"Spring Cleaning" - Sermon from Sunday, March 11, 2012

Spring Cleaning

Texts: John 2:13-22 (main focus); Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

   Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to you from the One who is and who was and who is to come, our living Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

   Spring is in the air. Hallelujah! How many of you had the chance to get outside yesterday and enjoy this beautiful weather? While prepping for today, I HAD to get outside and go for a short run. A couple of weeks ago, I was on vacation in Florida, where it was mostly “80 and sunny,” so it was a LITTLE difficult to come back to “30, cloudy, and icy.” But, yesterday helped to make the transition back to Minnesota a little bit better. And, it may be time for spring cleaning.

   As I was preparing this week, adjusting from vacation mode, I could not help but see how rich each of these texts were for this week. We have the Ten Commandments. The first thing that came to mind was Mel Brooks’ movie, “History of the World, Part I.” He comes down Mount Sinai with three rock tablets and says, “I have these fifteen”—CRASH, he drops one, and it breaks to smithereens—“I mean these Ten, Ten Commandments!” I can’t help but wonder what may have been on that third tablet!

   Then, Paul in 1 Corinthians talks about Christ crucified, seen as foolishness by the world. But, “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (verse 25). All I can say is, “Wow.”

   Finally, there’s Jesus, in the temple, doing some spring cleaning, so to speak, demonstrating some of that righteous anger that Pastor Dan mentioned Wednesday night. We don’t see mild, meek, “warm fuzzy” Jesus here, but Jesus laying the smackdown, so to speak, cleansing the temple, reminding people that God is to be worshiped alone and not objects like money. One could easily preach a sermon on each of these passages.

   Today, I am going to focus on John’s text, with some reference to the Ten Commandments, and the concept to think about today is that just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we need him to cleanse each of us, living according to His will and purposes versus our own.

   First, a little background to this passage in John, to set the stage…Prior to this, we see Jesus at the wedding in Cana (2:1-12), turning the water into wine inside of the stone water vessels, which were Jewish purification vessels. Now he enters the temple in Jerusalem, which was a place of sacrificial purification, and he would do a similar symbolic work, with replacement and fulfillment. In verse 21, Jesus is the temple, and his death or destruction and resurrection will make the building of the physical temple pale in comparison. His audience misunderstands him, with destroying and rebuilding the temple, thinking he meant the physical one, which had taken 46 years to build. But, he is predicting his death and resurrection, replacing the physical temple with his body, creating a new covenant with God. Jesus performs these public “signs,” demonstrating his identity.

   After this (in Chapter 3), the Pharisee Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night, trying to understand this concept of being born again. By the Holy Spirit, which blows wherever it pleases, as Jesus describes it in 3:8. The Holy Spirit sometimes gets overlooked, but we need to remember that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We need to follow Its leading. Then, we have one of the most-known passages in Scripture, 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV).

   One item I hadn’t realized about this temple incident in John is that this story can also be found in the other three Gospels as well (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). There are a few detail differences, but the biggest difference has to do with time. Matthew, Mark, and Luke place the temple cleansing at the end of Jesus’ ministry, whereas John places it at the beginning. Why? Scholars have debated this issue. Who is to say that there was only one temple cleansing? Or maybe John moved it chronologically for theological reasons, painting this portrait of Jesus and his signs against the backdrop of Judaism. He would be the fulfillment and replacement for Judaism’s institutions and festivals. Soon the physical temple would no longer serve God’s purposes.

   Jesus is committed to remembering Israel’s history and celebrating in the Passover, which is celebrated each spring, retelling the story of Israel’s departure from slavery in Egypt. In Exodus 12, we see the angel of death passing over the doors of those that had been marked by the blood of a sacrificial lamb. Over the centuries, the Passover was a time for Jewish families to come to Jerusalem and participate in sacrifice, a symbolic meal, and study of Israel’s salvation.

   Since people needed animals to sacrifice, Caiaphas, the Roman-appointed Jewish High Priest, allowed for the selling of animals in the temple courts. The temple was transformed from a place of worship to a place of commerce. Jesus took issue with these transactions happening at the temple. He wanted the temple to go back to what it was intended for: worship, prayer, instruction, and sacrifice.

   With this outrageous scene in the public square, one cannot help but wonder why people didn’t object to Jesus’ actions, allowing Jesus to drive them out of the temple? Instead, they simply ask about the basis for his doing it. What allowed him to succeed? It wasn’t the power of the whip but his moral power. The truth he spoke struck the heart of people’s consciences. Many knew he was right about the temple becoming a marketplace. Jesus’ righteous anger and the power of it was over the hurt these people were causing others. We need to ask ourselves: Are we hurting others? How do we respond when we see others being hurt? Excluded?

