October 3, 2017

CLEARING THE TEMPLE

Luke 19:45-46

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

Personal Challenge
So why was it so important for Jesus to clear out the courts of the temple? People needed animals to bring in for sacrifices. They needed to exchange their Roman money that had the graven image of Caesar on it for Jewish money that was "clean" for temple use. The message that Jesus was sending to everyone, including us today, is that the temple of God, our churches, and our own bodies, is no place for the business of the world to be conducted. We must strive to keep the ways of the world outside of our churches and keep them set apart for God so that they can do His work, His way, and be beacons of light to the lost world. We must strive to keep the world out of our hearts because they are the temple of God where Jesus lives. We too are supposed to be set apart for God. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Land, have mercy!