The House Belongs to the Lord

Mark 11:15-17

Introduction: Setting the Scene

In some way or another, we all kind of live messy lives!  We are literally behind in taking care of our homes, we are not doing the best we can on the job or we are not living the very best lives-on any level!!!  I don’t care how pretty you dress it up, I’m certain there is a lot of messy going on with almost everyone in here-and let me be the first to admit it about myself! 

We know the saying that says, ‘cleanliness is next to godliness!’  I think that is an accurate statement, as the God I serve, is a God of decency and order! Amen?   

And I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe God created His people to live messy!  Amen?  But because God is about decency and order, there are certain things that have to be taken care of first!  There have to be certain standards in place.  I wonder in a world where ‘just do you’ and ‘don’t judge me’ are the order of the day-I wonder if anyone in this world still believes in holding themselves up to a standard? 

I think Jesus in these few verses was teaching the people and teaching us today about holding certain things up to a code and standard!  I believe that Jesus knows that as long as we dwell in the earthly realm, and as long as sin is a part of this worldly situation-there are going to be people like us-messy people!  Can I get a witness! 

So, Jesus’ being about His Father’s business, was in Jerusalem, first for the Passover as it is indicated in verses 1-9 of this chapter.  Mark 11 said that he went into the temple, look at everything, but He left because it was late in the day and had gone back to Bethany.  He doesn’t say what saw-but suffice it to say, it wasn’t good. 

Because went Jesus got back to the temple, the place where His Father, Our Father, and the Holy Spirit was to dwell-our text tells us that Jesus immediately went in and began chasing out everyone who was selling and buying.  He turned over the tables of money-changers, and those selling doves!  There are 3 things we can take away from this text:   

Church, I want you to picture this moment. Jesus enters Jerusalem, walks into the Temple — the holy house of God — and what does He see? Not prayer, not worship, not the sound of praises going up. He sees buying, selling, cheating, exploiting. The Temple — God’s house — had been turned into a marketplace.

And Jesus doesn’t just look around and shake His head. The Bible says He flipped some tables, drove them out, and set things back in order. Somebody say, “Set it in order, Lord!”

This is not just about a building 2,000 years ago. This is about God’s house, God’s people, and God’s priorities right now.

1)God’s House is a Place of Prayer, Not Profit

Jesus says, “Is it not written: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?”

Church — prayer is the lifeline of God’s people. Prayer is the oxygen of our faith. But too often, people replace prayer with performance. Too often, we replace prayer with programs. Too often, we replace prayer with profit-making schemes.

Illustration: I once heard about a grandmother who lived in a tiny house but had a powerful prayer life. Her neighbors would come by not for money, not for food, not for entertainment — but for prayer. They knew if they needed a breakthrough, Grandma would touch heaven on their behalf. She didn’t have much, but her home became a sanctuary because she knew how to call on the name of Jesus.

Beloved, God doesn’t need fancy lights, padded pews, or bank accounts to make His presence felt. But He does need a praying people! Somebody say, “Make us a praying church, Lord!”

-You have to take a stand for what’s right! 

Jesus has shown us over and over again, that if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything!  Jesus wasn’t alone that day He stormed the temple!  He had His disciples right there with Him, because Jesus knew He had to be the model for what’s right!  Who has been the model in your life for doing the right thing?  Maybe it is your Mama, or your Dad, grandpa or an auntie?  Maybe it was a teacher or coach?  The point is, most of us seldom initially know what the right thing is, unless it is modeled for us by someone else!  And if you never had anyone else to tell you what is right, for sure you can count on Jesus to do exactly that!  Jesus is showing us right now that we have to take a STAND TO DO THE RIGHT THING!  I don’t pretend or even will try to tell you that it’s easy to have that courage, especially when few will be willing to stand with you!  Amen?   

