The Scourge in the Sign - Jesus Cleanses the Temple [Sermon]

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

February 2019

John 2:13-22

1. The Offence

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.

There were two kinds of business dealings going on: a. people selling animals b. people exchanging money

2. The Anger

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!”

What is the actual issue? By profaning that which is sacred they were dishonoring God.

Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”

3. The Demand

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?”

Luke 7:20-22 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

1 Corinthians 1:22-23 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

4. The Sign

2:19 “ ‘Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up’ ” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. John 4: 21-26 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

The Sign: His voluntary submission to the worst punishment at that time and his planned triumphant return to life.

Acts 2:32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you… John 10: 17-18 … I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again…

Luke 16:31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Matthew 27:41-42 … the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.

42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

#goodfriday #personofjesus #gloryofgod #anger #miraclesofjesus

Photo by Jens Johnsson on Unsplash