Fasting Devotion Day 6
READ
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. John 2:13-25
THINK
In this passage we see Jesus’ passion for reverence (the cleansing), power of resurrection (the new temple), and his perception of reality (Jesus knew what was in man). Most of us love this story! It is a clear hero story where the evil and corrupt money changers get the justice coming to them. We love stories like this but in this time of dedication and cleansing I want to challenge our love of this story. Often we are more like the money changers who are at the temple to get something than the faithful pilgrims bringing their offerings to God seeking to give something. Now before you get too offended I know that if you are joining me in this time of fasting and praying you most likely serve and give with generosity and let me say thank you for that. However I will be honest enough to say that personally I tend to seek something from God much more frequently than seeking to be with God or give something to God. I’m praying that this time together is an opportunity for us to clean our temples and be with the Father with all our hearts, mind, soul, and strength!
1. Why do you think the Pharisees where so stubborn and unrepentant towards Christ in this story? Do you think they understood Jesus’ argument or do you believe they considered themselves right and Christ crazy?
2. What are some parts of your life that you know are not pleasing to God yet you haven’t cleaned out of your temple? Why do you think Christians hold onto sin even though we know its deeply hurts God’s heart?
PRAY
Let today be a day where we run to our Father in Heaven with awe and wonder. Deeply ponder the qualities of God that Jesus illustrates in this story. As you pray to God take time to thank Him for His righteous anger and for His desire that His temple (our hearts) be pure and cleaned out of anything that competes with God.
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. John 2:13-25
THINK
In this passage we see Jesus’ passion for reverence (the cleansing), power of resurrection (the new temple), and his perception of reality (Jesus knew what was in man). Most of us love this story! It is a clear hero story where the evil and corrupt money changers get the justice coming to them. We love stories like this but in this time of dedication and cleansing I want to challenge our love of this story. Often we are more like the money changers who are at the temple to get something than the faithful pilgrims bringing their offerings to God seeking to give something. Now before you get too offended I know that if you are joining me in this time of fasting and praying you most likely serve and give with generosity and let me say thank you for that. However I will be honest enough to say that personally I tend to seek something from God much more frequently than seeking to be with God or give something to God. I’m praying that this time together is an opportunity for us to clean our temples and be with the Father with all our hearts, mind, soul, and strength!
1. Why do you think the Pharisees where so stubborn and unrepentant towards Christ in this story? Do you think they understood Jesus’ argument or do you believe they considered themselves right and Christ crazy?
2. What are some parts of your life that you know are not pleasing to God yet you haven’t cleaned out of your temple? Why do you think Christians hold onto sin even though we know its deeply hurts God’s heart?
PRAY
Let today be a day where we run to our Father in Heaven with awe and wonder. Deeply ponder the qualities of God that Jesus illustrates in this story. As you pray to God take time to thank Him for His righteous anger and for His desire that His temple (our hearts) be pure and cleaned out of anything that competes with God.