A way to live a mission in the wider world:
Be ready to change destructive ways of life for ways that build life up—with God’s help.
Based on John 2:13-22
A way to live a mission in the wider world based on John 2:13-22, a reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for the Third Sunday in Lent, 3/4/18.
As Passover came near, Jesus went to the temple in Jerusalem. He found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves as offerings. Worshipers had to change their money into currency used in the temple to purchase any animals and birds for sacrifice. Jesus made a whip of cords (the kind used to drive cattle) from the temple. He spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables and drove them out of the temple, too. To the sellers of the doves, he said, “You are making my Father’s house a marketplace!”
His disciples recalled Psalm 69:9, “. . . zeal for my house,” as words about the expected Messiah who will aid the people.
The Jews asked Jesus for a sign from God that entitled Jesus to do these things. Jesus replied that if they destroy the temple [the temple is Jesus for God is at work in him], I (God) can rebuild the temple in three days (referring to Jesus being raised from the dead in three days). Not understanding, the Jews scoff because the temple has been under construction for forty-six years. John [as writer of the Gospel] comments that Jesus is speaking about the temple of his body.
When Jesus was raised from the dead, the disciples remembered the words of Jesus as true.
A theme: The commercializing of temple worship is reformed by Jesus so that worship can be the encounter between the worshiper and God that it is meant to be.
