Psalm 122: 1-9 (links validated 10/30/25a)

It was the evening of Christmas Day 1971. The extended family who had spent most of the day with us in our modest home on the southeast side of Grand Rapids, Michigan, had recently left and Mom and Dad were tidying up the house when suddenly there was a jarring pounding on our side door. It was one of our neighbors who cried out, “Your church is on fire!” We lived within sight of the Alger Park Christian Reformed Church and so my Mom ran into our den and shoved the drapes aside to reveal an inferno of flames roaring out of what had been the very large stained glass window at the back of the church’s balcony. The main structure of the church was saved and though the entirety of the interior had to be redone, it could have been worse. But for a long season our congregation was without a church to use. Sad though that was or sad though the more recent fire at Notre Dame in Paris had been, no one concluded that anything had changed in terms of the presence of God on earth or anyone’s access to this God. The same could not have been said of Solomon’s Temple in ancient Jerusalem. For the Israelite people then they knew that the destruction of the Temple and of the city had profound theological implications. Since then of course and as noted in this sermon commentary, our theology has changed. God is now with us through Immanuel, through that Child born long ago in Bethlehem’s stall. And that fact is a fine generator of joy and gratitude.

It has been noted in recent decades that to the minds of many people, “church” has become just one of many social institutions that is not in any overly obvious way distinct. There is your home, your work place, your “third place” (as Starbucks used to call itself), the Rotary Club, your yoga studio or Planet Fitness, Panera, etc. And then there is also the church. We “go” to each of these places on a weekly basis and the way we feel when we hop into the car to “go to church” does not feel particularly different to us than when we get into the car to “go to Planet Fitness” for a workout. Even architecturally some contemporary church buildings look far less like cathedrals of old and more like contemporary office complexes. Some have even tried to duplicate a Starbucks-like atmosphere replete with gourmet coffee and snacks. All of this may make it even harder to have the kind of awe over God’s presence in any given church that the psalmist reflects about God’s dwelling in Jerusalem in Psalm 122.

It has been noted in recent decades that to the minds of many people, “church” has become just one of many social institutions that is not in any overly obvious way distinct. There is your home, your work place, your “third place” (as Starbucks used to call itself), the Rotary Club, your yoga studio or Planet Fitness, Panera, etc. And then there is also the church. We “go” to each of these places on a weekly basis and the way we feel when we hop into the car to “go to church” does not feel particularly different to us than when we get into the car to “go to Planet Fitness” for a workout. Even architecturally some contemporary church buildings look far less like cathedrals of old and more like contemporary office complexes. Some have even tried to duplicate a Starbucks-like atmosphere replete with gourmet coffee and snacks. All of this may make it even harder to have the kind of awe over God’s presence in any given church that the psalmist reflects about God’s dwelling in Jerusalem in Psalm 122.

One of the delights and disappointments of the holidays is the annual pilgrimage home. My son in Kentucky sets out for Grand Rapids, Michigan, twice in the space of a month to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it isn't Grand Rapids that is the goal of the trip. It's our house and, more specifically, us, his parents. So, for Israel, it wasn't just the city, magnificent as it may have been. It was the Presence who lived there, and all the blessing that came from being near to the heart of God. And for us, the holidays aren't just about the houses and parties and gifts, or even family. They are about the Presence of God in that Baby. What if we went to as much trouble and effort and expense to get close to him as we do to meet with our families and friends?! Sometimes we're disappointed by what we experience in our family festivities. We'll never be disappointed by a genuine encounter with Christ. So, let us go to the Christ in this season of Advent.

They go up. Up to the Temple and up to Jerusalem. Up to give thanks to the name of the Lord. What is it about "up"? How often do you look up? We probably more often look down in the course of daily life. Down to watch out feet and make sure we don't trip. Down as we tap out text messages on our phones. Down at the computer keyboards on our desks. Down as we prepare a meal on a kitchen counter or stove. When we are ashamed or embarrassed, we tend to lower our eyes. As humans we are bound to the earth. So when we have (or take!) the opportunity to look up, or when we are compelled to look up, something different happens to us...

("The date is June 24, 1859. Suddenly, there he is, atop a hill overlooking the plain of Solferino...")