Disgusted

John  2:15 “And when he had made a scourge of ssmall cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not tmy Father’s house an house of merchandise.” [1]

I.   Defend

     A. Anger

     B. Action

II. Deny

     A. Acts

     B. Actors

III. Denounce

     A. Allowance

     B. Announcement

Introduction:   Jesus was sent and He accepted the assignment graciously.  He loves us.  He gave up paradise and all that being God’s Only Begotten Son meant.  You would think that would be all the proof needed of how patient He is.

My dad’s nickname was Snap.  It didn’t take much to get Daddy angry.  After Daddy accepted Jesus and the Holy Spirit finally had His way with Daddy’s conscience, it would take more to crank him up but every once in a while…

In our messages leading up to Easter this is the third Sunday of Lent, we are heading to the cross with Jesus.  Today we are sidestepping slightly as we consider something that began the rift between Jesus and the religious leaders of that day.  We will discuss a time that Jesus visited the temple and He was upset.  What could make Him upset to the point of losing His temper?

If something which you dearly love is misused or abused that is a tell of what is important to you.  I would like to say that there fewer things that upset me than before but I still have a bunch of stuff.  Jesus never took credit for what He did but always gave credit for being God’s Son.  That is a secret of Christianity.  If you know that God The Father has your best interest in His thoughts, it takes your want for standing up for yourself away.  It is a test that I have continually been subjected to and sometimes I fail.  When I do God lets me go through another test until I learn to trust Him.  This thing upset Jesus to the point of anger!

Is there anything that others do that should disgust you?  We who are parents love our children.  If we truly do love them, we get upset when they purposely do things against the way we raised them.  A great example of this now is church attendance.  This generation has fallen into the trap of surrendering that which is the most important thing that we have in this life.  Jesus told Peter that whatever Peter accepted here would carry to heaven and whatever Peter rejected here would be rejected in heaven.  Was that only for Peter or for all of us?

As for me, I once took church attendance for granted.  I was comfortable in my self-indulgence.  If I had died in that I would have gone to heaven because I know that even then I was saved but I was a baby Christian for a long time.  He allowed me to run until I had no more running in me.  Now I so look forward to being in church.  It reminds of how it will be in heaven.

Rachael knows that.  Though she can’t be here today she appreciates that I need to be until I can’t anymore.  I so look forward to us, all of us being here together.  I look forward to being there together in Heaven someday soon.  But for now, let us praise Him for being together here and now.

Scripture:  Today’s scripture is John 2:15-16.  When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.

Prayer: Please be seated

Message:  The title of today’s message is “Disgusted.”  The old saying goes, “if you think it’s bad now, you should have been here then.”  It was bad when Jesus came.  Israel was a broken nation that had been exiled and now as some of the tribes were able to return, they were not their own nation anymore.  Others ruled them so they were only allowed a certain amount of freedom.  Though the temple was rebuilt it was nothing as it was in its former glory.

By the way, Rachael has been in contact with Jeff.  They had their first worship service together in the Panama church Wednesday night.  Today is their first Sunday in church.  Praise God.

The Jews were waiting for their Messiah to return the nation back to a prominent power in the world.  Jesus is Messiah but for most Jews He was not what they expected so He was rejected.  They were complacent doing things that seemed familiar and comfortable.  They had accepted the status quo.  When Jesus, the Spiritual Messiah, came to bring Israel back to the place of prominence for being the light to the world, they missed the point.  They gave over to the ones who held them captive.

We talked the other night about the covid vaccine shot card being a pass to go to some things.  We mentioned being reminded of what we read in Revelations of being locked down unless you have the right pass code.  Really it’s no difference than the way things have been.  Clyde Watson once said that a license was a document that made legal that which otherwise would be illegal.  Like a hunting or fishing license, a driver’s license, even a marriage license.  When you think about that, does it make you a little angry?  It’s kind of scary but a reminder of how true the Bible really is.

A church has had a food truck rodeo for the past few years.  Vendors meet and sell all sorts of food.  I wonder who gets the proceeds.  I wonder what Jesus would think about that?  I’m not making a judgement call but I can’t help but to wonder.

Something that especially drew me to Merry Oaks is what ya’ll do about church fund raising.  This thing is not for me to judge but my conviction is that a church shows their faith and trust in God when the members tithe and give love offerings enough to fund the local church. 

Otherwise it becomes a point of competition about which church can raise the most money.  We local churches are not in competition with each other.  We are all in His team.  As we review and upgrade the bylaws for the church covenant I pray that we continue our policy.

In verse twelve, Jesus was there in Capernaum with his mother and family and disciples just before the celebration of Passover.  In verse thirteen it says that Jesus went up to Jerusalem as preparations were being made for Passover.  It doesn’t say whether He was alone or the others were still there with Jesus when He made his way to the temple.  Point is Jesus was there.

