Jonah Albrecht

3rd Sunday in Lent

March 3rd 2024

John 2:13-22

No Such Thing As Easy Worship

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

In the name of Him who has cleansed the temple of our hearts, dear fellow redeemed:

In 1989, a government investigation discovered that some truckers were hauling garbage in the same refrigerated trucks that were used to transport food. Part of the problem was that trucks making long trips could not afford to return empty.

According to the truckers, some considered garbage a dream commodity. They were paid to transport something that couldn’t be damaged. During congressional hearings, a food science professor likened the problem to serving potato salad from a cat’s litter box.

This “pollution for profit” scandal is nothing compared to the one in our text for this morning. Jesus drives out the money-changers and profiteers who had desecrated God’s temple by their immoral practices. The money-changers actually provided a very necessary service to the Jews, especially those who were traveling from around the Roman Empire. Every male Jew over 20 had to provide a temple tax when they came for the Passover. However, not any coin would do. They temple only accepted certain types of money and the money-changers were there to exchange the foreign currency for the acceptable one.

Imagine trying to pay for new tabs for your car with Pesos or Euros. You would not get very far. This is how it was for the Jews paying their temple tax. Likewise, those selling oxen and sheep and pigeons were providing a convenient service. Try walking a sheep from here to Tacoma (or from Tacoma to Lynwood), then come to find out that it is not acceptable for a sacrifice because it doesn’t meet the right criteria. That would be a frustrating and expensive mistake. Instead, Jews were able to purchase their animals for sacrifice right there in Jerusalem. Animals that had already been inspected and cleared by the priests. Quite convenient.

So, what was the problem? Why did Jesus fly off the handle, righteously, at these people providing this service? It was because of where they were doing their business and how they were doing their business. “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” They had set up their business in the court of the Gentiles in the temple. Rather than being a place dedicated to worship, it became a place of shouting, bargaining, and trading. Either they did not care about the Gentiles who came to worship, or they saw them as victims of whom they could overcharge for their services.

What these money-changers and salesmen were doing was making worship made easy. A pastor quipped, “This was “Worship made easy” at its finest! “Drive up, grab a sacrifice, do some worship, we’ll get you home before the game!” It perfectly summarizes what the worship in the temple had become. This is not new to the children of Israel. Throughout their whole history they have forsaken the right worship of God. They sacrificed to false gods in God’s temple. Traders would cheat their fellow countrymen and charge them more and give them less. What they were doing in Jesus’ day had the appearance of right worship, but it was far from it. It was a business, it was a mockery of God, and it brought the righteous anger of God upon them.

And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

With a holy zeal the Lord cleared the temple. What the leaders and the people had failed to do, Jesus did by Himself. It was no miracle, but simply driven by His love for God and anger over the abuses occurring, Jesus restored the temple to what it was supposed to be. A house of worship.

What do you think Jesus would do if He were to sneak in the back of our worship this morning? I don’t think He would have to pour out money from a cash register or chase out coffee salesmen in the entryway. But would He still clean house? To us, our worship service is pretty standard, straightforward and focused. That is not what God looks at. the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” What would the Lord see when He looks into your heart? Will He see some money-changing? Thoughts wandering from what is being heard or sung to what will be on the lunch menu this week? What problems do I have to deal with at work or at home? How much should I write out on my check this week?

If we are being honest, the answer is yes. We do often let outside distractions avert our hearts and minds from the worship of our Heavenly Father. We treat church as an obligation to fulfill each week, appearances to uphold, rather than honoring the Sabbath day and receiving from God the nourishment for our souls. In other words, worship made easy. It doesn’t matter if it is outward things in the narthex that take away from our worship, or if it is internal distractions. Each earns the reward to have the Lord clean house.

When Jesus cleansed the temple, He did it thoroughly. He was not satisfied with just the animals leaving, or just dumping out the money of the money-changers. He rid the temple of all of it because even one thing left over would have polluted the temple. The same is true with our souls. It is not enough for us to say, “Well, I’ll get rid of the obvious sins in my life, but I think it is okay to keep the minor ones.” James reminds us, If anyone were to keep the whole law, and yet stumble at one point, he is guilty of all of it. One little sin is enough to condemn us and nothing but a complete cleansing can save us.

This is not the only time Jesus cleanses the temple. Two years later, He comes back for the Passover and the same abuses are occurring once again. But here too, the Lord did not hold back. He did not say, “Well, I tried.” He cleansed the temple again, completely. Jesus had no acceptance for worship made easy. To Him, it didn’t exist. Because He is the one who makes it possible for anyone to worship God in spirit and in truth. So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

When the Jews asked for a sign, they wanted to know what authority Jesus had to run out the money-changers and animals. Jesus’ answer is simply: Because of what I am here to do. Not once did Jesus choose the easy road. He always took the impossible path when it comes to honoring God. Living a perfect life under the Law of God? Jesus chose that path and did it. Never use His deity to make His journey on earth easier or of a better advantage to Himself? Jesus chose that path and did it. Endure one of the worst forms of execution known to man? Be cursed by His own Father with the sins of people who rejected Him and spit upon Him? Give up His life so that selfish, abhorrent human beings can approach the throne of God freely? Jesus chose that path.

If you were asked to die in the place of your best friend, would you? Now how about someone who hates you with every fiber of their being and continually drags you through the mud? A bit harder of a decision? No, an easy one: Every one of us would answer, “Forget that person, let them die!” That is taking the easy road and that is what every one of us deserves to have Jesus say about us. But that is not the road Jesus took. He said, “The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” Jesus came for you and me. He endured hardship, persecution, rejection, and abandonment so that your sins could be forgiven.

Jesus’ blood replaces the money-changing in your heart with His cross. The cross that reminds us daily of the death He died so that we might have life and be able to worship God in spirit and in truth. More than that, He also rose from the dead just like He said in our text this morning. He, the very source of true worship of God took the abuse of God’s temple, our sin, upon His body and destroyed it. Perfection took on your sin and mine and overcame it. He rebuilt the temple in perfect holiness and righteousness. This is the temple that you and I dwell in by faith in our Savior.

As imperfect human beings, it will evermore be a struggle to not let the money-changing occur in our hearts. We are constantly in danger of seeking after worship made easy. When it does happen, do not run away, do not let it sit there and fester. Bring your thoughts, distractions, concerns, problems, or whatever it might be to the cross. Lay them before your Savior who has washed you clean by His blood and continues to promise grace and forgiveness to all who are gathered in His name. Amen.