Easter: "It is Finished" Was Just the BeginningSample

Day Two

A Heart of Zeal: A House of Prayer

The word zeal isn’t one you hear very often. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to hear it come up in everyday conversation. The dictionary defines zeal as “great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.” Some related words include passion, vigor, intensity, devotion, fervor, and fire.

As Jesus’ final week continued, His issues with the established religious order escalated, starting when He rode into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday. As the people were shouting praises and laying down palm branches, the indignant Pharisees said, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples. But He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out’” (Luke 19:39–40 NKJV). Things heated up more the following day, as Jesus walked into His Father’s house and saw those He referred to as “robbers,” taking advantage of God’s people. He disrupted the business of religion and, in doing so, drew the anger of the religious leaders who had already decided to have Jesus killed. 

Naturally, Jesus—being zealous for God’s house and God’s children—took action. Jesus would not stand for such abuse upon those who sought to be closer to God. These were men and women coming to the temple in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, and they were being taken advantage of. In that moment, He showed Himself once again to be the voice of the voiceless and the defender of the defenseless. He caused a scene, ruffled some feathers, and no doubt stirred hearts. His righteous anger led to a holy and teachable moment.

Later, we see His disciples preaching and demonstrating the same fire as Jesus. By the time we arrive at Acts 4, Peter and John had been making waves in the temple, healing a lame man and proclaiming the message of Jesus and His resurrection boldly. They, like their Master, disrupted the religious order, the temple. Not for the sake of dissention, but to set those held captive by an unreachable religious standard free, to receive the grace of God that comes by faith in Christ.

What are you zealous for? Where does your passion and devotion lie? For Jesus and His disciples, it was all about serving the lost and broken, bringing hope and freedom to all who would receive it. As Christ followers, our zeal should be for God’s temple, because you are His temple. Your neighbor is His temple. Your enemy is His temple! Ask God to show you how you can clear your temple so that the Spirit may fill it!

For the Kids

Yesterday, we read about Jesus coming into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. When He arrived, He found men at the temple, called religious leaders, taking advantage of others. These men didn’t like Jesus and what He stood for—they didn’t believe He was the Savior of the world. They picked on and stole money from the people that were coming to the temple to worship God.

When Jesus saw this, He got mad and took a stand. He stood up and defended those who were being picked on by the religious leaders. Have you ever stood up for someone when they were being picked on? Jesus wasn’t afraid to stand up for what was right because He loves us and doesn’t want to see us hurt, and He asks us to do the same for others.

Reflecting on the Promise

In Matthew 21:12–13, Jesus fulfilled three prophetic words when He showed passion for God’s house (Psalm 69:9) and cleansed the temple of crooks (Jeremiah 7:11) so that it could once again be a place of prayer (Isaiah 56:7). The cleansing of the temple by Jesus allowed the presence of God once more to fill the temple. The cleansing of our heart by Jesus’ blood allows God’s Spirit to fill us.

Today, spend time reflecting on what it means to have God’s Spirit within you.