Reorientation for the Mission

Little Alice served up a great reminder of reorientation 
when she didn't ask Santa for anything, but wanted to 
wish him a Merry Christmas. That's the note
she sent him. 

Scripture:

Luke 19:45    Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; ⁴⁶ and he said, “It is written,

‘My house shall be a house of prayer’;

but you have made it a den of robbers.”

Luke 19:47   Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; ⁴⁸ but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard.

Observation:

There are two parts to this scene in which Jesus reorients the temple for the mission of God. The opening scene is a “prophetic critique of the temple” in which “Jesus recovers the temple for its legitimate use” (Green, NICNT). The problem for the religious leaders is that Jesus’ critique is a condemnation of the ways in which they have been using the temple for their own personal benefit. By robbing people financially, the leaders were also robbing them spiritually. 

While Jesus condemned what was happening in the temple, he went on to model what should have been happening. He reoriented the work of the temple, and as a result he revealed to his disciples the true mission. Every day Jesus would come and teach in the temple, reaching out and ministering to any who had interest and wanted to learn. Rich or poor were welcomed at the feet of the master and no temple hierarchy was allowed to create division. The temple was to be a place of good news for the poor. 

Application:

Later this week we will celebrate Christmas. Many churches in our city are advertising their Christmas Eve services. Even churches without regular multiple services are having multiple services for Christmas Eve — some even on the eve of Christmas Eve. It seems that the invitation is going out for all to come and attend — that all are welcome at this event. Even in the midst of continued concerns about a pandemic, I think the churches will be quite full because people are hungry to come together in worship of God.

While the churches may be full this week for Christmas, they’re not all that full on a regular basis. The reality is that the temple was full and busy almost every day and yet, Jesus didn’t see busyness as the mission being fulfilled. Filling up on Christmas Even is not fulfilling the mission. Our churches can be full, or not full, and they may or may not be fulfilling the purpose which God had intended. 

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day had figured out a way to make the temple a marketplace, and in that way they could make a good living by providing people access to God. Woe to any religious leader who has manipulated the good news of the gospel for their own personal gain. The church and her mission must always be oriented toward bringing good news to the poor and needy. It’s far too easy for the church to get caught up in providing for herself, or for those who have long attended. We set up the marketplace and enjoy the fellowship and programs that we have designed for ourselves and forget the original purpose. A reorientation may be needed as we focus upon the prophetic mission of Jesus Christ. 

This week, may we use the opportunities that we have been given to open our churches to be places of good news for the poor. Welcome everyone into the sanctuary, make them feel at home, and share with them the best news the world has ever heard!

Prayer:

Lord, open our eyes to the reorientation that may be needed in our own lives. Amen.