Red Letters: Don't Trade the Church

Passover

English Standard Version Chapter 2

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

A ritual observance of the last plague of the Exodus story.

The ritual observance included the slaughter of a lamb and its consumption. Usually at the beginning of Spring, March-April.

It marks the first month of the year for the Hebrew.

The observance of the family meal allowed the family the opportunity to teach the children about the happenings of the first Passover.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Passover, Feast Of

Passover celebrates not only what God has done in the past, but also what God is doing in the present.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Passover, Feast Of

It is important to note that Passover was celebrated at Gilgal when the Israelites first entered the land of Canaan (Josh. 5:10–12). The Israelites began to eat the produce of the land on the following day. Thus, Passover not only marks the exit from Egypt, but also marks the entry into the land of promise. As such, it provides a ritual frame for the larger story of redemption which includes both exit out of slavery and entry into the freedom of the land.

Passover was a time of pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem.

For Jesus and His disciples, this journey would have been lengthy, leaving from Capernaum would have been about an 80 mile journey.

Commerce

English Standard Version Chapter 2

In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.

When Jesus and His disciples arrive, what do they find at the Temple?

Why was this happening there?

For the Passover celebration you were originally required to make an offering of a sacrificial lamb, without blemish, and if your household was too small (Under 10), you would get together with your nearest neighbor.

Passover began a week of ritual, with it being the Feast of Unleavened bread, again hearkening them to remember the night the Israelites fled from Egypt in haste.

The lamb, or sheep, were being sold to comply with the sacrifice of Passover, while the Oxen was to be used on the next night of the feast.

Doves were used for allowance to those who could not afford the larger animal offerings. They could also be used as a sin offering .

English Standard Version Chapter 2

and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

It is interesting to see that the offering made by Joseph and Mary when they first brought Jesus to the Temple for purification, they brought the offering they brought were two doves or pigeons as their sin offering.

Why do you think this was the offering they made?

English Standard Version (Chapter 12)

And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering... 8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

Why were their folks in the Temple courts selling these animals?

Originally, like many things we do, it was for convenience.

Imagine traveling miles and miles with animals from your home to the Temple for this pilgrimage.

For some, they would find, when they arrived with their animals, that their animals were rejected by the priest as not “good enough.” So it may have been better to wait till you got there and purchase your animal for the offering.

What happens many times with something like this “required?”

People find a way to take advantage.

Convenience becomes a business opportunity.

The money changers were there to transact the foreign currency, Roman currency, to Jewish currency of course adding their own fees for the exchange.

Court of the Gentiles

Technically, this was occuring in the most outward courtyard of the Temple. The area was called the Court of the Gentiles.

This was the only place the non-Jew, the Gentile visitors could go within the Temple grounds. They were considered impure.

The Court was the outermost area of the Temple grounds…not even inside the gates.

It is here that you would typically find the poor and sick persons.

At the actual gate entrances they even had stones placed that warned Gentiles of the death penalty if they entered the gates. Paul was once almost stoned for this in Acts 21

One commentator notes that:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Two: Learning about Jesus (John 2)

The tragedy is that this business was carried on in the court of the Gentiles in the temple, the place where the Jews should have been meeting the Gentiles and telling them about the one true God. Any Gentile searching for truth would not likely find it among the religious merchants in the temple.

Jesus’s Whips

So Jesus gets angry...

Does the fact of Jesus getting angry surprise you?

Why/not?

Jesus makes a whip, possibly finding the cords used to tie up the animals, and uses it to run the people out with their sheep and oxen. Or some say it was likely small cords He found on the ground.

It doesn’t say anything about the doves, so we assume He did not release them.

And he poured out the coins of the money changers.

What do you think made Jesus so angry?

The Father’s House

Jesus calls the temple here, “my Father’s house.”

The term used here is:

Lexham Theological Wordbook πατήρ

πατήρ (patēr). n. masc. father, forefather. Literally someone’s male parent.

413 times in the NT

John uses it 111 times.

What is inferred by this claim of Jesus?

What is the importance of the Temple to Jesus?

It belongs to the Father.

The Temple is representative of where His Father’s presence shall be.

Remember in our early studies of Jesus, when His parent’s lost Him. What was His response to His parent’s when they found Him?

