Jesus Is LifeSample

A House of Worship

In today’s reading in John, we get to see a side of Jesus that may surprise you.

Instead of following God’s command to offer pure, spotless lambs raised from their own flocks (Exodus 12:5), people traveling to Jerusalem conveniently purchased animals from the temple. Basically, people turned the temple into a marketplace, and as we’ll see in today’s reading, Jesus got righteously angry about it.

Why do you think that is? When Jesus arrived at the temple, what was He hoping to see?

Jesus was probably expecting to see passion, praise, and prayer in his Father’s house. Instead, He saw that God’s people had turned it into a marketplace of convenience and corruption. We see His reaction in John 2:13-17 was to drive out this behavior and even tell the people to destroy the temple because zeal for God’s house consumed Jesus.

This is key. The word zeal in Greek has the idea of “a boiling over of passion.”

Now consider this: In 1 Corinthians 6:19, it tells us our bodies are now God’s temples because when we follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives in us. (By the way, the word temple simply means the place where God’s presence resides.)

The Spirit of God lives in you! He is jealous for your whole heart. His love for you is fierce. You are His living sanctuary, made in His glorious image. Live your life as a temple of zealous worship, praise, and prayer!

Consider:

Why do you think Jesus felt so strongly about the people’s makeshift market in the temple courtyard?

In view of God’s desire for His temple (that’s you, if you believe in Jesus), what do you think He desires your worship to look like?

In which areas of your life have you allowed convenience to take priority over a true heart of worship?

Prayer:

Holy Father, I am in awe that You are jealous for my heart and worship. Your love is beyond compare! I commit to follow Your ways completely, not halfway or halfheartedly. I choose to depend on and talk to You continually! May all I do, say, think, pray, and feel come from my love and worship of You!

*Today, consider reading over and reflecting on your Jesus Is … journal.