Lent 3 3/19/06 Text: John 2:13-22 Title: Temple Cleaning
3rd Sunday in Lent
3/19/06
Text: John 2:13-22
Temple Cleaning
Please join me in prayer. Lord, we have gathered here today in your holy house to hear your words, and to partake of your body and blood. You know how easily Satan can get us to focus on other things than your life giving Word, so we pray that you help us to stay focused on your words, so that we might be drawn ever closer to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
It has been a busy week with all the visitors in town who came to see their loved ones gear up for their departure to Iraq and the surrounding area. At times it felt like you could almost cut the tension with a knife. Everyone was trying to put on their happy face, but there were deep concerns being voiced by many. The couple that stayed with us shared their concern for the safety of their son. It has been a tough week for them and I am sure thousands of others just like them.
War, just by its nature, is a terrible thing and as is the usual case in war both sides claim that God is on their side and thus the cause of justice and right are firmly in their favor. Questions abound as to the possibility of another terrorism attack and many are afraid, all because they just don’t know what will happen in the future.
The whole world seems to be coming apart at the seams. We see evidence of it every day in the lack of civility and basic respect for each other, and we wonder if civilization has finally reached the point where only those who are the strongest are in control. It seems like rules change every day and we shudder at what that might mean for us in the future.
And because of that we ask ourselves, “Does it really make any difference to pray? And all we can say is, “We think so.”
As life gets faster and crazier we begin to ask if it does any good to go through our liturgical service, sing songs, hear God’s Word, and take part in his Holy Sacrament? Good people still die. Hurricanes happen. Fires rage. Earthquakes destroy and war seems to be spreading around our world, so we begin to wonder if it really does any good to come together and worship God?
I am standing here as your pastor to tell you it does matter that we come together as God’s people every Sunday, and during Lent every Wednesday, to hear God’s word, for it is the only hope that we can count on. It is essential for us to gather together so that we can be reminded by God’s Word of his intentions for us and His world. That is right, I said His world, for after all he created it, he sustains it, and some day when he decides the time is right he will end it.
We need to hear his Word every Sunday so that we have the strength to live our lives and carry God’s message of hope out into a world that so desperately needs to hear it. The scripture that we read earlier today are written to help us remember that Jesus is our only basis for our hope. They help us to remember that even when evil seems to be in control, God is still sovereign. Our Bible readings every week are read and studied to remind us that our relationship with God is at the very center of our being. They lead each one of us to confess all the ways we have strayed from this all important relationship and provide a way back to God.
Our Old Testament reading today reminds us that we are to be careful that our supposedly good intentions and wisdom do not take over, for the pattern of sin, as it is recorded in the Old Testament, is as old as human nature itself. God created the world and said it was good, but before long, it wasn’t. We don’t know how long it took, but jealousy came into being and murder was quick to follow.
Humans quickly realized the advantage of having a common language so they quickly began to figure out how to build a tower to the heavens. The tower came tumbling down, people were scattered all over the earth and yet they still managed to sin so much that God destroyed all but Noah’s family in the flood.
Over and over again God gave his blessing to his people and their leaders and yet they continued to rebel against him as they thought God was something they could control by their sacrifices and prayers. Over and over again Israelis leaders said God was on their side and then abused their power.
Earlier we read what we refer to as the Ten Commandments. Too many times, in fact I would say most of the time, we think of them as being commandments that take away our freedom and pleasure. That is simply wrong thinking, for God gave us the commandments to not only see that we can’t meet God’s perfect standard, so we cling to the cross of Jesus, but to also help us lead God pleasing lives, lives of freedom and joy under his guidance.
Our second reading 1 Corinthians tells us to remember God’s wisdom and God’s strength. Listen again to God’s words to us in , “1 Corinthians 1:22-25 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”
What Paul is saying is that God and his words as they are set in Holy Scriptures are true and wise. And because of that we are to be the voice of God’s intentions for the world and not be confused by what appears to be the voices of worldly power and wisdom.