So were the vendors there at the temple selling doves to be used in the sacrificial service.  I wonder who got those proceeds.  Jesus didn’t wonder.  Jesus knew.  Somebody was making a profit on something that was supposed to allow followers of God to honor Him.  Instead they were trading for birds.  There was no real sacrifice in that.  The thought of what was happening angered Jesus to the point that He took action which is not recorded anywhere else in the gospel accounts.  Jesus did not even defend His own person yet He was enraged over what He witnessed.  What enraged Him about this thing?

What would make you that mad?  What would disgust you enough to make you braid a whip and lash out against a bunch of vendors?

He denied them to stay there at the temple.  It says Jesus drove the vendors out.  He didn’t only deny the actors in this drama, those who were doing the buying and selling, Jesus even denied the animals from staying there.  He kicked over the tables and threw out the money.  He denied the actors and their acts.

Let’s think about this.  How was Jesus taught to make a living?  His step father Joseph was a carpenter and he taught Jesus his trade.  Trade; to trade service for proceeds.  In other words I have some thing or some ability that you want and you have something that I want or need.  We trade with each other and everyone is satisfied.  There is nothing wrong with that.  I expect that Jesus got payment for being a carpenter.  Carpenters actually still make a pretty good living.  Is there anything wrong with that?

When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by His cousin John The Holy Spirit descended to Jesus in the form of a dove.  Is there anything wrong with a little dove?  He overturned the tables.  Did Jesus have anything against tables?  We read that as He sat with The Twelve at the Last Supper, they were seated at a table.  What about the sheep and the cows or oxen as they are called here?  Is there anything wrong with livestock?

We have to read further to find out what infuriated Jesus to the point of anger.  It had to really be important to Jesus.  There are other instances when Jesus’ patience was tested as He spoke against lack of faith but this thing was different.

In verse sixteen we get the answer.  This is my Father’s house!  This and The God that we represent whose Holy Spirit we hold within us are not to be in this world for the purpose of being bought and sold.  He bought us with His blood.  We are sold out to Jesus.

What is it which infuriates Jesus?  When the temple of God is traded for worldly gain; that is disgusting to Jesus.  Do you know that though I am preaching I’m talking about myself?  Am I selling out and only doing the things that will make me acceptable in this world, in this present society, or am I sold out only to Jesus?  That is our individual decision!

Jesus very much denounced that sell out.  If you carry His name and say that you are a Christian then you have become the temple for His Holy Spirit.  This particular scripture is an announcement to tell us how much He loves us.  And yes Oprah, it is good that He is jealous.

As we are now studying Zechariah this is in chapter one verses fourteen and fifteen, “14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying,  Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I gam jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.  15  And hI am very sore displeased with the heathen that are iat ease:  For I was but ja little displeased, and kthey helped forward the affliction.:" [2]

Do you see? Israel and the Jews represent to us how God feels about us, His Church.  We are His bride.  As members of the world there are things that we can do and that is OK.  As members of His church there are things that are outside of our allowance.  The things which He allows to do as worship to Him; those things that we do while we are especially in here in worship to God are those things that He is really jealous over.  When we are representing Jesus we cannot be about business as usual.  We are different and He expects us to be different and He will not tolerate indifference as worship of God.  What makes this table different from the ones Jesus overturned at the temple?  This table is where we make our offering to Jesus.

Prayer:  Let us pray

Invitation: 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, xDestroy ythis temple, and in three days zI will raise it up. 20 Then said vthe Jews, Forty and six years awas this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of bthe temple of his body.[3]

The Jews present that day were amazed.  Jesus had just shown rage over misuse of the temple.  Now He is talking of the destruction of the temple and its being rebuilt in three days.  As a Christian, worship of God is sacred.  It is not business as usual.  When you have given your life to God, He is jealous of the time that you set aside for Him.

For me, this place is the place where we members of His family together set aside to worship God.  It is a sanctuary which means safe place.  I feel protected from the crazies outside.

Sometimes God takes me to a place that is not here and that becomes the place of worship at that time.  It might be riding in a car hearing Christian music.  The Holy Spirit takes you to a place far away from where you are.  For me often I find that place up several thousand feet maybe crossing a large body of water.  It is not for us to judge where others take their temple.

Wherever you go as a Christian, when His time comes, that is where His temple is.  Take time to be Holy and let the distractions go their way.  Keep your eye upon Jesus as we sing…

s Acts 27:32 (Gk.).
t Comp. Luke 2:49.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 2:15–16). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
g Joel 2:18. ch. 8:2.
h ver. 2.
i See Amos 6:1. Comp. ver. 11.
j So Isai. 54:8.
k Comp. Ps. 69:26. Isai. 47:6.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Zec 1:14–15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
x Ephes. 2:14 (Gk.). 1 John 3:8. Comp. Matt. 12:33.
y Matt. 26:61. & 27:40. Mark 14:58. & 15:29.
z Comp. ch. 10:18.
v See ch. 5:10.
a Ezra 5:16 (Chald. & Gk.).
b 1 Cor. 6:19. So Col. 2:9. Comp. 1 Cor. 3:16. 2 Cor. 6:16.
[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 2:19–21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.