The Temple's True Purpose

 "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers." Matthew 21:12-13 

I just watched a video that included a montage of Pastors preaching from books they've written (and just so happen to be selling in the lobby by the way) and it gave me pause. Obviously, I am a christian marketer and graphic Designer so please take everything I say with as many grains of salt as necessary, but as I reflect, I can't help but think about the state of the modern church... what role commerce plays in the house of God.

The temple was meant to be a sacred space, a house of prayer where people could encounter the living God. But all too often, we've turned it into something else entirely.

A Den of Thieves

Instead of a place of worship, we've made the church a den of thieves - a place of corruption and greed. We sell our religion like a lifestyle, hawking t-shirts, mugs and books, and cheating the elect out of true doctrine and theology. Like the merchants in Jesus' day, we take advantage of the poor in spirit who are desperately seeking atonement.

Lakewood Church

But Jesus will not stand for it. By overturning tables and rebuking the money-changers, He exposes our greedy, corrupt hearts. He shines a light on our wickedness and gives us an opportunity to repent and turn back to Him.

The Heart of God

This is the heart of God, church. He is a God of justice who confronts sin and rightly condemns it. But in doing so, He also extends an invitation to repent and be cleansed and restored. Like a skilled surgeon, He uses a sharp knife to cut out the cancer of greed and pride from our hearts, so that we can be made whole and healthy again.

The merchants in the temple had a choice when confronted by Jesus: repent and accept God's forgiveness, or harden their hearts and continue in their sin. We face that same choice today. When God's Word confronts the sin in our lives, will we allow Jesus to cleanse His temple, or will we cling stubbornly to our wickedness?

A Living Temple

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I pray that we as a family - Tiffany, Kairi, Rylan, little Nugget and I - would have the wisdom to submit to God's correction. May we invite Jesus to overturn the tables of greed in our hearts and drive out every unclean thing, so that we can be a living temple of His presence - a house of worship, prayer, and sacrifice.

Among the church, there are many who come each Sunday and play the part of a good Christian, but inwardly are far from God. They are religious but not born again. If that's you today, I plead with you - don't harden your heart. Allow Jesus to do business with you, to expose your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. He loves you too much to leave you in your greed and pride.

Trying to walk out my faith in His Grace,

-Manuel