FBCWest 328 | Jesus Cleans the Temple
Recorded On: 03/17/2019
Bulletin
FBCWest
March 17, 2019
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
Is Exalted”
PRAISE AND WORSHIP
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 113
Endless Light”
More”
Who You Say I Am”
“Oh My Soul”
GIVING OF SELVES AND OUR OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
MESSAGE Pastor Joe
“THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS THE MESSIAH”
“Jesus Cleans the Temple”
Time of Reflection
PRAYER TIME
“Empty Me”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Benediction “Only Jesus”
SERMON NOTES
John 2:13 – 17 Jesus’ cleaning the Temple
John 2:18 They question Jesus’ authority not the legitimacy of it
John 2:19 & 20 Jesus’s responds
John 2:21 & 22 John explains Jesus’ answer
John 2:23 & 24 People believe in Jesus, but He does not believe in them
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
After the resurrection believers and those who are seeking to believe, and perhaps those who required to be here because their family and friends were believers, the symbols on Sundays, too.
For God to learn a little bit more about him into offer.
Prayers and offerings.
As results each church kind of adopts Unfortunately if you will sometimes the personality of the pastor Ann will have its organization of the worship service based on his or the Deacons of whomever.
Leadership what they would like to do so I'll give you a little clues into our worship.
Almost never I can never say never, but almost never will we have the offering after I preach.
Because I've been impacted by those who are on TV ministries and others who seem all that they care about is the money and so I am mindful of the joke that you've all heard, but I'm going to tell it anyway about the little boy who is sent to church for the first time by himself.
Parents didn't go but his parents thought it's a good idea for the child to get a religious education, so they gave him a quarter to place in the offering plate and so he went to church and did put the quarter in the offering plate and came home and his mother said. Well, what did you think about church and he said. I thought it was a pretty good show for a quarter?
If people that's kind of what they come to church with expectations that the worship be a certain way, and that they pick certain songs or hymns or whatever that they like and that if it met their needs. And it was a good time for whatever and little care about.
You should be doing.
And so I usually wait till after the offering to do that, well usually we don't throw the offering. The first thing 'cause. Let's face it, we've had experience half of you aren't here. If we started off with the offering and so the offering would be even less.
Started it so we've got a place at some place and so I can't do it at the end of the service. So we don't do it at the beginning, so it kind of comes after the worship time now. I know that there are passes. For instance, who would rather preach right after the worship because then you've had the most energy in your hopefully enthusiasm your singing.
Most likely to pay attention, whereas in the offer. Tori it's usually more contemplate if the music is great, but it's a little more and you're sitting there and it's easier for you to just so I have to spend a little more energy to get you to pay attention, so that's what we do.
However, this not like what it was prior to the resurrection. The Jews were required to do certain things, they would on a weekly basis. Go to synagogue, which would kind of be like our church except in the synagogue that have men on one side and women. Other and the women were supposed to just be quiet and do things and.
And the New Testament church. We let women do all kinds of other things.
But they were required to go 3 times a year to Jerusalem all the men to worship at the temple.
An Passover was one of those times when they men were required to be there now. Passover was a remembrance. That was to be personal that God had delivered Israel from slavery.
Freedom and that he walk with him daily, giving them Maná and water and sustain them and the entire 40 years that they were in the wilderness their shoes didn't wear out their closing things. God did miraculous things but it was a remembrance of a time.
God passed over and there was blood on the door, so there was a sense of redemption. And you were required to come to Passover, not implemented you were come and you were to offer a lamp, which was to be sacrificed and then you were to eat that lamb that evening and do the Passover Seder, which our church.
All times throughout our history, and so this is such a time that Jesus is coming to the first Passover in his ministry now.
As the Scriptures and as we showed it was his custom along with his family every year to go to Jerusalem. The entire family for Passover. Some people because what Jesus does at this time is similar to what he does at his last Passover and they think the 2 are the same.
I believe that the beginning of his ministry and the end of his ministry. Our book and by the cleansing of the temple. So I believe that it's 2 separate events and it takes place at the beginning of it were also told that Jesus was about 30 years old when he started his ministry so in John.
Chapter 2, starting with verse 13 and says this the Passover. The Jews was near and Jesus went up to Jerusalem again. Jerusalem was placed upon mountains, so you always go up. We have a tendency up means north and down mean South no going.
Means you're going from a lower geographic place to a higher geographic place, which makes sense because it's the capital to square the temple is erected.
I had the opportunity to go to different places in.
Greece and Rome and others and I discovered something that I had never really realized prior to that other than looking at yeah, we go up to Jerusalem.
That each of these cities and towns when they would have their God that they would worship they would place the temple to the primary God on the highest Hill?
So that every time you walked around in the town. You could see the temple that the God was dedicated so for instance, if you go to Athens. You will see the Parthenon, an in this great structure that you can see from wherever because it was going to make it obvious.