Luke 2:49 ESV

And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

If it is the Father’s House, then it should only be used for His prescribed purposes.

Worship and Offerings.

Psalm 69:9 ESV

For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

What does zeal mean?

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Zeal, Zealot

The display of fervent devotion or jealousy on behalf of valued possessions (including persons) perceived to be under threat from rival claimants.

Do you have zeal for the things of God?

Trading the Church

Many outside the Church today, unbelievers, believe the Church is all about money and power.

Why do you think they have this is their view?

Many see leaders and people of the Church living in excess. They hear preaching about the Church needing money and are turned off.

They see the Church’s tax breaks but don’t see the Church doing good in their own neighborhoods.

Many believe the Church has been traded…for money.

What are some other ways the Church has been traded in the world?

Power

When you look at the political scope of our world today, we see in many areas the mingling of Church and politics.

Some of the biggest battles online, or in person, and some of the most hate, are from those that have traded the Gospel for the world of political power and influence.

We argue more for our political party, or candidates, then we try to share Christ.

Has our zeal for politics overcome our own zeal for the Lord?

Why do you think the Church has gotten caught up in politics?

Is there a better way to transform the world?

Jesus and Power

How did Jesus effect the world around Him?

In Matthew 20, Jesus is asked about two of His followers reigning with Him in power in His Kingdom.

So much our desire as humans is power isn’t it? Control!

Jesus’s response is:

English Standard Version Chapter 20

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In short Jesus is saying, don’t sell yourself for earthly power…authority. Instead, serve. Give if yourself to the Kingdom by serving.

Jesus did so to the point of dying on a Cross to make us right with God the Father.

Paul puts it this way for us:

English Standard Version Chapter 2

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Zeal…Zeal for others.

Jesus and Money

Look, I’m not going to say the Church doesn’t need money. Like any organization in the world, money is needed to keep the lights on.

Bu the Church cannot be traded for money. The Christian life, cannot be traded for money.

Why do we tend to seek more and more money?

Comfort, safety, power, influence, opulence.

What does Jesus say about money?

Give to the needy.

Use your money for heavenly things.

Life is more than our safety and comfort here.

And I think a big one for the Church is...

You can’t serve God and money.

I dare say give to the Church still, but I would implore you to give to your neighbor freely first. One on one helping out each other, not just the believer, but even those in need that are different than you.

The Heart Condition

You see how the Church, how we handle money and power, speaks about our heart condition.

Jesus was angry because the people of the Temple, had used His Father’s house for their own personal gain.

Their hearts were evil.

As one commentator stated:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Two: Learning about Jesus (John 2)

The condition of the temple was a vivid indication of the spiritual condition of the nation. Their religion was a dull routine, presided over by worldly minded men whose main desire was to exercise authority and get rich.

How we, the Church, the believers of Christ, spend our money and our influence speaks volumes about our heart, our zeal for the Lord.

There’s a saying based on a G.K. Chesterton quote that says this:

“Show me your calendar and your checkbook, and I’ll show you what’s really important in your life.”

Friends, the world, Christ, is looking to see how we, His Church, spend our time and money on this earth. What is it we truly have zeal for?

Is it the Kingdom of God, or is it the Kingdom of you, and me?

Another Trade

Much of my sermon has been indictment on the Church and I don’t mean to put ourselves to the fire like that without mentioning another trade.

You may be the outsider, listening to this and cheering, but let me ask you...

What have you traded your life for on this earth?

Have you traded the life of believing Christ for the belief that the Church is wrong because she isn’t perfect?

Have you given up on following Christ based on the actions of those of us that have failed to follow Him perfectly?

You’re just as bad if you’ve decided to not be part of the Church, not try to help her improve her ways, if you sit back and judge her.

I invite you, make a change this year. Instead of sitting there in judgment, join in with the Church, even if you’re not sure about Jesus Christ yet, “come and see.”

Seek to learn about Jesus, the true Jesus, and see if if maybe He’s taught us the right things to have zeal about in this life. See if maybe you can help us, help each other, live out His Word better here on this earth, so that we can make a positive change here, and in the next life to come.

Jesus Traded

Jesus traded with us.

He traded heaven for earth. A glorified heavenly existence in power, to humble Himself for us.