The Power of Cleansing

METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA

DIOCESE OF OSOGBO

PASSION WEEK – MONDAY, 6^TH APRIL, 2020.

GOD’S WORD TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

THEME: The Power of Cleansing

             “Agbara iwenumo”

TEXT: Mark 11:15

“So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple and over-tuned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.”

The last journey of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth and to Jerusalem, which began with Palm Sunday yesterday, took a whole week-Sunday to Saturday. This week called passion week is therefore important to all Christians all over the world, because it is seen as the week of the suffering and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Without the event of this passion week, our faith would have been futile. Jesus triumphal entry yesterday was the fulfilment of the prophecy in Zechariah chapter 9 verse 9. His humble, but significant entrance into Jerusalem established his Messianic role and further confirmed his Kingship among the Jews. It strengthened the belief of his followers who treated him publicly as King. Jesus Christ himself demonstrated his Kingship and ministered in three different official roles as contained in Mark chapters 11 and 12. He appeared as (1) King (Mark 11:1-11) (2) Judge (Mk. 11:12-26) (3) Prophet (Mk. 11:27, 12:44)

I will however limit this message to the events which took place today – HOLY MONDAY at Jerusalem during his last journey on earth. There are two major events which took place today at Jerusalem and both of them revealed Jesus Christ as the JUDGE. (Mk. 11:12-26).

1.   The first is the condemnation of the fig tree by Jesus Christ, which was a symbolic act that illustrated the sad spiritual condition of the nation called Israel. In spite of its many privileges and opportunities Israel was outwardly fruitless like the fig tree (Mk. 11:11-14, 20:24) Cursing the unproductive fig tree, apart from the drowning of the pigs in Mark chapter 5 verse 13, is the only instance of our Lord Jesus Christ using his power to destroy something in nature. He cursed the tree to teach his followers two (2) important lessons:

a.    Anyone who failed to be useful to God shall be removed from its place (Lk. 13:1-9). To be fruitless or useless is sin (John15:16) Christians must therefore cultivate their spiritual roots in order to be fruitful and not to settle for leaves. We must all draw nutrients from Jesus Christ the source of life to be fruitful in life (John 15:5)

b.    It is used to teach the disciples to have faith in God. If we trust God, and live in an attitude of dependence on him, nothing will be impossible for us to do. No virus will be difficult for us to kill and we will be able to move all mountains, even CONVID-19, from our State and nation – Nigeria. We must trust God and allow him to clean our lives, our homes, our State and our nation at large.

 

2.   This takes us to the second event, which took place on Monday, during Jesus Christ’s last week journey on earth; Cleansing of the temple (Mk. 11:15-19) which is the main focus of today’s message.

 

According to St. John, Jesus Christ had cleansed the temple during his first Passover visit to Jerusalem (John 2:13-22), but the result seems to be temporary. I don’t think it was long before the Jewish religious leaders allowed the traders and money changers to resume their unclean businesses in the temple. It is assumed that the Priests received their share of the profits and that the services were a convenience to the Jews who traveled to Jerusalem to worship.

 

It must be noted that this religious market was set up in the court of the Gentiles, part of the temple, where serious missionary work ought to have been taken place. Honestly, what was taking place at the Gentiles court would not allow any Gentile visiting the temple to believe what the Jews were teaching about the true God. Their dishonestly, ingenuity, deception, cheat, rubbery and oppression were obvious and counterproductive in when it comes to the Spiritual matters.

 

A place of prayer was turned to a place for preying and paying. A place where poor people were victimized by the merchants in the temple. All these evils grieved our lord Jesus Christ, who was sensitive to the poor, and thus drove all money changers and sellers of various articles out of the temple.

 

Jesus quoted Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11 to defend his action. At the same time, he exposed the sins of the religious leaders, who saw the temple primarily as a place of sacrifice contrary to the idea of Jesus Christ who saw it as a place of prayer. However, true prayer, in itself, is a sacrifice to God’ (Ps. 141:1-2). Jesus drove all deceivers out of the temple because of his spiritual view about it, rather than the Jewish traditional view which was full of rules and regulations. It is obvious that the Chief Priests and Scribes were using the temple and its religious services to cover up their sin and hypocrisy. They forgot the warning of Isaiah (Isa. 1:10-17) and Jerusalem (Jer. 7:1-16) and thought that physical temple or church building was a guarantee of blessing from God. No, not at all. It is what people do in the temple from their hearts that is really important. Heart of human being is therefore important to God.

 

Can we all examine our own lives and ministries today to see if perhaps we are also making merchandise of the gospel or if we have fallen into the hands of fake/false Pastors/Prophets or Prophetesses. What do people outside think about our church buildings as houses of prayer even now that we have to close them temporarily for fear of Coronavirus? Do we also run to Church on Sundays in an attempt to cover our sins and hypocrisy? How about our body? Do we see it as the temple of God? What are the things going on in our mind? If Jesus Christ were to show up in our heart, which he calls his temple (ICor. 3:16-17) what change would he love to make?

 

Fathers, and mothers, brothers and sisters in Christ, allow Jesus’ cleansing power to come into you today and circumcise your heart, clean you up and make you worthy of his presence in this world and the world to come, life eternal. The first temple to clean today is you and me. If I and you are cleansed, the church will remain pure. Allow Jesus to wash you today remain connected to him and you will be clean forever. Coronavirus or any pandemic will have no place in you or your home. Let us all come to Jesus on his way to Calvary to experience his cleansing power.

“Otito Jesu lo fun iwenumo…” (YMHB 819)

 

May God deliver us from all things which are out to destroy us spiritually and physically in Jesus name, Amen. God bless you.

 

Rt. Rev. A.K.O. Ogunrinde, JP, FICT.

Bishop, Diocese of Osogbo.

Chairman OS-CAN.