2024 Lent 3 - Sermon with video recording
Jesus is about His Father’s Business
O Lord my God, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, my rock and my redeemer. Amen.
The first time Jesus was in the temple was when he was an infant. Joseph and Mary followed the Lord’s law and presented Jesus, as the first born, to the Lord and offered the appropriate sacrifice in thanksgiving. The gospel of Luke tells us in 2:41 that “his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.” At the age of twelve, Jesus asserts his independence and declares his growing awareness that he is the Son of God. Jesus and his parents must have traveled with a group, because at the conclusion of the first day of the trip, Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was no longer with them. When they finally found Jesus in the Temple sitting amongst the teachers, Jesus says to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my father’s house?” (Luke 2:49)
The incident we read from John 2 is recorded in all four gospels. Jesus is in the temple because of the Passover feast. A similar incident where Jesus with righteous indignation disrupts the sale of sacrificial animals and turns over the tables of those exchanging Roman currency for Temple money for their tithe to God, happens in Matthew 21, Mark 11, and Luke 19. The only real distinction that can be made here is that the incident in John 2 happens near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, while the other gospels indicate that it happened toward the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. The two separate times makes me wonder if Jesus disrupted business in the temple more than once.
One thing that ties all his temple appearances together is that he is always in the temple because he is attending his father’s business. Even as an infant, his appearance in the temple created some excitement. In the simple act of fulfilling the sacred Law’s requirements, an opportunity for proclamation presents itself. Simeon holds the baby Jesus and moved by the Spirit announces the world-wide impact that Jesus will have. “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
We regularly sing those words, the Nunc Dimittis, after we receive our Lord in Word and Sacrament. For Jesus is very much alive and well, in this temple, this place of worship. Even now, he is here with us, conducting his Father’s business: declaring God’s love to us, conferring upon us His forgiveness and His righteousness, won for us through the cross.
It is no accident of calendar that Jesus cleanses the temple near the time of the seven-day Passover feast. Nor is it an accident of calendar that Jesus will institute the Lord’s Supper on the night when the Passover meal is celebrated. And, that Jesus would die on the cross during the Passover celebration. Jesus is our Passover lamb. Jesus is the final and complete sacrificial lamb that our heavenly father will accept on behalf of sins. On account of Jesus’ sacrifice, and by faith we receive this, the father’s wrath for our sins, pass over us. Instead of judgment, we receive forgiveness.
The Passover feast commemorates the great contest between the LORD God, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible, and the Egyptian king, who as Pharoah is considered a divine being. The Egyptians were subjected to nine horrible plagues. After each plague, Pharoah hardened his heart and would not let Israel go. Finally, after the tenth plague, the death of the eldest son in each family whose doorposts were not covered by the blood of the lamb, holding his own dead son, Pharoah relents. Israel is set free.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem and then into the temple, he is confronted each time by sinful practices. A new pharaoh has arisen. This time within God’s own house. The Pharoah is now greed. What started out as a necessary service has morphed into a business racket.
The problem is this. The law requires certain kinds of animals to be sacrificed for specific days, events, and situations. The vast number of people coming to the Temple travel some distance. It just is not feasible to bring your sacrificial animal with you, so animals are kept on site for purchase when you get there. Fees are attached to this service. The Lord demands that the sacrifice not have any blemishes. There are fees related to the inspectors that the temple hires to make sure that the sacrifice meets the Law’s criteria. Then we remember that in this culture, one does not accept a stated price, one barters. Bartering often includes insults and shouting. Well, the text does not say so, but other sources indicate that there was price inflation and various forms of cheating going on. All of this for the sacrifice for atonement for sins, for thanksgiving, for whatever the situation may be. So, as one approaches a holy moment, one must enter the grime of corruption, whether you recognize it or not.
Another problem is the money that is used. One deposits the tithe into the temple. Well, because Roman coins have an image of the Emperor, and it is pagan money, one must get it exchanged for temple money. Well, there is a fee for that too. That fee could border on abusive. So, one’s financial gift to the LORD is also tainted. All because of greed.
The historian Josephus has commented that this particular racket was run by the sons of the High Priest of the temple. So, it is as if Jesus is back in the time of Eli and his scoundrel sons.
Greed, corruption, abuse of the faith and the faithful. This is what Jesus sees. Mind you, this is during the Passover festival season. The faithful from all over the empire will come to be part of the feasts. The cynical and greedy see this is an opportunity to make more money. This blatant expression of sin and its implicit endorsement by religious leaders brings about a righteous anger from Jesus. Hence, the need to cleanse the temple. I rather like how the King James Version has Jesus say it, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise.” Indeed.
Jesus did disrupt the money flow and cast a godly suspicion on these enterprising men. Anger ensued and they demanded a sign to explain his outrageous behavior. Jesus warns them with words that they do not grasp. Only after the resurrection, will the disciples and those who have faith in Jesus as the Christ understand that Jesus was talking about his body. His body is the temple. After three days, he will rise again. The faith in the temple is misplaced. Faith in one’s actions, such as offering a sacrifice, is misplaced. Faith ought to be in God. Jesus is the visible, tangible, presence of God on earth as God’s own Son. After the resurrection, the Holy Spirit will work faith in people of every nation, Jew and Gentile, to have faith in Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Our worship is directed to Him, the building we are in is incidental.
When the outraged merchants demand a sign from Jesus, they are really asking “by what authority do you do these things?” Once again, it is important that this is happening during the Passover season. The Passover commemorates and celebrates Israel liberation from Pharoah and Egypt. The LORD God is more powerful than Pharoah. The story is told every year about how God sent Moses to lead Israel into the promised Land. The dramatic departure from Egypt then becomes the authoritative action of God that God regularly refers back to. You listen to me! I am the one who brought you out of slavery! You obey me! I am the one who gave you life!
We heard the LORD do this when He gave the Ten Commandments. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”
Without realizing it, spiritual slavery has come upon the land of Israel. Religious leaders and others have slipped into sin and don’t realize it. They have the lust for money as their god now. It is guiding all their decisions about how the Temple should be run. And, it is adversely affecting the faithful who are coming to worship. So, what difference then is there between the market in town and the maximizing of profit that is on full display in the temple area? The only difference is that the sellers and the money changers are conducting business in the name of the LORD. In doing so, they are affectively taking the name of the LORD in vain when they lie and cheat and, quite frankly, steal.
The loud voice of the Father and the Son speak in unison, remember who brought you out of the land of slavery, have no other gods before me. Jesus speaks with the authority of the Father. He was there at the Exodus. He is here now to lead people out of bondage once again. With his body, he will lead them out as the paschal lamb, whole and without blemish, not even the blemish of sin. He will die for us so that we can live with the gift of forgiveness and the hope of everlasting life in the Promised Land of heaven.
Through the Word of God, we are reminded of how easily any of us can and do slip into sinful thinking and behavior. Recognizing this, we repent of our sins, we cast our hope upon Jesus, and his sacrificial death on the cross. In faith, we are joined with his promise of resurrection life.
…The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment