John 2:13-17
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.
My goodness! They were using Gods house s though it was a strip mall! I know we wouldn't use the church as a place to sell cows and sheep, but I remember a large local church many years ago that I visited. In the middle of the vestibule, you had to walk around a large round counter to get into the Sanctuary and it had shelves and stands all filled with items the church was selling with several clerks behind the counter ringing us sales. The entire vestibule was given over to commerce. I couldn't help but wonder what Jesus would have thought of this.
The Bible says Jesus had zeal for Gods house that consumed Him. Are you consumed by zeal for Gods house?
A great example of having a consuming seal for God's house is King David.
While we may not use the Lords House as the local General Store, there are other ways we do not honor His house. When you are willfully distracted from the sermon or prayers, are you honoring or loving Gods house?
How about your appearance? So many of us will dress up for work or for a dinner out with our friends, but take so little effort in our appearance for church. God has always demanded we bring him our best. Does this not apply to bringing our best selves as well? For one person that best may be a suit and tie while for another it may be a clean unwrinkled shirt and blue jeans. I am pretty sure bringing our best is generally not shorts and flip flops regardless of the churches to market "come as you are". Come as you are as a sinner seeking God, but as a mature Christian, we should bring our best.
I believe it honors God to bring Him our best. Look at it this way, if you were to be presented to the President of the United States or to the Queen of England, would you wear the outfit you wore to church the last Sunday you attended? Why not? God is the King of everything, our Lord and Master, does He deserve less respect than the President of one nation?
Do we honor Gods house when we skip church to sleep in or do we show our love for His house when we don't bother to attend prayer meetings? King David was a man after God's heart and in Psalm 84:2 David writes "How I love your Temple, Lord Almighty! How I want to be there! I long to be in the Lord's Temple."
In verse 10 he further exclaims "One day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand anywhere else".
Wow!, and many of us get quite upset if the pastor goes over his allotted speaking time and causes us to be late for lunch! When was the last time you spent the entire day in church worshiping the King of Kings?
I remember as a kid being in church every time the doors were open. So many churches today do not have Sunday night worship or Wednesday night Bible Study like the churches did when I was growing up.
Why do you think that is?They stopped because of low attendance. They felt there was no point in keeping the doors open when no one bothered to show up. I have to wonder however, where are the church leaders? the deacons, the the Sunday school teachers, the board members, and where are we?
Do you have zeal and love for God's house? Should we let our church leaders know that we and our families want to honor God in his House more often than just on Sunday morning. What do you think? Should we set the example for other believers and non-believers? How do you think Jesus would answer that question? How do you think God wants you to answer that question?
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
