Sunday, October 25, 2015

Cleansing the Temple

• 22nd Sunday after Pentecost
Matthew 21:12-17  Jesus “cleanses” the temple
www.FirstChurchBville.com   @FirstUMCBville   @kerrfunk

• This passage about Jesus “cleansing the temple” is neither about the temple nor about Jesus cleansing it – in fact, that word is not used by any NT writer.
Also though oft presented as unjust vendors, there is no indication that the vendors in the temple court were corrupt or even greedy; they WERE providing a useful and temple-legal service, but that in itself points to:
This is not about the temple the building but
the temple, the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:15 and 19 (your bodies are members of Christ… your body is a temple of the HS) Sanctify yourselves (2 Cor 6:14++) and be fit for prayer and worship and sanctuary.
Matthew is writing in a time when the Temple has been destroyed… a post-temple period, post-sacrifice.
The faithful have to wonder, Where is worship? 
And Jesus has answered already:
Where two or three gather (Mt18)  
Matthew is about strengthening the Christ community
after the fall of the Temple,
and where the body of Christ is (the church)
there is healing and restoration of sight.
• Matthew is against an improper understanding of The Church (as building not people), and also against improper understanding of The Church as afterlife insurance policy.

The attitude I can sin and then ask forgiveness demonstrates lack of understanding or authenticity: not true worship, not true religion.
 (example from book The Pillars of the Earth pre-forgiveness for burning village!)
 (perhaps we find ourselves planning to sin, too, knowing we can ask for forgiveness)

Rather Church is a place / a people of relationship and sanctuary and support.

There is no solitary salvation; one cannot be saved alone.

Recall our church’s membership vows / community of love and forgiveness, growth, celebration, accountability. Can I get an amen?
• Leads to Hebrews selection: persevere how? In community.
Grab a hand, pursue holiness together, leave no one out.
Abandon comfortable sin (pre-forgiveness) grab a hand and follow Jesus, who gets the community to its perfect finish.
• Grab a hand, leave no one behind, go forward into life in community, seeking holiness and pursuing justice.

• Hymn 581 Lord, Whose Love Through Humble Service

Matthew 21:12-17        (CEB)             10/25/15
12 Then Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those who were selling and buying there. He pushed over the tables used for currency exchange and the chairs of those who sold doves. 13 He said to them, “It’s written, My house will be called a house of prayer. [Isa. 56:7]  But you’ve made it a hideout for crooks.”
14 People who were blind and lame came to Jesus in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and legal experts saw the amazing things he was doing and the children shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were angry. 16 They said to Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
“Yes,” he answered. “Haven’t you ever read, From the mouths of babies and infants
you’ve arranged praise for yourself?
 [Psalm 8:3]”
17 
Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.

Hebrews 12:1-6, 12-15        (CEB)               10/25/15
12 So then let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.
Think about the one who endured such opposition from sinners so that you won’t be discouraged and you won’t give up. In your struggle against sin, you haven’t resisted yet to the point of shedding blood, and you have forgotten the encouragement that addresses you as sons and daughters:
My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline
    or give up when you are corrected by him,
because the Lord disciplines whomever he loves,
      and he punishes every son or daughter whom he accepts.[Prov 3:11-12]

12 So strengthen your drooping hands and weak knees! 13 Make straight paths for your feet so that if any part is lame, it will be healed rather than injured more seriously. 14 Pursue the goal of peace along with everyone—and holiness as well, because no one will see the Lord without it. 15 Make sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. Make sure that no root of bitterness grows up that might cause trouble and pollute many people.

No comments:

Post a Comment