Introduction
There was an elderly lady who was waiting in the waiting room with her daughter. The nurse entered the waiting area and announced for the elderly lady to go on back to see the doctor. The nurse spoke louder but still she could not hear.
The elderly lady’s daughter leaned over and said, "mother let’s turn your hearing aid up." Then she yelled in shock, “That’s not your hearing aid, it’s a suppository!
The elderly mother replied, “Well, now I know where my hearing aid went!
Misunderstandings – that elderly lady clearly had had one! Palm Sunday represents something of a misunderstanding of God’s kingdom. The Jews of Jesus day were fully expecting the Christ to come, the kingdom would come & destroy the Romans & set up his throne in Jerusalem & rule the world. No doubt many of the crowd on Palm Sunday thought Jesus was about to do just that. Which was a misunderstanding, central to Luke’s account of Palm Sunday is the temple (19:45, 47, 20:1-2, 21:5-6; 21:37-8). To the events of Palm Sunday we cannot overestimate the shadow cast across them by the Temple. It was one of the greatest buildings in the world at that time. Solomon’s Temple was destroyed but another was built under Haggai & Zerubbabel – this was undergoing major renovations as Herod threw loads of money at it. But it was more than how it looked it was its significance. It was at the heart of the faith of every Jew. People’s expectations were high as Jesus entered Jerusalem. What was he going to do? Was he going to come out against the Romans at the Temple?
All through Luke’s Gospel Jesus has showed how Jesus differed radically from the old religion, here finally as Luke reaches the climax of his story he shows how Jesus really was the new wine in new wineskins that would break the old wineskin of religion for which the Temple was it’s main symbol. That was where people encountered God. What does Jesus have to say about it the Jews relationship with God, their Temple? Well Jesus cleans it up, he finds things that there that should not be there, things that shouldn’t be happening, ideas that need challenging, changing.
For us as Christians where does that encounter take place? In a building? Certainly not – it is within or among us, since we are God’s Temple. Our innermost being is where we can meet with God. So for us the “temple” is our own hearts. The temple stands for our relationship with God. Good or bad, real or genuine, the temple stands for our relationship with God. Most of what happens in chapter 20 is the Jews trying to trap Jesus, but Jesus exposing them. Some of the things he exposes in and around their temple we may find challenging as we inspect our temple. I find 5 areas that leave us with 5 questions – you may find some speak to you, lets allow Jesus to inspect our hearts as he inspected the Temple…
How clean is your temple? - The Temple was designed as a place of prayer & communion with God but it was being abused. It was full of greed and corruption. The religious leaders were using it to rip people off. The Temple was transformed into a busy Eastern Market for the Passover, sellers intent on only getting the highest price, buyers protesting furiously as the authorities had rigged it to be a profitable as possible. What are the things as Jesus inspects your temple will he find that need cleaning? The place where he wants to find communion with us, what is there that should not be? Is there greed, impurity, indifference, a busyness that makes no room for fellowship with him and time for others? Do you need a cleansing of the Temple this Easter? Are you willing to let Jesus upset the tables in your heart, to cause a holy disturbance, to clear out what needs to be cleared out?
Who has the last word as to what goes on in your temple? 20:1-19 - The religious leaders clearly were not happy about this and basically asked whom do you think you are, who gave you the right to interfere with our temple. Jesus reply in the parable of the tenants is basically “I am God’s Son, so I have every authority. Failure to recognise this will be disastrous for you”. The question this poses for us is about authority. Do we have the attitude of the Pharisees “how dare God tell me what I can and cannot do?” Are we prepared to accept that Jesus has every right to come and inspect our hearts, to call for change, to upset things? He is to have the last word. So who has the last word about what goes on in your heart, mind and life? Are there things we resent? Do we not like God’s interference in our lives, the way he messes things up for us?
Do you let God have control over all of your life or just part of it? (20:20-26) – Again trying to catch Jesus out they end up exposed. They reveal that in their minds it is not possible to honour god and pay your taxes to Caesar. They thought if you were spiritual you wouldn’t pay your taxes. Jesus answer is that you can do both – it’s not either or, but both and. This is about compartmentalising life, keeping our secular life separate from our spiritual life. Church separate from work. God separate from day to day life. Christianity confined to a Sunday. I’ll believe in God but it won’t affect how I use my money, my sexuality, and my life! Jesus is having none of it. We need to let God in to every area of life. We don’t want to be like the Christian who wrote to the Inland Reveneu "Last year I falsified my income tax return, and I haven’t been able to sleep since. Enclosed is £125. If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send the rest." There needs to be no no-go areas.
Are you basing your life on unbiblical ideas? (20:27-40) The Sadducees didn’t believe in life after death that’s why they were sad-you-see! In trying to catch Jesus out they revealed their unbiblical ideas at the heart of their system. God said, “I am the God of Abraham” not “I was…” which for Jesus revealed that the Sadducees were off in their theology. What does this say to us? Have a look around see if there are half-baked, unbiblical ideas that we are harbouring. Is our faith based on the bible or on what we have been told, perhaps by good and godly people? E.g. health & wealth gospel, people have died because they got hold of imbalanced theology. Check it out, think about it, don’t be a stupid, gullible Christian. Don’t believe things just because I say it; check it out against the Word of God. If you disagree don’t be afraid to come and tell me. The bible is our source of truth not old wives tales, popular myths etc. What we believe makes a huge difference to our lives.
Is it all for show or is it for real? (20:25-21:4) – Finally Jesus notices how the religious leaders love the prominent place their religion gives them. But Jesus says it’s all for show. It’s all about pride, position, what is real is the widow who quietly and unobtrusively gives her last for God. Nobody notices but God does. When God looks at us does he see a show we put on for others that is not real? An Irish priest was walking through a bad section of New York. He suddenly felt a gun against his ribs. Then he heard a voice, "All right mister, gimme your money!" Quickly the priest grabbed for his wallet. As he did, the holdup man noticed his clerical collar and realized he was robbing a priest. The thief was overcome with shame. He said, "Forgive me, Father. I didn’t know you were a priest." To which the victim replied, "That’s all right, Son. Just repent of your sin. Here, have a cigar." The thief replied, "Oh, no thank you, Father, I don’t smoke during Lent." What are you like when no one else is around, what would you be like if no one would ever find out?
Conclusion
This Easter lets let Jesus take a look around, even now let’s ask him “Lord is there anything that needs clearing up, cleaning out?” Are there ideas, hypocrisy, and attitudes, impurities that need to be dealt with?
