(Part 3)
“But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
John 2:21-22
How many know that there is a difference between Wal-Mart and church? Wal-Mart is designed to be a marketplace. It is designed to display goods, promote products and facilitate purchases. Its doors open wide to everyone and everything is fair game to be exchanged. Church, on the other hand is designed for worshipping God, receiving His Word, and engaging His presence.
As temples of the Holy Spirit we were not designed to be a marketplace! We were created to house the presence of God. Everything is not fair game and not everything should be let in. Interestingly enough, Wal-Mart isn’t opposed to God. It is willing to give Him an end-cap with all the rest of the things inside. However, we were not created to give God an end-cap in our lives. We were created to be a “house of prayer” engaging the presence and person of God. Unfortunately, many people have a marketplace mentality, allowing anything and everything into their lives. Like Jesus, we must recognize the need to drive some things out of the temple area!
Jesus’ frustration that day was not in what He found in the Temple. He was angry that it had not been driven out already by those who were responsible for the Temple! The high priests were responsible for what came into the temple courts and the activities that took place there. You are the high priest of this Temple. You are responsible for what takes place in these Temple courts. If Jesus, came to the temple today and stood at the doorpost of your heart, would he hear the sound of worship, prayer and praise or would he hear “Hi, Welcome to Wal-Mart”?
Jesus is passionate about this! He cleansed the temple, not once, but twice; once early in his ministry (after the miracle in Cana) and again at Passover, three years later just before His crucifixion. Cleansing our Temple is not a one-time event, but it is a daily discipline of a God-honoring life!
Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com
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