THE FORWARD WALK– PART ONE
“THE FORWARD WALK OF CONFRONTATION”
MATTHEW 21:12-13; MATT. 23:4-34 - ©LARRY L. THOMPSON (2003)
INTRODUCTION
There are many images that come to mind when we think of Easter.
Easter Bunnies, Easter Baskets, Easter Eggs
Easter Holidays - Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday
Easter Symbols -- Cross, Communion
There is a Challenge we face as we Approach this Easter Season:
Each time we experience the Easter season, it can lose its impact and become almost stale. We’ve heard the messages...enjoyed the music…we’ve seen the images...watched the pageants...We’ve been shocked by the horror of all that Christ endured; the torture, pain, and crucifixion. A TRAGIC RESULT: Over time, the Cross of Christ and His resurrection isn’t as "Amazing" or "Exciting" and the familiar has become the common.
For the next three weeks we are going to take THE FORWARD WALK, walking with Jesus to the Cross, looking at the last few days of His life before His Death.
To see not only WHAT Jesus experienced for us, but also HOW He approached His death, how He prepared for that first Easter Sunday and how we should also be preparing to celebrate His resurrection. Today we are going to examine THE FORWARD WALK OF CONFRONTATION.
Matthew 21:12-13
“Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. [13] “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.”
Up to this point in His earthly ministry, Jesus had tried to avoid OUTRIGHT CONFLICT, while at the same time; Jesus never avoided confronting RELIGIOUS BONDAGE that blocked individuals from the worship of the Living God. He was warning people openly about the poison of the Religious leaders, however, now at this point in His life, Jesus launched a serious OFFENSIVE and as we take THE FORWARD WALK to the Cross we see the line being drawn in the sand…we see THE FORWARD WALK OF CONFRONTATION.
If we are going to fully understand and recapture the spiritual significance of Easter then we must FOLLOW HIS STEPS and in the process understand by the leadership of His Spirit why this FORWARD WALK OF CONFRONTATION is so vitally important to be emulated in our lives as we prepare for Easter.
Why Did Jesus Confront The Religious Leaders? What was His Motivation? What was the spiritual catalyst that ignited this confrontation? When we see THE FORWARD WALK OF CONFRONTATION we will understand this Truth:
I. JESUS CONFRONTS ACTIONS THAT HINDER OUR SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP (Matt. 21:13)
Jesus began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves. Jesus said, “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.” (21:13)
Biblical Commentary:
It was Passover week, the highlight of the Jewish calendar. People came from all regions and many countries to be present for the celebration. Upon arriving they were obligated to meet two requirements. First, the people were required to bring an animal sacrifice, usually a dove. The dove had to be perfect, without blemish. The animal could be brought in from anywhere, but under the guise of keeping the sacrifice pure, the dove sellers sold doves at a very inflated price. Secondly, the people had to pay a tax, a tax rendered only in local currency. Money changers conveniently set up tables and offered to exchange the foreign money for locals charging a ridiculous fee for the transaction. It’s not difficult to see what angered Jesus. Pilgrims journeyed days to see God, to witness the holy temple, to worship His Majesty.
Max Lucado writes, “But before they were taken into the presence of God, they were taken to the cleaners.”
What was promised and what was delivered were two different things. Do you want to really anger God? Just get in the way of people who want to see Him, put some obstacle in their path that hinders their goal of developing the relationship with Him. Do you want to feel His Anger and His Wrath? IF you do desire to face His wrath then exploit people in the name of God. Use people who are trying desperately to see God. Place obstacles in their path that make it next to impossible to build an intimate relationship with Christ.
I love how the translation from the “Message” interprets the words of our Savior in Matt. 23:4: Jesus said: “Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads.”
If we are to follow in the steps of Christ to the Cross then we too must understand this biblical principle and must be ready to confront any action in our life or in the lives of others that would hinder the development of THE FORWARD WALK WITH CHRIST. We must confront any whose actions place obstacles in the path of those who have a heart’s desire to follow Christ.
Illustration:
Recently, I ran into a friend and I asked this woman about her husband. She proceeded to tell me that a man who used to be actively involved in many aspects of our ministry had influenced her husband to get involved in a lifestyle which was killing his intimacy with Christ and obviously hindering not only his FORWARD WALK WITH CHRIST but also his walk in building his marriage. It is bad enough to destroy our own walk with Christ but when we begin to influence others to turn their back on their faith then it is time for the FORWARD WALK OF CONFRONTATION.
