Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
3
March
8,
2015
Akron
John
2:13-25
Gerland Klein
HE
Knows
Goal:
That
the
hearers
reect
that,
just
as
Jesus
cleansed
his
Fathers
house,
we
too
need
our
hearts
and
minds
cleansed
by
the
sacrice
of
the
one
who
knows
all
people.
Grace,
mercy
and
peace
to
you
from
God,
our
Father,
and
from
our
cleansing
Lord
and
Savior,
Jesus
Christ.
Dear
friends,
As
we
proceed
through
the
season
of
Lent,
the
purpose,
reason,
and
need
for
Christs
coming
Passion
for
mankind
becomes
more
evident.
The
readings
for
today
help
us
to
more
clearly
see
this.
In
the
Old
Testament
reading,
the
Law
is
given
to
us
through
Moses,
in
the
Ten
Commandments.
The
Law
points
out
our
failures
toward
God
and
those
around
us.
The
Epistle
reading
points
out
our
desperaXon
in
trying
to
nd
a
way
out
using
our
own
wisdom.
And
our
Gospel
lesson
points
us
to
the
One
that
is
sent
to
cleanse
us
from
the
corrupXon
of
sin.
That
Gospel
lesson,
read
a
few
moments
ago,
will
be
text
for
our
message
this
morningplus
the
next
three
verses,
John
2:23-25,
Now
when
he
was
in
Jerusalem
at
the
Passover
Feast,
many
believed
in
his
name
when
they
saw
the
signs
that
he
was
doing.
But
Jesus
on
his
part
did
not
entrust
himself
to
them,
because
he
knew
all
people
and
needed
no
one
to
bear
witness
about
man,
for
he
himself
knew
what
was
in
man.
These
will
be
our
focus
verses.
In
our
changing
seasons,
March
1st
is
usually
viewed
as
the
turning
point
from
winter
to
spring.
Although
we
were
sXll
in
winter
the
rst
of
the
week,
the
last
couple
of
days
have
been
more
springlike.
On
our
place,
we
look
forward
to
the
middle
of
March
and
we
sense
spring
when
the
cows
start
to
calve.
My
brother
and
I
run
our
herds
together
this
Xme
of
year
and
we
enjoy
the
miracle
of
birth
and
giving
the
a]enXon
to
the
tasks
at
hand.
We
dont
pretend
to
be
the
best
cowboys,
but
we
do
give
careful
a]enXon
to
watching
the
herd
and
idenXfying
all
of
the
newborns
with
eartags
and
record
keeping
so
that
we
can
more
easily
sort
and
manage
the
herd
as
we
move
to
our
dierent
pastures
and
progress
through
the
year.
By
the
end
of
the
spring,
we
know
them
all.
Much
more
than
we
know
our
ca]le,
our
text
in
v.
24
states
that
Jesus
knows
all
people.
Lets
take
a
look
in
the
lesson
for
today.
Todays
text
is
in
the
early
stages
of
Jesus
earthly
ministry.
Its
Xme
for
the
annual
Passover
celebraXon,
so
as
a
faithful
Jew,
Jesus
goes
to
Jerusalem
as
required.
But,
when
he
went
to
the
temple,
he
was
disgusted
by
what
he
found.
The
temple
courtyard
had
been
turned
into
a
marketplace!
Merchants
have
set
up
shops
selling
pigeons,
oxen,
and
sheep
to
the
faithful
who
had
come
to
Jerusalem
from
far-o
lands.
Money-changers
were
also
there,
changing
foreign
currency
into
local
money,
again,
so
the
faithful
could
pay
the
temple
tax
of
one-half
shekel.
To
have
these
things
available
to
the
foreign
worshipers
wasnt
bad,
because
the
worship
of
God
demanded
the
people
bring
sacrices
in
proporXon
to
their
wealth.
And
it
was
totally
impracXcal,
if
not
impossible,
for
someone
who
had
to
come
a
long
distance
to
bring
their
own
sacricial
animal.
