July 26 - Jesus and the Temple

Matthew 21:12-17

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14 ESV)

Throughout their history the Jews had worshipped through song and sacrifice. King Solomon oversaw the construction of the first temple, where as Herod the Great was the steward of the last Jewish Temple. It had been intended as a place for the people to connect with God in profound ways. It had become something else entirely.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple it was chock full of money changers, merchants, and other swindlers. He would not tolerate it. So he threw them out in a moment of truly justified righteous indignation. The Temple had become something other than a place for repentance and prayer, but Jesus restored it to its intended use.

As he sat and taught his followers amidst the purged Temple grounds people began to bring the sick and the lame and he healed them. It was a complete turnabout for the Temple. The religious focal point of Judaism, it was no longer defunct, it was no longer a money trap meant to make the powerful wealthy, it was truly a place of connecting with God.

The Temple no longer stands. It was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans. However, the time had already passed for the usefulness of a material temple by then. Jesus had changed that.

Today we can connect with God anywhere we like. We are no longer limited to only visiting a holy place. In fact, Christianity has no holy places, only the holiness of God, the Son, and the Spirit. When Jesus cleansed the Temple he demonstrated that it is his work and person by which we connect with God. It is by his death. By his love. And by his strength.

July 25 - Jesus' Reputation

John 12:12-19

The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:18, 19 ESV)

For about three years Jesus had travelled the countryside. He was preaching, performing miracles, and turning the people toward the truth of the Kingdom of God. The sick, demoniacs, outcasts, crippled, and even the dead—all kinds of people were dramatically impacted forever by the ministry of Jesus. As he made his way to Jerusalem, the final destination of his public ministry, his reputation preceded him.

The religious elite didn't know what to do with him. He operated from an authority they refused to acknowledge, and failed to comprehend. He performed miracles that both baffled and humbled them. Their pride, their wallets, and their power were in trouble.

The reputation of Jesus still precedes him. To the hurting, the outcast, and the needy Jesus is still the answer. Those who hear and comprehend the full measure of his work are irrevocably changed by it. There is no going back. Jesus' impact on lives initiates a passionate focus for the Kingdom of God that religion cannot contain, mankind cannot fathom, and the forces of hell cannot deter.

It is the reputation of God who became a man by virgin birth. A lowly carpenter who became an authoritative teacher and preacher. A perfectly holy life lived in selflessness. A man who was crucified for the sins of others. A death that was temporary. A resurrection that was real. A reign that is eternal. Jesus' reputation is reputable, it is rare, it is reality. And it will change your life if you let it.