What Temple is Christ Cleansing today?

We are now in the final days of Lent and today we consider the event when Jesus cleansed the temple. Yes, He did so in history. But He continues to do so today. He is doing it in the Church at large in this hour (think of those who have been and are being exposed) but of course, most importantly, He would have us assess our own personal lives. What part of His Temple, which we have become as followers of Christ, is He cleansing?  What part needs cleansing? Purification? 

Holy Week historically became the most important week in the Christian calendar. As I have recounted, the final week before Easter is where Lent began. It was historically a week that all Christians fasted, if not the beginning, most definitely at the end. There are still churches that take this fasting seriously, while sadly, most have departed from a practice that began in the 2nd century.

Christians sought to enter into the emotions of this week. Palm Sunday’s optimistic expectancy quickly gives way to the events leading up to the darkest day/hour in human history.

The days ultimately were given names – Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.

Jesus’ followers were still expecting a political Messiah to take His place as ruling King in Jerusalem at Christ’s Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday. Many Old Testament passages speak prophetically of this Messianic expectation. They were NOT expecting the following week AT ALL!

On this day, which became known as “Holy Monday,” Christ cleansed the Temple by driving out the money changers and those buying and selling there (Matt. 21:12-13).

Throughout the history of the Church, there has been much defilement in this area – all church traditions have been guilty of commercializing the faith.

Jesus’ rebuke to merchants in the 1st century is the same to us/for us in the 21st – He wants His house to be known as a house of prayer (Matt. 21:13). His house in the 1st Century was the Jewish Temple. His house today is His Church.

A significant part of the judgment upon the Church in this season is about the improper focus and use of money. He is “flipping over tables,” once again, in the exposure of those who have enriched themselves off of the Gospel.

He has taken issue with BOTH those who are selling and for the buyers as well. Celebrity Christian culture isn’t just ugly because of the celebrities. It is ugly because of the idolatry of those who follow them.

Therefore, HOLY MONDAY, is a great name for what we are considering. God is purifying His Church once again. He is insisting on HOLINESS, which means to be “set apart.” He is calling us to forsake any and all idolatry in our lives. What has become more important than God Himself in our lives? What has us distracted?

Even yesterday, during prayer, the line of a song came back to me, “knowing You Jesus, knowing You, THERE IS NO GREATER THING…”.

But other things creep up, sneak in, and our relationship with Him, being the GREATEST THING in our lives, if we are honest, is no longer true. That is what the Lord has been convicting me of in this very hour. And that is what I am pursuing again. That my relationship with Jesus is undeniably the GREATEST THING in my life. Not just my “claim”. But in reality.