FIGHTING FOR THE FAMILY
April 6
And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” John 2:14-16
The word “zeal” (John 2:17) has the basic idea of excitement; to be hot about something. Jesus became riled when the temple was misused and God was dishonored. Do you become upset when God is dishonored? Does it upset you when someone uses the name of the Lord as a curse word? Does it cause you to be hot when people criticize God or blaspheme Him? Isn’t it extremely instructive that Jesus was zealous, excited, and hot over those things that touched the honor and glory of God, but not Himself personally? Even as believers, we tend to get upset over the things that non-believers do. Did Jesus do that? Did he say things like, “The Romans are terrible because they expose babies?” No. On the contrary, He addressed the external religion of the people of Israel. He was kind to the Samaritan woman; even to the Syro-Phoenician woman. But he was hot when it came to the external religion of the Pharisees and scribes.
Take time right now to ask the Lord to sensitize your heart to things that dishonor God or fellow believers. We should be ready to stand up for fellow believers, not criticize them readily. Our zeal must be for the Lord’s church and His honor within the church.
Ike Graham
And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” John 2:14-16
The word “zeal” (John 2:17) has the basic idea of excitement; to be hot about something. Jesus became riled when the temple was misused and God was dishonored. Do you become upset when God is dishonored? Does it upset you when someone uses the name of the Lord as a curse word? Does it cause you to be hot when people criticize God or blaspheme Him? Isn’t it extremely instructive that Jesus was zealous, excited, and hot over those things that touched the honor and glory of God, but not Himself personally? Even as believers, we tend to get upset over the things that non-believers do. Did Jesus do that? Did he say things like, “The Romans are terrible because they expose babies?” No. On the contrary, He addressed the external religion of the people of Israel. He was kind to the Samaritan woman; even to the Syro-Phoenician woman. But he was hot when it came to the external religion of the Pharisees and scribes.
Take time right now to ask the Lord to sensitize your heart to things that dishonor God or fellow believers. We should be ready to stand up for fellow believers, not criticize them readily. Our zeal must be for the Lord’s church and His honor within the church.
Ike Graham