The old joke says that sin keeps ministers in business. That is only a joke (and not a very good one at that). The truth is that the church as the body of Christ exists to faithfully serve its Lord and Savior; clergy and laity alike share this responsibility (see my blog post from January 5, 2012 for more on that subject). The time is coming when there will be no need for the church as an institution for we will all dwell in the presence of the living God. We find such an assurance in our reading from Revelation for today. “I saw no temple in the city,” we read, “for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:22-23).
Years ago John Lennon challenged his listeners to “Imagine” a world without boundaries or institutions. John, the writer of Revelation, is making essentially the same observation. In the coming reign of God there will be no need for religion as we know it, no place for governments or socio-economic classes. Even the elements of nature that we consider essential for life will become superfluous, all replaced by the glory of God and of the Lamb.
So, yes, I look forward to the day when the church is rendered obsolete, when symbols of earthly power and authority cease to have meaning. When that day comes God will stand alone in undiluted majesty and we will know life as it is intended to be.
Prayer: Lord, give us patience to await the day of your coming and the love we need to care for one another in the meantime. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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