Jesus Cleaned House

What Did Jesus Do?

...he drove them all out of the temple,
John 2.15

I have to admit the irony, as I sit at my computer and write about Jesus cleaning house at the outset of his ministry, I survey a desk top and office desperately in need of being cleaned up and organized. It's not that I like a mess, but paper just seems to accumulate no matter how many times I shred it and tear it and deposit it in the trash. I've got piles on my desk, piles on top of file cabinets, piles on top of chairs, piles spilling off of bookshelves. Though I'll get it all cleaned up, organized, and filed away one of these days, I have no doubt that it won't belong before I have piles again, if you'll excuse the expression. It's part of my fallen condition.

When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover, and surveyed the awful mess that had been made of the temple he wasted no time in getting it cleaned up and cleaned out (see John 2.13-22). John doesn't exactly tell us that Jesus lost his temper, but I have to believe that the zeal (v. 17) exhibited by the Lord included no little righteous indignation over what had been made of his Father's house of prayer.

Having mentioned irony at the top of this piece, it was ironic that the Jews came to Jesus, quite indignant themselves, demanding that the Lord produce some sign to authorize his drastic house cleaning. Hello! The house cleaning was your sign. Who else besides the Messiah did they think would take such personal offense at the state of the temple? Who else but the Christ would refer to the temple as “my Father's house.” (v. 16) Where else to begin the work of ministry but in the home, so to speak?

Now, Jesus did oblige the Jew's request for a sign, though they misunderstood him. In effect, Jesus replied to the blind fools who did not recognized what was right in front of them by saying, “You want a sign? All right, I'll give you a sign. Destroy THIS temple,” referring to himself, “and in three days I will raise it up!” Again missing completely what was happening and what was being said, and who would so act and speak, the Jews derisively dismissed Jesus (v. 20). People who do not get it/him still dismiss Jesus. People who do not get it/him still make a mess of the Father's house. I need to briefly reflect on two important levels of looking at this issue.

There are some folks today who are trading, and quite profitably, in the Father's house. There are ministers and ministries that, while not selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, will sell you just about anything else. Of course, most times they try to soften their mercantilism by calling our purchases “donations,” but make no mistake, many of them are out to make a dollar, actually millions of dollars, by trading on the name of Jesus. None of this is to take away from the legitimate expenses of the honest work of ministry. But there is a difference between keeping up with what is necessary to run God's household, and supporting one's own lavish living by being a latter day money-changer.

What needs to be of even greater concern to all of us than the actions of profiteering preachers is the state of an altogether different temple, a temple where, according to the New Testament, the Holy Spirit resides. Even as Jesus referred to his body as a temple, so too should believers understand that God would take up residence, so to speak, within our heart through the Holy Spirit, whom we receive by faith in Jesus Christ the Son. This is not to say that our life, our “house” if you will, must be spotless and in perfect order to receive Christ. If that were true none of us would ever have a hope. But once coming to faith in the Son we should realize that the Father sends the Holy Spirit to do an “extreme makeover” of us, from the inside out, cleaning up the house where he has chosen to abide for eternity.

As Spring, and Lent, approach, it might be a good idea for each one of us to take a good look at the state of our “house.” Is a good cleaning needed? If so, don't call the Merry Maids, call on Jesus. You see, Jesus cleaned house. And he still does.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4