Passionate Change

Matthew 21:12 – 17

PASSIONATE CHANGE

Mat 21:12  And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Mat 21:13  He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers."

Mat 21:14  And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

Mat 21:15  But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant,

Mat 21:16  and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?"

     

Mat 21:17  And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

I.          Jesus’ Authority

            A.         What is happening?

           

                        1.          Jesus drives out those who bought and sold AND money-changers.

                        2.         Two doves might have cost 5 cents…. In the temple as much as $4.

                        3.         Functional: travelers could not bring their own animals to sacrifice.

                        4.         Purity: The court of the Gentiles… unclean… buffer to the holy.

              5.       The court of the Gentiles (and those who were physically imperfect) was full… people had difficult time entering the Temple…

(Imagine entering the Temple: It’s crowded, it’s loud, it smells bad, you have to watch where you step, and it’s a swirl of everything except praise and prayer….)

B.         What is Jesus doing?

                                1.            Jesus is clearing space for people to enter the Temple.

                                                a.            The religious leaders where “gatekeeping” (deciding who could enter                                                                    and who could not.)

                                                b.            The religious leaders where distracting from the worship of God.

                                                c.             The people were being taken advantage of…

                                2.            Jesus is claiming ownership: “My house.” [John 2:16]

                                                a.            When Jesus was asked for a sign: “Jesus answered them, "Destroy                                                  this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” [John 2:19]

                                    b.         We are the temple of God: “Do you not know that you are God's                                                             temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” [1 Corinthians 3:16]

                        3.         Jesus is challenge the authority of the religious leaders. 

                                    a.         Religion is self-serving.

                                     b.        Jesus is self-sacrificing.

II.        Our Power

            A.         “House of prayer”

                        1.          Isaiah 56:7 “these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful                                     in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be                                accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all                        peoples."

                                    a.         Notice the key words: holy, joyful, accepted, prayer (FOR ALL                                              PEOPLES)

                                    b.         The worship of God is an invitation FOR ALL.

And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. [Ezekiel 22:30]

                        2.         It is a place for REPENTANCE (“sacrifices”)

                                   

                                    a.         “Holy” means separate (clean)

                                   

                                    b.         The bringing of sacrifices was generally in repentance,                                                          acknowledgment of sin and the penalty.

                                   

                                    c.         PRAYER: our direct communication with God.

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ [Hebrews 4:16]

III.       Our Pitfall

            A.         “Den of robbers.”

“Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, [10]  and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, 'We are delivered!'—only to go on doing all these abominations? [11] Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.”  [Jeremiah 7:9 – 11]

                        1.          A place where sin is safe.

           

                                    a.         A place were sinners are not disturbed… comfortable, unjudged

                                    b..        A place were saints are not motivated… comfortable, lukewarm.

                        2.         A place to cover-up and protect.

                                    a.         No need to repent, admit sin, or deal with sin.

                       

                                    b.         There is an unspoken “fellowship” that creates “comfort.”

            B.         Prevent those in need from entering:

                        1.          Matthew 21:14 à blind and lame are healed!

                        2.         Matthew 21:15 à Children shouting praise!          

                        3.         The religious? “Indignant” (angry)

IV.       An honest “moral inventory.”

                A.            Lack of prayer….

                                1.            Means judgmental gatekeeping.

                                2.            Means sin running us. (Regular need for confession and repentance.)

                                3.            Means a brutal but comfortable separation from God.

                                4.            Means an utter lack of power… settled pointlessness.

                B.            God’s house: place to worship, the church, and our life.

                                1.            Can you imagine the change that would happen if we committed ourselves to                                                   prayer…?

                                2.            Can you imagine what would happen if we actually spent time with God?

                                3.            Imagine the freedom from sin, the ability to say no to things that weigh us                                                          down, and the answers we would have to prayer…

This it the way, walk in it.

Isaiah 30:19 – 22

This is the way, walk in it”

Israel’s Problem:

 

            1.         They were STUBBORN.

“Woe to the obstinate children,” [Isaiah 30:1a]

 

                        a.         The word translated “obstinate” literally means “unmanageable” [BDB]

 

                        b.         In other words, they had willfully chosen to NOT be lead.

