The Corruption of the Temple
March 25, 2018 Morning Service
Palm Sunday
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: Jesus is the Cornerstone of the New Temple of God
Focus Passage: John 2:13-22
Supplemental Passage: Leviticus 14:34-47, Mark 11: 15-18
Introduction: Can you imagine this happening today? Imagine the Headlines: “Trouble at the Temple”, “Carpenter Creates Chaos”, “Menacing Messiah”, “Rabid Rabbi”. Why did he “loose his cool”? Did something happen to “set him off”? Was it a result of a troubled childhood? What it something that could be blamed on his parents?
In Leviticus 14, we see how, according to the Law, a priest and homeowner were supposed to deal with a house that had a mark of affliction/corruption/leprosy. The owner was supposed to report the spot to the priest, the priest would instruct them to get everything out of the house, then he would come and inspect. If he found the mark to be the affliction, he would instruct the stones where the mark is to be removed, all the plaster to be removed and dumped outside the city. He would then quarantine the house for a week. At the end of the week, he’d return to inspect. If there was still the mark, then all the house would be demolished and dumped outside the city. They would need to build with a new set of stones.
I. The First Inspection
a. The first cleansing of the Temple took place early in Jesus’ ministry. Probably within the first week of His public ministry.
i. Jesus found it a market place.
(people were selling animals for sacrifices)
ii. Jesus found money changers cheating people. (sacrifices had to be bought in Shekels)
b. When the Jews asked for a sign to know by what authority He did this,
c. He told them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19 NASB)
II. The Final Inspection
a. The second cleansing of the Temple took place in the last week of His public ministry.
b. Nothing had changed from the first inspection. Corruption was still rampant.
i. Jesus found a market place. (people were selling animals for sacrifices)
ii. Jesus found money changers cheating people. (sacrifices had to be bought in Shekels)
c. The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. (Mark 11:18 NASB)
III. The Final Condemnation
a. At His trial, the Jews told them that He said he would tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days.
i. This is not recorded in the accounts of Matthew, Mark & Luke; only in John
ii. They remembered what He had said three years prior and held it against Him
b. Jesus *said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'? (Matthew 21:42 NASB)
c. The final condemnation of the temple was Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
d. Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Application/Invitation: We are the new Temple of God. Does your temple need cleansing? Do you have sin for which you must repent? Even before we celebrate the Lord’s Supper today, confess your sins to the Lord and He will forgive them. If you have never trusted Jesus, trust Him today and be made pure!
