STP (Study, Trust, Pray) for March 4, 2021
Zeal for God’s House
“When the Passover Feast, celebrated each spring by the Jews, was about to take place, Jesus traveled up to Jerusalem. He found the Temple teeming with people selling cattle and sheep and doves. The loan sharks were also there in full strength. 15-17 Jesus put together a whip out of strips of leather and chased them out of the Temple, stampeding the sheep and cattle, upending the tables of the loan sharks, spilling coins left and right. He told the dove merchants, ‘Get your things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a shopping mall!’ That’s when his disciples remembered the Scripture, ‘Zeal for your house consumes me.’ 18-19 But the Jews were upset. They asked, ‘What credentials can you present to justify this?’ Jesus answered, ‘Tear down this Temple and in three days I’ll put it back together.’ 20-22 They were indignant: ‘It took forty-six years to build this Temple, and you’re going to rebuild it in three days?’ But Jesus was talking about his body as the Temple. Later, after he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this. They then put two and two together and believed both what was written in Scripture and what Jesus had said.”—John 2:13-22 MSG
Today we have this week’s scripture from John’s Gospel from The Message Translation. I’ve had people tell me that they didn’t believe Jesus was ever angry, but I always show them this scripture. Jesus had attended the Passover celebration at the Temple all His life, so this was not the first time He had seen the livestock salesmen and the loan sharks committing sin in the Temple. I’m sure He had seen His parents bring their money from Nazareth and exchange it for the Temple money at an exorbitant exchange rate. He probably knew someone who had brought what they thought was a perfect sacrifice but were forced to exchange it for a calf, sheep, or dove and pay for the so-called better animal. Jesus was angry that the Temple authorities were taking advantage of God’s people.
Lord, we thank you for Your Son continues to stand up for Your people…Amen.
Central Avenue Worship Service, 10:50am Sunday
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Bethesda Campground Worship Service, 9:00am Sunday (https://www.facebook.com/groups/316159025410964/)