All the people hung upon his words

Why did Jesus drive out the money changers in the temple at Jerusalem? 

Was he upset with their greediness? This is the only incident in the Gospels where we see Jesus using physical force. Jesus went to Jerusalem, knowing he would meet certain death on the cross, but victory as well for our sake. His act of judgment in the temple is meant to be a prophetic sign and warning to the people that God takes our worship very seriously. 

Jesus honors the Father's house of prayer by cleansing it of unholy practices 

In this incident we see Jesus' startling and swift action in cleansing the temple of those who were using it to exploit the worshipers of God. The money changers took advantage of the poor and forced them to pay many times more than was right - in the house of God no less! Their robbery of the poor was not only dishonoring to God but unjust toward their neighbor.

The people were hungry for the word of God

In justification for his audacious action Jesus quotes from the prophets Isaiah (Isaiah 56:7) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:11). His act of judgment aims to purify the worship of God's people and to discipline their erring ways. Despite the objections of the religious leaders, no doubt because Jesus was usurping their authority in the house of God, the people who listened to Jesus teaching daily in the temple regarded him with great awe and respect. Luke tells us that "they hung upon Jesus' words"(Luke 19:48) . How hungry are you for God's word?

The Lord wants to share his holiness with us

If we approach God's word with a humble attentive heart and with a willingness to be taught by the Lord, then we are in a good place to allow God's word to change and transform us in the likeness of Christ. The Lord wants to teach us his ways so that we may grow in holiness. The Lord both instructs and disciplines us in love to lead us from the error of our sinful ways to his truth and justice. "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness" (Hebrews 12:10). The Lord calls us to be a holy people who worship him with reverence and gratitude for his great mercy and kindness towards us. Do you allow God's word to transform you in his way of love and holiness?

Lord Jesus, you open wide the door of your house and you bid us to enter confidently that we may worship you in spirit and truth. Help me to draw near to you with gratitude and joy for your great mercy. May I always revere your word and give you acceptable praise and worship.

source: From the desk of Don Schwager, 

hosted by Kairos Europe and the Middle East

Worship the Lord, according to His Words

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

According to the commission of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

It is Christ who owns the church which He purchased it with His blood, and He is the Head of all His churches.

Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians, to feed the church of the Lord which he obtained with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) 

He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. (Colossians 1:18)

Christ alone is the Head of the church as it is His church, and we as the body of Christ, we will stand in His Word, and affirm it as the truth.

God not only appointed a day of worship which is the Sabbath day, but also a way of worship. Therefore, we we should not worship any way we want. 

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Worship is a selfless act of giving and when we give selflessly to our God that worship will be the meaningful experience for us that we and God want it to be.

He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39)

He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12:25)

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

Thus, we must give of ourselves completely and totally to the worship of God to receive abundant spiritual blessings in return. 

Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Luke 6:38)

You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve. (Matthew 4:10)

We must worship Him according to His word. Every word God was inspired by Him and is without error. 

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) 

You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me. (John 5:39)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power of God for salvation to every one who has faith. (Romans 1:16)

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. (Romans 10:17)