Distraction From Glory

John 2:13-22

Pray

Opening Illustration - When my oldest was in elementary school she sang in the school choir. I would play this game with her to get her to smile during the chorus concert. I would make a face and once she started smiling she would get embarrassed and couldn’t stop.

In 3rd grade her class was scheduled to sing at the PTO meeting. Alissa was 2 I had her in the foyer to the auditorium to keep the noise down. Doors were open to the foyer. The 2nd song of the night was an upbeat very western sounding song. Since I was in the back behind everyone and wanted Karis to smile I started to kick my legs way out and dance.

-Because I’m a bit slow about 15 seconds into it I realize not just Karis could see me, but all the kids.

-They started laughing so much, the teacher had to stop the song.

-I immediately stepped into the foyer so no one could see who was in the back.

Transition - The teacher was not happy. Why? Someone stole the glory away from her & her choir who worked hard to be ready for the parents.

There was a “Distraction from Glory”.

The Outline

I. vs. 13-14, The Distraction from Worship

II. vs. 15-17, The Discipline

III. vs. 18-21, The Authority - Demand for a sign

IV. vs. 22-23, The Effect (Determination to believe)

Transition - In our passage today, we find Jesus in the Temple during Passover. We see that there is a “Distraction from Worship”.

I. The Distraction from Worship, vs. 13-14

What was Passover like in Jerusalem?

Passover in Jerusalem made Christmas in Time Square look like a small family reunion.

Jerusalem was a city with a normally population between 2-3 hundred thousand people. Conservatively, during Passover the number went to at least a million.

Some think 2-3 million when you consider the towns nearby that would house so many and hillsides that I’m sure many would tent on.

-Passover was a very exciting time. There was a buzz and an energy. People got together.

-During Passover, everything in Jerusalem would have to change. If you lived in Jerusalem you would have family and friends - and friends of friends who would be sleeping on the floor in your bedrooms, in the hallways, and in the courtyard of your house.

-For the visitors to fix meals including special Passover meal there were public ovens that were brought out to handle all the food preparations.

What was the Passover.

The greatest of all Jewish celebrations where they remembered how God saved them from 400 years of slavery and brought them out of Egypt.

-The 1st Passover took place before the Hebrews were released from Egyptian slavery.

-It was the last of the 10 plagues.

-The night of the 1st Passover the Death Angel went through all of Egypt killing every living thing that was the 1st born, but the Death Angel “Passed Over” the Hebrews (Jews) living in Egypt.

The Death Angel killed - 1st born parents, grand parents, aunts, uncles, children, & even animals.

Egyptians begged the Hebrew people to leave.

400 years of slavery was over.

-The Passover was celebrated every year. Every Jew celebrated it wherever they were living all over the world.

-Some jews would take a special pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

-One of the greatest reasons that you went to Jerusalem during passover was to pay your Temple tax and to make a special Passover Sacrifice at the Temple.

-If you didn’t normally get to be in Jerusalem this was a very special event!

-You would be in great anticipation to go and to experience worship in the Temple.

Many who would come to the temple would rarely see the Temple during their life because they didn’t live near Jerusalem.

Transition and story tell

IF you were a Jew in Jerusalem going to worship at the Temple during Passover you would be excited.

What was supposed to happen when you visited the Temple was this...

-As you walked closer to the temple you would start to hear a buzz of people talking from inside the Temple walls. It wouldn’t be people talking to each other. It would be tens of thousands of worshipers in the courts of the Temple praying out loud. Some with lifted hands, others on on their knees, some with bowed heads. But most would be praying aloud face and hands up to God.

Praying all at the same time. You’d hear this drone of activity and prayer.

Illustration - There are soccer stadiums in South Korea that open in the morning at 5am and fill with Christian worshipers going to morning prayers. As you walk close to the stadium you hear a low drone of thousands of people praying out loud.

As you walked closer to the Temple, you would see people bringing in animals for sacrifice.

There would be noises & smells from, bulls, sheep and goats being taken to the place of offering .... and a line of worshipers waiting to sacrifice their animal.

You would smell the distinct smell of flesh being burned on the alter that would have a hot fire to consume the constant flow of animal parts being placed on it.

As you would walk through this active Temple - You would begin to get caught up in the worship experience. You hear the many prayers shamelessly given. Some worshipers would be quoting the psalms. You would smell the sacrifices being made. You would see the animal sacrifices. The beauty of the Temple would overwhelm.

-It would all point you to God’s supreme greatness.

Your heart would be filled with the awe and wonder as you would hear people quoting the Psalms outloud - maybe some singing.

-As you turned to face the alter to pray, you would be drawn in and be overwhelmed spiritually. You would start to be overwhelmed by how amazing God is.

And God would be glorified in your worship.

You would be reminded of ...

Psalm 22:3 - God dwells in the praises of His people.

That is what was supposed to happen when God’s people worship together.

You see and hear those all around you praising God for His greatness and you are pulled into worship. You are encouraged and confronted with God’s greatness.

That’s how it was supposed to be at Passover.

Pause

Transition - There was a problem. It was difficult to worship in the Temple in Jesus day.

-There were distractions in the temple ever where you turned.

Illustration - Have you ever been to an amusement park, football game, or car race and you go to buy a meal or get a drink and the coke that would cost you $1 outside the gates at Circle K costs you $7 inside the gates?

Everything is quadruple the price.

Why? Because they “got you”?

