31 Oct What Is The Condition Of My Temple?
Pastor Vincent - 17 October 2013
Beware Of The Influence Of Sin
Man often understand sin loosely. To many, sin is committing adultery, telling lies, taking drugs, murdering and more.. But sin is more than just the action of committing the wrong doings, it is the spiritual problem inside man that slowly creeps into us, without us knowing, that drives us away from the truth of God. It takes away our wanting to approach God fearlessly and stripping away our desire to come to Him. Sin is Satan's strongest weapon against evangelism. Because the moment you separate from the love of God, you lose the conviction in testifying for God. As a result, the world attracts you for it fulfills the desires inside you; the word gives you pressure and make you feel accused, for you know the truth but you cannot do it. Slowly, we are captured by fear than love. One day, we even lose the ability to love self and others. In fact, the most frightening thing in this world is not sinning but the unconsciousness of sins. It is through regeneration in Christ (born again) that one comes to realize the depth of our sins and the immense power of the finished work on the cross. If you want to overcome sin, you have to become a new person, born again in Christ. With a new life, there will be birth of new desire - and that is to seek God always and pursue Holy Living. Come to Lord and tell Him about your sins. Taste the sweetness of repentance today and leave Satan with no room in your heart to accuse you and toy your emotions. For Satan drives you away from God using the sins, God is still loving you and waiting for you to return, just like the prodigal son. Those forgiven much, love much. A person who has tasted the immense depth of God's love will hate sins and yearn to be in sync with God and testify for Him.
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<John 2:13-17>.
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
- Jesus’ most controversial teachings and activities are found in the temple of Jerusalem.
- The temple is the very center of the whole Jewish nation, representing God’s presence and fellowship with His people.
- Yet, all the activities in the temple now was far from God’s heartbeat.
- Religion surrounding the temple has been externalized.
- Believers lost connection with God.
- Jesus saw the temple in spiritual ruins.
- Greed and hypocrisy filled the temple.
<Jn 2:15-16>:
15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
- Radical, yet miraculous action by Jesus
- No one stops Jesus amazingly.
- The hearts of men were chastened.
- Our Lord Jesus showed His lordship.
- He sees through the condition of everyone’s heart.
- Jesus was made Lord of every situation.
Why is the Lord so concerned with the purity of the temple?
* The temple symbolizes our Soul
* Our Souls are temples in which Christ came to dwell.
* <Jn 14:20-21,23>: 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”… 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
* <2 Cor 6:16>: …For we are the temple of the living God.
* <Eph 3:16-17>: 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…
What is the condition of my temple?
* Saying of the old Puritan – The condition of man’s fall is likened to an old castle in ruins.
* Consider the condition of present believers and church.
* <Jer 17:10>: He is the Lord who searches the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
* Important consideration: Are we misusing or misappropriating the things of God?
1) Abusing and misusing biblical doctrines?
2) Misusing the sacred meetings of the church?
Things to bear in mind about Jesus cleansing His temple.
1) Jesus’ Lordship
* He claims: “My Father’s house”.
* Serious deviation of modern times evangelists.
* <Php 2:9-11>:
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2) Jesus examines everything in His temple
* <Ps 51:6>: Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being…
* <Ps 66:18>: If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
* <Ps 34:12-13>: Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.
* <Ps 139:7-8>: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there”.
3) Jesus hates unclean things and will not dwell side by side with them at his house
* <Rev 1:14> Eyes like flaming fire
* <2 Ti 4:1> Coming to judge the living and the dead
* <Mt 6:24> No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money”.
* <Mt 6:21> For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
* <2 Cor 6:14>: Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. What harmony is there between Christ and Belial (or the devil)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
Two Critical Activities
1) The Lord Jesus Activity – Cleansing our temple
* He is whipping and scourging, and driving away the unclean things in our temple.
* <Heb 12:6> the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.
2) Our Activity – Our response to Christ
* <Rev 3:20>: The Lord Jesus said: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me”.
* <Eze 37:27>: My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people.
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