12 The next day, as he left Bethany, Jesus was feeling hungry. 13 He noticed a leafy fig tree in the distance, so he walked over to see if there was any fruit on it, but there was none—only leaves (for it wasn’t yet the season for bearing figs). 14 Jesus spoke to the fig tree, saying, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And the disciples overheard him.
15 When they came into Jerusalem, Jesus went directly into the temple area and overturned all the tables and benches of the merchants who were doing business there. One by one he drove them all out of the temple courts, and they scattered away, including the money changers and those selling doves. 16 And he would not allow them to use the temple courts as a thoroughfare for carrying their merchandise and their furniture.
17 Then he began to teach the people, saying, “Does not the Scripture say, ‘My house will be a house of prayer for all the world to share’? But you have made it a thieves’ hangout!”
18 When the chief priests and religious scholars heard this, they began to hatch a plot as to how they could eliminate Jesus. But they feared him and his influence, because the entire crowd was carried away with astonishment by his teaching. 19 So he and his disciples spent the nights outside the city.
Terrie's Comments:
Is the church a place of prayer and God's business or do we use the time in church to serve our own needs? Are we advancing the will of God... healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, preaching the good news of hope and freedom in Jesus Christ? Are we loving Jesus as we love each other with the motive of spreading the good news and serving without selfish ambition getting in the way?
Tori's Comments:
We have become the temple of God, with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside each of us. And God flips the tables of jealousy, idolatry, love of money, etc. in our hearts because there's room for Him and only Him. God had done so much for His people and they continued to turn away from him. When Jesus cleared the temple the way He did, I'm sure it didn't stay that way. A few days later, the merchants probably returned and things went back to the state.
God has done so much for us. Christians have become the living temples. But when Jesus clears out hearts of things that keep us from Him, will we turn back to them?
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Please keep all comments respectful. We want to remember that each of us is at a different place in our walk with God. This is a place for us to share openly about what has been revealed to us as we open up Gods word and to learn from others. Please take every opportunity possible to build each other up in love :-)