Drastic Times - Drastic Measures
March 27, 2011 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We must live with an urgency to obey and be faithful to God.
Focus Passage: Matthew 21:12-17 (Pew Bible page 1137)
Introduction: Briefly introduce “Madea Goes to Jail” with the scene where she returns home to a house full of partiers. Discuss conflict of kids doing things in parents’ house that is contrary to parents’ wishes.
I. What did Jesus do?
a. Cleared out the money changers and those who bought and sold
i. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; (John 2:15 NASB)
b. Healed the blind and lame
i. At Nazareth, Jesus opened up the scroll and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19 ESV)
c. Allowed the children to shout praise (vs 16)
d. Confronted the leaders
i. The Jews then said to Him, "What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" (John 2:18-20 NASB)
II. Why did Jesus do it?
a. He knew that His time left on earth was short
i. It was Passover week – the appointed time of sacrifice
b. The temple was “My Father’s House” on earth
i. His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME." (John 2:17 NASB)
c. The religious practices hindered people from really connecting with God
i. The people came expecting to make sacrifices and to worship, but instead they were exploited
ii. “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger” (Matt 23:4 NASB)
iii. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matt 23:13 NASB)
III. What must we do to be like Jesus?
a. Clear out the stuff that hinders our relationship with God
b. Show compassion
i. Physical needs
ii. Emotional needs
iii. Spiritual needs
c. Make time for praise
d. Confront those who interfere with other’s relationship with God
i. Governmental – local, state and federal
ii. Institutional – schools, stores, etc
iii. Heretics – cults, universalists, teachers of prosperity gospel, etc
