Tuesday, April 7, 2009

GET OUT!!!!!

Over the last couple of years our church has been going through the book of Luke....yes couple of years. I'm actually not sure how long we've been in this study, but it has been a long time. Our Pastors preach verse by verse, and generally we take it a book at a time.

We are almost done with the book of Luke. I'd say there are probably only 2 or 3 messages left to complete it as we are in the latter part of Luke 24.

Well through our study of Luke our Pastor has brought out some very interesting points. I pick up on the Greek and the nuances that he brings out that are not written directly in the Scriptures.

For example in chapter 19 of Luke you have "The Triumphal Entry" of Christ into Jerusalem, the last week of His life (vs. 28-44). And this happened on Monday (that's one of those little nuances I was talking about). I love it that Pastor J brought that to our attention. It puts me right into the story.

Can you picture it? Christ riding triumphally into Jerusalem (on a Monday), on a donkey colt, never ridden before, and all the people shouting "Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!" waving palm branches. Can you imagine being there?

There are a lot of overwhelming moments in the Passion week. A lot of times that my heart just wants to cry out and other moments when I just have to fall on my face and worship and then jump up as He triumphs over death, hell and the grave at His resurrection!!! Oh what a Savior!!!!

But oh how I'm getting ahead of myself....today I want to focus on what happened on Tuesday of Passion week: The Cleansing of the Temple. In Luke 19:45-48 we have a passage that indicates that Jesus was angry, I believe He was angry; righteously angry. Here these people were in the house of God buying and selling for their own gain and ripping the people off. They were not buying and selling items to benefit the Kingdom of God in some way, they were buying and selling to benefit themselves, and doing it in the House of God. This cannot be and Jesus took to doing some cleaning.

Do you ever feel like there is some cleaning that needs to go on in our own Spiritual lives? Some clearing of the table so to speak? just saying......

When I picture this scene in my mind, I see the righteous indignation of our Lord and the fortitude to clear out the money changes and to tell them the truth. I love that, setting them straight.

Vs. 46: "It is written," He said to them, 'My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.'"
Vs. 47: "Every day He was teaching at the temple. But the cheif priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill Him."
Vs. 48: "Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on His words."

I love this passage and I love that the people were hanging on His every word. He drove out the money changers, the robbers, and the people still hung on His every word, because it was Truth. He was after all, The Word (John 1).

So am I hanging on every word of the Word? Our Pastor said in his message on Sunday that if you are not reading the Word regularly you are killing yourself!!! Strong words, but truth. We must feed the Spirit and starve the flesh. Paul said he died daily to the flesh, the only way to die to it is to starve it. And how do you starve it? Don't feed it.

And the only way to live to Christ is to feed the Spirit with the things of the Spirit. I love my Jesus and living life for Him, and reading His Word and spending time in prayer and with God's people. It is the only way to live life.

So on this Tuesday, if there is some clearing out Jesus needs to do in your life, spend some time with Him and let Him lovingly care for you and show you the areas that need His cleansing ~~ it is a beautiful thing!!

Have a Blessed Tuesday,

3 comments:

  1. WOW... I can feel your passion on this just reading it!!! Chills!!

    Its crazy - my friend Joe also did a post today about that same scripture! He's on my side bar "Reflect the Son" - you should check it out since you are on that verse today yourself!

    Such powerful images during this Holy of Holy Weeks!

    HUGS!

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  2. That was well written, Dawn! Loved it. Our preacher is going through the events of the Passion Week on his blog this week, too.

    I hope your week is filled with His presence!!

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  3. This is passionately written and so true. Just the other day, I was weeding one area of the yard and thinking to myself there are areas in my life that need weeding as well. What a great week to think on what we need to cleanse in our lives. Thank you for sharing from your heart.

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