Jesus Cleanses the Temple John 2:13-25

     I can remember a pastor who preached on this text years ago when I was a college student at a Campus Crusade for Christ conference.  I believe that was the same conference where I decided to sign up for summer missions, which eventually led me to go to the state of Nevada for a summer on mission trip. 

     John identifies John 2:13 as happening around Passover.  John is the only disciple who puts this story at the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  It is possible that this happened twice.  The Passover would have occurred around March-April around the full moon.  The temple and Jerusalem would have been extremely crowded with people.  It is possible that the moneychangers and animal pens were temporary for this ceremony.  The problem with it was that the outer court was the only place for non-Jews to pray and worship.  Mark's version of this story says that Jesus called the money changers a robbers den, which may refer to the rates of exchange that the merchants were charging for the exchanges.

     Jesus took his time gathering up the rope that would be needed to drive out the animals.  It must have been extremely crowded and this would have been a difficult task met with immediate resistance and hostility.  But, Jesus drove them out of the temple because he was concerned for his Father's house.  The concerns of the Father were more important to him than anything else.  His Father's house was to be a house of prayer and not of anything else.  This action is looked at as fulfilling Malachi 3:1 and Zechariah 14:21.

     Herod had started the reconstruction of the temple around 19 B.C. and even here while Jesus was in the temple there was still some building going on.  The whole complex was not completed until 63 A.D. and then it was destroyed 7 years later.  Jesus was asked for a sign and he pointed to his death and resurrection.  This is still the main proof that Jesus who he said he was, the empty tomb.  The disciples did not understand this statement at first, but then they did after his resurrection verse 22. (John 10:18)

     This passage is about priorities.  John earlier said that it is through Jesus that the world was made and for whom it was made and holds together.  We were made for a purpose.  Other things, even good things, can come in and crowd out what is best.  Jesus had a zeal for his Father and his purposes.  We need to keep in mind that we are not just made for our own goals and purposes, but for his.  How is what your doing pleasing the Father?  How are you using your gifts and talents to please Him?

   It says the people believe in Him because they saw his signs verse 23.  Yet, this was not a saving belief.  This is the same belief that after he fed them with bread and fish that they wanted to follow him in John 6:26.  They wanted to make him king, yet their understanding of the kingdom he wanted was skewed.  They got their stomach full and therefore wanted more.  Jesus clearly knew the thoughts of man in John 6:26 & Matthew 9:4.  Jesus doesn't judge us the way others do.  He sees the motives and thoughts of the inner man.  What he saw on this occassion was not to be trusted in.  Yet, even though he sees all the dark places of the heart he was still willing to come and die on a cross out of love for you and me.

Jesus Briefly Humbled

    Today's bible study led me to Hebrews 2:9-18.  This passage is titled in my bible "Jesus Briefly Humbled".  At first, it may sound a little confusing because it talks about a period where Jesus was made "a little lower than the angels".  This is a passage about Jesus' incarnation.  The fact that Jesus became a human being and did not give up his deity, but he gave up his position in heaven to come to earth. 
     To understand this, it is important to realize that Jesus existed before he was born in Bethlehem.  The Bible gives us many glimpses of Jesus in the Old Testament.  One that I think of is in Daniel 3:25.  Danie's friends were thrown into a pit of fire.  It was so hot that those who threw Daniel's friends in died because of the heat of the flames.  Yet, Nebuchadnezzar states when he looks into the fire "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!"  I believe this is Jesus who the king saw.
      There are other, even earlier passages, where Jesus appears in the Old Testament.  In Joshua 5:13-14, Joshua sees a man with his sword drawn.  When Joshua asks him if he is for or against them he gets this response.  "No, rather I indeed come now as captain o fthe host of the Lord."  Joshua's response was to bown down and worship him.  Any time someone worships an angel the angel stops him, but the captain didn't stop Joshua because he was the preincarnate Jesus.
      But, this passage made it clear that Jesus gave up that position in heaven.  In Philippians 2:7-8 it says that Jesus "emptied himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."  I believe that is what this passage in Hebrews 2:9-18 is really talking about. 
     It says that Jesus did this in order to make powerless him "who has the power of death, that is, the devil."  He did this by making "propitiation for our sins".  The word propitiatioin is the word hilaskomai in the greek which means to atone, to make reconciliation for.  It would be like having a large debt note hanging over you and someone takes the note and writes over it "paid in full" and pays the debt for you.  It was a debt that you were not in a position to begin to pay and was due and he stepped in a paid it for you.
     

