As I continue to read through John's gospel, and make posts concerning my discoveries, I come up to John 2. In this chapter two main stories are told: the turning of water into wine and Jesus cleansing the temple. I want to comment on Jesus' cleansing of the temple.
John 2:14-17: In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
Jesus cleansed the temple because they were selling animals for sacrifices to the worshippers who came to the temple. They had turned a house of prayer into a store, a place of business. They defiled the temple by changing it's purpose. It's purpose was to display the glory of God to those who came to worship. It housed the presence of the Lord within the holy of Holies. People were being taken advantage of and God was being maligned. In steps Jesus. He clears out the moneychangers and the sellers of animals. He wanted it to go back to its original intent....a house of prayer that honors God.
As I read this story, I am reminded that I, along with every other blood-bought believer, am now the temple of God. He lives within us. As I read I began to pray that Jesus would look at His temple called me and see if it needs cleansed. Have I allowed things within my temple that have distracted me from my original purpose .... to display the glory of God, to bear His image. I have been asking Him to cleanse His temple .... me. I just hope that He doesn't have to use whips and turn stuff over in my life in order to drive out the things that don't need to be there.
I am amazed that God would choose to dwell within humans as His temple. But He has chosen that. It's my responsibility to keep my temple in order and clean for Him. It's so easy to allow things in that don't belong there, and believe me, things will take up shop just like the moneychangers and animal sellers. I must not allow that. I must remain open to Holy Spirit's conviction when it does happen. If I don't then I pray that Jesus will come in and clean the temple to restore me to my original purpose. I was born to glorify God, be a temple of His presence and display His glory. Jesus, if I need it, please cleanse my temple.
So, what do you think?
John 2:14-17: In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade." His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
Jesus cleansed the temple because they were selling animals for sacrifices to the worshippers who came to the temple. They had turned a house of prayer into a store, a place of business. They defiled the temple by changing it's purpose. It's purpose was to display the glory of God to those who came to worship. It housed the presence of the Lord within the holy of Holies. People were being taken advantage of and God was being maligned. In steps Jesus. He clears out the moneychangers and the sellers of animals. He wanted it to go back to its original intent....a house of prayer that honors God.
As I read this story, I am reminded that I, along with every other blood-bought believer, am now the temple of God. He lives within us. As I read I began to pray that Jesus would look at His temple called me and see if it needs cleansed. Have I allowed things within my temple that have distracted me from my original purpose .... to display the glory of God, to bear His image. I have been asking Him to cleanse His temple .... me. I just hope that He doesn't have to use whips and turn stuff over in my life in order to drive out the things that don't need to be there.
I am amazed that God would choose to dwell within humans as His temple. But He has chosen that. It's my responsibility to keep my temple in order and clean for Him. It's so easy to allow things in that don't belong there, and believe me, things will take up shop just like the moneychangers and animal sellers. I must not allow that. I must remain open to Holy Spirit's conviction when it does happen. If I don't then I pray that Jesus will come in and clean the temple to restore me to my original purpose. I was born to glorify God, be a temple of His presence and display His glory. Jesus, if I need it, please cleanse my temple.
So, what do you think?
0 comments:
Post a Comment