The Zeal for the House of God
(The Life of Christ Series)
01.29.17
Introduction
In recent weeks we have talked a lot about your body being your Temple, and the habitation (dwelling) of Christ and the Holy Spirit. This teaching is very important in our spiritual life. Our personal relationship with Jesus is dependent and determined by our giving a place within our body for the presence of God.
With that - Would Christ want to live within you if your life were filled with garbage bags?
Let me answer that for all of us - NO!
Let explain this with a story in the Life of Christ.
Text: John 2:13 thru 23
Prayer:
This passage of scripture speaks of there being a constructed building while Jesus was here on Earth. This building was beautiful and was known to everyone as the Temple of the Lord.
In this text, we find ourselves in the early days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus had a certain excitement mixed with authority to be in the House of God, i.e. The Temple of the Lord.
After all, it’s His House We are talking about. God’s House doesn’t belong to the Jews, or the Palestinians, or the Christians, or any one person or a denomination. It’s simply God’s House.
This is God’s House. We are gathered here to worship God in His House. You and I are responsible for taking care of God’s House.
I would have liked to have seen the House of God (the Temple) that day, and to walk through the doors and to see everything. Especially to see Jesus in His Temple. The Son of God and King of Kings!
The building we meet in each week is the Temple where we worship Jesus. Question - Have you ever found yourself excited to come to God’s House?
Jesus has excitement and authority to meet with us here is this room. This place of worship does not belong to me or you. Or even the one whose name is written on the deed over at the courthouse.
We pay rent with your tithes and offerings so we can call this God’s House, and we can meet here and worship Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We Don’t have to go to Jerusalem. Jesus is here!
Jesus has a vested interest in this building.
What the disciples saw that day in Jesus, they had never seen in Him before. As the disciples remembered - so should we:
Vs. 17 - “Zeal (Passion) for your house will consume me!”
Each of us should have a “Zeal” (a Passion) for the things of God, the House of God, the ways of God and the people of God.
Here is what we can see in these verses:
I. Jesus went to the Temple.
A. Notice the first thing Jesus does when He arrives in Jerusalem is to get on down to God’s house. Nothing else is more important Than to get to God’s House.
Jesus (at another time) clearly tells us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Jesus illustrates for us what our priorities should be.
Does Jesus have the same desire to find His way to your Temple? Your Holy Temple?
Have you ever noticed that - Oftentimes there are other things taking place that can interfere with getting to the House God?
B. (in our text) Jesus had to have noticed that there were many other Jewish festivities taking place all over Jerusalem. There was music, food, fun and fellowship in the streets. Almost a carnival atmosphere. Everybody is looking for a good time.
None of those worldly things were important to Jesus. Jesus was not distracted from getting to the Temple.
C. Jesus Had been to the Temple of the Lord many times before that day. Jesus knew what He would find at the House of God. He had already seen all of the things that were wrong at the House of the Lord. His previous visits to Jerusalem (during the Passover every year) were all the same. There has never been any surprises for Jesus when He came to the House of God.
II. Jesus (as the Son of God) was responsible for the House of God.
A. The Temple was Jesus’ favorite place to go. Why? It belonged to Him. Even the disciples could see this personal connection Jesus had for the Holy Temple. They quoted to themselves Psalm 69:9, “The zeal for your house has eaten me up.”
B. Question: Do you have that kind of personal connection with this House of the Worship?
C. The Temple’s well being was Jesus’ priority. I am convinced that what Jesus found that day, He had seen most every time He came there for the Passover. For sure we know that this happened 3 years later (in Mark 11:15) even when Jesus came back to be arrested and crucified for our sins.
D. Question: So how important are the things going on down at the church to us? The events of this church should be a priority to each one of us (that call this our church.)
You should consider:
1. becoming a Church Member.
2. Supporting the finances of this church.
3. The upkeep and improvements of this church.
4. The future of this church.
Maybe you should shout out what Jesus did:
“The zeal for your house has eaten me up.”
III. Jesus judged the Temple of those who were unrighteous.
A. Jesus believed the animals belonged in the barn or the pasture, and not in the House of God. The Holy of Holies was only a few steps away from what was going on in the Temple. The Temple must remain a sacred place set aside for worship, and should never be defiled by the odors and feces of animals. A manger may have been where Jesus was born but it is not where Jesus will reign and rule the earth!
B. The money changers did not belong in the Temple either. They belonged in the market place where it was acceptable to earn a profit, but not in the Temple of the Lord. The money changers wanted to profit from those who came to worship.
The Temple of the Lord is a place of giving to others. Not taking from others. Don't come to the House of God with selfish motives for financial gains. The House of God has financial needs so that we can adequately and efficiently support God’s work.
C. The House of God should be cleansed from sin and unrighteous behavior. The sins of the wicked will be dealt with harshly. There are those who have no regard for the Holiness of the Lord. There is no tolerance in God’s wrath on those who do evil in the sight of the Lord.
In our day and time we see sometimes see wickedness in the leadership of the church. This should not be! The church has room for the sinner to come inside and repent of their sins and live their lives in the righteousness of God.
D. The best way to cleanse the Temple in the 21st Century is to open our altars for those who will humble themselves and repent of their sins.
IIII. Jesus prophesied while at the Temple.
A. Jesus knew the fate of Jerusalem and the Jewish religion. What the Father had established in the men and women of the Old Testament (such as, King David and Solomon) would soon be destroyed and left in rubble once again:
1. The great Roman leader, Titus, would later set fire to all of Jerusalem in the year 70 a.d. The Roman Government decreed that no Jews were to ever return to set foot within the walls of Jerusalem.
2. All that Jerusalem once held for religion would come to a tragic end.
3. The hopes and dreams of every Pharisee and Sadducee would be torn apart.
Jesus knew His own fate that awaited Him on Golgotha’s Hill. If the city of Jerusalem were to be crushed and destroyed, so would He.
1. Jerusalem would defend itself with every ounce of determination to the bitter end. (Just as it continues to do so even to this day.)
2. Jesus would face His own destruction willingly without remorse or regret, knowing the price HE had to pay for our sins.
CLOSE
Jesus will (one day) be glorified in His Father’s Temple.
Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