God stays silent

   In Joshua 9, Joshua and the Israelites have entered the promise land and are beginning to take possession of their inheritance from the Lord.  They have already destroyed Jericho and neighboring Ai.  It says that the people of Gibeon feared Israel and "acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn out sacks on their donkeys and winskins, worn out torn and mended" Joshua 9:4.  In other words, they wanted it to appear as if they had been traveling a long time.

    They did this in order to deceive them and in order to make a treaty with them.  So, it says in Joshua 9:14 that Joshua made peace with them and "did not ask for the counsel of the Lord."  Later, they arrive at Gibeon and realize their mistake, but by then it is too late.  These people end up becoming a snare to Joshua and the people of God and lead them into idol worship.

    I could be wrong here, but one of my observations in this passage is that it appears to be that Joshua and the leaders were flattered that they had heard about them.  The Gibeonites tell Joshua "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the report of HIm and all that He did in Egypt."  In a sense, they are saying that they not only heard of the Lord's fame, but the leaders as well.  They are appealing to their pride.

    John in 1 John 2:15-16 warns against the love of the world and the pride of life.  In fact, the Bible is full of warnings about pride.  It can keep us from asking the counsel of the Lord.  In fact, our very faith leads us to understand our utter dependence on God for anything good.  But, the flesh doesn't want to bow to God or anyone else.  In 1 John2:15-16 "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."

    One other thing I noticed in this passage is that God could have spoken up, but did not do so.  He could have come to Joshua in a dream and warned him that they were close neighbors, but he didn't.  This is one of the interesting things about this passage.  God had already given clear instructions about what they were to do.  He allowed Joshua and the leaders to make their own decision.  You see the doubt that some had in verse 7, that they might actually be close neighbors.  Some people had doubts, yet nobody spoke up. 

     So, then when we ignore the words of God there are consequences.  Joshua realizes that towards the end of their lives that the people will allow their hearts to wander from God.  In Joshua 24:19-20 he says, "Then Joshua said to the people, You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God.  He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression of your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you."

      It reminds me a little of a passage in proverbs that talks about setting a guard over our heart.  We always have to be consciously aware that other things, people and circumstances are seeking to become idols in our hearts.  The world looks attractive and beneficial otherwise people wouldn't stray.  And it is easy, to allow other things to take the place of God.  That is why it is so important to remain humble and to examine our hearts and make sure that the Lord is where he should be in our lives.  So often, other things creep in and take that spot little by little.  I'm speaking to myself as much as anyone else who might read this.  I know that it is easy to get busy and distracted.

   "Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life."  Proverbs 4:23

  

Resurrection

     When I was a pastor back in 2004, our church considered having an Easter egg hunt.  I was asked by some church members if we would do one or not.  Some congregation members told me that they did not the year before because it quote "would confuse the children about the true meaning of Easter".   After thinking about it, we decided to take that risk and have one.  I remember it very well because it was the first of many fights with one particular family.  We had 17 children at that event that day.  I remember my son, who was four at the time, found the most eggs that day.  We read the resurrection story to them out of the Bible, decorated eggs and did an Easter egg hunt.  Miracle of miracles, nobody seemed very confused at the end of the day.

