Part 1: Cleansing Of The Temple Series

The Great Commission

Part 1 – The First Cleansing of the Temple

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith – www.PS127.org

WELCOME

INTRODUCTION TO SERMON

† God has prepared Jesus for ministry

† Jesus was called, baptized, filled with and the Holy Spirit

† Resisted the Devils attempt to stop His ministry

† Called many disciples to follow Him

† Chose 12 from among the Disciples

† The Ministry begins!

† Jesus cleanses the Temple at the beginning of His ministry, and at the end.

PRAYER FOR HOLY SPIRIT AND UNDERSTANDING

SCRIPTURE READING

John 2:13 – 22

“And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the Temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the Temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them who sold doves, Take these things hence; make not My Father’s House a house of merchandise. 17 And His Disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of Your House has eaten me up.”

INTRODUCTION

I. Jesus’ ministry began on the Passover

† He shows us HE is the Passover, and will do away with sacrifice because sacrifice was given to teach of Him.

† His ministry also ends on Passover, for the same reason.

† The Temple (as many at that time) had fallen for the love of money, they were using the Temple for a store front to gain profit for themselves, not raising money for the operation of the Temple.

† It WAS the Lord’s Passover, but it had become the Jews Passover.

II. The Temple was cleaned before He began preaching

† Jesus symbolically removed the authority of the Priests through the cleansing of the Temple, and replaced it with Himself and His teachings.

† This shows us our state, and that we too must be cleansed by Jesus before He can fill us with what is Good.

† Jesus displayed His Zeal for His Father’s House, and was not in kind in defending the Temple. This also shows us, that when Jesus cleans us out, and resides there, He will defend us with that very same zeal, for WE are the Temple of God and the Holy Spirit.

† He drove all those out with their SHEEP, and OXEN, yet spoke to the one selling Doves.

† Sheep are symbolic of sacrifice, which is no more because of Christ.

† Oxen are symbolic of Christ being the “beast of burden” and taking all of our sins once for all!

† Doves are symbolic of the Holy Spirit, and to the one selling Doves, Jesus said, “Take these things (doves) from here!” This is to show us, the Holy Spirit no longer resides in the Temple walls, for He is now available to all who receive Christ Jesus.

† Jesus also says, “…make not my Father’s House a House of Merchandise.”

† These sacrificial animals were being sold by those to make personal profit. And the money changers (who converted coin from around the world into Temple money) were cheating people in the conversion for personal profit. They turned the Temple into a department store.

† The leaders of the Temple had allowed this because of their love for money.

1 Timothy 6:10

“10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s.”

Matthew 6:24

“24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Hebrews 13:5

“5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

"Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you."

The Priests love for money allowed merchants who cheated for gain into the Temple.

The Priests love of money caused them to not believe Jesus, because they would lose their stature and people would stop giving to the Temple.

Judas’ love for money led him to be the Disciples treasurer.

Judas’ love of money caused him to sell out Jesus for a few thousand dollars (30 sheckles = 120 Danarii, which equals approx. 3 months wages.)

III. Yard Sales, Bake Sales & Raising Money

† Why was Jesus upset with the people in the Temple?

o They were using the Temple for personal profit

o They were stealing from those trying to meet with God

o The Priests had become lovers of money