There
needed
to
be
some
way
for
those
things
to
be
acquired
in
Jerusalem.
In
the
Old
Testament,
God
had
even
given
instrucXons
for
this
kind
of
arrangement.
The
problem
was
that
the
sellers
had
set
up
shop
right
in
the
temple
itself,
in
what
is
known
as
the
court
of
the
GenXles.
It
probably
had
a
county
fair-like
atmosphere.
The
people
had
turned
the
house
of
God
into
a
sXnking
spectacle.
Think
of
it!
The
worshipers,
as
they
passed
through
the
courtyard
on
their
way
into
the
temple,
were
probably
more
focused
on
bargaining
over
the
cost
of
the
animals
or
bickering
over
the
exchange
rate
for
their
foreign
money,
than
they
were
on
singing
entrance
psalms
and
preparing
their
hearts
for
the
worship
of
the
Most
High
God.
What
a
disgrace!
There
was
no
problem
recognizing
how
guilty
everyone
involved
in
this
trading
was.
As
Jesus
came
into
the
temple,
these
traders
were
right
out
in
the
open
for
all
to
see.
Jesus,
incorrectly
thought
by
some
to
be
weak
and
sodwell,
Jesus
shows
himself
to
be
a
man
of
strength
and
acXon.
He
personally,
and
by
himself,
took
on
the
whole
bunch
of
themtaking
cords
and
using
them
as
a
whip,
drove
the
animals
and
the
merchants
out
of
the
temple.
And
we
assume
from
this
account
that
not
one
of
the
merchants
even
dared
to
stand
up
to
him.
The
disciples
immediately
remembered
that
is
was
wri]en,
Zeal
for
your
house
will
consume
me.
(Ps.69:9)We
have
Old
Testament
prophecy
fullled.
Signicantly,
that
same
psalm
predicted
some
of
the
rejecXon
and
suering
that
lay
ahead
for
Christ.
For
now,
it
gave
the
disciples
another
sign
that
Jesus
was
the
Christ,
and
maybe
it
led
some
fear
of
what
was
to
come.
So,
we
hear
this
story
and
say,
Good,
good
for
you
Jesus!
You
saw
those
insiders
from
the
temple
hierarchy,
busted
them
and
kicked
them
out
in
short
order.
Good
for
you!
Theres
no
doubt
that
this
spectacle
of
people
and
droves
of
animals
being
sold
within
the
temple
of
God
was
bad,
but
Jesus
was
seeing
even
more.
He
looked
into
the
peoples
hearts.
He
saw
through
their
intenXons,
their
hiding
behind
Gods
instrucXons
in
order
to
make
a
fast
buck.
As
bad
as
the
scene
had
to
bethe
spiritual
stench
of
the
placelust
for
money
at
Gods
expensewas
worse!
And
how
can
we
know
that?
John
tells
us,
because
he
knew
all
people
v.24.
Jesus
knew
their
hearts
and
saw
them
for
what
they
weresinners
through
and
through,
more
interested
in
making
a
few
shekels
than
in
honoring
Gods
house.
Consider
again
the
words
before
us,
He
knew
all
peoplefor
he
himself
knew
what
was
in
man.
The
Lord
Jesus
knows
all
and
sees
all.
And,
just
as
he
knew
the
hearts
of
the
money-changers
and
animal
purveyors,
he
knows
your
heart
and
my
heart
as
well!
He
sees
our
weak
faith,
our
ckle
faith,
our
misapplied
faith.
He
sees
the
reservaXons
about
our
trust
in
Him
and
our
misdirected
expectaXons.
He
is
able
to
rightly
judge
our
inner
depths
and
what
is
found
theretrue
faith
or
a
passing
fantasy.
He
sees
our
real
amtude
toward
those
Ten
Commandments
we
heard
in
the
Old
Testament
reading
for
this
day.
