CLEANSING THE HOUSE OF GOD
Text: Matt. 21:12 - 17
Intro: In our scripture reading this morning we pick up at the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem where He is riding on a donkey’s colt. The crowds have cut down the branches of trees and put them down in front of Him. This was done, the scripture says, in fulfillment of Zech.9:9 which says: 9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Jesus’ triumphal entry into the holy city marks the beginning of the events of the trial, crucifixion and resurrection of our LORD JESUS. Please turn with me to Matt. 21 and we will begin reading in verse 8.
I. Jesus’ zeal for the House of God is without bounds.
Ps. 69:9 9For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
A. Threw out all that bought and sold in God’s House.
B. Notice that He gave them no quarter.
1. He didn’t say you have an hour to get out…or thirty minutes or even a second for that matter.
2. He threw them out without regard for anything they thought or said.
C. Jesus said my House shall be called a House of Prayer.
1. There is no better place for us to go for help, wisdom, encouragement and provision than to God through prayer.
a. When we rely on what our government can do for us, then we will get the provision and covering of our government.
b. When we rely on organizations and special interest groups to take care of our community, then we will get what they have to offer.
c. When we rely on ourselves, we get what we can do.
2. But when we rely on God, we get what God can do. That folks is why JESUS said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.”
a. I believe God…we as a church must recommit ourselves to making this house, His House and to making it a “house of prayer.”
b. God will bless that.
D. Some wanted to know “who is this man?
1. Some that didn’t know Him at all said “this is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth.”
a. They were partly right, Jesus did prophesy.
b. And he did live in Nazareth for a while
c. But His residence was heaven.
2. They had made God’s House “a den of thieves.”
a. Today God’s House is defiled by a den of thieves. Exactly like God said through the prophet Malachi
a1. Too often folks come to be seen rather than to meet with God.
a2. Too often we rob God of the worship He deserves. Mal. 2:1
a3. Too often we rob God of tithes and offerings. Mal. 3:8
3. The priests, scribes and some of the people were more concerned with themselves than with knowing God.
a. They wanted the glory that belonged to God.
b. They wouldn’t take the time to know God, a costly mistake.
c. Their lives were too busy and after all they wanted to have their own happiness.
Illus.: I heard a joke this week I’d like to share with you. A young man in a dimly lit restaurant leaned over to the lady at the table next to him and said, “Hey, would you like to hear a very funny blonde joke?”
The lady replied, “I’m 6’3” blonde and I’m a personal trainer at the local gym. The lady sitting on my left is 6’4” blonde and a world champion in tae kwon do. The lady on my right just happens to be 6’2”, blonde and an Olympic weight lifter. Are you sure that you want to tell that joke.”
“No, the man replied, I don’t want to have to explain it 3 times.”
4. Too many of the folks in the pews of God’s House today say they know Jesus but they don’t love God enough to follow His commandments.
a. They don’t love their neighbor as much as they do their dog, much less themselves.
b. Brothers and Sisters those folks can expect God to clean house.
II. The blind and the lame came to JESUS
A. God’s Word says here that HE healed them.
1. They came to God’s House, humbly seeking out God.
2. They didn’t come acting better than anyone else.
3. They didn’t come to show others how good they were…they came seeking Jesus.
a. Oh if today we would just come seeking JESUS.
B. When the leaders of the temple, the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw:
1. The wonderful things that he did.
a. The children crying in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David;” they were sore displeased.
2. The word hosanna used in these verses is an interesting word:
Hosanna – Comes from two Hebrew words, the first (yasha`) to free and (na')]; oh save!; hosanna (i.e. hoshia-na), an exclamation of adoration : in the Hebrew, means "save, we pray." The word seems to have become an utterance of praise rather than of prayer, though originally, probably, a cry for help. The people's cry at the Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9, 10; John 12:13) was taken from Psa. 118, which was recited at the Feast of Tabernacles in the great Hallel (Psalms 113 to 118) accompanied by the waving of palm and willow branches.
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
C. When they heard the people and the children crying this though they were sore displeased.
1. John 12:13 says that as Jesus entered Jerusalem the people. “13Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
a. They were crying “Save us, Son of David.”
b. Here the chief priest and scribes became gravely upset because this greeting and prayer was reserved only for the coming of the Messiah.
c. Mark also says that the people cried “9And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.” (Mark 11:9 &10).
d. Following His entry into Jerusalem Jesus went to the Temple and proclaimed “in the last day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38).
e. The words “In the last day” means that this event occurred on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
III. They were sore displeased
A. They were jealous
1. Jealous because they did not have the kind of relationship with God that it took to do these wonderful things.
2. Jealous because their works did not measure up.
3. Jealous because they did not recognize what the children did.
B. Our churches today are filled with those that find fault.
1. Fault with the preaching, fault with the teaching, fault with the music and a multitude of other things.
a. They are like the chief priests and the scribes.
b. They are the ones that are just a little more perfect than the rest.
c. Jesus was the judge of the chief priests and scribes and He is mine and your judge also.
Speaking of finding fault I heard another story this week about a preacher’s young daughter who always noticed when her daddy would pause and bow his head for a moment before launching into the sermon. One day she asked him why. “Well honey,” he began, thrilled that his daughter was paying such close attention to his sermons, “I’m asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon.” To which she replied, “Then how come He doesn’t do it?”
Conclusion: Brother’s and Sister’s I challenge you to take a fresh look at how you feel about your worship. Are you focused on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and edifying others, or do you come to His house for another reason? Oh our God loves you so much! He sent His Son to die in your stead. Are you insistent on making His house a house of prayer or are you leaving that duty to others? Do you know Him, or are you like those that commented that He was the prophet from Nazareth? If you are in that group please come and I will introduce you to Him…If you are in that place where your reasons for being here are different than to worship our LORD and edify the others here, and you want to make that right, the altar is open…our GOD is waiting for you.
