20120311 3rd Sunday in Lent B
Lenten Series: The Crosses of Lent
Series Key Verse: I want to know Christ and experience the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His suffering, becoming like Him in His death, and so somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11
Title: The Cross of Passion… Passion for People!
Text: John 2:13-22 (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-19; and Luke 19:45-46)
Thesis: Jesus’ passion was that God’s house be a place where anyone and everyone could connect with God.
Introduction
When a person is passionate about something, that person puts more time, attention and energy into it. It is more than just enthusiasm. Passion moves a person to invest their whole heart, mind, body and soul into something.
Doomsday Prepping is the current hot trend in our country. Doomsday Preppers are among the most passionate of the passionate. They are so convinced that a period of chaos is coming that they are passionately driven to prepare for that day. There is a company in Nebraska that specializes in building and installing full-scale bunker homes that are buried in a secret place where a family may escape the societal or cultural unrest and hole-up for a lengthy period of time. The bunker is equipped with water and sewage systems, solar generator systems, a ventilation system, living areas, a stash of gold or silver for bartering, weapons, a security camera system and storage facilities sufficient to store enough food for a family to live from three months to a number of years. The entrances are so well-built that even plastic explosive charges cannot blow them open.
Preppers are determined to protect themselves, their families and their cache of food and water from anyone and everyone at all costs when the world goes all post-apocalyptic and the imaginations of those who created Mad Max, The Postman, and The Road come true.
I can immediately think of several flaws in the plan but never-the-less, Doomsday Preppers are passionate people who truly believe and act on their convictions.
Despite the fact that passion can be skewed, passion is a good thing generally and it works well for sports and hobbies, the entrepreneurial spirit and makes for wonderfully loving relationships.
But passion can also be a very bad thing. Passion makes for hatred in politics. Passion makes for extremist views. Passion drives people to public displays of over-the-top reactions. Passion makes people do crazy, scary things. Passion can manifest itself in outrage and anger. This past week while driving down Sheridan, at the Highway 36 intersection I observed a driver roar around a car in front of him and immediately swerve back in front of that car, stop, jump out and run back to the driver he had just passed threatening all manner of bodily injury. Road rage is unleashed and out of control passion.
This morning we are looking at a passage of scripture wherein we see an entirely new side of Jesus. We see a very passionate Jesus who was driven to express righteous indignation. Jesus was angry but not road rage angry.
So what kind of stuff made Jesus mad and who did he get mad at?
In Mark 3:11-6 there is a story about an incident in which Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath. The Old Testament Law dictated that Jesus was not supposed to do any work on the Sabbath and so in the minds of his critics… Jesus had worked on the Sabbath by doing an act of healing. (Imagine you are desperately ill and when you go to the emergency room you are told, “I’m sorry, it’s the Sabbath so we can’t help you until tomorrow.”)
It says that Jesus looked at them angrily, because he was deeply disturbed by their hard hearts. Mark 3:5 So Jesus was angry at the religious leaders who would rather he obeyed the Sabbath than do a loving thing for a sick man.
I don’t know that we ever see Jesus directing his anger at sinners for sinning. But he does direct and express his anger toward some religious people. But he was able to do it in keeping with God’s Word which teaches, “In your anger, do not sin.” Ephesians 4:26 It is possible to be passionately angry without sinning. The indignation Jesus felt and expressed was directed at sin, evil and injustice.
Our text today gives us insight into what it was that mattered to Jesus.
I. Jesus is more concerned about religion than politics, i.e., he went to the temple not the Roman seat of government or authority in Jerusalem.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple… Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15, Luke 9:45 and John 2:13
Last week when we referred to a conversation Jesus had with his disciples wherein he asked who other people thought he was and they replied, “Some say, ‘Moses,’ some say ‘John the Baptist,’ some say ‘Elijah’ and some say, ‘one of the prophets.’” Then he asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” And Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Holy One of God.”
I think Mark Twain is credited with the adage, “Never discuss religion or politics in polite company.” We all know that both religion and politics are hot button topics that stir deep and passionately held convictions and feelings.
