Prayer Focused Series

Series Summary: We are here!

Thesis of the series: We are here in 2013 as a church and as Christian individuals to declare the message of Jesus and to bring in God’s heavenly harvest of souls. We are here to be the salt and the light of this world.

Sermon 2: Prayer Focused!

Introduction:

Reference Jim Cymbala’s video: My House Shall Be Called a House of Prayer - on You Tube

Scripture references:

Matthew 21:10-14

10When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

11The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

12Jesus entered the temple area 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.’”

14The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.

• Matthew 21:13: “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.’”

• Mark 11:17: “And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Jesus cleansed the Temple in our passage – but it is important to remember this was the second time not the first. He did it at the beginning of his ministry too!

John 2:13-17:

13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.

15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

16To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”

17His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Thesis: The church and all of us Christians should be prayer focused within our lives. Business should never choke out our prayer life instead we should be committed to pray first. When we pray we discover God’s presence then we receive God’s power.

I. We Are: Prayer Focused as a Church

a. Scripture texts:

i. Matthew 21:13: 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.’”

ii. Mark 11:17: 17 “And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations?’ But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

iii. Why did Jesus say this in our text?

1. Why did he get so upset each time he came to the temple and saw the buying and selling of God goods?

2. Where they doing something wrong were not providing a service to the God worshippers?

3. Where people there who should not have been there?

4. What was the big deal?

a. I believe the answer to these questions lies within what Jesus saw in the people’s hearts who were buying and selling .

i. He saw people getting ripped off financially.

ii. He saw the greed and bargaining.

iii. He saw the lack of prayer and devotion to God.

iv. He saw the disrespect to God and His house.

v. He saw the act of worship and sacrifice being marketed for profit.

vi. He saw the cheapening and marketing of Passover for profit and personal financial gain.

vii. He saw the Godly leaders approving of this mass marketing of Gospel for profit as good.

1. He saw flesh producing more flesh and no Spirit led or driven times of worship and prayer.

2. Prayer was absent in God’s house of worship – money and marketing had replaced the spiritual discipline of prayer.

b. Quotes and thoughts on prayer:

i. Jim Cymbala: The Bible does say, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." Preaching, music, the reading of the Word--these things are fine--but they must never override prayer as the defining mark of God's dwelling.

1. In our scenario from the Bible today Jesus was upset because the focus was on making money in the Temple to worship God. People were making money off the Worship of God. People were making a living off of the Temple worship and the offering of sacrifices up to God.

a. It had become a marketplace for profit!

b. There was no prayer no worship of God.