Throwing out the Market place mentality

What?

When Jesus was throwing out the buyers and the sellers what was he doing?

Was he against business? No!

Was he against selling tapes, coffee, anything in Church?

I don’t think so. Then what was he doing?

Let’s look at what he said.

Mark 11:15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” NIV

Jeremiah 7:3 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. 9 “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord. NIV

• Trusting in deceptive words
• I am safe to do whatever because we have the temple with us.
• You are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. 9 “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?
• If you really change your ways….then!
• Has this house which bears MY name become a den of robbers to you?
• Robbers (shop with no money)
• Everything is for me! What I can get.
• Me vs. the impersonal, they won’t miss it government. (my experience in the Army, with people taking stuff home.
• Have you ever seen someone checking out a store to steal something, he is not thinking that this belongs to someone else, he depersonalizes the place and rationalizes that everything is for him and somehow he convinces himself that it is alright to take because he is so poor.

• Consumer mentality
• Where can I find the best buy?
• Wandering from Church to Church for a different meal.
• Wrong only in the sense that Church is not only receiving it is what you bring to give, serve, and share.