened to them ?              -  All of them have gone!

            So is there anything that lasts?  In a world where terrorists can destroy a building in no time – or blow up natural wonders – or the ravages of nature can take their toll - is there anything that endures?

            Jesus was not just being pessimistic about this world – he was issuing a warning to his disciples, and a salutary reminder to us -  that the things of this world – even the great and mighty and impressive – are all only temporary – and I think, by extension – prompting us to take a good hard look for that which DOES last – and what we give ourselves and our time and energies to! 

            So is there anything that does endure – is there anything worthy of our undivided commitment and effort?     Well the pages of the Bible tell us of only one thing that will endure forever – and that is God – and that the eternal God is our refuge. In a relationship with Him we find that which lasts for eternity.  If we give ourselves to Him -  we are giving ourselves to someone and something that lasts!   The Kingdom of God will last forever- is eternal - because it stands outside both time and matter but embraces both.   We have the privilege that through Jesus Christ we can enter into this new dimension.  When all the rest of the world changes and decays – we have a home – a future with God which is eternal. This is what lasts!   Here and now – in this life - we can reach out and touch the gates of heaven – and put our hands into the hand of the eternal God. Our life now takes on some eternal significance. Our worship this morning connects us with the living God – and in His presence we live forever

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