Clearing The Temple Series

GOSPEL OF MARK: GOD’S SERVANT IN ACTION

CLEARING THE TEMPLE

Good morning family. I hope and pray that everyone is well, and that you are taking care of yourself and your loved ones. As you know we are not having worship services today nor next Sunday due to the restrictions and recommendations of the federal and state governments, all in an effort to keep us well and safe during this pandemic.

After next Sunday (March 29th) the elders will reevaluate the situation based on the current conditions and recommendations of the government, and will determine as to whether or not we will resume our regular worship assembly in April.

In the meantime, this is how I will be presenting my sermon to you today and next Sunday, preaching right here from my study. It is strange preaching only to MYSELF, but you might like this format better because you can just turn it off anytime you want to. Hopefully and prayerfully we will back worshipping together very soon as a family.

Let’s PRAY:

A. We are continuing our sermon series on the Gospel of Mark. Today’s lesson is “Clearing the Temple”

from Mark 11:15-19—so, please turn your Bibles there.

1. Last Sunday, before the latest restrictions of 10 or more people gathering in one place, we decided to have

our regular worship service.

a. The attendance was down, but for those who came to WORSHIP it was wonderful time of praise and

fellowship.

b. We even had some to worship with us who’s home congregations decided to cancel their services.

ILLUSTRATION:

However, there were some concerns regarding the passing of COMMUNION TRAYS and OFFERING BASKETS from one person to the next. So, we set up two COMMUNION stations where each worshiper could WALK to the front and get their COMMUNION EMBLEMS—the JUICE and

BREAD—without touching the others, and return to their seats and COMMUNE with their Lord.

If you WORSHIPPED with us last Sunday what would you have done if, when you WALKED up to get your COMMUNION EMBLEMS, an ELDER would have been standing at each TABLE and

CHARGED you $5.00 for the JUICE and BREAD?

Would you have PAID the $5.00? Would you have ARGUED with them? Would you have WALKED away? Would you have OVERTURNED the TABLES?

2. Our Lord Jesus Christ chose the latter, and OVERTURNED the TABLES.

B. Last Sunday, in our Mark Study, we delved into Jesus’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY into Jerusalem on what is

known as Palm Sunday.

1. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He was greeted with WONDER, EXCITEMENT, and PRAISE.

a. As the excitement dies down and the people go to their HOMES, Jesus made his way to the TEMPLE.

b. Mark 11:11- “Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.”

2. What did Jesus hope to see? He certainly wasn’t hoping to see unscrupulous MONEY CHANGERS and MERCHANTS setting up tables taking ADVANTAGE of the people who came to WORSHIP.

a. Most SCHOLARS believe that this is actually the second time that Jesus CLEARED the TEMPLE, the first being at the BEGINNING of His MINISTRY when “Jesus made a WHIP and drove out the

SELLERS and MONEYCHANGERS”- John 2:12-25.

b. Undoubtedly, Jesus was hoping that the PRIESTS and RELIGIOUS LEADERS had REPENTED and were, once again, focusing on the REAL PURPOSE of God’s Temple as a place of PRAYER of WORSHIP, but they hadn’t.

MESSAGE:

I. PASSION FOR THE TEMPLE- vv. 15-17 (READ)

A. After the Triumphal Entry, Jesus and His disciples RETURNED to Bethany about 2 miles down the road, and probably stayed with Lazarus (whom Jesus had just raised from the dead days before) and with

his sisters Mary and Martha.

1. The next day Jesus and disciples head back to the TEMPLE in Jerusalem, but this time it’s not just

to LOOK AROUND.

a. Jesus is there to CLEAR OUT the Temple of the CORRUPTION and EXPLOITATION that is

once again taking place in His Father’s House.

b. I will EXPLAIN more about what is HAPPENING in just a moment.

2. First, I want to give you a brief history lesson of the TEMPLE.

COMMENT:

In Genesis 22, “Abraham is told by God to go to a very specific place, Mount Moriah, and there to offer Isaac his son that God had PROMISED him, as a SACRIFICE. When he gets there, Abraham puts his boy on an ALTAR, and out of OBEDIENCE to God, raises his KNIFE ready to take his son’s LIFE when God STOPS him. God SPARES Isaac and provides a LAMB to be SACRIFICED on Mount Moriah.”

We read in 1 Chronicles 21 around 900 years later, King David purchased Mount Moriah, that is LOCATED on the EAST SIDE of Jerusalem. It was on Mount Moriah where God chose King Solomon, David’s son, to BUILD His TEMPLE.