   So, just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we need him to cleanse each of us. How? Repentance. Turn around. Turn from what separates us and distracts us from God. Turn toward those thoughts and actions that help us experience God more fully. We remember the waters of Baptism. Martin Luther said that Baptism is something to be renewed and experienced every day. We enter the death of Jesus through repentance, recognizing sin, sorrowing over it, and seeking God’s forgiveness. We move from repentance to renewal, for beyond repentance there is resurrection. A renewed life.

   We are to live according to His will and purposes versus our own. What are His will and purposes? We can find them in the Ten Commandments. They taught the Israelites how to live in community, as our lives exist in community. This was a gift given to them by God, after being freed from slavery in Egypt. They proclaim that God is to have first place in our lives. He alone is worthy of worship. When someone or something else takes first place, that person or object becomes an idol, like a god. And we need to be cleansed.

   A question to consider for today: What are we allowing to clutter ourselves, hindering us from true worship and devotion of God? Lay it at the foot of the cross.

   I am currently taking a Worship class at Luther Seminary, and true worship, as defined by Luther, is to the glory of God and for the good of the neighbor. It is about an encounter, where God encounters us, where the Gospel molds and shapes us, toward God and the neighbor. We are formed into the crucified Christ, becoming more like him. The Spirit works however it wills. The “me” does not fit into that definition. Our own purposes will always place us first. If you notice in the Ten Commandments, the first four deal with our relationship with God, and the other six deal with our relationships with others.

   In Mark 12:30-31, when Jesus was asked by one of the teachers of the law as to which of all the commandments was the most important, Jesus summed it all up by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (NIV).

   Jesus came to fulfill the Law with his death and resurrection. So, we do not need the Law in order for us to be saved. As Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (NIV). Our salvation is a gift, something no human effort can attain. We cannot take credit for our salvation. But, these works, these fruits, are done as an extension of our faith.

   A question to ask today and maybe during Lent is, How do we apply grace to ourselves and law to others? What about law to ourselves and grace to others?

   Think about it today as you depart from here and go into the world. Honestly, I think it’s easier to give grace to ourselves and law to others. We crave grace when we have done something wrong. I know I do.

   The other day at work, a woman was very upset, because her drink had been made incorrectly two times. I can understand how that would be very irritating. I apologized and empathized with her, and I took it upon myself to make the drink correctly. No matter what I said, did, or offered to her, she glared with such anger in her eyes, not vocally responding.

   It made me feel crummy, and I had to shake it off. Her anger was strong, and I could feel it. I went in the back, and I admit that I had a flash of anger myself, wanting to tell her that if that was the worst thing that happened to her all day, she needs to considered herself as fortunate. I had my Uncle Jim on my heart, whom I was going to visit after work in an end of life care center in Hastings. The perspective of incorrect drinks versus dying of cancer.

   Now, I don’t want to downplay the significance of receiving two incorrect drinks, and maybe she was having a bad day, as we all have bad days. But, if we were to show each other a little more grace and a little less law, imagine the possibilities. The power of love.

   Maybe we’re afraid to open ourselves up, sacrificing on the behalf of our neighbors? What might we lose? But, what might we gain?

   We reflect on what happened on the cross yet again, on Jesus and his sacrifice of love. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” That power is love.

   A friend of mine posted the following quote on Facebook this week, and I stumbled upon it as I reflected and prepared for this message: “What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” Now, we do need to take care of ourselves, otherwise we may suffer from compassion fatigue. But, we need to look to each other and our neighbors outside these walls. And sacrifice hurts.

   Two weeks ago today, I participated in a half marathon at Walt Disney World in Orlando. There were five of us from Minnesota who made the trip. All of us had been placed in different starting corrals, labeled A through H. I was placed in G and was the furthest back of all my friends. My friend Katy was placed in A. She could’ve stayed in the fastest corral, but she came down to join me in slow, lowly G. She was going to run the race with me. Words cannot describe how much that meant to me. This was an emotional experience for me already, remembering the passing of my sister two years ago, my grandma last year, and Uncle Jim in hospice. It’s easy to feel lost in the midst of 20,000 people. But, with Katy and I running together, it was iron sharpening iron, encouraging and spurring each one onward. Never give up. It was a lot of fun and really enjoyable. Tears were shed at the finish line with this accomplishment. Katy had been battling some injuries and weeks prior she wasn’t sure she could participate. I had told her at the time that I would walk it with her. But, we mostly ran that 13.1 miles…And, most importantly, we did it together. In 3 hours, 8 minutes, and 43 seconds. In the body of Christ, that’s what we need to do…Leave no one behind. Spur each one onward. Be present. Encourage. No matter the sacrifice. There was even a lady there who held a sign that said, “Yes, I am cheering for you, complete stranger!” How awesome is that?

