This Sunday is Palm Sunday. The week to follow this is Holy Week. It's amazing how much of the Gospels are dedicated to this one week. Here is what happened during the days of Holy Week. Sunday-This is Palm Sunday when Jesus rode a donkey into the city of Jerusalem. People lined the streets with Palm leaves and shouted "Hosanna" as Jesus came into the city. Monday-Jesus went back into the city and on the way he cursed a fig tree. Not cussed it out, but put a curse on it. Also, he cleansed the temple of the money changers. We are going to learn about this event this morning. Tuesday-The fig tree that was cursed withered and the day is spent in conflict with the religious leaders and Jesus teaching others. Many of the parables we often read or teach were taught on this day...the talents, sheep and the goats, the wedding banquet, etc. Wednesday-This is a silent day. It was spent in prayer and solitude Thursday-Jesus and the disciples observed the Passover meal together. The foot washing we talked about last week happened on Thursday. Friday-Jesus is betrayed, arrested, put on trial and convicted. He is crucified and put in the tomb. Saturday-Roman guards guard the tomb. Sunday-The Resurrection of Jesus. He's Alive! I want to talk to you a little bit about what happened on Monday and the idea of cleansing. John tells this story at the beginning of Jesus' ministry and the other Gospels share it at the end. The question is asked whether Jesus cleansed the temple on two separate occasions or is the same event what the Gospel writers place at different times in Jesus' ministry? I think they were two separate events. It reminds me of the human condition and how all of us are. You see, whenever a significant event happens, we change. We dedicate ourselves to something new and we are different for a while. But left to ourselves it seems like we always go back to what we are comfortable with. I think the money changers returned to their ways because it's how we all behave when we try to live out commands without the power of the Holy Spirit. Good intentions don't create obedient living. That's why preaching that only commands people is never preaching that creates victory. But I want to focus on the words Jesus used during the cleansing of the Temple in Matthew 21. Jesus said that He did not want the Temple to be a "den of robbers." This is a quotation from Jeremiah 7. A den of robbers isn't where the crime took place. The den is where the thieves retreat to, to be safe. They would go into the city to steal or harm others and then run away into the hills or a safe house where they would hide in what was called the den. Jesus wasn't condemning the Temple as a place where sin took place. What angered him was the life of sin people led six days of the week and then because they showed up at the Temple and went through some religious duty, everyone believed they were safe. This is the theology in Calvinism that we preach against when people believe they are eternally secure. But I've met my share of Nazarenes who practically believe the same thing, only call it another name. They rename their disobedience, "mistakes." They call their rebellion, "ignorance." They believe because they are sanctified they can't sin. This is not our theology, our heritage, or what we believe. The house of God should never be a place where we feel safe in our sin. Jesus said he wanted the Temple to be "a house of prayer." This is a reference to Isaiah 56. This is the hope of the reality of what the Temple would be. A place where people can draw near to God. And when we say people, we mean all people. The entire quote says, "A house of prayer for all nations." In other words, no one is excluded. I don't care who you are, what you've done, where you've been-this is a place you can meet God. Every time I read and study this passage I can't help but think that this is the reason the Church of the Nazarene exists. Our theology is one of heart cleansing and victory. Our practice is to be a house of prayer for all nations. This applies to missions but it also applies to home missions. We were the church anyone could attend. You didn't clean yourself up and come to the Church of the Nazarene. You came to the Church of the Nazarene and we helped you clean up your life.
I'm praying for you over the next week as we lead people through the most significant week of the year. May it be a blessing and may your church be a house of prayer for all nations. God bless, Dave Lutz
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