Prelude
What kind of worship do we have here? Is it just a cabaret with Christian songs? Is it easy worship without self-sacrifice, or is it real worship from the heart?
Purpose
Let’s look at the most important purpose for our church building.
Plan
Let’s learn Jesus’ reason for driving the merchants out of the temple court in John 2:13-25.
Human Authority
John 2:13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
The Passover of the Christians was celebrated either at the same time as that of the Jews or a different time. The Christian feast has a different meaning than the Passover of the Jews, because Jesus has become our Passover Lamb. Christian Passover is called Easter in English.
John 2:14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.
Like many human ideas, this possibly seemed like a genuine service, but it had many problems. The commotion disturbed worship. Profit motives corrupted it. Heartfelt personal sacrifice of an animal loved since birth, cared for and transported all the way to the temple, was cheapened by the easy sacrifice of an unknown animal bought at the market. Such corruption caused the temple to be despised.
John 2:15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
Was this an ancient fundraiser similar to Catholic indulgences that was a main cause of the Protestant Reformation? How would God react to some of our church practices? Would He also be angry with some things that we take for granted?
John 2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
As “God with us” Jesus’ authority to do this is absolute. The buying and selling of goods and services is not sinful, as long as everything is done honestly. However, it is not for the worship space.
John 2:17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”
Who does our church building belong to? Is our church just a money-making business or a place of worship from the heart? Would Jesus just talk to us calmly about church reformation, or use a whip and drive the money-changers out from among us? Do we have similar zeal for our house of worship?
Divine Authority
John 2:18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”
Ours is an age of skepticism. A hallmark of Protestantism is to be skeptical of church authorities? Do we likewise demand a sign before we will believe? What sign do we demand to know that we are not just playing church, but that this is real, that Jesus is the Messiah come to save the whole world?
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Jesus gave an answer which would later prove His authority by His self resurrection after 3 days. Did they understand?
John 2:20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
As is so often the case with Bible readers not led by the Holy Spirit, these people completely miss the hidden, spiritual meaning. What was it?
John 2:21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
Like many who read prophecy from a literal standpoint, they were lost in the incongruity of their literal understanding of His words, raising the temple in 3 days after destroying it. For instance, some believe that a literal third temple must be built in Jerusalem; others believe that Jesus and the church fulfill most prophecies of the temple and the tabernacle (Isaiah 8:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Hebrews 8:2; Colossians 2:9).
John 2:22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
They now understood and believed a new spiritual depth to Old Testament scriptures and the words of Jesus.
John 2:23-25 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.
Do we know what is in us? Do we know that we in the church are capable of the same tendency to spoil the worship of God? What are we going to do about it?
Postlude
This is all about how we do church today. Are we the one buying a cheap substitute sacrifice? Are we the one selling easy worship without self-sacrifice? Are we the priests defending vain traditions? Do we stand with Jesus to return God’s house to a house of prayer? What is our purpose as a church gathering, preservation of human ideas, Protestant forms of Catholic indulgences, or worship of the one true God?
Exodus 20:1-17 the Ten Commandments
Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty
