CENTRAL THOUGHT
Only a people prepared will meet the Lord.
HYMN: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POWER.
TEXT: John 2:13-17, 2 Cor 6:14-18.
INTRODUCTION
The Passover celebration took place yearly in Jerusalem. Every Jewish male was expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem during this time ( Deut.16:16). The temple area was always crowded during Passover with foreigners who needed to change their money to local currency and buy the needed animals for sacrifice. The merchants and money changers exploited the people, turned the temple to a market place and this attracted Christ righteous indignation. Purging is to make clean or free of physical, moral or spiritual impurity. In the bible, the temple being a physical place of worship where the lord chose to put his name, was highly revered, and it was forbidden to do some things or talk carelessly, and of such was seen as sacrilegious ( see John 2:20-21). Before the death of Jesus, God dwelt in the physical temple; however, the light of this topic purging the temple will involve both the church and our bodies.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
1.To know what made Jesus chase the merchants and currency changers away from the temple. 2.To know the reasons for the action of Jesus and what we can learn from this 3.To highlight the various ways evil manifest today in places of worship 4.To know who is the temple of God and the things that defile or similarly desecrates this temple. 5.To know the person responsible to exercise zeal to cleanse the temple which is you and to suggest ways we can purge ourselves of defilements.
BIBLE TRUTH
Q1. WHAT MADE JESUS CHASE AWAY THE MERCHANTS AND CURRENCY DEALERS AWAY FROM THE TEMPLE? John 2:14,16
When a thing is used for a purpose other than what it was originally meant for, an abuse may be inevitable. Jesus with a holy indignation drove out the merchants and currency dealers away from the temple because they were desecrating the temple which was meant to be a place of worship and communion with God and not a market place; their acts therefore defiled the temple. We are admonished to come before God with fear and trembling; to do otherwise is a deliberate affront on the personality of God. In Matt.21:13 we are told that Jesus replied that His Father’s house shall be called a house of prayers and not a den of thieves. Also, the people showed gross disrespect for God, were disobedient and desecrated the temple.
Q2. WHAT REASONS DID JESUS GIVE FOR HIS ACTIONS AND WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM IT? John2:16
Jesus was displeased that His Father’s house had been turned to a place pf merchandise. The lesson we stand to learn from it is that the house of God should be treated with respect and reverence. It should not be seen as a place of satisfying personal cravings, as a transaction ground where brethren these days bring their goods to sell in the church, where contacts are established, where people show off their personal prowess; rather it should be a place where God is served in spirit and in truth. If Jesus were to live in our time, He would have applied the same standard to the improper sales of commodities as seen inside our present day church. Therefore, doing the right thing at wrong time and place will not right the wrong. Due regards and reverence should be accorded to the house of God.
Q3. JESUS TOOK THE EVILS OF THE PEOPLE AS AN INSULT AGAINST GOD. HIGHLIGHT THE VARIOUS WAYS SIMILAR EVILS MANIFEAST TODAY IN PLACE OF WORSHIP.
If Jesus had lived in our time, His judgement would not have been different. In the same manner, He would have chased many out of our present day churches and even the highly populated congregations are likely to be left with a few members that earn God’s approval.
Our today church only differs from the church in John 2 by its multiplied and advanced rate of evil, which spread from the pulpit to the pew. The men of God are not exempted; they sometime perpetuate the evils in the church. It is common place to see men of God manipulate their congregation to enrich themselves, do all manner of eye services to be ordained as ministers and posted to supposedly lucrative and urban churches. Some of today’s pastors, like the false prophets of Jer 23 in search of large congregation, now gather people to themselves and not to God, they give false prophesy, use other powers to deceive people in search of miracles; all these for their personal gain and not to turn men to God. They encourage human ego worship, love to be called Papa and Mama even by those older than them, they mount large sign post/billboards with photographs of Mr. & Mrs., and maintain exalted chairs at the altar. Another prevailing evil is where the call of God is said to be upon a man, and the wife must of necessity be called while the children who are also not left out, must hold relevant and key positions in the church whether they are capable or not. They are entitled to inherit the church like a family business after the demise of their parents. This is contrary to scriptural examples where God’s call on an individual to do an assignment was personal and not a family affair. Even in the case of Moses and Aaron, God specifically enabled and chose Aaron to assist Moses.