One of Jesus’ closest followers was known as Simon the Zealot. In the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, Simon Zealotes tries to persuade Jesus to stir hatred among the masses against the Roman occupiers. Among the many theories regarding who this obscure disciple is that he was involved in a Jewish revolt against the Romans, which was brutally suppressed. References to him as a zealot infer he was passionate about the Roman occupation and suppression of Israel.
So for a guy like Simon the Zealot, the hope that the Messiah had come and would overthrow the Roman occupiers and drive them from the land of Palestine was a dream come true.
The most prominent structure in Jerusalem at the time of Christ was The Tower of David or the Citadel of King David. During the Roman occupation Jewish historian Josephus reported that King Herod had constructed three additional towers to defend the wall, military bastion and his palace. The palace and citadel remained an important site during the history of Israel but was taken and occupied by the Romans. Since that time the site has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. During the Crusades the Crusaders made the site their fortress until they were defeated by the Arabic Saladin who then occupied the citadel. People have fought over, destroyed and rebuilt the site for centuries.
When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday it was announced:
• “Look, your King is coming to you.
• He is humble riding on a donkey…”
And the crowds welcomed him spreading their coats and palm branches and flowers in his path and singing:
• “Praise God for the Son of David!
• Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
• Praise God in highest heaven!”
So when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, his disciples and the people thought the Messiah had arrived to restore the nation of Israel. But instead of riding up to the gate of the Citadel and running Herod and the Roman Army out of Dodge… he dismounted at the Temple where he proceeded to raise havoc.
There are some nasty places and some nasty jobs people do for a living. Discovery Channel Dirty Jobs episodes feature jobs like Bat Cave Scavenger, Worm Dung Farmer. Road Kill Cleaner, Hot Tar Roofer, Skull Cleaner, Slaughter House Worker, Sausage Maker, Mattress Recycler and Dairy Cow Midwife to name just a few.
Just as there are nasty jobs, there are nasty places. Isn’t it interesting that of all the places Jesus could have raised a ruckus he chose the Temple. Surely he could do some good in Washington DC or Wall Street or Shot Gun Willie’s or the underbelly of any place on the planet… but Jesus went to the Temple.
And that was because His Kingdom was not about empires, theocracies, dictatorships, monarchies, republics or democracies. The Kingdom of God is not a visible Kingdom. It is a Kingdom of the heart. In Luke Jesus said of his Kingdom, “You won’t be able to see it and say, “Here it is!” or “It’s over there!” For the Kingdom of God is among you. Luke 17:20-21
And when was quizzed by Pilate about his Kingdom shortly before his crucifixion Jesus said, “I am not an earthly King. My Kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36 Jesus’ Kingdom is a Kingdom of the Heart! It is a Kingdom that exists within any and every form of earthy power… The three branches of government may rule my country but Christ rules in my heart and life.
In other words the Kingdom of Christ is a Kingdom of the heart and mind, so to speak. His is no political kingdom… it is a spiritual kingdom. It is a kingdom in which we follow Christ regardless of political persuasion or power.
Jesus went to the Temple and not to the Citadel because his primary passion is for the eternal souls of people. Jesus is more concerned about religion than politics.
Jesus is also more concerned about religion than business.
II. Jesus is more concerned about religion than business… i.e., he went to the temple to get the business out of religion and to remove the business of religion.
In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; and he saw money changers behind their counters. Jesus made a whip and chased them all out of the Temple… John 213-14
The people had hoped that Jesus would have gone after King Herod, Pilate and the Roman Garrison but instead, Jesus went after the vendors of sacrificial animals and money changers down at the Temple.
If this happened today many would be thinking Jesus should head for the White House, Congress, The Supreme Court and the Pentagon but instead he would go to Church. And if and when he saw something that was so contrary to what Church was supposed to be he would raise some havoc.
You may have seen the bumper sticker that reads, “Jesus is coming and he’s really mad!” Well, Jesus was coming and he was really ticked. But why was he ticked?
It was Passover week. Every male within twenty miles of Jerusalem was required to go to Jerusalem for the Passover. In addition, Jewish pilgrims from all over the world wanted to make at least one pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover in their lifetime. So the city was absolutely bulging with perhaps upward to two million followers of Judaism who were there to mark the Passover Celebration.
We have nothing in the United States to which we might compare a spiritual pilgrimage. We have political rallies and protest demonstrations and the Super Bowl and Million Man Marches. Perhaps you’ve seen news reports and photos but if not try to visualize Mecca. Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad and the holiest of Muslim cities. One of a Muslim's duties, as described in the Five Pillars of Islam, is to go on Hajj at least once during his or her lifetime. So every year, approximately two million Muslims go to Mecca to worship in the Grand Mosque. Among those worshippers are 10,000 or more American Muslims.
Only in our bible account there are two million Jews and Gentile converts who have made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem… the holiest city in the Jewish faith. And the Temple is bustling with pilgrims trying to get into the Temple to offer their sacrifices and worship.
Every of age Jewish man was required to pay a Head Tax at the Temple and everyone had to offer a sacrifice at the Temple altar. People did come from great distances and in some cases different countries so they could not bring along their own bull or lamb or dove and the Temple Tax had to be paid in shekels… I believe the tax was half a shekel and was the equivalent of two days wages. So they had to exchange their foreign currencies for shekels in order to purchase sacrifices and pay their Temple Tax.
The sale of sacrificial animals and exchanging currencies was a very good and necessary business… but it had become a corrupt business that even involved collusion with and kickbacks to the priests. It was not that it was not a valid service… it was that it was a corrupt business that put the bite on people who literally had no choice but to pay the extortion money in order to offer their sacrifices and pay their Temple Tax.
We are not talking the sale of Girl Scout Cookies or Boy Scout Pop Corn or Spaghetti Dinners here… we are talking practices that made it hard for people to go to church and fulfill their spiritual longings.
Jesus drove the vendors, money changes, and the sheep and the oxen out and then he flipped over their tables. He then went to the people selling doves and said, “Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s house into a marketplace.” John 2:16
Christianity has become big business. Christian schools, colleges and universities. Christian hospitals and medical services. Christian bookstores. Christian healthcare centers. Christian retirement communities. Christian publishing houses. Christian pre-schools and day care centers. Christian business directories. Christian insurance companies. Christian coffee houses. Christian para-church organizations, etc.
We once lived in a community where a young man came to town and opened an Edward D. Jones office. He immediately began to net work. He joined every civic organization and at every opportunity offered to present a financial investment program. He and his family began to attend churches. After he had exhausted his contacts in one church he would move to another and then another… it was apparent that his interest in religion was not religion but business. Church is not a place to exploit your financial interests.
We believe healthy Christians and healthy churches are into pursuing Christ and the things that are important to Christ. i.e., the pursuit of God and people! Church is not the place to pursue personal or corporate profit.
I am not speaking of Christians who build businesses like Chic-Fil-A, Forever 21, Tom’s of Maine, Tyson Foods, Hobby Lobby, Interstate Batteries, In-N-Out Burger and others… I am speaking of using church to get business and churches getting into business for profit rather than for the sake of ministry to people.
When churches get into business, at the onset the idea may well be to offer a service to people. But it always seems to come down to a matter of being profitable and supporting the budget of the Church. When in fact, the work of the church is about ministering to people and if it becomes a matter of profit we have ceased to minister. ESL ministries may not pay for themselves. Feeding the hungry in the community once a week is not profitable. There is no profit in supporting viable missions. There is no profit in scholarships for kids to go to bible camp.
Jesus did not want the Temple to be a marketplace. Jesus was more concerned about the Temple being a spiritual place… a place of prayer and not a business place.
Ultimately, the thing Jesus was really passionate about is people.
III. Jesus is more concerned about people than religion… i.e., he went to the temple to remove those things that kept people from God.
Jesus said, “My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” Mark 11:17
When someone comes to our church it is a relatively simple process. If you can get in the big doors and up the stairs and through the double doors, you are in. However it wasn’t all that easy in biblical times.
The Temple was arranged as a series of “Courts.” The Court of the Priests was the inner most court. The next court was the Court of the Israelites which was the court for Jewish men. The third court was the Court of Women which was for Jewish women and the last and outer court was the Court of the Gentiles. The Court of the Gentiles is where the vendors with all their animals and doves and the money changers had all set up shop, so to speak.
