God’s Mission
John 2:13-25
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again
in three days.” They replied, “It has taken 46 years to build this
temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the
temple he had spoken of was his body.
~ John 2:19-21
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Pondering Point
Just as Jesus describes his body as a temple, we too would be wise to think of our bodies as temples of God. As disciples, God our Father inhabits us. Jesus promised as much to His first disciples in John 14:23. This is part of the mission of God Jesus carries out.
John 14:23-24
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
You see it again in Jesus’ prayer of John 17. Unity with God. So it isn’t just the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, but the Father and the Son as well. This should not surprise us since there is unity in the Trinity. But hopefully it enthuses us. Let us honor Him/Them with our bodies and how we use them, how we treat them – ours and others.
Prayer
Father God, thank you for the reminder that my body is Your temple.
Thanks for honoring my body with Your holy
presence. Thanks for the temple that is my body.
I commit to honor You with it. Amen.
Dedication Prayer
Father, You created this body.1
Jesus, You redeemed this body.2
Spirit, You sanctified this body to be Your temple.3
Father, in view of Your mercy,
I offer my body as a living sacrifice.4
Jesus, knowing that You bought this body
at a price, I seek to honor You with it.5
Spirit, knowing that my body is Your temple,
I offer all parts as instruments for righteousness.6
By Your strength God, I seek to glorify You today, heart and soul, mind and body, will and imagination in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
1Psalm 139:14
21 Corinthians 15:13
31 Corinthians 6:19
4Romans 12:1
51 Corinthians 6:20
6Romans 6:13