Here is the scripture for today! Matthew 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. 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.” 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.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, 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’?” 17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.
Jesus really stirred things up when He did this in the Temple! As we learned last week in video, "The Week that Changed the World", this action by Jesus was a direct attack on the religious aristocracy which ran things in Jerusalem. As is so inevitable "economics" overtook "spirituality" in the business of faith! Jesus rebelled!
When I embrace the Jesus of this story I see power, courage, integrity, wisdom, faithfulness, confidence and inner strength! I wish I was more of those things! But this text isn't about me is it? It's about Jesus and I don't need to make it about me. Why do I do that? So quickly I make it about me?
The religious leaders were making it about them. They were "indignant" - Jesus was a threat! They found themselves and their religious system lined up against Jesus and they were losing. He was a problem. They were making an encounter with Jesus about them and not about Him!
The crowd was making the day about Jesus - He was Lord - He was worthy of worship- and they got His blessing! He as much as said, "You are right on - you are focusing on the right One!"
As we step fully into this journey to the cross and empty tomb of Jesus this Lenten season, let's make it about Him and I have full confidence He will pour life into us!
Here is to "enjoying" it being about Him!
delton