Although,
you
might
not
be
caught
bowing
down
to
a
carved
image,
he
sees
your
amtude
toward
a
whole
host
of
other
things
you
allow
to
be
foremost
in
your
life
from
Xme
to
Xmeperhaps
including
your
work,
your
money,
your
family,
your
vacaXons,
your
sports.!
He
sees
your
amtude
toward
sins
of
the
esh,
toward
other
peoples
property,
toward
speaking
well
of
your
neighbor.!
Oh,
yes,
he
sees
it
all!
Just
like
the
temple
merchants,
we
rightly
deserve
to
have
Jesus
take
a
whip
and
drive
us
out
of
his
presence
forever!
A
commentator
describes
this
as
he
writes,
The
uncleanness
in
the
temple
portrayed
the
corrupXon
of
the
people
and
was
an
image
of
the
impurity
in
their
hearts.
The
condiXons
exisXng
in
the
temple
are
therefore
a
tesXmony
against
the
people.
Jesus
blows
with
the
whip
struck
at
their
hearts.
And
the
cleansing
is
a
picture
of
what
must
occur
with
the
people
to
make
it
a
holy
naXon
acceptable
to
God.
And
what
is
more,
this
must
be
made
to
apply
to
the
individual.
The
house
of
the
heart
must
be
cleansed
if
it
is
to
be
the
temple
of
God.
(Ylvisaker,138-9)
Yes,
dear
friends,
we
too
have
a
spiritual
stench
in
the
house
of
our
heart.
Indeed,
we
are
in
need
of
a
cleansing.
During
this
holy
season
of
Lent,
our
Lord
call
us
to
recognize
our
u]er
need
for
the
cleansing
of
our
hearts
laden
with
sin.
He
calls
us
to
allow
his
right
and
just
Law
to
show
us
our
sins
and
then,
in
repentance
and
faith,
to
receive
Him
as
he
reaches
out
to
usto
you
and
to
mewith
his
love
and
mercy.
He
urgently
desires
to
cleanse
the
house
of
our
heart,
to
wash
it
pure
with
the
only
cleansing
agent
that
will
get
the
stench
outHis
holy,
precious
blood
shed
for
you
and
me
and
the
whole
world!
This
he
did
on
the
blessed
cross
of
Calvary,
about
three
years
to
the
day
ader
He
cleansed
the
temple.
Zeal
for
his
Fathers
house
drove
him
to
cleanse
the
temple
that
fateful
day.
Zeal
for
you
and
mezeal
moXvated
by
his
eternal
lovedrove
him
to
the
cross
us,
so
that
we
could
be
a
temple
of
the
Holy
Spirit(1Cor6:19)your
body
and
soul
washed
clean
and
pure,
thereby
making
us
to
be
a
righteous
one
of
His
forever.
You
see,
we
are
no
longer
one
of
those
that
need
thrown
outin
Gods
esXmaXon.
Through
faith
given
us
in
the
washing
of
renewal
in
our
bapXsmal
waters,
were
now
one
of
his
very
own,
a
forgiven
child
of
his.
Rather
than
chasing
us
out
of
his
eternal
presence
with
a
whip,
he
eagerly
walks
towards
us,
always
seeking
to
embrace
us,
and
inviXng
us
to
dine
at
His
Table,
regularly
here
on
earth
and
eternally
with
him
in
heaven!
Jesus,
be]er
than
I
know
my
ca]le,
knew
all
people.
So,
how
much
more
was
Jesus
zeal
for
His
Fathers
house,
the
place
God
had
given
for
the
eternal
welfare
of
his
people.
And
how
much
greater
is
his
zeal
for
our
eternal
welfare!
His
zeal
for
fallen
mankind,
which
ulXmately
led
him
to
the
cross,
was
based
on
his
love
from
eternity
for
us.
In
love,
he
knows
us
parXcularly
and
singularly.
That
zealous
love
remains
to
this
day
and
will
remain
throughout
eternity.
HE
knows.
May
the
peace
of
God,
which
passes
all
understanding,
keep
your
hearts
and
minds
in
Christ
Jesus.
Amen.