       It does make you think though, why the world would celebrate Easter with a bunny instead of an open tomb.  That family did have a point to make, even though they lacked the grace to make their point very well.  It is that Easter is of first importance for the christian.  Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered to you as of first imporance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures." To lose sight of the imporance of what Christ did on this week is to lose the essence of who christians are and what Christ did.  It is the very fabric of of our faith and without it the life of Christ is simply a very tragic story.

      Does the Easter Bunny confuse the issue?  It does seem that the secular world enjoys taking what are christian holidays and trying to make them about something else.  Instead of the christ child coming at Christmas we have Santa and instead of the death and resurrection of  Jesus we have the Easter Bunny and candy.  If that is the focus you want for you family it can become something that is all about gifts and sales and candy and self.  But, that is the danger everyday.  Being selfish and forgetting about Christ is something that is possible any day of the week.  I think if all you need is a bunny and some candy to get your eyes off Christ then your focus wasn't very strong to begin with.

     "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.  And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus Christ."  Luke 24:1-3, NASV


     

eyes like flames of fire

     I recently read through the book of Daniel and also part of Revelation.  I noticed the description of Jesus in Revelations 1:13-16 sounds a lot like a passage in Daniel 10.  Notice how Jesus is described in Revelations

   "I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle, And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like flames of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace; and His voice was like the sound of many waters."  Rev 1:12b-15

      Now, compared that with what is said in Daniel 10:6  "His body was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches; his arms and feet llike the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult."

     And it is interesting that Daniel and John's reactions when they saw this appearance was much the same.  They fell at his feet.  John adds "like a dead man." Revelations 1:16.  Seeing such a vision scared them to death!  This is far from the meek and mild Jesus of the New Testament gospels.  This is a Jesus with power and glory and power.  There was a couple of things that struck me about this vision and Jesus appearance.

    One is that Jesus is timeless.  The Bible describes you and me as shadows.  We are here for a season and gone, like water vapor or smoke.  Jesus appeared much the same even though several hundred years separate the two passages.  His strength didn't diminish nor did he get tired.  He had a great and awesome appearance in Daniel and also to John.  This is because Jesus is timeless.  He created time and stands above it and is not mastered by it.  Jesus would declare this by saying that he is the Alph and Omega, the one who is, who was and who is to come; the Almighty." Rev 1:8

    The other thing that struck me about this passage is that Jesus had eyes like fire.  I think this has to do with the piercing, pentrating gaze of our Lord.  That there is nothing hidden from his eyes.  That there is no thought that alludes him.  That he sees all things and nothing is a mystery to him.  When the Pharisees and scribes were reasoning about Jesus in Luke 5:21 they said "Who can forgive sins but God alone."  Jesus response was "Why are you reasoning in your hearts?"  In other words, he knew the thoughts of their mind and where their hearts were.  The same is true today.  There is nothing hidden from his eyes.  Wonder what it would be like if we lived as though Jesus was always watching us?

    The third thing was his voice.  The sound of the Lord's voice is described like the rush of many waters.  It had a deep, abiding power and authority to it.  This is the same voice that said "Let there be light" and there was light.  It is a voice of power and authority.  We sometimes pray and act as though God cannot truly answer our prayers.  Maybe it is because of vision of who Jesus is is still on the humble carpenter rather than the risen Lord?

the least of these

   Tonight, I spoke for a few minutes at Sheets Memorial Baptist Church in Lexington, NC.  I shared with them about the foster care program where I help license foster homes.  I shared a passage in Matthew 25 that I first really noticed back in 1997.   In Matthew 2:3-46, Jesus is telling his disciples what will happen when Jesus returns.  It says that he will separate the people like sheep being separated from goats.  The sheep will be on his right and the goats on his left.

    It says that he sys to the sheep, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and YOu came to Me."  The righteous ask Jesus when they did that for him and he responded "to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine; even the least of them, you did it to Me." 

