THE NEW TEMPLE John 2:17-25

THE NEW TEMPLE John 2:17-25

John 2: After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. 13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 2:14 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. ieron

John 2:15 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

John 2:16 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade." How dare you turn my Fathers house into a shop Church not a megamall

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Isaiah 56:7 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

Wrath directed against traders Jesus came to remove all barriers to true worship and they prevented Gentiles from this

Matthew 21:13 13 He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers. Mark 11:17 17 "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers."

What if Jesus were to come today?

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Mark 13:1-2 Mark 13:1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" 2

And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

We are interested in the numbers

Pauline Epistles-Evangelistic strategies or call to purity? God gives the numbers

Warnings to Seven Churches of Asia Minor 7 churches of Asia MinorJesus warnings Ephesus –lost first love Pegamum –False teaching immorality Thyatira- False teaching and immorality Sardis- spiritually dead-not living up to life of Christ Laodicea- spiritual lukewarm

1. WE MUST LEARN TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT GOD IS CONCERNED WITH…….. Spiritual Purity Not about running program-how we do it Not about numbers but about people Spiritually vibrant Holy people House of prayer Integrity Example

Moral purity that is dependant on the cross not own efforts= hypocrisy

John 2:17 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

Righteous Anger 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

Personality of God

Messianic Psalm Psalm 69:7-9 7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. 9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

Malachi 3:1 And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

John 2:17 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." ---Passion for purity ---Caused his ultimate death

2.WE SHOULD BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PURITY OF OUR CHURCH

Do we have a passion for the purity of our church? Put up with slackness and laziness.. did not telephone to inform Put up with disputes Put up with dishonesty Put up with apathy Hold no one accountable

Reasons Distracts us from the real business of life Have been consumed by our passion— criticized, maligned. Pick on spouse Discouraged by certain people and their behaviour Believed the cloud of rumours..no independent verification

Jesus passion To Peter—an obvious failure Feed my sheep---build them guard them Jesus prayer John 17:17 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

John 2: So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20 The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days

?" 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Function of Temple Center of Man’s interaction with God Sacrificial system Prayer Worship

We are the body of Christ 1 Corinthians 3: Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Not based on a building but on a person Not confined to a building…early christians met in homes…Romans unsure..no idols…cross? Not just a Sunday..religious behaviour every day Not just a priest –we are the royal priesthood …we deal directly with God through Christ Presence of Holy Spirit-ezekiel

CHALLENGE OF THE NEW TEMPLE- FIRST CLASS FAITH

2 nd class faith 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

2 nd class faith 23 many believed…(had faith or trust )in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself (have faith in them) to them, because he knew all people

SECOND CLASS FAITH Shallow faith based on miracles Not a basis for belief Thomas type “seeing is believing” Based on what I can get out of it. Not worthy of Jesus trust

Church of Sardis Revelation 3:1 You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Necropolis

FIRST CLASS FAITH True faith is in response to the person of Jesus –who He is..God Truth faith based in His Word -When Jesus trusts you Transformational faith- Moral purity

JESUS IS HERE TODAY Does He see Spiritual Purity? Does He see Passion? Does He see True Faith..He can trust?

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