8^th April 2009

HOLINESS – Jesus clears the Temple – John 2:12-22

In John’s gospel the three-year ministry of Jesus begins with Him cleansing the Temple courts.  In the other three gospels, however, this event is placed in the final week of His ministry, between Palm Sunday and Easter. The timing is not a major issue – in one sense it actually doesn’t really matter when Jesus did it.  It’s not about cattle and doves and money changers. It’s not even about Jesus expressing His zeal, His passion or His anger, with a whip of cords.  The event is actually about holiness and the sacred space we give to God in our lives. 

What needs throwing out of your God-space?

Holiness surrounds the Lord our God. Righteousness is the way of life that all believers should aspire to. Sacred space is just that – it is sacred; set apart, and dedicated to the work and ministries of God, and when unholy acts or events come into that sacredness, then cleansing is needed.  Let me give an example…

I had a colleague who commented to us about the heaviness they felt spiritually in their church buildings. Things just seemed to be blanketed in some way.  As we talked it come to light that a martial arts group had a regular booking in the church hall.  The group were meeting weekly and did karate and taekwondo and that sort of stuff.

Many people see those activities as just self-defence or keep-fit classes but underlying most martial art regimes are pagan understandings. Those who aspire to attain high-level ‘belts’ often invoke pagan spirits to help them achieve their high standards. Even some forms of yoga have the same pagan philosophies undergirding them.

We suggested that our friends ask the martial arts group to move and after they did so the hall was prayed through in a ‘cleansing prayer’. My friend told me that immediately the sense of heaviness changed within the church’s life and worship, becoming one of light and freedom. The Temple had been cleansed of ungodliness.

That’s just one brief example of why churches should be very careful about what activities are held in their buildings. We often talk about the church not being the building but the people, and in one sense that’s correct, but like most church buildings our complex has been prayerfully dedicated to the Lord. It is sacred space and should never be polluted by activities that may be outside Biblical standards. 

We don’t do bingo nights because of the damage gambling has on some people.  We are careful what is done with alcohol on the premises, again because of its social damage. We would not allow a Reiki healing seminar – that’s generally judged to be a New Age activity and should not be confused with the healing God brings through the Holy Spirit. We keep it tidy and clean and welcoming – just like we would for special visitors to our homes.  Even some social clubs or groups widely accepted in town may have spiritual implications. Some, like Freemasonry, have been judged by the wider church to be spiritually unsuitable for Christians to belong to and therefore Mason’s meetings should not be held in church complexes.

What needs throwing out of your God-space?

In 1st Corinthians 3:16 and again in 6:19 the Apostle Paul refers to our body as the “Temple of the Holy Spirit.”  Paul advises people to treat it as sacred space – God’s dwelling place within our humanity.   Paul said, “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 honour God with your body.”

Jesus showed zeal, passion, and righteous anger to cleanse the Temple of sinful and ungodly behaviour, and to declare that God’s house should be kept for prayer and intimacy with the Father. That being the case, what do you think Jesus would say about you – the Temple of the Holy Spirit?

What needs throwing out of your Temple…your God-space?

Do you even see yourself in that light?  Do you recognise that you are ‘sacred space’ for the Spirit of God?   And if you do, what impact does life have on your sacred space? Let me list a few things that many of us could have Jesus drive out of our ‘Temple’…

• Gossip – talking about others, sometimes in the guise of ‘sharing’…
• Swearing – not even blasphemy, but just everyday bad language.
• Films or books we watch or read.
• Judgement of others, often becoming bigotry. “Those types…”
• Critical attitudes – especially between old and young, in both directions. 
• Complacency – being a ‘comfortable Christian’ who has no desire to grow in faith or knowledge of God is actually an ungodly attitude…
• Self-centredness – it’s about me and what I want/need/desire. (This can be especially prevalent in regards to worship styles.)
• Arrogance – I know best and your opinion is inferior to mine…
• And the list goes on…

Today’s topic could be talked about for hours but I won’t take that liberty!  At the start of Lent, however, today’s suggested reading from John’s Gospel is worthy of note and of much personal reflection.  Remember it’s not about cows or goats or doves or money-changers.  It’s about holiness.  It’s about the sacred space reserved for the Lord.

• What needs cleansing in our lives? 
• What would raise the passion in Jesus when He observes us?
• What would He quietly and gently heal as we open ourselves to Him, and…
• What would He take a whip of cords to?

Does Jesus have the authority to cleanse your life? If you name Him as Lord…if you say He is the Son of God… then you have given him the authority to rule your life.

This Lent, ask Jesus to come and cleanse your temple…your sacred space… so that your holiness might be restored.  Amen             

8th March ’09

Rev Rob Tann
Unity Hill Congregation
Port Lincoln Uniting Church SA
E-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you would like to comment: