Discovering God’s Precious Promises
“I Will Raise It Up”
John 2:12-22
4-12-2020 AM
One Solitary Life
By Dr James Allan Francis in 1926
"Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.
He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself...
While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While He was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen long centuries have come and gone, and today He is a centerpiece of the human race and leader of the column of progress.
I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that were ever built; all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life."
What a great day this is.
We celebrate the anniversary of our risen Saviour.
I was looking at these verses this week and was reminded of this promise and OH how great to know that Jesus meant what He said and said what He meant.
I. Jesus Cleans The Temple
This was the first time after the beginning of His ministry that Jesus went to Jerusalem to observe the Passover.
Vs. 14 He found the Temple in disarray.
1. The market was going on in the outer courts of the Gentiles.
The sheep, etc., were sold there to save the inconvenience of individual Jews bringing their offerings from a distance.
Some have even considered that the corrupt priests were insisting that the only clean animal was those that were purchased from them.
2. The money-changers were there, to exchange foreign money for the half-shekel of the sanctuary.
The abuse consisted in making God’s house a house of merchandise, in which the priests themselves profited. Vs. 16
On a personal thought; if we are coming to worship, perhaps we may need to look around and see if there is a need to clean some things up in our own lives.
It is so easy to point at others and show them what they need, but it may very well be it is myself in the greatest need.
II. The Temple Purged
Vs. 15-16
Too often is the lowing of oxen and the bleating of sheep heard, and the tables of the money Changers planted, within the precincts of God’s house.
A scourge - A whip.
Of small cords - This whip was made as an emblem of authority, and also for the purpose of driving from the temple the cattle which had been brought there for sale.
There is no evidence that he used any violence to the men engaged in that unhallowed traffic.
The word implies that these “cords” were made of twisted “rushes” or “reeds” - probably the ancient material for making ropes.
“My Father’s house” I love the passion that Jesus shows toward His Father’s House.
I realize that today many people symbolize the church house as “the Fathers House.”
But that is not true.
Yes we have a responsibility to be good stewards of what the Lord has given us.
We care for this place we call a church, but I am reminded that the real church house is not made with human hands.
In fact Jesus gives us the very answer to that thought. Vs. 19
How often still the Father's house is so desecrated!
We pollute it with our worldly pleasure and ungodly acts.
I am speaking of our bodies not this gathering place.
Oh that we would consider where we allow our minds to wonder and our feet to follow.
III. Who Do You Think You Are? Vs.18
The parties were the authorities of the Temple who, by their question, espoused the cause of the traffickers.
“The Jews require a sign,” and for the want of one to their liking, the Gospel was here as ever a stumbling block.
There was nothing unreasonable in the request.
The cleansing bore a Messianic stamp; but the request was made in anger at the disappointment that their gains had been interfered with, and not with desire to receive information.
No one likes when we are caught doing what we should not be doing.
The very cleansing ought to have been a sufficient sign.
They asked a question and Jesus gave them the answer.
Vs. 19 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
It was very apparent that they were thinking on two separate plains.
Jesus was speaking of the Body as the Temple of God and they were thinking the Temple where they worked was the place where God resided.
How true that is still today.
Many believe that if they go to the church house and IF it is decorated the right way and with a steeple on top surly the Lord is in this place.
God does not dwell in a place made by hands.
He dwells in the heart of His children.
This was accomplished at Calvary.
IV. Their Eyes Finally Opened. Vs. 22
When he was risen from the dead ... - This saying of our Saviour at that time seemed obscure and difficult.
The disciples did not understand it, but they treasured it up in their memory, and the event showed what was its true meaning.
We learn from this, also, the importance of treasuring up the truths of the Bible now, though we may not perfectly understand them.
They believed - That is, “after” he rose from the dead.
Conclusion:
I cannot say that every one of the Disciples of Jesus, except Judas of course who was cursed, knew Jesus as Saviour before the crucifixion.
But this I know that the memory of this moment came rushing back when they saw Jesus face to face.
Aren’t you glad that we have the Bible to remind us what Christ did on that fateful day?
God poured out His wrath on His very Son because the price of sin was so high that the blood of animals was never enough.
If you are here or listening and the Holy Spirit has revealed the need of salvation unto you, I beg you do not turn away from so great a gift that God gave to man.
Salvation is free for us because Christ paid the price.
Hallelujah What a Saviour.
Jesus did just what He said He would do.
He rose Himself up.
John 10:18 “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
What a promise.
You see?
Christ is enough
