12/15/11- The Messiah to be Concerned for the Temple

12/15- Day 19- Light the first 3 candles (the third is the pink/joy candle).
 The Messiah shall be concerned with the purity of His Temple Psalm 69:9; John 2:15,16

⁹ for zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(Psalm 69:9)

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!” (John 2:15-16)

Jesus chasing the Moneychangers out of the Temple John 2:15,16- Raymond Balze)

Thoughts: Jesus was not simply and just a nice guy.  He also was concerned with putting things right.  The people were weighed down by laws, and bribes.  They had the appearance of law but it was wrong-headed.  They were legalistic about little things but were not getting their hearts right with God.  Jesus was concerned with the Temple as the House of God.  He taught there, His disciples gathered there.  He was concerned that the house of prayer not be turned into a den of thieves.  We too should be concerned that the church be pure and holy for it is the Holy One’s church. 

Prayer: This advent, make me holy.  Give me a concern and a desire to pursue holiness and purity in the way I speak, think, and act toward you and others, Lord.