Cleaning Out the House
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· 27 viewsGod's Temple (Us) is to be a holy and pure place free from idolatry.
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Introduction
Introduction
Good evening and welcome back.
Tonight we are going to transition away from our little mini-series on Elisha and the Old Testament.
We are actually going to be in the New Testament tonight, in the Gospel of John.
If you would like, start turning in your Bibles to .
In just a moment we are going to be reading from about a time when Jesus brought the house down!
And I’m not talking about a time when Jesus preached a great sermon to a massive crowd or when he miraculously fed thousands, or even when he healed people.
He didn’t
No, tonight we are going to be looking a time when Jesus did some clean up work in the Temple.
You see, the Temple had become a dirty place because the priests had neglected cleaning it out for quite some time.
They had let the dirt and grime build up for centuries because they had quite frankly been too lazy or too greedy or too intimated to do the hard work that is involved in cleaning.
And in their defense, cleaning is actually pretty hard work.
You wind up sweating a little bit, getting your hands dirty, maybe even getting your clothes dirty.
But there comes a time when there has to be some cleaning done.
Just last week I cleaned my office a bit.
I had been dreading it for some time because things had accumulated everywhere, so while everybody else was looking up at the sky watching the Great Eclipse, I was throwing junk out.
I ended up filling a trash can completely to the top.
However, one thing that I have learned afterward was that the office being clean is somewhat refreshing.
I can even focus and concentrate better because I’m not so distracted by all the clutter that was laying around.
And even though the cleaning that Jesus did that we are going to be talking about tonight is a little bit different, the effect is the same.
Once everything is cleaned out, there is almost a renewal or a refreshing that takes place in the Temple.
So, if you have found in your Bibles, I’d invite you stand with me as I read verses 13-22 as Jesus brings the house down.
John writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”
John 2:13-22
“Horse-Trading” in the Temple
“Horse-Trading” in the Temple
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. 25 He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.
“Horse-Trading” in the Temple
“Horse-Trading” in the Temple
So, if you’ve not figured it out yet, we are not talking about cleaning with a mop and a bucket but rather we are going to be talking about cleaning out the sin and debauchery that was going on in the temple with whips and cords.
And as we are going through this I also want us to remember what the Apostle Paul had to say about the temple . . .
19 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 honour God with your body.
So, even though tonight we are going to be looking at a story concerning the physical temple, make no mistakes God is using that story to remind us of the necessity of cleaning out our spiritual temples as well.
And sometimes when the Holy Spirit is doing that hard work of cleaning, it may feel like we are being hit with whips and cords, but it is mainly like that because we are resistant to the work that God is trying to do in us.
Remember when Jesus visited Paul on the Road to Damascus, he asked Paul . . .
14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
Those “goads” or “pricks” as the KJV puts it are little spikes that they would put on the front of plows that when the mule or ox kicked against the plow would stab them in the foot teaching them not to kick.
So Jesus is asking Paul, why are you being so resistant? Why are you be so stubborn?
And the Holy Spirit asks us that same question many times, particularly when He is really trying to work in us.
But we also need to remember that . . .
11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
And . . .
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
Rev 3:1
So, even in what we see Jesus doing here we need to keep it in perspective.
And just what is Jesus doing here?
Well, to put it bluntly he is doing something that the priests should had done long ago.
The Bible tells us that he had went down to Capernaum and then about the time for the Jewish Passover went on to Jerusalem and had made his way to the Temple to worship.
When he got there, he was horrified by what he found . . .
14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.
John 2:14
Now in order to understand what was going on, we have to understand what was involved in the activities of the Temple.
When people came to the Temple, they brought a sacrifice with them, to which they would present to the priest, who would then offer it to God on their behalf.
And this sacrifice was supposed to the be the finest animal they had raised. If they raised cattle then the best cow. If sheep, then the best one, if they were not a farmer or were poor they could offer the best dove they could find or raise.
The type of animal itself was not that important, because God was simply asking them to offer their best to Him.
And consequently God expects the same thing from us.
God expects us to offer the best of ourselves to Him.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
But these guys they decided they were going to turn a profit selling animals for sacrifice.
It went from people offering the best they could to God to just giving a guy few bucks for whatever he had on hand.
It went from offering God Filet Mingon to picking up a bucket of chicken on the way.
Just whatever would do. This was the first problem.
The second problem was with these money exchangers.
In order to pay the Temple dues or tithes, the people from outside Jersualem had to have their currency changed over to the proper coinage.
It would be like us exchanging our money for Pesos if we went to Mexico.
However, the problem was they were charging an outrageous exchange rate.
It would be like for every $1.00 we went to exchange, they charged us $9.00 in fees, which was a complete exploitation of the people.
And what made it worse was that these people were setting themselves up in the Temple as part of God’s Holy Institution.
They were exploiting people and using God’s name in the process.
The “sow your seed” bunch of the 1st Century!
And when Jesus saw this, he responded by cleaning the place out . . .
The Temple and the Market
The Temple and the Market
15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”
John 2:
And to put it quite simply, Jesus was not playing with these people.
And make no bones about it, he was angry that they were desecrating God’s Temple.
And if we think for a minute that it doesn’t make God angry when we desecrate this temple of the Holy Ghost he has given us, we are deceiving ourselves.
We don’t sacrifice goats, cows, sheep, and doves, but as Paul puts it we are the sacrifice.
We are called to give ourselves fully and completely to God for God’s use.
But we don’t.
We hold back.
We offer God just a little bit, just a smidgen.
God doesn’t want a smidgen. God wants all of us.
And we do it in the same way that these people here did it.
We bring God a bucket of chicken thinking that is good enough.
God gets our leftovers and whatever is convenient for us.
That is not what God’s Word says and that is not what God requires.
Folks, God wants it all.
And even though at times it may feel like we are getting a whoopin’ from God, He is doing it for our own good.
And in some instances the church has done just like they have done here as well. They have turned God’s holy institution known as the Church into a market, or a business.
It has went from God’s Holy Ordained Sacred institution to being a money-making business ran by CEOs.
God isn’t looking or CEOs to run the Church.
God is after Spirit filled believers who are willing to offer themselves to Him as sacrifices and to follow him.
The question is will that be us?
Are we willing to follow where He is leading?
He is calling, but are we willing to follow?
We need to think about that for just a minute and let it sink in.
Now, the Jews here that witnessed this did not like what had happened.
Something like this hurt their profits.
So, they respond in kind . . .
Who Made You God?
Who Made You God?
18 Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
John 2:
In other words, they were asking Jesus, “who made you God?”
So Jesus responds . . .
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
John 2:
So, they wanted a miracle and Jesus challenges them…Destroy it and I’ll raise it up in 3 days.
But they didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about here . . .
20 The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
20 The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.
So, even though they didn’t realize it right then at that moment, in time it all became clear.
John 2:20-21
Altar Call
Altar Call
And I think that is also how God works with us as well.
I think God calls us and speaks to us in many ways at many different times but sometimes we don’t understand what is going on until later on.
Because sometimes God calls us to just trust Him.
And tonight we may not even know what direction God is leading us, but are we willing to trust God?
Tonight, it is also important to realize that God requires a clean and pure Temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in.
Are we that Temple?
Are we fit for God’s residence?
Is the Holy Spirit desperately trying to clean us out and we keep resisting?
We can change that tonight.
All God requires is for us to give in to Him, are we willing?
Are we willing to let God clean our house?