House of Prayer- Cornwall
Cornwall
September 4, 2004
On two occasions, Jesus called attention to the state of the worship that occurred in and around the Temple in Jerusalem. From each, we learn something of great value to us, as we gather to worship God today, here in Cornwall, Ontario, in Canada. The messages of the Bible- and the Holy Scriptures are very relevant to us- this is a lesson that we need constant assurance of and which we need to not let slip.
Please turn to Matthew 21.12 and 13.
Jesus’ action and words were prophetic, and emphasized a change coming in the entire system. He quoted two OT passages- Isa.56.7- where he omitted key words “for all nations”, which Jewish readers would know, and he quoted Jer.7.11. Readers, of the time, would recognize that Jesus’ actions happened in the ‘court of the Gentiles’, where moneychangers changed foreign coins for those in which the Temple dues might be paid, and, presumably, they made a lot of money through doing this. “Those who sold pigeons” did so to the poor as offerings, so the poor could offer the poorest acceptable offering in this sacrificial system.
Jesus is pointing out, as Matt.12.43 ultimately emphasizes, that there will be a replacement of the old system by the new.
People had developed one idea about God’s house. God wanted something more. Let’s read Jer.7.11- this tells us that God sees.
Jesus’ warning is relevant for us, today, as well. In His day, many did not see the centre of worship as He saw it. For them, it became a centre for themselves and for their advancement, and others accepted this. Those who came, even, as worshippers, did not cast out the moneychangers and sellers of pigeons, but they accepted what occurred and, probably, thought it was something that had to be tolerated. However, Jesus, the owner of the Temple, thought otherwise. What do we accept that is unacceptable? What do we do that we might feel is acceptable, but which we need to challenge so God’s house- “My house”- to quote Jesus’ words- is what Jesus has in mind?
Let’s think about it. This is to be a ‘house of prayer’. This is a centre for worship. Do we come with that in mind? Do we come focused on ‘I, me, my’, or on “You, Your”? Do we come to honour God, or to get something for ourselves, or to tolerate something that ought not to be tolerated? This is to be a centre for worship, which happens in many different ways, but we have to begin by coming here with a sense of awe about the One we are coming to worship. We do not want to be cast out because we’re involved in our matters and ourselves, as were the moneychangers and sellers of pigeons.
Two practices need to be considered at this time:
1. Do you come prepared to worship? Do you prepare to worship? You, and I, need a few minutes before the service begins, to prepare to worship. You cannot come in at the last minute and expect to connect with God in the corporate worship service. Don’t arrive late. It’s as easy to come 10 minutes earlier as it is to come right ‘on time’, or a few minutes late. Dean Wilson, Regional Director for the churches in Canada in 1975, when I began in ministry, taught us that ‘on time is 30 minutes early’. You have to build in allowance for a flat tire or for bad traffic. Too, it’s a matter of respect. If I come in late, to a seminar or lecture or to hear a speaker, it says to that person, or gathering, that I am more important- it marks disrespect- do we recognize this? Let us not show disrespect toward God.
2. When worship begins, be quiet. It is not uncommon for us to carry on worship unrelated conversations when songs begin or even during a prayer. If you come in late, be quiet about it. If you’re here to worship, be sure to wind up other conversations a couple of minutes ahead of the beginning of the worship time, so you can ‘be quiet before the Lord’ and prepare to worship. This is a good lesson for all of us- you children can learn this, too, and can practice this, even as we adults can. You’re here to worship God, too, maybe because your parents bring you or make you, or, hopefully, because you want to be here before your God. It isn’t necessary for children to be hopping around during the service- I understand the matter of energy, and that’s good, but I have, also, along with my wife, had 3 of our 4 daughters reasonably quiet during 2 hour services, that we used to have. I don’t believe they’re scarred for life because of it. This is one important lesson to learn- it’s a lesson of discipline, which prepares one to accomplish more in life- and can be one great benefit from being involved in regular worship toward God.
Once the worship service begins, we need to focus on Him, not us- the moneychangers and sellers of pigeons were focused on themselves and their own affairs. That is, according to Jesus, inappropriate focus.
The last thing we want is for Jesus to have to come and cast us out of His temple. We, because we honour scripture, are people who respond to scripture. These are matters for us to consider, seriously, as we come to worship. Let us be sure that we act in a way to make this a ‘den of thieves’, but that we contribute to this place as ‘a house of prayer’.
This example happened toward the end of Jesus’ ministry- once he had known the triumphant entry to Jerusalem in what we celebrate as Palm Sunday.
The other biblical example happened early in his ministry- after turning water into wine in Cana and before Nicodemus came to him.
John 2.13-17- the key phrase is, “Do not make my Father’s house a house of merchandise!” This, again, speaks to what we can make God’s house into and what God has in mind. They can be two different things, and it’s important to maintain the right perspective. We come here, to God’s house, to worship and honor him
The ancients had it right. There’s a group of 15 psalms called the Psalms of Ascent, which apply to an increasing of spiritual clarity among the people of God as they journeyed to one of the festivals in Jerusalem. These Psalms emphasize what is really important and the kind of reality we need to have before ourselves as we come here to the weekly festival.
Please turn to Psalm 120, and we’ll overview the messages of these 15 psalms, and see how they draw us toward this being a house of prayer and not of merchandise.
Psa.120- from the trenches, there is a sense of need because of struggles of living. Do you ever feel that? Of course, so come along with the pilgrim who is en route to the house of prayer and worship.
Psa.121- the pilgrim traveler remembers that God gives help. Even in the struggles of life, he is there- especially seen in v.3ff.
Psa.122- the pilgrim has real desire to be in God’s presence. Do we? There is excitement in being in His presence, and desire to keep the place and awareness alive.
Psa.123- the pilgrim looks to God while surrounded by struggles of living.
Psa.124- reminder of God’s historical assistance- this is a help…to remember.
Psa.125- reminder of God’s trustworthiness- he is there.
Psa.126- reminder of God’s bringing of joy- he ended captivity and oppression, and answered the struggles of living- v.3.
Psa.127- focus on God- unless we’re with Him, all effort is in vain. Don’t focus so much on getting God to be ‘with you/us’, but let the focus be in our being with him. God blesses.
Psa.128- here we see the current/present reality of God’s blessings. Keep the focus on fearing God and respecting God. Do we? When we come together, to we?
Psa.129- How many struggles!? Yet…v.2. Yes, there’s an enemy- but he’s on a short leash and defeated.
Psa.130- reality of waiting expectantly for God and His victory. We see progressiveness here, from despair in Psa.120 to confident waiting, following our being reminded and using our memory.
Psa.131- be quiet (v.2) and simply trust. There’s a sense of being settled in our relationship with God.
Psa.132- desire to worship is appropriate and continually because of all this previous understanding- v.7. Worship happens in a place, too.
Psa.133- wonderfulness and miracle of God’s people together.
Psa.134- God’s people in praise. End result of all the thought and prayer, is blessing God. People respond to God (v.2). God responds to people (v.3).
It must have been very exciting for these people to go through this process, and there’s some research indicating that these psalms were used in the festival seasons. Whether or not, for us, we need to appreciate that there is response to God that is so very appropriate. There is response to God that our circumstances demand of us, and we have to be careful not to fail in this regard. We cannot allow the way of the world to come in here. We’re before God and need to reflect that in how we respond to Him.