-I recently took Alissa to see Spider Man and was charged an $8 convenience fee.

-They charge you that because they got you. Because they can.

-It irritates you, it makes you a little mad.

Inside the Temple in Jesus day - they’ve got you.

All year around, but especially at passover there was a terrible exploitation happening.

Transition -

Sheep and Goats - If you needed a sheep or a goat for sacrifice. It had to have no blemishes. If you traveled it was hard to get an animal to walk for 50 miles without getting scratched up or getting a minor limp.

-You could conveniently buy an animal at the Temple, for a price. Double, Triple, the price you could get one at home. They got you.

Inspection - If you did bring your own animal for sacrifice it to be inspected for purity. This inspection was required by Old Testament Law.

-But they added a cost to inspect your animal. So it cost you more to obey God and have the inspection.

The inspector and the sheep sellers were working with each other. If you bought a sheep inside the Temple there was no inspection fee. They got you.

And there were Money Changers - You better bring the right kind of money to the Temple. If you came from Egypt or somewhere else and had foreign money you couldn’t buy anything or pay your Temple tax.

You had to exchange your money at a high mark up. They got you.

How did all this buying, selling, trading effect the worshiper at the Temple, when they felt like they were being taken advantage of?

It completely distracted them from being amazed by God. Everywhere they looked they were being taken advantage of.

Teaching

God’s glory was being stolen.

Greed & self took the place of glory.

Worship of God was being blocked and the people were distracted from God’s glory.

Pause

I wonder if you have experienced this in your personal life.

Where the distraction of wanting more pushed out the place of worship in your life?

-When would this be most likely? In your daily worship.

-You want more time to do what you want and cut your daily time with God short.

-Your greed for more of what you want at home - steals from God’s glory.

-There is Sunday morning greed. We want our Sunday morning to be about my desires.

-We neglect to come to church to be with God’s people.

-We don’t gather to give Him glory.

-We say we will watch online. God commanded you to gather.

It is very easy for worship to shift or slip. To become about us and what we experience and not about God’s greatness.

-You know what’s so backwards about this?

John Piper says it this way, “We are most satisfied in Him, when He is most glorified in us.”

I am most satisfied in Him, when He is most glorified in me.

(Would you say that out loud with me?)

Pause

Transition - Jesus enters the Temple and saw first hand what was happening.

He was mad. Filled with a holy anger.

Jesus brings devout discipline. Jesus brings a strong godly correction.

II. vs. 15-17, Discipline

A. Jesus saw what was happening & corrected it. In His anger, He was not out of control. His anger came from the Spring of Jealousy.

-Jealousy for the worship of His Father.

Exodus 34:14 ESV

14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),

-Jesus was jealous for His Father to be glorified (worshiped) above all things.

-Jesus took this whip. He ran through the Temple.

He turned over the money changers tables.

He opened the pens of the animals.

verse 15, “…He drove them all out of the Temple.”

-He drove the animals and the money changers out.

-mind you, there were estimated 20-30 thousand worshipers in the Temple.

-This driving out took some time.

-This was not over suddenly.

I want to offer to you an opinion, Your pastor thinks there was a miracle that took place here.

270 Temple security guards and 20-30 thousand worshipers in the Temple.

-Packed quarters during Passover, Despite these packed quarters and the chaos that would happen when a man has a whip of cords and is driving out animals and merchants, no one touched Him.

-Non of the 270 guards, no worshiper.

-They all stood and watched Him and got out of the way.

-98% would not understand what he was doing.

-On any other day, with any other person, the guards and worshipers would jump on and constrain a man like this, but not today.

After driving all these animals and sellers out he makes this statement in verse 16.

“Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

Jesus sends a clear message to 20-30 thousand worshipers.

Do you think word got out? You bet.

Jesus, used harsh measures to drive out the distraction from His Father’s House.

Application -

The Temple of God is no longer found in a building. A church building is not God’s Temple.

The people of God are the Temple of God. His Spirit lives in us.

What is holding you back and distracting you from living a greater life of worship and obedience to him?

Do not hold on to this distraction?

In God’s love for you, He will drive it out.

Transition - So far we have seen The Distraction from Worship, The Discipline … now we see ...

III. vs. 18-21, The Demand For a Sign

The Religious Leaders confronted Jesus and wanted to know by what authority does Jesus have to change their system of distraction and greed.

-Notice what does not happen.

-After being confronted with how stealing God’s glory offended God, the response was not to humble themselves and confess their mistake. Change their ways.

-The religious leaders instead pushed back. And asked Jesus about His authority.

-Isn’t it our first reaction when we are disciplined by God to push back.

-”Who gives you to right to tell me how I should live?”

-Jesus responds with a prophecy. read vs 19.

-Jesus in coded language. When I raise myself from the dead you will see that I have authority over, Sin, Death, Satan. I will give final evidence that I AM the Son of God.

-I have authority over all things.

-My friend. He has authority over your life as well.

-When he tells you to put away that which is distracting you from worship and bringing God glory with your life, he expects that you will obey Him.

Transition - What was the effect of Jesus clearing the Temple?

IV. vs. 22-23, Determination to believe

-When the people saw what Jesus was doing, they believed that He was the Son of God.

-They believed that He was the Messiah, the one who came to save from sin.

Do you believe?

-If not, what is holding you back from believing now?

Christ Follower - Are you removing distractions, so that you can worship Him?