Zealously CLeansing Temples

(note - this came out far more polished than this)

Zealously Cleansing Temples

John 2:13-22

3/19

† In the name of Jesus, the Christ †

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

In your notes this morning, there is a map of the temple area. It will become important to understand what happens in the gospel reading today. It occurs in that section labeled the Court of the Gentiles, and there is a lot to see in this story where Jesus gets mad. Let’s go into that courtyard, just as Jesus did, and see what is going on….

It is the week of Passover, the highest feast of the Jewish Calendar. Literally, over a million people will come into Jerusalem that week, and not only come to Jerusalem, but also to to this magnificent Temple, originally dedicated for one purpose, to gather God’s people into His presence. But in this courtyard, it resembles a swap meet far more than a church. Money changers and brokers have set up their booths, knowing that this day, they will become rich. With a million people in town, the crates of pigeons are stacked as high as possible, and the strings of sheep and oxen cover so much of this courtyard.

Imagine all the noise, as people attempt to haggle with the brokers, but really can not. Add to this the noise of hundreds of sheep, and pigeons, and the horrible aroma that would arise from those animals and the pigeons that by the thousand, were kept in cages. These were the animals Israel was required to sacrifice. In the name of convenience, certain merchants were given the rights to sell the animals, while others sold the special coin required to play the temple tax. On these hot days prior surrounding the Passover Feast, one could feel incredibly overwhelmed. The last thing on their minds, would be the grace of God. It gets to the point where they just want to meet their obligation, and leave this… mess.

Because of the chaos, the last thing desired, is be to spend time in celebration and adoration of the Lord who delivered his people from so much since that first Passover. The incredible time that He delivered them from the angel of death, and slavery in Egypt.

But that was why Jesus had come that day to Jerusalem. It was the reason people were gathered there, by the incredible love of God, to receive the assurance that they were His people, that their sins were forgiven, that He would receive their adoration and worship, and hear their prayers. But because of convenience, because of profit, this was stolen from them. As Satan, and the world, try to steal our celebration of the grace God has given to us.

No wonder, Jesus, the Son of God, got a bit over-heated, and proceeded to make a mess, out of what man had made of the Holy Place of God. No wonder He was so zealous about cleansing that temple. No wonder He is so desirous of cleansing ours.

Zealous about Cleansing

Why it needed to be cleaned

What needed to be cleaned out

Why was He so zealous? 1 King 8

A little bit of background is necessary, to understand Jesus’ attitude – His frustration, His anger at turning the Holy Place into a mega-mall.

Back to picturing the court of the Temple, the place also known as the court of the Gentiles. As we look around, as we hear the noise of voices, and coins and animals, as our senses are assaulted by the smells, we notice something else going on, missed by all those engaged in business.

A few people are over there in the corner, kneeling on the ground; attempting to pray - despite the chaos. A few more are over there, sitting on the steps, trying to listen to words of the rabbis teaching at Solomon’s porch. Others, trying to ignore the distractions of business, as they attempt to praise God, as they realize He desire to forgive their sins as well as those of Israel. For it was written of them in the prophet Isaiah,

⁶ "And the gentiles who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— ⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." ⁸ The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, "I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered." Isaiah 56:6-8 (ESV)

You see, God was calling these Gentiles, who could go no closer than this court, this market, to the temple, He called them to be there, as surely as He has called you and I to be here today. In the midst of this Holy place, mankind had set up shop. In the name of providing convenience, in the pursuit of incredible profit, the priests and merchants stole from them the chance to receive God’s blessing in peace, to pray without distraction, to hear the words of God, clearly. Remember – this is the place of which, at its dedication, Solomon was inspired by God to say,

²⁷ "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! ²⁸ Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, ²⁹ that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. ³⁰ And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 1 Kings 8:27-30 (ESV)

Yet, in the name of profit and convenience, the prayers were made in the midst of chaos, the worship done amidst the noise and confusion of a mall at Christmastime.

Something had to be done! Yet no one was willing to forego the convenience, or the profit. And so, people were denied the ability to pray, to learn, to worship in a peaceful setting. This is more than just a shame, it is sinful. And it will invoke the wrath of a God, who told us long ago, that He is a jealous God.

Jesus that day, cleansed the temple, with a cleanser more powerful than anything every seen before. With both the wrath, and the love of God.

He once again, made it a Holy Place! As He can with our lives.

Our Temples too, need cleansing

Oblivious to distractions

Poured out

Turned over

As I kept re-writing this section, trying to find the correct words, it hit me – our faith is like two different snow storms. The first is the kind like the temple prior to Jesus cleaning. A nice light inch or two of snow – enough to make the mountains take on the appearance of Colorado, but not enough to stop our usual agenda.

The second is like the snow storm we received last week – where it just dumps all over us, burying us in the clean white stuff – so clean and white, it can blind our eyes. That kind of faith struggles with the changes it makes in our lives. We can’t just go on the way we usually do, though we might try, by first trying to dig out the shovels, or putting chains on our 4x4’s. And we miss the blessings that kids see, the joy of sledding down the hill, or the quiet solitude of cross country skiing. Or just relaxing with family and a friend or two, in front of a warm fire.

Paul describes our lives as temples of the Holy Spirit, and sometimes we let them get into what I call obligation mode. How much do I have to do, in order not to spend eternity in hell. Can I buy my sacrifice, rather than give up I care for? WE don’t even care if that convenience results in others not being able to receive the blessings God would pour out on us all! We just settle for the appearance of Godliness.

We need out temples clean, the booths and tables turned over, the false sacrifices driven out, the coins spilled out. We need Jesus to come in and do a thorough cleansing of our lives.

The Cleansing Agent

Resurrecting this Temple of His Body

That is our hope in all of this, the same hope that those gathered in the courtyard of the Gentiles found that day. You see, Jesus is great at cleaning temples. He has a remarkable combination of cleansing agents, that He applies to us, driving away all that is corrupted, all that is distracting.

It is the cleansing agents He pointed to, in answering the cry for a sign of His authority. Destroy his Body, He challenged them, and in three days, that temple would arise from the dead. In that death and burial and resurrection, we find the most incredible cleansing agents possible – the water of Baptism, where we are united with His death, and the Body and Blood, given to us in the Lord’s Supper.

Applied to our lives, they pour out the incredible grace of God, which cleanses us from all sin, that leaves us, not full of distractions, but awe at the incredible zeal that God has for His swelling place among us.

For you see, it wasn’t about the building, but it was about what it has always been about. God, living in the midst of His people, and His people, recognizing that God is in their midst, and rejoicing in His love, while adoring and worshipping Him.

Living in the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, by which Christ zealously guards our hearts and our minds.

AMEN.