Added is the zest to accommodate all manner of persons irrespective of their spiritual state, morals and dressing. The cliché ‘it does not matter’ that permits unholy living, crave and pursuit of wealth regardless of how one achieves it, is among the evil of our time. Others, like chewing gum, reading newspapers, making and answering phone calls, even looking for change ( lower denominations of money) for offering in church, is not proper.
The sound doctrine as enunciated by scripture is scarce, just as it is common to see members having more faith in their pastors than in God. Also, where unbelieving politicians known to have rigged elections to secure their various offices are not only accommodated to do thanksgiving in the church but also backed and supported by renowned men of God all for money they stand to gain, is an evil.
Q4A. WHO IS THE TEMPLE OF GOD IN OUR TIME? 1 Cor 3:16-17; 6:19-20
From the above passage, all born again children of God are privileged to be God’s temple in our time. It must be noted that at the death of Jesus, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, ( Mark 15:38) signifying that we have been purchased and now have access to God without an intermediary. The advent of the holy spirit upon man at Pentecost is fulfillment of God’s promise to dwell in us and not temples made with hands. (Acts 7:48). However, it should be noted that God dwells anywhere His children are gathered, see Matt 18:20 where Jesus said, where 2 or 3 are gathered together in His name there will He also be. This implies that wherever the people of God decide to meet and fellowship, God will also be there. It is not uncommon in today’s churches to see men who are known to be unbelievers but are men of means being ushered to seat at the altar; this is desecration. The church hall and altar need to be hallowed by members.
Q4B. WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT DEFILE OR SIMILARLY DESECRATE THIS TEMPLE? Mark 7:20-23, Gal. 5:19-21.
From Q4a, we have established that the believer’s body is the temple of
God. The above bible verses state practices that can defile our temples. The class is encouraged to discuss in practical terms that above as stated in the scriptural references.
Q5A. WHO THEN IS RESPONSIBLE TO EXERCISE ZEAL TO CLEANSE THIS TEMPLE? 2Cor 7:1 The above scripture is clear on the matter since the believers body is the temple of God. It, therefore lies on him/her to exercise zeal to cleanse his/her temple from all that is filthy before God. This involves purifying ourselves of everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. The believer must make a conscious effort to live right before God. In cleansing our bodies, the place of the word, prayers and the fear of God leads to holiness, must be emphasized.
Q5B. SUGGEST WAYS WE CAN KEEP OURSELVES FROM DEFILEMENTS. Ps 119:9-11 The word of God at all times is the surest way, a believer can keep him/her self from defilements. To do this, the believer must diligently and consistently study the bible, practice it and remain in the word without wavering. In addition, the believer must not forsake the assembly of the brethren. (Heb. 10:25), he/she must also be careful of the company he/she keeps, since evil Communications corrupts good manners ( 1 Cor. 15:33. Ps.1:1-2), watch the books, magazines, tapes etc. he/she exposes him/her self to.
Q5C. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PURGING THE TEMPLE OF GOD? It is only when the church is purged of the aforementioned, that it can have a right standing before God. The place of purity is the place of power both with man and God. God’s eyes are too pure to behold sin, therefore a purged vessel has the privilege to be beheld of God. God is pure and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Since God cannot dwell in unclean vessels, God therefore inhabits a purged vessel. In Prov. 15:8, 29; 28:9 scripture clearly state that God does not answer the prayers of sinners, this implies that God answers the prayers offered by a purged vessel. The benefit of being purged at all time is ours not God, such a person is blessed. There is also the internal peace; joy and satisfaction that you are pleasing to God and lastly, such a purged vessel have eternity to spend with God.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
The need for believers to keep themselves from all defilements and pursue holiness in the fear of God, cannot be over emphasized. Believers must see it as a challenge and live to ensure that they do not only keep their spirit, soul and bodies purged of all manners of sin but rise to sanitize our churches, environment and society of the evil that have seized our land. This puts the believer in a state of preparedness for the imminent return of his lord and master.
MEMORY VERSE
2Tim.2:21
“If any man therefore purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday: Jesus chased the merchants and currency dealers away from the temple. And it’s spiritual implication.
John 23:14, 16; Isa. 50:1-3, 59:11.
Tuesday: How believers should treat and relate with wrong doers. Ps 1:1-2; 1 Cor 5
Wednesday: The various evil in our place of worship.-reflect and pray!
Thursday: You are the temple of God in our time.
1 Cor 6:16-18
Friday: The things that defile the temple.
Mark 7:20-23, Gal. 5:19-21
Saturday: You are responsible to exercise zeal to cleanse the temple which is you.
2Cor 7:1.