Contesting The Christ Series

Introduction

Worship wars - conflicts within churches and schools battling over styles of worship music.

Hymns, tradition, theological richness

Choruses, emotive, passionate

Relevance vs. reverence

New vs. old

contests and grand conflicts can happen in religious circles in a variety of ways.

the authority of scripture

Polity - who is in charge and to whom are they accountable

Interpretation and application of scripture - especially as time and culture change.

Contests and conflicts like those may continue to arise until Jesus returns, not because Jesus wants us to be embattled, but because we are human. We are not alone in these struggles.

If you have your Bibles, open them to Luke 19.

When we were together a couple of weeks ago, we considered how Jesus made His final approach to the city with both great celebration and sorrow. Celebration as the multitude of His disciples rejoiced over all that He had done. Sorrow, as He lamented over the city because they could not see Him for Who He is and because of the destruction that would befall them in just a few decades.

As we approach this passage, we find Jesus in Jerusalem at last. Conflict is brewing and the tension is rising. As we consider this passage together, we’ll reflect on four areas where Jesus and the religious leaders are in a contest or conflict.

Adoration (or worship)

Authority

Accountability

Application

Let’s begin with…

Contested Adoration (45-48)

or really contested worship

Luke 19:45–48 ESV

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

So imagine the scene. It’s a busy, crowded day in Jerusalem. It’s the week of Passover so many people are in likely in town getting ready for the celebration. As Jesus enters the temple grounds He sees what looks like a market. There were merchants selling things for worship. While Luke understates the condition, the other gospel writers reveal that there was a lot going on and Jesus’ action were quite intense.

Mark 11:15–17 ESV

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”

Living this side of the cross, we may not fully grasp all that was happening. It could be that Luke glosses over the situation a bit in order to get to the crux of what Jesus was saying. Matthew and Mark note the presence of money changers and pigeon sellers.

The money changers took in Greek and Roman coins and exchanged them for temple currency which would then be used for offerings and for purchasing animals and other supplies for the sacrifices. Several commentators noted that this was a sort of money-making racket - for the sellers, the exchangers, and for the family of the High Priest - as they would receive some percentage of the proceeds.

Pigeons were used for a couple of different sacrifices - especially for the poor. If someone could not afford a lamb or goat for a sin offering, then two pigeons were to be used - one for a burnt offering and one for a sin offering (Lev. 5:7-10).

Jesus was angry for good reason! The people who should have been serving the Lord were profiting. The very ones who should have been helping the poorest should were extorting them.

In response, Jesus quotes from two OT prophecies:

Isaiah 56:6–8 NLT

“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord,

who serve him and love his name,

who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest,

and who hold fast to my covenant.

I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem

and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer.

I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices,

because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

For the Sovereign Lord,

who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says:

I will bring others, too,

besides my people Israel.”

God’s desire is that all peoples or all nations should be able to come to his house to worship, to adore Him. Neither poverty, ethnicity, or social status should hinder someone from coming to worship God - to be made right with God.