Faithful Christian Commitment and service
in the Middle East for almost 150 years The Nazareth Trust Healing in the Name of Jesus Since 1861
in the Middle East for almost 150 years The Nazareth Trust Healing in the Name of Jesus Since 1861
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Welcome
We welcome you all to our devotion for this week, which was delivered by another of our volunteers! Peter and his wife Jane, who also volunteers at the hospital, are actively involved in the spiritual activities of the town and continuously take part and encourage the staff and volunteers around them.
Devotion
John 2: 13 – 16
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men 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 area, 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! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"
When we look back at our lives there are certain events which stand out from others. Certain events which remain with us for the rest of our lives. Some stand out because they are funny or sad, some we can even remember where we were when we heard the news, like the death of JFK, Princess Diana, Elvis or more recently, Michael Jackson.
Other events stand out because they are not normal, like this one. This event happened at the temple, on just an ordinary day like many others. The traders and money changers were there as usual, like any other day. People had seen them so many times and maybe become indifferent to their presence.
But surely there was a better way to deal with this situation – a quiet word to the right person, a gesture of disapproval, even as much as a scathing condemnation out of earshot would have been more appropriate than this fit of rage. Lashing out in fury was guaranteed to make enemies and was certainly not good for his image.
So why didn’t he leave things the way they were? Why did He make it easier for them? Why invite hostility? Why not compromise? We would have toned things down, avoided a confrontation, kept in with those who mattered. Yet did He really have any other choice if He was to be true to Himself?
All of us want to be true to our convictions, to stand up for what is right, but it is hard when the pressure is on. It’s hard not to give in when those around us disagree, or to compromise for the sake of peace. However there are times when we need to stick our necks out against injustice even when it may make us unpopular.
Jesus was angry with the injustice that was occurring in the temple, worshippers being ripped off by people abusing their position. The traders and money lenders were taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable and the temple leaders were condoning this unjust and unfair practice.
So how should we react against injustices today? For example, trade should be a way for the poor to lift themselves out of poverty, and yet international trade rules are biased in favour of the richer countries, making it difficult for poor countries to export.
Access to water is a life and death issue for many people in poorer countries, whereas water is subject to waste and pollution by the wealthy nations.
If Jesus was to make a symbolic act against some of the injustices perhaps he would be overturning the meeting room tables of the rich governments, the boardroom tables of multinational companies and the world banks.
It may not be appropriate for us to act like Jesus in the temple, but what actions should we take against present day injustices, such as health, education, poverty, political freedom and environmental conditions?
His reaction to injustice was one reason why Jesus cleared the temple, but there are other spiritual lessons we can learn from that day in the temple. One reason why Jesus cleared the temple was that the busyness and clutter in the Court of the Gentiles prevented the non-Jews from worshipping at the Temple.
Our churches should be places where all people in the community can come and worship: accessible to all ages, accessible to people with different spiritual needs and accessible to people at different stages of their journey.
Another reason why Jesus cleared the Temple was that the busyness and clutter in the Court of the Gentiles denigrated the Temple, which was supposed to be a holy place, His Father’s house. Our churches should be places where people are drawn to God, holy places that help them worship and pray, holy places where people can sense the presence and love of a holy God.
Are our lives so cluttered and busy that sometimes we forget people who suffer from injustice and forget to do something about it?
Are our lives so cluttered and busy that we don’t make space and time life for those who are searching for God?
Are our lives so cluttered and busy that sometimes we fail to create a time or place to worship and pray to our Heavenly Father who is holy, forgiving and just?
Speaker: Peter Nott