The calendar reminds us that we will celebrate Resurrection Sunday on March 23rd. This week, I plan to focus upon the the life of Jesus leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection.
Yesterday was Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday, of course, is a reference to what we find in Matthew 21 along with the harmony of the other gospel writings. The Bible teaches us that it was on this day that Jesus entered into Jerusalem on a donkey while people lined the road with palm branches, spreading their clothes on the road, and saying "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" On the outside the scene was one of sheer excitement. However, when we look a little closer we find that the religious leaders were not at all happy about what the people were saying and doing.
I have always found it interesting that it was the religious establishment that did not welcome Jesus. Yesterday I preached a message about the need for churches to be "New Wineskin" churches. In other words, our churches should be characterized by a willingness to receive God's movements even when they don't look the way we think they should look. God has a right to visit His people any way He deems necessary. The very same people who prayed for the Messiah to come, missed His arrival. They missed God's visitation because He showed up on a donkey instead of coming with military might.
I wonder this morning how many churches have rejected God's visitation because He showed up in a way that they did not expect (or want). When did the church become our church? When did the body of Christ change to the point of where our focus is upon doing the things that we want to do rather than doing what God has called us to do? Dear friends, we will miss God every time!
It's no wonder that one of Jesus' first actions after arriving in the "holy city" was to cleanse the temple. One of the reasons we miss God's visitation is because we don't like the fact that He wants to change things. We find it hard to believe that there are aspects of our worship that God does not like. Understand that Jesus cleansing the temple was not about picking up a broom to tidy up the place. Jesus' idea about cleansing the temple was to run everybody out of the court and to turn over the tables of the money changers. Why? Verse 13 makes it clear: "It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."
Does that hit closer to home than you would think? It does for me. How often have our "houses of worship" been consumed by finances? We spend a lot of our energy and time focusing upon budgets, programs, and salaries that we have neglected prayer, discipleship, and evangelism. Churches can become so consumed with things (even good things) that we neglect the more needful things. We can rob people of the blessing that God wants to bring because we have bound them to a certain expectancy should they visit. Sad to say, but the people who came to the temple before Jesus showed up saw it as a place of merchandise rather than a house of prayer.
Martin Luther fought against the same problem within the Catholic church. He grew tired of the merchandise. He grew tired of the money spent to keep people out of hell. He grew tired of the idols that could be purchased in the place where petitions should be made. Unfortunately we have some of the same problems today. Our churches must have an entertainment value, or a felt needs value before they can be what we consider valid in our lives. We package our worship services and wrap up our sermons to sell to those who want to know what God is all about, and therefore stand between them and God.
The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem should remind us that when God shows up - some things are going to change. Our "system" of religion is going to be messed with, altered, or even run out. When God shows up - our focus is going to change. No longer can we be consumed with budgets and programs but rather upon the things of God such as evangelism, missions, and prayer. The "triumphal entry" of Jesus should also remind us that change is not easy. There are those who will fight against God to keep the status quo. There will be misunderstandings. There will be accusations. So we must remember in the midst of all the mess (tables overturned, etc.) that God has visited and He wants to ensure that nothing will stand in His way of bringing people into His family.
As I wrap all of this up, I want to remind you of the lesson that is taught in verses 18-22. After Jesus left the temple and went to Bethany to lodge, he awoke the next morning to return and saw a fig tree by the road. As he approached the fig tree there was nothing on it but leaves. He cursed the fig tree by saying "Let no fruit grow on you ever again", and immediately the fig tree withered away. The disciples marvelled at this wondering how it could have happened so soon. What's the lesson to be learned here? The fig tree was a picture of Israel. They did not bear the fruit that God wanted. The prophetic word for the church is: If you miss God's visitation you too will wither away. And the people looking on will wonder how this happened so fast?
Take time this week to think about God's visitation to your own life and to the church you call home. Are you welcoming His arrival? Are you receiving Him with praise? Are you allowing Him to purify your heart so that His will can be accomplished? Remember that He is visiting you because He has a divine purpose. We must allow Him the access into our lives that He desires.
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