Sermon Tone Analysis

Robert, take the leap!

John 11:40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee flames by jumping to the ground from the roof.

His father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump!

I'll catch you."

But the boy was afraid -- he couldn't see his father -- all he could see was flame, smoke, and blackness.

He was afraid.

Still, his father kept yelling: "Jump son!

I will catch you!"

But the boy refused, crying, "Daddy, I can't see you!" His father replied, "It's ok son -- I can see you -- and that's all that matters!"

Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of the fiery trials of life and all we can see is the smoke and the flames.

But faith is knowing who will catch us when taking that leap.

In Hebrew, the word 'truth' in this verse, is em-oo-nah, which is also translated as faith.

God delights in responding to our faith.

He wants us to jump into His arms --- especially when we can't see Him.

George Mueller said, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.

There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.

Faith begins where man's power ends."

Robert, let's practice some faith today.

Our Father's arms are the biggest and strongest they come!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah

Houston, Texas

And this is another fine day in the Lord

the emphasis of the record of the cleansing of the temples was not the mayhem that transpired by Jesus turning over the money changers tables and creating a stampede.

it is with his words that follow which will be the most significant in the narrative.

Word Pictures in the New Testament (John 2:18)

John 2:18 What sign shewest thou unto us? (Τι σημειον δεικνυεις ἡμιν; [Ti sēmeion deiknueis hēmin?]).

They may have heard of the “sign” at Cana or not, but they have rallied a bit on the outside of the temple area and demand proof for his Messianic assumption of authority over the temple worship.

These traders had paid the Sadducees and Pharisees in the Sanhedrin for the concession as traffickers which they enjoyed.

They were within their technical rights in this question.

A.T. Robinson

Jesus was just too much a man of a man to deal with.

A Carpenters son, would be a muscle bound man.

A Carpenter would not just deal with wood but would deal with Stone.

hefting and heaving structures into place for much of His life. it was hard labor which built strong muscle.

combined with that, the assurance of right and the confidence to take action against those who desecrated his Father’s house, none of the weak money grabbing spineless workers who cheated the people wanted to be the first one to dodge the whip that he flailed to subdue Jesus and beat him to a pulp.

So they ran.

leaving behind the spilt coins which the by standers quickly swept up and wondering livestock continued to scurry about.

It was quite the event.

The money Changers and those who were selling birds and animals believed that they had every right to be there.

they demanded to know who this man was and what gave him the right to do what he did in disrupting business.

They went to the authorities.

The Priests.

Maybe they took their complaints all the way to Annas who himself had taken a hit financially that day and wanted some answers himself, as he often expected during the passover to take in a large sum of money.

Not this day.

And so Annas would be furious.

I can imagine Annas pacing back in forth in his quarters or office shouting in rage.

Asking;

WHO IS THIS MAN!

and so his cronies would go to find out, or they knew already that they would have to have some answers prepared.

John 2:18 (NASB95) — 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”

The Jews in our verse are the temple Authorities.

They were demanding to know, as were the merchant men, what right did this man have to do the things he did.

I am reminded of any leader bearing authority entrusted to Him that comes in and cleans up a mess in any organization.

Especially a church body.

a broken church or organization which people had gotten away with things for all too long.

and then one comes in and begins to make changes.

Changes that hurts the status quo.

Oh, for so long they had gotten a way with so much and they had settled in to taking advantage of the norm until one day their world would be shaken up by a leader who is bent to make things right.

These people had no guts to confront the antagonist nor did they have any authority to do so.

they would go to priests.

so the Leaders approached Jesus and demanded to see some credentials.

(Signs)

John 2:19–21 (NASB95) — 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

Jesus did not give his accusers a straight answer.

there was no need to do so.

By time we get to Matthew 13 we find that Jesus will speak to the crowds in Parables.

why

Because they were not trusting in Him. it would be wasting seed on none fertile rocks.

Jesus would speak parables to the people and then to his disciples he would speak plainly to.

but even then, I imagined that like with his disciples, some may have come to remember the parables and have a ah ha moment, as did those who observed and listened that day.

The Priest approached Jesus as if they were the one’s in charge, but the challenge to their authority was continuing as Jesus did not oblige himself to give them a direct answer to what they were looking for.

Point of Doctrine:

there was never a time that Jesus did not have full control of any given situation.

Jesus was and is always in control

Even today Jesus is in full control of the world situation as it is He who controls history

John 2:20 (NASB95) — 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

The temple was a remolding project of Herod’s.

King Herod had no religious interest for he was a Edomite.

He was a great architect and builder.

It was probably his way in seeking immortality as he would be remembered by these monuments.

the Temple would be to assuage the hearts of the Jewish people who they themselves would know that the Herods were not the legitimate authority over the Jews.

It is laughable to say the least that while men and women (especially men; notice how cowardly little liberal men cower under the skirt strings of liberal women) think that they are the ultimate authority they always give away that they are but scared and insure little rats.

Herod was no exception.

2:20–21.

Herod the Great decided to replace the temple of Zerubbabel because it was not of the same glory as that of Solomon’s (Hag.

2:3).

Since work on Herod’s temple began in 20 or 19 B.C., 46 years bring the date to A.D. 27 or 28.

The work on the whole temple complex continued until around A.D. 63.

The statement of the Jews meant either that the sanctuary was completed in 46 years or else one phase had been completed.

How then, the Jews asked, could He rebuild it in three days?

That would be impossible!

The Greek words for and You are emphatic, suggesting their contempt for Him.

Of course by the temple Jesus meant His body which, after his death, would be resurrected in three days.

Three day building project would seem outrageous to all around Jesus, including his own disciples.

But they had seen enough already, having seen Jesus turn the water into wine and to this point who knows how much more in the way of miracles and certainly teaching.

and though they may have understood what it was that Jesus was getting at there was much they do already understand.

But Jesus did not have to show his credentials to these religious leaders.

John 2:21 (NASB95) — 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.