The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 2:13-16,
"When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, 'Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!'"
Jesus made clear he did not want to see "my Father's house" turned into a market. This took place at the temple in Jerusalem. Today, we are God's house, "And we are his [God's] house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.: Hebrews 3:6. "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5.
"When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, 'Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!'"
Jesus made clear he did not want to see "my Father's house" turned into a market. This took place at the temple in Jerusalem. Today, we are God's house, "And we are his [God's] house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.: Hebrews 3:6. "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5.
As the house of God today, the people who make up the church, has it become a market? Does it please the Lord to see ecclesiastical bodies owning vast wealth, luxurious properties, opulent works of art and objects? Particularly when much of the funding of those things was harvested from the pew-run church goer? How about leaders of "ministries" jetting around in fabulous jets owned by their "non-profit"? What of those massive facilities with all the amenities? How about those "ministries" that have made millions of dollars by requesting the faithful to send in their "faith-promise pledge"?
Where is the Lord's heart on that? Does anyone care what he thinks? What do you think?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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