After what we now call the Triumphal Entry, Jesus spent Sunday evening in Bethany, a small town just outside of Jerusalem. On Monday morning, he returned to Jerusalem and went straight to the temple.

The temple was Israel’s house of worship, a place where worshipers met with God. But in the days of Jesus, worship in the temple had turned into a money-making scam. The religious leaders had devised a way to make money from the desire to worship God. They sold animals to sacrifice at high prices and for a hefty profit. They also charged exorbitant fees for exchanging Roman coins for Hebrew coins. Matthew records how Jesus responded.

Matthew 21.12-13
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Jesus was passionate about the dwelling place of God—and he still is!

Today, as part of the new covenant, there is no longer a physical temple where God dwells. Paul tells us that those who have trusted in Christ are the living temple of God. When we invite Christ into our lives, he comes in and clears out the filth. He makes our heart—the center of our mind, emotions, and will—his home. And he is still passionate that we keep it clean. He reminds us that there are things of the world that do not belong in the temple of the King.

As you picture the passion of Christ driving out those in the temple, overturning the tables of the money changers—we must not forget that he is just as passionate today that your heart—his home—stays pure. Is there anything in your life that Christ needs to come in and overturn? Any tables of impurity, immorality, dishonesty, deceit, materialism, pride, compromise, tolerance for sin, unwholesome speech, or gossip? Ask him to overturn the tables that are repulsive to him.

Lord Jesus,
We know you are just as passionate about our hearts as you were about the temple. Turn over any tables of sin that are standing in the way of us being true worshipers. We surrender our hearts to you. In your name, we pray. Amen.