photo from IF:EQUIP

Last week I discovered an online, daily devotional that is working through the book of John.  As soon as I got started with it verses were just jumping off the pages at me.  I was confident I had found the right one.

Today was focused on John 2:13-25

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. 15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. 16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” 17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

The Discerner of Hearts

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

You know I’ve read it many, many times but it was new and fresh to me today.

Zeal is defined as fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor.

Jesus was fervent about removing what did not belong in the temple.  He was so serious about it that He took the time to make a whip.  He didn’t show this level of emotion in the garden or at the cross.  Only in the temple.

We are the temples of Christ.

1 Corinthians 6

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

What are we carrying around inside of us that Jesus would so fervently chase out…

Be blessed and live your victory.

photo credit: image courtesy of graur razvan ionut at freedigitalphotos.net