This town worship that particular God and so temples were generally placed on the highest point.
And he found in the temple. Those who are selling oxen and sheep and doves and Moneychangers were seated at their tables. Now we read that.
Let me just go on, but I want you to use your memory your imagination, not to create things that aren't but to understand things that are see we generally live in the city.
Very clean antiseptic thing we don't think about oxen and sheep and doves so I just want to to consist you? How many of you have gone you don't have to raise your hand and seen a parade where there are horses.
Those horses as they go along the parade.
2 things that people have to come and clean up afterwards.
And their smelly and it's dirty.
You see the image that's projected here these animals are placed in the temple area is not antiseptic.
Is smelly and his 30 but the reason? They're there?
Is to make a profit?
You see each person each man who came to Jerusalem was required to bring an offering of a sacrificed which was an animal so if you live for instance, in Greece. You're unlikely to bring a sheep with you.
Because the sheep was to be without blemish or spot and in the trip something could happen to it, making your offering worthless so you usually brought other things in order to Purchas.
The sheet as an offering.
Also, when you presented an offering at the temple. You couldn't just use. Ennial money, you could not use the common money for exchange that an heiress or anything like that, the wrong money, you had to use the shekel. The temple money so you had those who were exchanging.
You're Roman currency for the temple currency and they did that at an obscene profit. They also, if you were fortunate to live close and bring your own animal. They had inspectors to make sure that you're offering was without spot and blemish.
Is in their interest to disqualify you're offering so that you would have to purchase another one?
So it wasn't that there was just business going on it was a corrupt business.
And so as a result of this, it says in verse 15 and he being Jesus may discourage of chords and show them all out of the temple. But the sheep and the oxen and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned. Their tables into those who are selling the doves. He said take these things away stop making my father's house.
Is a business?
You see Jesus took this personal because this place is not just where you go to worship. It is his father's house. The last time we saw Jesus being into temple. He was having theological discussions with those in his father's house.
And his disciples remember that it was written zero for your house will consume me.
The Jews then said to him what sign do you show us and as your authority for doing these things now? I want you to see this?
Their question their argument Jesus isn't that Jesus is it right there, not saying well wait a minute. It's necessary to have these money changers and these people who are doing the inspections and to do the business. They're not arguing that is necessary.
Their argument is what authority do you have to tell us this wrong?
They question his authority when he said. This is my father's house. He already told him what authority he's the son of God, it's his father's house.
And Jesus answered them.
And notice he doesn't say again it's my father's house on the son of God.
Because in reality, all they ever seek is a sign a miracle. So it's a destroy this temple and in 3 days, I will raise it up.
And the Jews misunderstanding statement and they say that you said it took 46 years to build this simple and you will raise it up in 3 days.
Now, Unfortunately with language, it doesn't often time communicate to us body language.
We don't know, but I suspect that when Jesus said destroy this temple in 3 days. I will raise it up. He wasn't pointing this way if anything. He was pointing this way. But when you don't want to understand you intentionally don't understand and so they change will wait a minute.
Is ultimate sign?
Is his death burial and resurrection so he says you want to know what authority I have the resurrection?
Now, John helps us out and in verse 21. He says, but he was speaking of the temple of his body. So when he was raised from the dead is disciples. Remember that, he said this and they believe the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
Now verse 23 when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast. Many believed in his name observing his science, which he was doing, but Jesus on his part, was not interesting himself to them for, he knew all men and because he need not.
Did not need anyone to testify concerning man for he himself knew? What was in man? He's telling this John in his.
Gospel is telling us that Jesus knows 2 things.
One he knows in the heart of man, so he's God, although to a large extent. You don't have to be God to know that people are just no good.
Is it surprising not? How bad people are but how good they are?
But notice it says that Jesus and he uses a different word says people believed in him, but Jesus didn't trust himself to them.
The same word entrusted same orders believe the people believed in Jesus, but Jesus didn't believe in the people.
Well, why would you does not do that because the people at this point believe that yeah each probably the Messiah?
But they don't understand what kind of Messiah, he is.
They're looking for the guy who's going to kick Rome out into establishing New Kingdom and he's going not yet. I came to be a suffering servant. I came to serve not to be served so they are trusting and believing in a concept that isn't what Jesus is at this time, which is no different than we are today.
A lot of people.
Not all but a lot of people who claim to be atheist.
Or really not atheist, they're just mad at God.
Because God did or didn't do something they thought that God should have or shouldn't have done some terrible thing happened. There life and if God was good. God would have allowed that bad thing to happen and therefore there can't be a God and to go on because they're upset with God.
Or they hear people say you know if you just believe in speaking. Whatever these things will happen or if you just give this particular ministry all kinds of miracles are going to happen and they don't and therefore there not must not be a God.
The problem is people believe in the wrong God.
They believe in a Santa Claus God.
Or they believe in a?
Boyfriend or girlfriend, God or they believe in A.
