DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WHAT WOULD JESUS SEE?

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WHAT WOULD JESUS SEE?

"And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple.  So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve."  (Mark 11:11)

Jesus had had a full day beginning with the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Toward the end of the day, he went into the temple and looked around at all things.  What He saw did not make Him very happy.

I believe that everything recorded in Scripture is important, and this is no different.  The fact that He went into the temple and looked around seems to be just an off-hand, insignificant comment.  But I believe it was very important.  

What He saw was a desecration of the Holy mount of worship.  He saw merchandising in the temple. The fact is that there were pilgrims who were in Jerusalem for the Holy day of Passover.  They did not bring sacrificial animals with them so they had to purchase them.  Also, being from many parts of the world, they would need to change their currency into Jewish money.  Hence the need for money changers.  But the merchants were a bunch of thieves, selling the animals for sacrifice at high prices, and charging exorbitant fees to change the money.  They were a dishonest bunch of crooks, a den of thieves.

Jesus did not do anything at that time, but the next day when He returned to the t, He had had a night to think about it, and when He saw this desecration of the temple, He was incensed and drove them out.

If Jesus came to our church and looked around, what would He see?  Would He be pleased by what He saw or would He be incensed?  God's house is a house of prayer.  Would He see prayer?  God's house is a place of worship.  Would He see true worship?  God's house is a place of training in God's Word and encouraging each other in the faith.  What would He see if He came to our church?   And when He looks at me, His temple, what does He see?  

Love, Dad