Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning…

John 2:13-19

It seems a little strange to me but, it appears to be something that many people have built into their DNA. Mostly women… When the first flowers start to bud out many households enter into spring cleaning mode.

Personally, I and many, if not most, men don’t really understand this sudden urge to that a perfectly beautiful day or weekend and spend it messing up the house so that “we” can clean it up.

This messing up normally exposes places that no one ever looks in or under to see if there is any dirt there…..Of course there is dirt there…

I am just confused of why we suddenly need to do something about it….What is it hurting…?

How is a dust bunny ever going to evolve into a dust elephant if we disturb the natural process?

I was reading through articles on Spring cleaning and ran across information prepared for husbands to help them to understand the language used in spring cleaning.

Let me share some of the definitions of the tools used for cleaning that were prepared the writer for her husband:

• Broom (brum) - a long handled brush used for sweeping (also doubles as a mode of transportation for your mother)

• Vacuum (vak’ u em) - much like the leaf blower except it sucks in, instead of blowing out. Don’t let this alarm you. It isn’t broken and doesn’t need more torque, speed, RAM or whatever it is you did to the dishwasher last year.

• Dust pan (DUH) - Contrary to popular belief, this is where you sweep the dirt, not under the hallway area rug.

• Dust Cloth (dust kloth) - A cloth designated for removing tiny particles of dirt from every flat surface of the house. Hint: look for your old "lucky shirt".

• Mop - (mop) a bundle of coarse yarn, rags or cloth fastened at the end of a stick. You’ll remember this as your dance partner at the New Year’s Eve party last year.

• Toilet Brush (toi’ lit brush) - Used for scrubbing the inside of the toilet bowl. I don’t care what this looks like, you may NOT use my shower luffa again!

• Oven Cleaner (uv’ en Klen’ er) - No, not the teenager. This is an actually product that you buy, spray in the oven and wipe out two hours later. You won’t need your welder’s mask for this task, but if it makes you feel like the job is more dangerous, go ahead.

• Sponge (spunj) - used to gently wash away food particles from dinnerware. It won’t be necessary to use your 300psi Power wash set. That was given to you in hopes of cleaning the EXTERIOR of the house (hint hint).

It may not have hit your home yet but as a public service I am giving the men a heads up that the season is here. You might as well be prepared for it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not against having a clean home or even cleaning, it is just the idea of all that work.

-- Our scripture today is on the subject of a particular Spring cleaning.

This one was performed by Jesus. According to John this event occurs in the very early days of Jesus’ teaching ministry. So, I guess in a way Spring Cleaning is Biblical.

Jesus had turned water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana. Jesus and his new disciples go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The Passover celebration is an annual event that remembers when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. It’s name comes from the act of protection where each Jewish household were instructed to place the blood of a lamb on the door post of their home and the spirit of God which brought death the first born of all the people and animals would “pass over.” This spared the lives and motivated Pharaoh to expel the Israelites.

The Passover was traditionally the largest feast which drew families from the far reaches of Israel and form people form other countries to Jerusalem.

The historians and scholars estimate that in Jesus’ day as many as 100,000 to 250,000 people traveled to Jerusalem for that week of celebration. Jerusalem’s normal population was estimated at 80,000 people. That is a massive growth of worshipers.

The worshipers that came to Jerusalem were expected to bring an offering of thanks to God for the deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt. It is just a little bit like how we celebrate the 4th of July.

You were to bring a lamb that you and the family would eat that night to the Temple and it would be killed and an offering made to God. You took the meat home or back you where you were staying and made it the main part of your meal.