Jesus — Clearing the Temple - Thursday
TODAY’S VERSE
John 2:21
“But he was speaking about the temple of his body.” ESV
My family and I attend the Lexington campus, and not unlike the temple during Jesus time, our building is used for a lot more than just Sunday services.
Our Lexington campus houses Refuge Clinic, we have an after-school program for neighborhood teens, there are AA meetings, we host God’s Pantry’s largest event of the year every November, our Meal Pack helps feed hungry kids around the world every Spring, and more!
Notice the theme that runs through these examples: we do these things to reach people who don’t follow Jesus yet, not for those of us who are already a part of the church.
Before Jesus was crucified, the temple was the only place to encounter God. It was the only place to make a sacrifice and the only place for sins to be forgiven by a priest. So much happened there that it was often just referred to as “the place.” But now, after Jesus died and rose again, “the place” has been replaced by a person. We no longer need to go to church to encounter God. We have His Word, and He has given believers His Holy Spirit to live inside us. Jesus’ body was the sacrifice made for our sins, and that doesn’t require a priest to forgive us.
1 Timothy 2:5 tells us, “For there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” We have direct access to the Father through Jesus!
That doesn’t mean that Sunday doesn’t matter. God tells us to gather and worship together (read Matthew, Acts, 1 Corinthians, Hebrews, and more). But it does mean that our faith and hope is in Jesus and not in a place, a program, or a pastor.
Church buildings are places to gather and worship the Father together, as well as places to serve our communities so we can introduce people to Jesus. Church buildings today and the temple in Jesus’s day were limited by geography and by language, but the person of Jesus is unlimited and accessible to all, no matter where you live or what language you speak.
PRAYER
Father, forgive me for the times I have looked to people or places instead of You. Thank You for Jesus’ sacrifice, and that I can approach You directly for grace and forgiveness.