Jesus made his way to the Temple on the Monday morning following Palm Sunday for Passover services. He was preparing to lead his first Passover services in the sacred space that was the Temple.
When Jesus arrived, he found the sanctuary in disarray. Instead of a sacred and contemplative space where the faithful could come and worship he found the sanctuary overrun with merchants, money and animals. It looked more like a marketplace than a temple!! Jesus was horrified and greatly offended by the desecration of the Holy space…His house. He demanded that the common trade stop and threw the merchants out onto the street!
The Jewish leaders in the Temple were angry with Jesus and confronted Him about His actions. They challenged His authority to do such things and demanded a sign of some sort that afforded Him the right to take His action. Jesus replied with a response that was lost on His challengers and, at that moment, His disciples as well. He stated, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days.” The statement foretold Jesus’ coming death and resurrection.
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How does this help us in the Age of Coronavirus? We can remember that Christians should worship God with service. So much of what we do today is not for our personal benefit, but for the benefit of our neighbor who is at greater risk to succumb to this virus. Serve your neighbor, the least of these, as you would serve Him. This honors God!
Christians should also remember to make sure to treat the Temple as sacred space. We will go back to our houses of worship someday soon. Let us use this time when we worship at home to remind us of the reverence we should have when we go to our Father’s house! This honors God!
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
