Holy Week: Day 2
Jesus Turned the Tables
Mark 11:15-18
When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill him. But they were afraid of him because the people were so amazed at his teaching.
Don't you think that in this passage of Scripture, Jesus was really mad? That he was really angry? More than that, he seemed to be displaying a great deal of indignation at the way that these salespeople had dishonored the very purpose of their arrival in Jerusalem. Instead of using the Temple as a place of worship, the way that God intended it to be used, they had transformed it into a den of robbers and merchandisers. Not only that, but despite it being the time of year in which Israel observed the feast of the passover in Jerusalem, they were desecrating a holy place and a holy feast with their selfish purposes.
What was so unique about this particular time of year? Once a year, the chief priest slaughtered a sacrificial lamb to atone for the sins of the people. We see, on this side of the cross, that Jesus has become our sacrificial lamb, taking our sins upon Himself. So, how should we worship today to make sure that our churches are houses of prayer and houses of worship? We sing praises to God with beautiful, holy music that stirs our hearts to tune into God. We go to our churches today to study His word, to learn His word, and to fellowship together, remembering that we should always be reverent and respectful of His house.
The LORD tells us that, on this side of the cross, we are to be SALT and LIGHT to a lost and dying world. We are to go forth and teach that salvation is for all, that Jesus did die on the cross on this particular Passover weekend, knowing full well that He would soon become the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world.
As we begin this holy season, we remember the journey that Jesus made as he left Capernaum and Galilee, to observe the feast of the Passover knowing that He would become the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world, bringing redemption to our very dark world. We come celebrating, because we know that the cross was not the end of His story. There was more to come -- the resurrection that would follow in 3 days. We journey, not only to the cross, but to that glorious day when He rose from the grave and continues living today. To God be the glory, forever, amen.
What was so unique about this particular time of year? Once a year, the chief priest slaughtered a sacrificial lamb to atone for the sins of the people. We see, on this side of the cross, that Jesus has become our sacrificial lamb, taking our sins upon Himself. So, how should we worship today to make sure that our churches are houses of prayer and houses of worship? We sing praises to God with beautiful, holy music that stirs our hearts to tune into God. We go to our churches today to study His word, to learn His word, and to fellowship together, remembering that we should always be reverent and respectful of His house.
The LORD tells us that, on this side of the cross, we are to be SALT and LIGHT to a lost and dying world. We are to go forth and teach that salvation is for all, that Jesus did die on the cross on this particular Passover weekend, knowing full well that He would soon become the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world.
As we begin this holy season, we remember the journey that Jesus made as he left Capernaum and Galilee, to observe the feast of the Passover knowing that He would become the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world, bringing redemption to our very dark world. We come celebrating, because we know that the cross was not the end of His story. There was more to come -- the resurrection that would follow in 3 days. We journey, not only to the cross, but to that glorious day when He rose from the grave and continues living today. To God be the glory, forever, amen.
Wallace & Nell Majors
No Comments