Think for a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any actions in your life that are hindering your personal WALK with CHRIST or even worse may be hindering the walk of other Christians. Are you making it impossible to even start in the forward walk in the lives of those who have never trusted Christ and received the gift of eternal life? As the Spirit has revealed those actions in your life are you willing today to take the FORWARD WALK to Christ and ask Him to forgive you, to cleanse you and to restore the relationship?
There are two Greek words used for “TEMPLE.”
1) Hieron (hee-er-on) is used to describe the ENTIRE TEMPLE MOUNT AREA.
2) Naos (nah-os) describes the HOLY OF HOLIES or the most sacred area.
Jesus used the word hieron for “temple.” This word included all the numerous chambers, courts, and every room connected with it and even encompassed the land occupying the top of Mount Moriah.
In our own life we need to be mindful of what Paul was discussing when he referred to the Temple in: 1 Cor. 3:16-17, 19:
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? [17] If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple. [19] Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”
We need to allow the Spirit of the living God to cleanse not simply our heart but every area of our life needs to be cleansed so that no action in our life hinders others from their personal relationship with Christ.
II. JESUS CHARACTERIZES ATTITUDES THAT HINDER OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE (Matt. 23:5-7)
“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; [6] they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; [7] they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ’Rabbi.”
It’s not merely the actions that must be confronted but it’s our attitudes as well. The religious leaders of the day were hindering others in their spiritual walk not simply because their actions were detestable but also because of their attitudes. Let’s examine the attitudes that need to be confronted in order to restore THE FORWARD WALK in our LIFE WITH CHRIST.
a. THEIR PIOUS LIFESTYLE
One can almost picture them with a spiritual strut, moving conspicuously through the community. Many of their religious observances and routines were exaggerated to achieve the maximum effect in public display. They would wait until they were sure they had the desired crowd for the maximum effect and in full view of everyone they would piously begin to pray! If the group had a vision statement, it would be stated, “HOW DO WE LOOK?” The exact opposite of what John the Baptist said regarding his faith walk, “He must INCREASE and I must DECREASE.”
b. THEIR PITIFUL LEADERSHIP (Matt. 23:13-15)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14 -15] "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.”
A basic leadership principle is that any organization will never rise above the level of leadership that is demonstrated by those entrusted to lead. This is a critical point for all of us who not only prepare our lives for this Easter celebration but also for those who are leading us into this new era for our church family that we call FORWARD BY FAITH.
c. THEIR PERPETUAL LIES (Matt. 23:23-25)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. [24] You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. [25] "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”
d. THEIR PROCLAIMED LOSTNESS (Matt. 21:31-32)
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?" ‘The first,’ they answered. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. [32] For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”
e. THEIR PERSONAL LEGACY (Matt. 23:33-34)
“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? [34] Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.”
Examine the Comparisons of RELIGION vs. RELATIONSHIP
Relationship focuses on the INNER MAN; Religion is concerned with the EXTERNALS.
Relationship teaches a spiritual life is based on BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES; Religion majors on perfecting TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS PRACTICES.
Relationship teaches the need for HUMILITY and SACRIFICIAL SERVICE; Religion encourages ungodly PRIDE and expects SERVICE from others.
Relationship CONFRONTS actions and attitudes hindering SPIRITUAL MATURITY; Religion’s FOCUS is SELF, and builds a religious FAÇADE rather than maturing FAITH.
CONCLUSION:
WHAT IS OUR CHALLENGE AS WE TAKE THE FORWARD WALK? How can we follow His walk? Jesus drew a line in the sand...He confronted Religion, its actions and attitudes.
TO THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST: Let the WALK OF CONFRONTATION BEGIN IN YOUR OWN LIFE by examining your actions and attitudes.
It’s Time to Get Serious! You have to stop trying to live in two worlds. If you’re going to be a Follower, then Start Living as a Follower! Don’t become Stale & Rigid in your Faith! Confront any of your Attitudes or Actions that hinder your WALK with the Savior and be willing to confront other Christians whose Actions and Attitudes are placing obstacles in the lives of those trying to worship the Lord.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
It’s Time to Make a Choice! Do you believe that I am the Son of God, the promised Messiah? As C.S. Lewis said, “Jesus is either a LIAR, LUNITIC OR LORD.” You alone must confront your faith or lack of faith.
