Some think that this is the day of Holy Week when Jesus cleansed the temple, throwing out those who were misusing the place as a business hub, sometimes overcharging, I suppose, for the sacrificial animals. He called them moneychangers, and making it a place for less than worship and spreading God’s love.
There is special significance for this as our congregation prepares to move into our newly built facility for ministry. We are awaiting the final Certificate of Occupancy, and are prayerfully bathing our new building that it is not merely a place for us, but rather a place to serve the people of our neighborhood, our ministry partners in the region, and our already and future established church plants locally and around the world. It’s purpose is to minister to those who need Christ.
Personally, we all need cleansing as well. We remember that we are but filthy rags and ugly sepulchers without Jesus’ redemption of our sin-sick souls. That’s the true message of Holy Week, and we who have been redeemed need to concentrate on confession and working toward sanctification–not so we can be “holier than thou” and take pride in ourselves, but to recognize that without Christ’s righteousness He provided for us as the one and only true sacrifice for our redemption, we cannot approach our Holy and Sovereign God.
We live in anticipation when every nation, tongue, tribe, and people will bow at the feet of Jesus. It will be either in full and humble worship of our Lord, or in agonizing pleas for not making that commitment sooner. We recognize that those who have come before us as clouds of witnesses to the veracity of Jesus’ power and righteousness, and our contemporary Christians who share daily our walk with the Lord have pointed us toward righteousness. We eagerly respect their important influence on us. As we ask for cleansing today, may we also ask God to show us opportunities and the right attitudes to share the gospel message with others. May we count it a privilege to disciple others in the faith because we love them and love Jesus. It all starts with humble submission and our request for cleansing during this special Holy Week. When we are indeed whiter than snow, and we acknowledge that God can separate us from our sins as far as the east is from the west, then we will be worthy vessels. However, we can do our part even now as we confess our sins and find the Lord’s willingness to bless our efforts to sow the seeds. May the Holy Spirit bring us to those He wants us to meet on this life’s journey. May many souls brought to Jesus be our legacy and God’s faithful promise. For indeed, He so loved the world that He sent His Son, not to condemn the world, but to save us. Amen.
About the Author
