Holy Week (2)

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”

And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.  Matthew 21:12 - 17.

I wonder what Jesus would say to Big Business Christianity? Jesus told a story about a rich man who was into building bigger and bigger storehouses for his agricultural wealth (Luke 12:13 - 21), the man said to himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” Jesus said that God called the man a “fool”. That seems harsh, for after all, what’s wrong with bulging bank accounts and investments?  What’s wrong with church organizations amassing funds just in case God stops providing? What’s wrong with the church making poster children of the rich and famous? What’s wrong in making certain that before we embark on a “ministry” venture that there will be a return on our investment?

Jesus displaces the people making a profit in the Temple with the blind and the lame, with those who are the invisible people, with those who have no material or practical worth to society or the the temple system. Oh, and yes, He has invited the children into the Temple too - what will He do next?

The idea of God’s House being a house of prayer is a bit impractical isn’t it? What gets accomplished through prayer? Where’s the excitement in prayer? Where is the entertainment value in prayer? Where is the profit? If we want to turn the church into a house of prayer who will come? Everyone knows that prayer is b-o-r-i-n-g.

You must admit that letting in the lame and blind and children is making things a bit untidy Jesus. And speaking of untidy, did you really have to turn over all those tables? What a mess you’ve made. Is this what happens when you come to church Jesus? Didn’t your parents teach you anything?

The lame and blind who have been excluded come to Jesus, the children who are invisible people come to Jesus; the have-nots come to Jesus and Jesus loves them. Jesus messes up the Temple system, the religious system, the social caste system. He disrupts religious profitability - if only for a day - and to think that He does it as Passover approaches, one of the most profitable festivals of the year; couldn’t He do His thing during the off-season?

Well, what do we think this Holy Week? Do we really want Jesus to show up at our place of worship? Are we prepared for what He might do? Who He might bring? What conventions He might overturn? Is our church a house of prayer?

Am I a house of prayer? Do I allow those who are different from me into my life? Are children invisible to me? Am I willing to have tables in my heart overturned? Am I willing to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal things within me, His temple, that ought not to be? Will I ask God to bring to light actions and attitudes in my life that are self-centered? Do I try to use God for my own profit? Is there a room in my soul, in my heart, that is my own den of thieves?

What about you?