John 2:13-22
Zealous. I love that word. What are you zealous for? Many things I'm sure. What was Jesus zealous for?
One thing stuck in the minds of the disciples when Jesus exercised righteous vindication at the temple that day. They recalled Psalm 69:9 and applied it to Jesus..."Zeal for your house will consume me."
The house of God, back then, was the Temple. It was for all intents and purposes the place where God was housed. It was there that man would meet God, or better, where God would meet man. Who couldn't have zeal for a place like that? Anyone who loved God loved the temple.
It's easy for us to get zealous about the church house, isn't it? "Don't run in God's house!" "Don't wear shorts in God's house!" "How dare we sing those rock-n-roll sounding choruses in God's house!"
Jesus showed his zeal for the house of God that day. He was consumed by it. He was passionate about God's glory, and God's glory--back then--was manifested at the big house in Jerusalem.
But notice how Jesus continues. He continues by teaching his boys about the real house of God. "Destroy this temple and I'll build it back in three days." God came in the form of a baby in a manger; Immanuel, God with us was trying to teach his disciples that He was the manifestation of God in the context of having zeal for the Father's house. He was "God's house" in the flesh.
Now, we know that once Jesus died, rose, and ascended, the followers of Christ became the body of Christ. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 that we (plural) are God's temple. We, together in Christian community, are the manifestation of Christ's glory on this earth.
So, now, when we go back and read verse 17, "Zeal for your house will consume me," what do you really see? Is this referring to keeping the church grass mowed to exactly 31/2 inches? Is this referring to rules on running in "God's house?" Is this referring to a dress code for Sunday worship?
Or, is this referring to US--the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, the Church?
The goal of our latest series Becoming was not to see how many sermons I could preach out of 1 Peter 2:4-5. The one thing I pray God has taught us is that our first priority is being the bride of Christ that God has called us to be. The bride longs for the groom. The bride brags about the groom. The bride continues the journey toward the groom.
Does zeal for the Father's house consume you? You are part of the house! Zeal for the church should consume us--because we are (oughta be) the manifestation of Christ everyday, everywhere we go! We must learn that we do not go to church; we are the church. We are a church without walls. If you think you can make it all week without your fellow church members, you'll have a long week. We are a fellowship. We are a family. We are a community. We are the house of God. We are a "Spiritual House" (1 Peter. 2:4-5).
P.S. I by no means am advocating a ban on mowing at the church. I also would like to take this moment to say that I would appreciate no running in the hallways. I will not be wearing shorts to worship on Sundays; however, I will begin NOT wearing a coat or tie THIS SUNDAY. Is that a sin? I'm kind of nervous!
Love you all.