     I shared with them how sometimes those who Jesus described as the "least of these" are people who you may not like, they may not be gracious or grateful for the help you provide.  They may not be the most attractive or well educated.  You may find that you don't like them very much.  I know I have felt that way sometimes about people I have helped in mental health.  But, Jesus said when we do it for the least of these it is like we are doing it for him.

      It may appear then by saying this that we are saying that salvation is by works.  The passage doesn't say that, but it does say that works are important.  James talked about this in his little book when he said "But are you willing to recognize you foolish fellow; that faith without works is useless." James 2:20.  In other words, if you have real faith then it will demonstrate itself in real ways.  If you don't have faith then it will not bear fruit.  Recognize in the passage I mentioned earlier in Matthew that those who were condemned were very surprised that they were condemned.  They thought that they had been good enough.  But, Jesus accused them of turning away from those in need and by doing so neglecting him also.

      In Ephesians 2:10, it says, "for we are HIs workmanship, creatd in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."  What this passage says to me is that God has given us tasks to do to further His kingdom and to please and honor Him.  We each have different gifts, personalities and strengths, but God has singled out works that he wants you to do.  Not doing them, is demonstrating a lack of faith.  Walking in them, pleases him and bears fruit for him. 

     God has given each of us tasks he wants us to do.  These tasks may require for us to walk by faith and to trust him.  By taking that step of faith and doing what he commanded, we honor Him and bear fruit for eternity.  These tasks are unique to who we are and to who he has made us to be.  It incorporates our gifts, personalities and the passions and calling he has given us.  None of us are called to the sidelines, to sit and soak and not to do the Father's work.  All of us are called to put our hand to the plow and to be busy at our task until he comes again.

some thoughts abot forgiveness

    This last week, I was contemplating the meaning of forigiveness.  What forgiveness truly is and what it is not. How do I know when I have forgiven and what is my obligation as a christian.  I noticed that forgiveness is related in scripture to how God has forgiven us.  Jesus tells a parable about a king who wished to settle debts with slaves.  He calls a slave and forgives a large debt.  The slave responds by going out into the community and finding a man who owes him about 3.5 months wages.  He tries to choke the man and throws him in prison.  The king is angry when he finds out about this lack of forgiveness and throws the man in prison.  God uses this parable to say to us that he expects us to forgive each other because he has forgiven us.

      This is a good way to think about forgiveness.  That it must  be done with the humility that however much others have offended us that we have offended God much more.  If God, who didn't need to forgive us was willing to go to that length then we should forgive others.  Forgiveness is not minimizing nor is excusing what others have done.  It doesn't say that it doesn't matter.  Nor, does it mean I treat the person like nothing happened.  I can forgive a snake for biting me, but I don't need to stick my hand back into his nest.

      I will admit that I am struggling in this area.  I have had several people, who I personally don't like, offend me.  I have a hard time letting it go.  Perhaps it is my pride that doesn't want to let go.  It feels in some ways like I give up power over the situation when I forgive.  This is  especially true when the other person is unwilling to acknowledge the hurt they have caused.  Holding on to it and nursing it in some ways makes me feel like someone is acknowledging it.  But, it also seems the longer you hold on to unforgiveness the harder it is to let go.  That thing takes roots and starts to make a home of bitterness and doesn't want to let go easy.

      And I think that is one of the reasons it is so important to let it go and give it to God.  Because when it does take root, the bitterness is something that saps the strength and joy out of the one holding it.  Like a weed that chokes the very life out of its owner.  Like a vine that steals all the nourishment for the soul.  God gives us these commands for our own sake.  Because unforgiveness is like a poison and dangerous to play with.  You think your holding on to it and then it turns and bites you. 

    I also think I need to acknowledge here that it is also difficult for me to forgive myself at times.  I think about stupid things that I have done.  We have to realize that none of us is perfect and we all make mistakes.  Nobody except Jesus lived a life where no mistakes or sins were made.  I am thankful that God has told me over and over that if I come to him he is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  Jesus was even able to forgive those who crucified him on the cross.