12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. 16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night. (Matthew 21:12-17)
I hope you were encouraged yesterday to more deeply accept, declare and promote the sovereignty of God. He alone is king. and when we commit our lives to Jesus, we find our intended identity in God’s kingdom (we become new creations) and we have an obligation to live like citizens of His kingdom.
But what happens when those professing to be servants of God practice disobedience? On the day after the triumphal entry, Jesus confronts just that kind of situation in the temple courts. He calls out the lack of integrity in very dramatic fashion. He shuts down those who put commerce over worship and service and then He focusses on the needy. Think about what is happening in our world today. The world is still desperately in need of integrity and care.
(Note the validation of the following Disciplines: Bible Study, Worship, Prayer, Stewardship and Service).
Please prayerfully read the passage above and answer the question below.
Questions
It is easy to criticize the money changers, dove sellers and religious leaders in the temple as villains, but:
- How do we guard our integrity and shun hypocrisy?
- Make this more personal. When Jesus walks through your life are there things he overturns like the tables and benches?
Please share your answer to Question 1 and spend some time in prayer about Question 2.