Sermon Index
March 11, 2012
The Third Sunday in Lent B
If Jesus or someone else were to come into our church today and start throwing our hymnals out the window and scattering the contents of the offering baskets all over the church chancel, how do you think you would feel? Surprise? Shock? Fear? Indignation? Here we are -- worshiping as we think we should be. Our songs and offerings and prayers have been offered to God in traditionally accepted ways. We don't think we are doing anything wrong or worshiping in the wrong way, do we? I think our worship is okay. So, if someone were to come in here and start making a scene, we would probably ask "What's the big deal? What gives you the right to come in here and do these things?" Then we would probably call the police. With church bombings and burnings around the world, we might think the person was either crazy or a terrorist.
Now, go back about 2000 years when Jesus cleared the temple in Jerusalem. The people there probably would think the same way as we would. The people in the temple were worshiping like they had done for many years. It was Passover time and at the temple, people would kill the Passover lamb as a sacrifice to remember the Exodus and to thank God for salvation and freedom from slavery, then the people would eat the lamb with their family to celebrate the Passover. People would come to Jerusalem from all over the world. They would have to exchange their foreign currency to that used in the Temple. Then they could make an offering to the Temple and could buy a lamb for the Passover sacrifice. For the weary pilgrim, it was convenient for them that they could exchange their money and buy what was necessary right there in the temple court yard. I imagine that it was like a Japanese shrine festival with a lot of booths selling many things, from food and souvenirs to religious items. It was crowded and noisy. This was the accepted custom. People liked the atmosphere. The Jerusalem Temple authorities permitted it. So what was wrong with it? Then Jesus came and started to drive them all out of the Temple courtyard. The people there felt about the same as we would if someone came and disturbed our worship. Surprise, shock, indignation, fear and anger. "Hey, Jesus, what's the big deal? Why are you so angry at us? We are only living according to the customs that we believe has been blessed by God. What gives you the right to come in here and do these things?" They thought Jesus was a crazed fanatic, a terrorist. He was attacking the very center of his own religion. To attack the temple was to attack the very core of Jewish religion and hope and belief in God. They didn't understand the violence of Jesus.
On the other hand, Jesus would think that the activities in the Temple were violence. The noise would make it almost impossible to pray to God. Surely there was some price gouging. Surely the exchange rate was unfair. But Jesus was a realist. He knew about human nature and need to make a buck. So I think Jesus was disturbed at a much greater level. He knew what the Temple really was, and he knew the future of the true Temple. He knew that the time would soon arrive when those animals for sacrifices would no longer be needed. After Jesus was crucified on the cross, his supreme sacrifice meant that animal sacrifices would no longer be necessary. The Temple itself would no longer be necessary, either. The sacrifice for sin was complete and never needed to be repeated.
What is the meaning of the word "Temple?" In the Old Testament, each village had its own synagogue, but there was only one Temple which was in Jerusalem. The Temple was the "House of God," the "dwelling place of God on earth." His throne was between the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant which was in the Holy of Holies. The Temple was the dwelling place of God. But Jesus is God, so his body is the new dwelling place of God. That is what he meant when he said, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." Jesus was speaking of his death and resurrection. The Jews would desecrate the Temple of his body, but in three days he would rise from the dead. Also, by cleansing the temple of the animals, Jesus was showing that those animal sacrifices were no longer necessary. Animal sacrifices could no longer forgive sins. In the death of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, our sins are forgiven. This is the sacrifice that cannot be repeated. The new place of sacrifice was not the Temple hill known as Mt. Zion, rather the new place was the hill called Mt. Calvary. In killing Jesus, the Jews violated the new temple of God. This indeed was a crime against God, subject to God's judgment and punishment. And yet, there is forgiveness in Christ's death.
A temple is the dwelling place of God. When God the Holy Spirit is in your hearts, when the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, your body becomes the temple of God. St. Paul says it this way in First Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." We are living temples of God! This is a great comfort and blessing. The Holy Spirit is in our hearts to hear our prayers, to guide us, to protect us. We cannot get any closer to God than that!
But as temples, we can have the same problem as that Temple in Jerusalem. Sometimes we need to be cleansed by Jesus, too! How do you feel when someone tries to cleanse the temple of your heart? Sometimes people point out our sins, mistakes, and shortcomings. How do you feel? Angry? Embarrassed? Shamed? Defensive? Indignant? “Who are you to tell me how to live my life? Who are you to criticize my behavior?” We even get angry at Jesus for pointing our sin. Or is it the devil, the Old Accuser who points out our sin to God and makes us feel unworthy to be a Christian believer?
We are just like old Temple in Jerusalem. Sometimes we do not even realize that our actions and feelings do not worship God. Sometimes God is ashamed of our behavior. Rather than a good witness to God's love, our behavior and life style and personality can scare people away from the church. And we, like the Jews in Jerusalem, might not even realize it. So when Jesus reminds us to repent, to clean up our act and live the Ten Commandments, etc., we protest like the Jews did. Surprise, shock, indignation, anger. "Hey, Jesus, what's the big deal? Why are you so angry at me? I am comfortable with my life. Don't I have forgiveness and freedom? What gives you the right to come in here and tell me what to do?" Then we realize that it is HIS holy temple that is in our hearts. Then we might say, "Okay, Jesus, I'm sorry, let me start cleaning things up." Then we realize that we cannot do it. We cannot clean up our lives without the help of Jesus. We are like alcoholics who cannot change their lives by themselves. We need Jesus to do the cleaning. Or as the meaning of the Third Article of the Creed says, as we learned in Confirmation class, "I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith." It is the work of the Holy Spirit to make us holy, and it is the Holy Spirit that cleanses his temple, our hearts and lives.
Today we pray that God will clear out the disturbances from our hearts that distract us from him, so that we can pray and worship and live in his love. We have fears and worries, we have diseases and handicaps, we have bigotry and stubbornness, and many more hindrances. Today we pray that God will clear our hearts of all these distractions. We pray that the Holy Spirit will make us holy!
When Jesus cleaned the Jerusalem Temple, the Jews then asked Him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus shows us the same sign. The sign of the cross, the sign of his death and resurrection.
Amen.
Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church