Mark 13:1-8

Hebrews 10:11-14, 19-25

Building Community - wars and rumours of wars, society under attack - all hands required? - Mark, little acopalypse - tract on Christian reaction to war? - recalls Jesus’ views on the temple - widow - oppressive system - should it be defended supported - or torn down? - people will claim that we need to fight this war in God’s name, with right on our side, to maintain our freedom - sound familiar? - Mark through Jesus argues that we have no place defending such a system - the temple is corrupt - the new temple is about community, the people living faithful lives - judged by the lives they lead not the buildings they leave.

Building freedom - Manchester keeps changing - new developments, new investment, new people, reflecting on the changes - Piccadilly Basin, voices, Brittania, Hilton, Radisson, - impressive, disciples looking at the temple - sucked in - Does this build freedom, new life for all? Booth Centre is still there - and the people, new immigrants are here, new voices, squeezed out into other places including here in Rochdale - is their new life, is freedom being built alongside impressive new buildings? Will we build community, build freedom if Rochdale’s regeneration plans come to fruition? We sit looking at a regeneration site - do  we  do anything more than look?

Building society - Town centre chaplaincy - plans afoot, Unexpected - has the bible anything new to say today? have we anything new, anything positive to say? can we be part of building good society? 

19Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Temple necessary - atonement - day after day - Jesus has atoned - therefore walk confidently into Holy of Holies - whatever rank, status, gender, race, - this is the new society that is to be built and we do it by encouraging one another, loving one another, “provoking one another to love and good deeds” - Building Community, Building Freedom, Building Society.