April 3, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:12-17
OBSERVATIONS
The temple was God’s place of blessing, where people could find hope, forgiveness and blessing. The religious leaders turned it into a fundraiser, more concerned about building the institution than blessing the people. Who cares that the blind and disabled are healed by Jesus, their system was being upset. Who cares that Jesus shows all the signs that He is the anticipated Messiah, the Son of David (even the children saw this), their theology was being challenged.
Jesus’ response to the religious leaders is that He is on God’s side, that when the children praise Him, they are praising God!
Blasphemy, no wonder they wanted Him dead.
In the end they try and condemn Jesus for speaking and acting against the temple, not the temple as God’s presence among His people but the temple as the symbol of their power and authority, their religious system which Jesus’ defied.
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
Does church become our temple/system, which we build and maintain instead of the people. Are we so wrapped up in doing and maintaining ‘church’ in an institutional sense than we are in being the church in its spiritual sense and purpose?
Many of the church debates and conflicts I have been a part of were more about the institution of the church than about the purpose of the church.
More about the church’s building than about the church’s purpose.
If Jesus were to come to our church today, what tables would He turn over, what structures would He upset, and would He be crucified all over again by His own people?
Are we as a church where people can meet and experience God, where people can find hope, forgiveness and blessing?
Are we joining with the children in honoring Jesus, or are err joining with the Pharisees in building and maintaining our temple?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, You are God’s answer for everyone, the key to hope, forgiveness and blessing. May I as a Christian, and we as a church, not stand in the way of people finding and experiencing and praising You.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
We think of Jesus being meek and mild, a turn the other cheek kind of guy, a person who avoids violence, even to the point of dying for us without resisting. But today, just a few days before Passover, we see Jesus driving people out of the temple, and overturning tables of those doing business. These people were helping the worshipers, who needed temple money, and could exchange their currency for the properly acceptable donations. They were also the people who made it convenient to have something to sacrifice, by offering a service at the most convenient spot. It kind of makes me wonder what type of “stuff” do we have as part of our worship services that are not acceptable. Have we integrated too much worldly things into our service? And who gets to decide what is right? Do we need a nice organ or piano to sing to and kick out the rock band? Do we all need to dress with a suit and tie to meet our God?
The other thing that interests me here is that the moneychangers and sellers left. How could one guy get them to leave. After all, their livelihood was at stake here. I am surprised that they did not come back with the police, or report the event to the temple authorities. Jesus hung around after this and calmly healed the sick, as was his practice. Children, probably remembering the entry into Jerusalem were still singing and shouting Hosanna to the Son of David. This ticked off the chief priests and teachers of the law. It was not that the kids were making noise, but the actual words that were spoken. They wanted Jesus to correct the children. The messiah was promised to be the Son of David, and prophesy stated this, which the chief priests and teachers of the law would understand. But for children to blatantly shout this about Jesus made the priests and teachers indignant. This was like fingernails on a chalkboard to them.
Jesus did not hang out in the city. It seems that for all the time he spent with people, he liked his space. He needed time to himself. To think, to pray, to ponder. He hung out in Bethany for the night.
I pray that I can stand up for what is right, even if it means making a spectacle of myself. I pray that I can make time to think, pray and ponder. I pray that I may forever sing Hosanna to the Son of David.
Observation:
Onc again jesus did some ‘house cleaning.’ The place of worship had become a business interest focussing on the external rather than the internal. And the people kept coming for healing but the religious leaders were hard hearted because the people were coming to Jesus. The religious leaders were more concerned with the externals than the internals and did not know the Word.
Application:
Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. God is the center of all and needs to be at the center of all our doings. Our actions and words must be the same – all for Jesus. He must become greater and I must be lesser. I am but His servant for my King.
May all our heart be turned toward home – our eternal home so whatever we do we do in Jesus name. All for the Servant King, the Master we are serving this day He has made. He is the healing in our wings as we live this day in His presence.
Prayer:
May I have open eyes and ears to see each day anew the wonderful things that Christ is doing in the world today. My world belongs to God. Help me to praise You this day in all I do and say Lord.
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.