40 Days of Easter - March 17, 2011

Written by: Kandy Smith


Temple Cleansing


Matthew 21:12-17 (New International Version, ©2010)
Jesus at the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," He said to them, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it 'a den of robbers.' "14 The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did and the children shouting in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.16 "Do you hear what these children are saying", they asked Him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise.'"17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

How comfortable it would be to read this passage and focus on verse 12 as a way of feeling good about ourselves here at FBC, even assuring ourselves that if Jesus could do a walk-through of our church building, He wouldn't find anyone selling or buying things in the hallways. Instead, He would see mission bulletin boards, Sunday School posters, and scripture passages displayed. We know how to behave in God's house and therefore might expect to receive a high score on our evaluation.

But on closer examination, would Jesus find anything occurring that, like the work of these money changers, interferes with worshipping Him? Because of these buyers and sellers, the Gentiles couldn't even pray without interruption in their single designated area in the temple. While we're definitely not a "den of robbers", we have to acknowledge the possibility that Jesus might not pen the words "house of prayer" in the comments section of His formal summary, either.

Actually, a more appropriate understanding of this scripture doesn't involve Jesus' walking through our church building. It involves instead the Holy Spirit's moving through our individual temples ; our physical bodies and minds. We're encouraged to not only guide but actually welcome the Spirit's examination because of God's grace. Speaking of grace, we might realize additionally that the much-maligned merchants in this scripture passage had an excuse that we don't have. They didn't have the constant presence of Jesus; they didn't even have a copy of God's Word. Straying from the Truth for them seems a little more understandable. But, for us? We not only have the Bible, we also have the Gift of Constant Monitoring, Constant Comforting, and Constant Companionship; with the presence of the Holy Spirit, we have every opportunity to avoid setting up tables of sin in our own temples that separate us from God and keep us from being available to do His will.

Finally, notice our loving Lord in this passage. While He does pause to do some necessary table clearing, more aligned with His nature, He quickly turns His full attention to those in need. He heals the blind and the lame. Attuned to the voices of the children who recognize Him and praise Him, He quiets the voices of the indignant chief priests by scripturally reminding them of who He is. He doesn't focus on the negatives so much that He misses the positives, the opportunities to touch lives and share His love. The Message translates verse 17 as saying, "Fed up, Jesus turned on his heel." I don't really see "fed up" here or Jesus "turning on His heel", do you? I see our Lord doing what He always does: loving us in spite of the bad, cleaning up our mistakes and moving on to accomplish the will of Our Father.

How about you: Do you daily realize the gift we have through the Holy Spirit, a gift that allows us to constantly seek our Father's love and forgiveness? Do you have any sins you need to ask God to not only reveal to you but then help you clear off the table?

Dear Heavenly Father, I know You love me in spite of my sin. And yet, I also know how it breaks Your heart that time and time again I recognize and regret my sinful ways, ask and receive Your forgiveness, leave my prayer time with You and set the table of sin right back up. I ask You to continue to help me, to show me how to fill those needs that my sinful self desires with Your goodness and blessings instead so that I can be fully available to do Your will. Thank You for the presence of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to rest in You daily. Amen.