We are beginning a new sermon series on Sunday called “Broken” and my Bible reading this morning was from the book of Jeremiah. In Chapter 51 the prophet retells of how the city of Jerusalem was invaded by Babylon and the temple of Solomon was destroyed by the Commander of the Armies of Babylon.

Jeremiah 52:13

He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings^[h] in the city.

This is the epitome of Broken; the hub and center of the Jewish faith was now destroyed. The place were “religion” was practiced had been taken away from the people of God. What were they to do now? As we learn in other places in scripture, the people of God learned to worship God in a new way and their worship of God was based on faith not religious practices. Turning to the book of Hebrew, the writer of that book looks back at the temple system and comments,

Hebrews 9:9

This is an example for the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices offered cannot make the conscience of the worshiper perfect.10 These gifts and sacrifices were only about food and drink and special washings. They were rules for the body, to be followed until the time of God’s new way.

The Hebrew writer is saying that the sacrificial system is broken! It was always broken! Why do we cling to the things in our life which God has said are broken! Our biggest problem as Christians is that we cannot cling to the one thing that is not broken and will never be and that is the person of Jesus Christ! We place all of our hope and trust in things that ultimately will not last.

Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Amen.