The thing that is the kicker in this situation, is the context of the times!  Listen, when these high holy days were happening, there were very few who lived down the block from the temple!  And even today, saints as I have been to the Holy Land, there isn’t anyone living steps away from the temple!  They couldn’t just jump in their cars and get to temple on time!  The kicker is that the people had to travel from great distances; most times many times, what the vendors at the temple were selling, were things they truly needed after travelling for many days.  And unfortunately, those vendors sold different types of animals for offering-in the temple!  Now we can get into the messed-up part of buying these animals-as opposed to bringing the fresh from their homes on another day, but the point is that this was not God’s vision of His people entering into His temple!   

Jesus showed His disciples that we have to be willing to stand of our beliefs, so we aren’t stepped on by the prevailing culture!  We have to have the courage to point out what is and isn’t right -happening on hallowed ground-in the church! We ought not act like we don’t know or are confused!  Jesus stood alone, so that we can learn the same, if we need to for the right thing!!! 

Cleaning up our act requires the ability to stand up for what is right, and it requires  

2) God’s House is a Place of Power, Not Corruption

Jesus saw corruption in the Temple. The money changers were cheating people. The poor were being exploited. And Jesus said, “Enough!”

That tells me something, church. God is not indifferent to injustice. God is not silent when the poor are being trampled. God will step in and flip some tables if He has to.

Illustration: Think about the Civil Rights Movement. Churches became headquarters for change — not places where injustice was tolerated. From the basement of churches, prayers were lifted, strategies were planned, and God’s power moved. That’s why you and I can vote today, sit where we please today, and walk in dignity today. Because the church stood as a place of power, not corruption.

Church, our calling is not to compromise with the culture, but to stand as a counterculture. Not to bless injustice, but to speak truth to power. Somebody say, “Use us, Lord!”

We remember that what belongs to God is holy!   

 This is God’s house-on loan to us!   And so, we ought to treat it differently and despite belief to the contrary, better than any other place! 

Jesus unleashed His holy anger because the people had made the area outside His holy dwelling place into a stop and shop!  Like I mentioned, there vendors at the temple had useful items for those who lived far and wide but selling at the temple doors was not the way!  So many use our times of worship as places to get something for ourselves rather than to give God our undivided worship!  And we have to be careful that we don’t allow our worship to degenerate to only what we can get rather than what we can give!  Am I talking right? 

We have to remember what belongs to God is holy-that includes our very lives!!!  So, how messed up it is, that we live messy lives; unclean knowingly and unknowingly?  I’m here to tell you that Jesus is here right now to overturn the tables in your lives!  He is looking to clean up our acts and to set things in order because we are His and He desires for us to be holy and live holy lives!! 

I’m trying to tell you just as Jesus flipped those tables in the temple-He’s looking to flip the scripts in our lives!!!  What Jesus did in that temple courtyard is what he is looking to do in our lives!  We’ve got to hold ourselves and the things of God to a higher standard!  We are fearfully and wonderfully made!!  We you may think your existence was a mistake or irresponsibility of your parents-but I’m here to let you know, you were brought about due to strategic planning on the part of the Master!  He knew you while you were yet in the room-and He allowed certain circumstances to occur-JUST SO THAT YOU COULD BE HERE TODAY!!!   THERE IS NOTHING HAPHAZARD ABOUT YOUR -EXISTENCE-WE ARE ALL APART OF THE PLAN!  SO, WE’VE GOT TO BE WILLNG TO GET RID OF THE MESS!  JESUS IS HERE TO CLEAN UP OUR ACTS!   

And saints, the only way to get this way, is to let Jesus in!  He’s come to remind us that we do matter!  He’s come to remind us that we have to clean up and clean out the nonsense in the church!  He came so that we recognize that when we walk thru those church doors-we are walking into a sacred space and is holy!  And guess what just like these hallowed walls, we ought to be careful what we take into our hearts, minds and bodies-BECAUSE WE BELONG TO GOD, WE ARE TO BE SACRED AND HOLY UNTO GOD!!!   