Our Gospel text for this morning is about Jesus cleansing the temple. I can’t remember the amount of times that I have heard this text used to justify a person getting angry at someone when they think that they are doing something wrong in the church, that is something they don’t agree with. Quite often you will hear the person say, “Jesus got angry, so I can too.”
The Gospel text does not say that Jesus was angry, in fact I would I think that there was a much better chance that he was sad and maybe even weeping as he cleared the temple, for he knew that his chosen people had not only rejected him, but God the Father also.
I have even heard this text used to stop people of the congregation from selling merchandise, raffle tickets, having rummage sales, or doing any other kind of fund raiser on the church property.
That is not what the story is about. Jesus cleaned out the temple for one reason only, and that reason was to show the people that they were focusing their attention on other things than their relationship with God.
John wrote down these words to tell the people of Israel who had focused their entire history on the temple that they had forgotten that the temple was not about having a wonderful awe-inspiring building. It was about their relationship with God.
They were no different than many today who build magnificent temples or as we call them churches. But congregations can also build temples out of their denominations, worship services, hymns, and pastors, forgetting the true temple, Jesus Christ, who is to be the sole object of worship.
The weeks of Lent that we are now in are to be a time of temple cleansing for each one of us, as we are all temples of God as Saint Paul tells us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” It is a time for us to have a reality check to see if something or someone other than Jesus is our temple.
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, especially our soldiers that are worshiping with us this morning, don’t forget that your ultimate safety, your ultimate security, does not depend on earthly things but on God.
Remember that which seems to be wisdom is not wisdom if it does not come from God’s wisdom.
Remember that that which seems strong has no strength unless it comes from God’s strength.
Remember that anything that comes between God and you is idolatry, for God made a binding covenant with each of you in your baptism, a covenant that he will not break.
It is my prayer that when each of you here today, face whatever it is that you will face in the future that you will remember that Jesus is leading you through life. Remember in the coming weeks, months, and years ahead when fear threatens to rise up and swallow you, that Jesus Christ overcame fear, death, and Satan on the cross for you. That is Good News. Amen
3/19/06
Text: John 2:13-22
Temple Cleaning
Please join me in prayer. Lord, we have gathered here today in your holy house to hear your words, and to partake of your body and blood. You know how easily Satan can get us to focus on other things than your life giving Word, so we pray that you help us to stay focused on your words, so that we might be drawn ever closer to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
It has been a busy week with all the visitors in town who came to see their loved ones gear up for their departure to Iraq and the surrounding area. At times it felt like you could almost cut the tension with a knife. Everyone was trying to put on their happy face, but there were deep concerns being voiced by many. The couple that stayed with us shared their concern for the safety of their son. It has been a tough week for them and I am sure thousands of others just like them.
War, just by its nature, is a terrible thing and as is the usual case in war both sides claim that God is on their side and thus the cause of justice and right are firmly in their favor. Questions abound as to the possibility of another terrorism attack and many are afraid, all because they just don’t know what will happen in the future.
The whole world seems to be coming apart at the seams. We see evidence of it every day in the lack of civility and basic respect for each other, and we wonder if civilization has finally reached the point where only those who are the strongest are in control. It seems like rules change every day and we shudder at what that might mean for us in the future.
And because of that we ask ourselves, “Does it really make any difference to pray? And all we can say is, “We think so.”
As life gets faster and crazier we begin to ask if it does any good to go through our liturgical service, sing songs, hear God’s Word, and take part in his Holy Sacrament? Good people still die. Hurricanes happen. Fires rage. Earthquakes destroy and war seems to be spreading around our world, so we begin to wonder if it really does any good to come together and worship God?
I am standing here as your pastor to tell you it does matter that we come together as God’s people every Sunday, and during Lent every Wednesday, to hear God’s word, for it is the only hope that we can count on. It is essential for us to gather together so that we can be reminded by God’s Word of his intentions for us and His world. That is right, I said His world, for after all he created it, he sustains it, and some day when he decides the time is right he will end it.