I just love you so much you can do whatever the heck you want to do God.
And that ain't God God is God and so a lot of times people will believe in a God that doesn't exist and they get mad at a God that doesn't exist and say that he doesn't exist because he never did.
So Jesus knows what's in the heart of people and just because you claim to believe doesn't mean that you do?
Now in this teaching. Unfortunately, who are most passers will go with this is the talk about business in church.
And so I'll talk about business in church because that's what you're going to expect.
There are certain geographical areas used to be in the South, where we used to call it the Bible Belt. There was somewhat in your financial interested go to church 'cause that's where the other people were a new main contacts and you could then develop because. Hey, I'm a believer your believers will do business with me. You need to sell your house.
Date agent and so you go to church because it's in your economic interest to do so.
I was.
Accused of of attending this church back before I was the pastor for that reason and I never quite was sure whether to be more upset because they question my character or they question my intelligence.
You say why would you question your intelligence 'cause If I were going to pick a church to do business it probably like Episcopalian 'cause? They have all the money, the church I attend.
I don't think there well by the world standards were rich, but by America centered or just middle class, so lower middle class. You don't need a lawyer. Most of the time go on legal zoom and do whatever you wanna do.
So I always thought it was interesting the accusation. And so we get so worried so we don't know whether we should sell Girl Scout Cookies in church or not because we don't want to do business in church and were so worried about that. We make all of these things and so some churches will say OK as long as it's not into sanctuary it's OK.
Lawyer in others will say no you need to do it out in the parking lot or something or or whatever because we don't want to do business in church.
Well, there's
A more serious teaching.
It has nothing to do with this building.
See Jesus was talking about his father's house in the temple.
Bud Paul tells us in First Corinthians.
Chapter 3 verses 16 and 17.
Do you not know?
That you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you?
If any man destroys the temple of God God will destroy him for the temple of God is holy and that is what you are.
We spend so much time worrying about whether we're going to sell Girl Scout Cookies in church. We ignore the fact that we are the temple of God in what in the heck is happening with our bodies.
Are we representing God as the temple of God as a hot as being on a Hill proclaiming that I believe these is the son of God and that his spirit dwells in me and I gladly proclaim that and that I am a light on that Hill.
Wall of mankind and that yes, I am not perfect. And yes, I send an yes. I do those things. But my father dwells in me and because of that. I am wholly. I'm not wholly because who I am I am wholly because who dwells in Maine and it's not chill.
And in case Paul thought and you thought that Paul's stuttered.
In the same book at Chapter 6, he says this.
And he goes, and he's talking about how we are to treat our bodies and how weird refrain from sin within our bodies and he will again in verse 19 say or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit? Who is in you? Whom you have from God and that you are not your own.
Bought with a price. Therefore, Glorify God in your body, so it's not only what we don't do. We are to refrain from sin and to be wholly but were to do more than that? We were to Glorify God in our body.
Is not a matter of OK? I'll do nothing? I'll sit here and I won'T&I won't do anything to.
Dirty up the the body of the Lord, but that's not all, we're to glorify him in our body.
Which is more than just say praise the Lord?
It is who we R Us. What we do is what we say.
So NASA really tough question.
It's Passover.
People are showing up to the temple your tip.
And Jesus comes to your temple.
Does he need to get a cord?
And do some serious cleaning.
Or does he say, Well done.
My father's house is being used for the purposes. It was intended.
Now, if you're honest and I'm honest, there are parts of our lives that need cleaning.
And the awesome thing is.
We have a God.
Who's willing to do so gently and lovingly?
But if where his.
And we don't.
And he'll do it was necessary to clean his father's house.
For you are a temple of God.
And each of us.
United in love, and unity and purpose a symbol ourselves as another temple that we call in church.
For you see this building. We have dedicated to worship him into praise him and to give offering to him and to teach about him and to ministers for him.
But the same church to building.
You and me or church.
And the awesome thing is.
It doesn't matter how big churches 'cause. It says where 2 or 3 are gathered in his name, there, he is which means church.
So again today's message.
Would be simple and would be OK?
I can't remember the last time we sold something in the sanctuary or in the foyer so apparently were at no changer.
But when we come to understand that God dwells in us and that we are the temple of God.
It needs to impact who we are, and what we do.
They asked what authority.
Do you have to do this?
His response to our cleaning is the same. It's my father's house.
And he is already shown us.
That, he destroyed the temple in 3 days and rose it again.
He's not only shown his authority and given his authority. He has demonstrated it to us.
So we no longer need to ask why should I clean up my temple.
Because he's God.
And you're not.
I know that's a shock.
I know the next time you take a selfie you feel because the universe is in about you.
It's about him.
And even your body is not about you, it's about him, so the next time you take a selfie say.
I want to take a beautiful picture of the temple of God.
And that as beautiful as it is on the outside.
It is even more clean.
And beautiful.
On the inside.
And all gods people said.