Lastly, to clean up our act, we have to take a stand for what’s right, we remember what belongs to God is holy, and  

3) God’s House is a Place of Purpose, Not Distraction

Jesus says His house is for all nations. That means the purpose of God’s house is to bring people together, not push people apart. To unite in prayer, not divide by pride. To lift up the Name of Jesus, not lift up personalities or profits.

Illustration: Imagine walking into a hospital and finding a carnival in the emergency room. Cotton candy machines, clowns, ticket booths — but no doctors, no nurses, no medicine. You’d be outraged! Why? Because the hospital has a purpose — to heal. And when it loses its purpose, lives are at risk.

The church is God’s hospital. We are here for healing, for restoration, for salvation. We don’t have time for distractions, divisions, or detours. We must walk in our God-given purpose. Somebody say, “Stay focused, church!”

-We must remember what our purpose is 

Jesus was sure nuff angry! And He was justified in His anger as what God oversaw and divinely inspired to be sacred, man had perverted and made His home among the people a scene for one stop shopping!  And the reason Jesus was so angry, was that the people had forgotten what the purpose for the temple, and as people of God! 

You see, when Jesus came to town-He was coming to worship!  He wasn’t there to play games!  He didn’t go to the temple to hang out! He didn’t go spend time with friends!  JESUS HAD A SINGULAR PURPOSE IN MIND—JESUS WENT TO TEMPLE TO WORSHIP!!!  AMEN?   

This is what Jesus said after cleaning out the temple, “Is it not written ‘My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves!”   

Jesus was trying to get the people to see that temple was for worship and not for shopping!  Jesus was trying to get the people to see the sole purpose for the temple was to lift up the name of the Lord, and not for bartering!  Not trying to step on any toes, but it’s like what Jesus said, God’s house was built for the purpose of worship-AND NOTHING ELSE!!!  AMEN! 

And when we utilize the God’s house for purposes other than ministry and worship, we in a sense cheapen what God has meant for sacred and holy!  The people got it twisted; they forgot that the Holy Spirit was to dwell there!  That was the purpose then, and it remains today—our purpose in this place is for ministry and worship!!! 

This is the same concept for us!  When talking about cleaning up our act, it’s about remembering what our purpose is!  We were created for relationship and fellowship with God and one another!!!!  We’ve got to get clear and stay clear on this piece!  If we kept this fact in mind, imagine the things we wouldn’t do to our bodies!  We wouldn’t overeat!  Some wouldn’t pump themselves with drugs and alcohol!  They wouldn’t prostitute themselves sexually!  Oh, in so many ways we’ve been off track!  But Jesus is looking to for us to clean up our acts -and step up and into our purpose—as designed by God! 

You need to know that you were created for higher purpose than what you think!  God has a plan for you, better than what you can try to create for yourself!  And so, we need to clean up our acts -putting away the nonsense and living fully in step with what God has planned for us!  

WE GOT TO STOP THE MADNESS AND STOP BEING MESSY BECAUSE IT IS WAY PAST TIME THAT WE CLEAN UP OUR ACTS AND GET RIGHT WITH CHRIST!

Celebratory Close:

Beloved, Jesus came into the Temple and declared: “This is my Father’s house!” And I came to remind somebody this morning — the house still belongs to the Lord!

It’s not the preacher’s house. It’s not the deacon board’s house. It’s not the choir’s house. It’s the Lord’s house!

And because it’s His house, healing is available! Because it’s His house, deliverance is possible! Because it’s His house, prayers are answered! Because it’s His house, chains are broken!

Somebody shout, “It’s the Lord’s house!”

So let us keep His house a house of prayer. Let us walk in His power. Let us live in His purpose.

And if we do, the Spirit of the Lord will fill this place, not just once a week on Sunday, but every day, every moment, every heart that calls on His name.

Can I get a witness? Can I get a hallelujah? Give God praise for His house today!