We need to hear his Word every Sunday so that we have the strength to live our lives and carry God’s message of hope out into a world that so desperately needs to hear it. The scripture that we read earlier today are written to help us remember that Jesus is our only basis for our hope. They help us to remember that even when evil seems to be in control, God is still sovereign. Our Bible readings every week are read and studied to remind us that our relationship with God is at the very center of our being. They lead each one of us to confess all the ways we have strayed from this all important relationship and provide a way back to God.
Our Old Testament reading today reminds us that we are to be careful that our supposedly good intentions and wisdom do not take over, for the pattern of sin, as it is recorded in the Old Testament, is as old as human nature itself. God created the world and said it was good, but before long, it wasn’t. We don’t know how long it took, but jealousy came into being and murder was quick to follow.
Humans quickly realized the advantage of having a common language so they quickly began to figure out how to build a tower to the heavens. The tower came tumbling down, people were scattered all over the earth and yet they still managed to sin so much that God destroyed all but Noah’s family in the flood.
Over and over again God gave his blessing to his people and their leaders and yet they continued to rebel against him as they thought God was something they could control by their sacrifices and prayers. Over and over again Israelis leaders said God was on their side and then abused their power.
Earlier we read what we refer to as the Ten Commandments. Too many times, in fact I would say most of the time, we think of them as being commandments that take away our freedom and pleasure. That is simply wrong thinking, for God gave us the commandments to not only see that we can’t meet God’s perfect standard, so we cling to the cross of Jesus, but to also help us lead God pleasing lives, lives of freedom and joy under his guidance.
Our second reading 1 Corinthians tells us to remember God’s wisdom and God’s strength. Listen again to God’s words to us in , “1 Corinthians 1:22-25 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”
What Paul is saying is that God and his words as they are set in Holy Scriptures are true and wise. And because of that we are to be the voice of God’s intentions for the world and not be confused by what appears to be the voices of worldly power and wisdom.
Our Gospel text for this morning is about Jesus cleansing the temple. I can’t remember the amount of times that I have heard this text used to justify a person getting angry at someone when they think that they are doing something wrong in the church, that is something they don’t agree with. Quite often you will hear the person say, “Jesus got angry, so I can too.”
The Gospel text does not say that Jesus was angry, in fact I would I think that there was a much better chance that he was sad and maybe even weeping as he cleared the temple, for he knew that his chosen people had not only rejected him, but God the Father also.
I have even heard this text used to stop people of the congregation from selling merchandise, raffle tickets, having rummage sales, or doing any other kind of fund raiser on the church property.
That is not what the story is about. Jesus cleaned out the temple for one reason only, and that reason was to show the people that they were focusing their attention on other things than their relationship with God.
John wrote down these words to tell the people of Israel who had focused their entire history on the temple that they had forgotten that the temple was not about having a wonderful awe-inspiring building. It was about their relationship with God.
They were no different than many today who build magnificent temples or as we call them churches. But congregations can also build temples out of their denominations, worship services, hymns, and pastors, forgetting the true temple, Jesus Christ, who is to be the sole object of worship.
The weeks of Lent that we are now in are to be a time of temple cleansing for each one of us, as we are all temples of God as Saint Paul tells us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” It is a time for us to have a reality check to see if something or someone other than Jesus is our temple.
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, especially our soldiers that are worshiping with us this morning, don’t forget that your ultimate safety, your ultimate security, does not depend on earthly things but on God.
Remember that which seems to be wisdom is not wisdom if it does not come from God’s wisdom.
Remember that that which seems strong has no strength unless it comes from God’s strength.
Remember that anything that comes between God and you is idolatry, for God made a binding covenant with each of you in your baptism, a covenant that he will not break.
It is my prayer that when each of you here today, face whatever it is that you will face in the future that you will remember that Jesus is leading you through life. Remember in the coming weeks, months, and years ahead when fear threatens to rise up and swallow you, that Jesus Christ overcame fear, death, and Satan on the cross for you. That is Good News. Amen
posted by Pastor Rhoads | 1:01 PM
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