David Bahn – Reflections

“The children of Israel liked their tent, and later their temple.” The comment from a friend and colleague last night was part of a brief conversation about our new building project at St. John. It was a friendly reminder on his part that while a building is nice, the kingdom of God is not about buildings per se. The kingdom of God is about the King’s reign in the hearts of people.

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday he visited the temple first, and discovering the abuses there, drove out the money-changers, reminding them of the true purpose of God’s temple: It was to be a house of prayer. Sadly – scandalously! they had made it a den of thieves.

Sadly, the very reason for their sales and money exchanges was ostensibly to aid the worship of those who came to the temple. They exchanged money that could then be used for the temple offerings. They provided animals that would automatically be acceptable for sacrifice. The requirements that had been set up for the orderly administration of the temple sacrifices were able to be filled by purchasing the money or the sacrificial lamb from the officially licensed merchants in the temple!

Jesus pushes right past that foolishness for two reasons. First of all He is the perfect sacrifice and offering of God for the sins of the world and the means by which we are able to pray to God with confidence. Secondly, his heart was for the people who realized their need for God’s help and salvation. He wanted nothing to stand in the way of peoples’ access to God.

And so too, today. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Nothing must get in the way of peoples’ access to his throne of grace. The cornerstone of our new building will read, “My house will be a house of prayer for all nations.” It will cite the original source of the quote in Isaiah 56.

We’ll have a book store in the new building, but nothing that will be required for worship and prayer will be sold there. And if you need a Bible or book that will help you in your walk of faithful discipleship, and can’t afford it: we’ll give it to you! The Savior has come. The sacrifice has been paid. The way to God’s throne of grace has been opened. Let nothing stand between you and God.

Matthew 21:12-13

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”