Wholly Holy: John 2:13-22 - Third Sunday of Lent

Courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography / freedigitalphotos.net

13The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" 17His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." 18The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" 19Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" 21But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Last Sunday, God made history in New Kensington: the Vermont Baptist Church, which is a predominantly African-American congregation, began worshipping in the building belonging to First Lutheran Church (a predominantly white church).  First was one of five congregations willing to open their doors to them since they lost their building to a landslide. 

In spite of this devastating loss, amazing things are happening.  Their members were immediately surrounded by Jesus’ love from the moment they walked through the doors.  Vermont is in a better location to do ministry.  Plans are being made for both churches to share worship and Bible study.  Best of all, the racial divide that still segregates Christians is crumbling away.

I’m reminded of a group of former slaves who began worshipping at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia back in 1787.  Its white officials were not happy having so many blacks in their church.  They eventually constructed an upstairs balcony for them—and pulled them off their knees while they were prayed, in order to “put them in their proper place.” 

This is why the events in New Kensington are not only historic—but miraculous acts of God.  But it’s also proof that God’s reign is not established without great friction…

In today’s Gospel, we see a side of Jesus that’s extremely difficult to believe.  Jesus is rampaging through the temple, just before Passover, the Holiest festival of Judaism.  He’s overturning tables, scattering animals, and chasing out the money changers with a whip made of cords.  His reason—they made his Father’s house into a marketplace. 

We need to be clear on one thing: the sacrificial system, and the practice of changing secular moneys were all instituted at God’s command. 

This makes Jesus’ actions all the more troubling.  Jesus was attacking what was holy sacred—and not just in the eyes of the religious leaders—but even the most humble and devout Jewish worshippers.

But there’s a method to this madness…  The temple and the sacrificial systems were supposed to bring people closer to God.  Reality was, it all did the opposite.  Ultimately, Jesus would now be the one who would bring God to the people. 

Fast forward to today…  Is everything we call holy, really holy? 

We, too, build temples of our own—and not just out of wood, stone, and steel…  We have traditions; we have rituals; we have beliefs—that may or may not be truly holy…

Back in 1787, people thought they were doing God’s work by segregating their church.  They thought they were protecting what is holy.  This isn’t hard to do.  It is entirely possible to hold certain beliefs, practices, and traditions to be sacred when they’re not.  The beauty of this building; the beauty of our worship; the traditions and beliefs we’ve long held dear—they can’t be holy if they do not communicate God’s truth that everyone belong sin God’s family.

At the same time, do we consider our daily lives to be as sacred as the hours we spend here in church?  Do we consider our neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces as mission fields?  Do we call it worship when we go to work or school, or even stand in line at the grocery store?  Do we see our neighbors, strangers, and people who don’t share our faith to still be fellow heirs to God’s promises?

Jesus’ actions speak loudly of God’s absolute zeal to destroy everything that would stand in the way of God’s beloved people from belonging to God’s family.  Be it buildings or institutions, rituals or beliefs—nothing is holy if it keeps God’s love in a box.

God’s kingdom comes—and God’s will is done—but not without friction and resistance…

The good news is that the walls are tumbling down!  It’s happening in New Kensington—and it’s certainly going to happen here.  Church growth and personal growth all happen when the power of God creates and the works within relationships.  And it’s a holy taste of the kingdom of God when the boundaries that once stood fall to pieces, and strangers become brothers and sisters in Christ.  Our schools, workplaces, grocery stores, and streets will become holy ground as the Holy Spirit makes them mission fields in which we give and receive God’s love.  Life takes on a whole new meaning as we begin to see all the ways that Jesus is active in our lives.

Today, we’re nearly halfway through our Lenten journey of repentance—and repentance is what happens as Jesus brings down everything that stands in the way of God’s will being done.  It is therefore a great time for us to be thinking, talking, and praying—for the Holy Spirit to give us Jesus’ zeal for everything that matters to God—and the courage to confront, challenge, and change every tradition, every practice, every belief, every wall that would otherwise suffocate God’s saving grace.  Jesus is so much bigger than our church, our denomination, our ways of doing things, and even our individual lives.  Jesus is determined for you to see that firsthand.

References

Ashe, Braden. "Vermont Baptist Church warmly welcomed in New Kensington." 2 March 2015. TribLIVE. <http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourallekiskivalley/yourallekiskivalleymore/7844802-74/church-vermont-baptist#axzz3TQYWiLIF>.

Farlee, Robert Buckey. Honoring Our Neighbor's Faith. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1999.