   I would like to close with a prayer today, written by Martin Luther. The extended version of it can be found on page 87 of the red ELW. I am using the version found in the 40 Days and 40 Nights devotional by Gail Ramshaw. How many of you purchased one? It has been a part of my Lenten journey and study. This Lenten season, just as Jesus cleansed the temple, we need him to cleanse each of us, temples of the Holy Spirit. Cleanse us of whatever may be displacing God from first place in our lives. As Ramshaw states, “The Spirit enables us to live for others while assuring us that Christ has already given his life for us” (page 37). May our hearts burn with love for God and our neighbor. May we not be afraid to respond as Jesus did in the temple, with a righteous anger when we see our neighbors being hurt or wronged. Is it time for spring cleaning? Let us pray:

   “Behold. Lord, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Lord, fill it. I am weak in the faith; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent, that my love may go out to my neighbor. At times I doubt and am unable to trust you altogether. O Lord, help me. In you I have sealed the treasure of all I have. With me, there is an abundance of sin; in you is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore I will remain with you. Amen.”

Caroline Harthun

House of Prayer Lutheran Church - Oakdale, MN

8:30am and 10:45am

Sunday, March 11, 2012

From Sermons4Kids: Children’s Message

Theme:	Jesus Cleanses the Temple. 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year B
Object:	Some cleaning items: broom, mop, sponges, dust cloth, etc.
Scripture:	In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" John 2:14-16 (NIV)
CLEANING HOUSE Spring is just a few days away. Spring is such a wonderful time of the year. The temperature begins to warm and the world begins to take on a fresh new look. The trees start to put on leaves, the grass begins to turn green, and the flowers start to bloom. Everything is beautiful! There are other things that tell us that spring is here too. For one thing, baseball season begins. Another sign that spring is here is that many people have started their spring cleaning. Mops, brooms, sponges, a dust cloth... what do we use these things for? We use them when we clean house, don't we? Do you ever help your mom and dad with the cleaning around your house? I don't know about your mom and dad, but there were many times when my they thought our house needed cleaning when it looked just fine to me. It looks like I am getting ready to clean house. Do your parents do any spring cleaning around your house? Spring is a good time to give your house a good going over and clean everything up and get rid of a lot of junk that you don't need. Well, how do you know when it's time to clean house? Well here are some signs that will definitely let you to know that it is time to clean house. It is time to clean house when your mother can't find you when she comes into your room to wake you up in the morning. It is time to clean house when the kids in the neighborhood use their fingers to write "wash me" in the dirt on your windows. It is time to clean house when there are more dishes in the kitchen sink than there are in the cabinets. Well, I think you get the idea! I know that your house never gets THAT dirty, but the truth of the matter is, we all need to do a little house cleaning at times. Today we are going to learn about a time when Jesus did some house cleaning. It was time for the annual Passover celebration, so Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. When he arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the temple. He couldn't believe what he saw. Right there in the temple area he saw people who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves to be used as sacrifices in the temple. There were even tables set up where men were changing money so that people could pay their temple taxes. It looked more like a flea market than a house of worship. Jesus did not like what he saw. He was so angry that picked up a piece of rope, made a whip, and drove the cattle, sheep, and those who were selling them out of the temple. Next, he went to the money changers and turned their tables over, scattering coins all over the temple floor. To the ones who were selling the doves he said, "Get out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market." I would say that Jesus did some serious spring cleaning in the temple that day! As we think about Jesus cleansing the temple, we should also be reminded that there is some other cleaning that needs to be done. The Bible tells us that we are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in us. (1 Cor. 3:16) The season of Lent is a good time for us to look inside ourselves and see if there is anything in us that needs to be cleansed. Are there some areas of your life where you need to do some house cleaning? I know there are in mine! Father, help us to remember that we are your temple and that your Spirit lives in us. Help us to keep our lives clean and useful for service to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.