The Gentiles, who were devoted followers of Jehovah, had made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship God. They arrived to find their place of worship occupied by vendors, their critters and those in the business of monetary exchange. It was a flea market with hawkers hawking and vendors vending and money changers haggling over exchange rates. It was hardly conducive to worship… in fact it was impossible.
That is why Jesus was infuriated. That is why Jesus was filled with righteous indignation. People had come to church to worship and they could not. So Jesus drove the vendors and money changers and their wares out so people could get in. And as he made his way he was shouting, “My Temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations, but you have turned it into a marketplace for a den of thieves.”
Jesus was not too concerned about politics or business… he was concerned and passionate about people and their ability to connect with God. And anything and anyone who hindered people from connecting with God was to be moved out of the way for the sake of those people.
Conclusion
From the video The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey speaks of how thoroughly we have domesticated Jesus. He speaks of how we’ve tamed him. As children we learn that Jesus is sweet and inoffensive. We learn that Jesus loves the little children and is the kind of person you’d want to just climb up on his lap. Jesus is portrayed as Mister Rogers with a beard. But then you have to wonder if the Jews would have hated and the Romans would have crucified Mister Rogers.
Love and Indignation may coexist together. God is a God who passionately loves people but God is also passionately indignant about injustice and evil. In fact it is not love that does not react angrily at wrong.
Norman Wright says, “The biblical doctrine of God’s wrath is rooted in the doctrine of God as the good and wise and loving creator, who hates anything that spoils, defaces, distorts, or damages his beautiful creation, and in particular anything that does that to his image bearing creatures. If God does not hate racial prejudice, he is neither good nor loving. If God is not wrathful at child abuse, he is neither good nor loving. If God does not root out in an act of proper wrath and judgment, the arrogance that allows people to exploit, bomb, bully and enslave one another, he is neither loving, nor good. Faced with a world in rebellion, a world full of exploitation and wickedness, a good God must be a God of judgment.” (N.T. Wright, The Cross and the Caricatures and Surprised by Hope – PreachingToday.com)
God in Christ is both Mister Rogers and William Wallace of Braveheart. Everything Jesus does emanates from love including righteous indignation and wrath
So in our text today we see Braveheart Jesus, who like William Wallace rode into battle and gave his life to free the Scottish people from the evil oppression of England’s King Edward I, strode into the Temple to drive out those who stood in the way of others being able to come into the presence of God.
So what kinds of injustices should we be passionately indignant about?
I was angry when I heard Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was hung for his faith in Iran. I was angry when Afghan’s angrily set about killing Americans in retaliation for burning copies of the Koran. People make mistakes and people apologize and people should be forgiving. I was indignant at the way Rush Limbaugh denigrated the Georgetown law student and his over-the top suggestion that she post sex tapes on the internet. Corruption in big business and Wall Street? Exorbitant salaries of ceo’s and university administrators? Abortion, euthanasia, infanticide and genocide? The abuse of children and spouses? White slavery? Should we be indignant when a Native American woman is raped but denied medical care at a community hospital because she should go to a reservation clinic? Hunger? Healthcare? Bullying? The outrageous amount of money spent on political campaigns? Innocent victims of war? The many faces of evil? The list is long and goes on and on…
But in our text today… what is it that we need to think on? Jesus was passionate about God’s house being a place for prayer where people are welcomed and exposed to the love of God in Christ.
Several years ago a guest speaker came to our church a bit early and sat down in a pew to wait until the service started. As he sat there a lady came into the sanctuary and stopped at the pew where he was sitting and said, “You’re sitting in my seat.”
Don’t do that. We want to be a welcoming church. And neither do I want you to do make a whip and go around lashing out at and driving everyone out with whom you take exception. We want to be a loving church.
What I do want you to do is this:
Warmly welcome and befriend everyone and cloth yourselves with or put on tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility and gentleness, and patience. Make allowances for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And put on love which binds us together in harmony. Let the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ rule in your hearts and always be thankful.
We want to be the kind of people others want to be around and who make it easy for them to connect with God.