[Ill. The TV show “The Apprentice.” Strategies to be “unmanageable” and not get caught or the blame... “Passive – Aggressive” is one way to be unmanagable.]

 

            2.         The made PLANS WITHOUT GOD.

“...to those who carry out plans that are not mine...” [Isaiah 30:1b]

 

                        a.         The plans made did not include God.

“In the school of church growth, there is no room for the Holy Spirit.” [Dr. George Hunter III]

 

                        b.         Here is a test: If you can accomplish it with your own strength, understand it with your own mind, resource it with your own labor.... It’s not from God.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” [Isaiah 55:9]

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways SUBMIT him, and he will make your paths straight.” [Proverbs 3:5 – 6 TNIV]

 

            3.         They made ALLIANCES.

“forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit” [Isaiah 30:1c]

 

                        a.         Resources their plans...

 

                        b.         Fuel their unmanageable disposition.

[This was a political problem... in psychology there are “enablers” who in some form help the bad behavior. One way to “enable” is to keep silent.]

 

            4.         The COMPOUNDED SIN.

“heaping sin upon sin.” [Isaiah 30:1d]

 

                        a.         Sin is addictive and blinding.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. [“desperately wicked” KJV] Who can understand it?” [Jeremiah 17:9]

 

                        b.         In other words, “you can’t change.” It is willful and habitual.

“Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” [Psalm 19:13]

RESULT: “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” [Isaiah 30:15]

*****The natural human tendency is the habit of NOT listening to God.*****

God’s solution to our habit of NOT listening is GRACE and COMPASSION.

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you...” [Isaiah 30:18a]

 

            1.         This is the “grace” and “mercy” complex.

 

                        a.         Grace is getting what we do NOT deserve.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” [2 Corinthians 5:21]

 

                        b.         Mercy is NOT getting what we deserve.

“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” [Psalm 103:10]

 

            2.         Patience to God means something different than it means to us.

 

                        a.         Patient is not inactivity.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” [2 Peter 3:9]

“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” [Isaiah 40:31]

 

                        b.         Patience implies we have a choice of destiny.

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...” [Joshua 24:15]

“For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.” [1 Peter 4:3]

Why then do we behave the way we do?

 

            1.         Being SELFISH is easier.

 

                        a.         If all we have to consider is our own self, our self-interests, our self-wants... it’s simpler than having to consider others.

 

                        b.         We want to do what we want to do, when we want to do it, the way we want. It is the willfulness of a child. (“Woe to the obstinate children,” [Isaiah 30:1a])

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” [Romans 1:21]

 

            2.         Being IGNORANT is easier.

 

                        a.         Knowledge implies responsibility or a call to action. Neither are comfortable.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. [20] Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. [21] But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” [John 3:19 – 21]

 

                        b.         If we KNOW God is right... the we are faced with the choice of allowing God to be right about everything and follow God’s directions.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it.” [Isaiah 30:21]

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” [Galatians 5:24 – 25]

 

            3.         Being NEGLECTFUL is natural.

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. [2] For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, [3] how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. [4] God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” [Hebrews2:1 – 5]

 

                        a.         Spiritual drifting, it is a slow, casual, movement away from God’s truth. It is the systematic (deliberate or otherwise) deafness we develop.

 

                        b.         Another sure sign of spiritual neglect is the ignorance and non-exercise of spiritual gifts. (We are going to be talking about this early next year.)

 

            4.         God meets these with “adversity” [literally “narrow” “tight”] and “affliction” [oppression, distress, and pressure]

 

                        a.         When God narrows our choices or makes us feel like we have no choices (as opposed to us feeling comfortably in control) then we had better be listening.

 

                        b.         God wants the best for us.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” [Isaiah 30:15]

What do we need to do about this?

 

            1.         Pray for God to give us a new heart.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” [Ezekiel 36:36]

 

                        a.         Everything reflects relationship with God.

 

                        b.         If you can live our lives without God, you are in serious trouble.

“You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. . . . [20] Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelation 3:17, 20]

 

            2.         Deal with your idols.

“Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!” [Isaiah 30:22]

 

                        a.         Maybe you are “unmanageable.”

 

                        b.         Maybe you have no place for God in your plans.

 

                        c.         Maybe you have acquired the necessary resources to put God on a shelf.

 

                        d.         Maybe you willfully add sin to sin.

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