11:15 And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
– Mark 11:15-17
As Jesus makes His way into the holy city, Jerusalem, things really begin to heat up for Him. The crowds have just praised Him as he rode into town on a colt. One moment they are singing “hosannas” and exalting Him as the Davidic Messiah and then next moment their response to his cursing of the fig tree — which represented the unfaithfulness of Israel — and his righteous anger in the temple, causes them to turn on Him.
How quickly we human beings turn from adulation of another to scorn. We are a fickle people! At any hint of judgment against us we straighten our spine, pull back our shoulders, put our hand out and cry, “Not today buddy! You don’t get to judge me!” The problem with that posture is that more often than not, we need to hear where we’ve fallen short of God’s Holy will for us. It cannot be ignored if we truly desire to follow Jesus as servants of the most high God. The first step to the restoration of our relationships with God and our neighbors is repentance. Then and only then will we receive the words of forgiveness granted to us by our loving and merciful Lord.
As Jesus entered the temple what He found was a cadre of merchants selling animals, presumably for the pilgrims coming to Jerusalem for the Passover feast and worship. These animals were purchased and given as offerings. It was rather handy, especially for those traveling long distances to get to the temple. The problem was that the merchants were taking advantage of the people. They set up shop in the holiest of places to exchange Roman money for temple money, a special currency created to be used to pay the temple tax and to buy animals for sacrifice. The courtyard had become a stockyard with sheep, cattle and doves for purchase. Can you imagine the chaos?
Jesus enters the place and topples over the tables and chastises the merchants saying, “You’ve made my Father’s house into a den of robbers!” The Greek word used here for robbers is lestes/λῃστής (sounds like lay-stays) and it can be translated as thief or criminal. He goes on to proclaim that His Father’s house is to be a house of prayer! The misuse of the temple is a grievous offense against God, and Jesus’ condemnation aggravated the chief priests and temple authorities. Just a few days later, as we all know, Jesus would find Himself nailed to a cross like a common criminal, positioned between two thieves to die.
This story reminds us of where our attention, adoration, and proper worship is to be directed — towards our Lord Jesus Christ. There are so many places we end up putting our efforts into, but none of them are life giving in the way that Christ gives life. Our buildings we worship in cannot save us. Our associations with clubs, committees, and even charities, as wonderful as they are, cannot grant us life eternal. When anything at all comes before God in our lives, there we find we’ve made an idol. There we are thieves and robbers, taking what properly belongs to God and giving it to someone or something else.
Friends, as we make the journey with Jesus this week to the cross, may our hearts, hands, minds, and wallets all be in submission to our Lord Jesus Christ who calls us to be His temple in the world — spiritual houses made of living stone by Him and for His purposes (1 Peter 2:5).
Prayer: Saving God, You have called each of us to a life of faithfulness. Grant that we would not be tempted to put attention elsewhere but would daily focus on Your love and Your Word of life, Jesus Christ. Bless our bishop and grant him all he needs to continue to lead Your Holy Church in discipleship, mission, and a deeper faith. We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Devotion written by the Rev. Amy C. Little
Morning Psalms
Evening Psalms
This daily prayer and Bible reading guide, Devoted to Prayer (based on Acts 2:42), was conceived and prepared by the Rev. Andrew S. Ames Fuller, director of communications for the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). After a challenging year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been provided with a unique opportunity to revitalize the ancient practice of daily prayer and Scripture reading in our homes. While the Reading the Word of God three-year lectionary provided a much-needed and refreshing calendar for our congregations to engage in Scripture reading, this calendar includes a missing component of daily devotion: prayer. This guide is to provide the average layperson and pastor with the simple tools for sorting through the busyness of their lives and reclaiming an act of daily discipleship with their Lord. The daily readings follow the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year daily lectionary, which reflect the church calendar closely. The commemorations are adapted from Philip H. Pfatteicher’s New Book of Festivals and Commemorations, a proposed common calendar of the saints that builds from the Lutheran Book of Worship, but includes saints from many of those churches in ecumenical conversation with the NALC. The introductory portion is adapted from Christ Church (Plano)’s Pray Daily. Our hope is that this calendar and guide will provide new life for congregations learning and re-learning to pray in the midst of a difficult and changing world.