the temple of the Lord

Monday, March 16, 2008
(Happy Birthday, Kate!)

Jer. 7:1-15; Rom. 4:1-12; John 7:14-36

“Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord. 3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place..."
(Jeremiah 7:2-3)

Yesterday, we heard in church from John's account of Jesus' cleansing the Temple (ch. 2). John does not refer to this passage from Jeremiah, as do Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They all quote part of verse eleven, "Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord."

But all of the gospels have this concern regarding Jesus "cleansing" the Temple - the ways and deeds of the people, and the leaders in particular, were corrupt and needed radical changing. Twice we hear, "amend your ways and your deeds."

The last two weeks we've used as the absolution after the confession one of those from the Rite I services: "The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit."

I like that, along with the absolving and remitting of all our sins, may God grant us:
true repentance (we considered that some last week - with our whole heart, not in pretense)
amendment of life (this is a part of true repentance - actually different ways and deeds)
grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit (to know peace, forgiveness, and grace to change and walk in the good works prepared for us to walk in)

God gives some clarity regarding the amendment of life he was looking for in the people who thought simply chanting, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," would hold God to God's promise but let them forsake their covenant with him.

“For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, 6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. (vs. 5-7)

As Robert pointed out yesterday, we are the temple of the Lord - individually in our bodies, and collectively as God's people. And also, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)

This, again, is the lenten call: to renew our repentance and faith; self-examination and repentance; prayer, fasting, and self-denial; reading and meditating on God's holy word (BCP, p. 265); to amend our ways and deeds.

In John's Temple cleansing account Jesus says he will give a sign: "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." (2:19) He comes to not only cleanse the Temple, to purify his Father's house, but to rebuild it.

"But he was speaking of the temple of his body." (v. 21) He is the true representative of Israel, and of the human race. He is the new Adam. And he is "something (someone) greater than the Temple." He death and burial was a real and visible image of the reality of the desolation and deadness of all God's people, made to dwell with him, to know intimate fellowship, and to love and serve him always.

Joining ourselves to Jesus the Messiah in faith will do this work of renewal, uniting ourselves with him in his death and uniting ourselves with him in his resurrection (through baptism and a baptized life), will "create in me a clean heart..." (Ps. 51) in which he will dwell.

(There's more to be said, but I've got to go! Be blessed meditating on this.)