THE KING’S BUSINESS
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bol o f Israel and the judgment declared by our Lord upon the tree is followed by His attack upon the money-changers. Our Lord is here presented to us in a new role; He is now aggressive in His atti tude towards the Jewj^h rulers. The tem ple was God’s house where the people were to meet H im ; the place o f worship; the holy place—but the declension in spirit was clearly to be seen in the commercializing o f this worship and the desecration o f the temple. It was not merely the building itself, but the presence o f God Himself that was desecrated. Jesus exercises His own author ity in His righteous indignation against the sacrilegious, sordid, selfish moneychangers who were but the tools o f the ecclesiastical authorities, who did not dare to attempt to apologize for the wickedness o f their agents. The lesson lies upon the surface, but there is a deeper lesson for us. It is no longer a question o f buildings set apart for the worship o f the Lord, for the Lord does not dwell in them, but it is a question o f the temple o f God, which is the body o f every believer. “What, know ye not that your body is the temple o f the Holy Ghost?” In the older time God’s law was that He met His people where He recorded His name; now,:: wherever His name is recorded, He meets His people. “Where two or three are gathered, in His name, there He is.” Perhaps there is no more wonderful promise in the whole Word o f God than this. He is there—the Lord o f L ife; He is there—the Mighty God, the
Everlasting Father, the Prince o f Peace! If these bodies o f ours are the temple o f God, how solemn is the thought. If He would not brook the desecration o f His earthly house, how much more will He be exercised concerning the use o f His living tabernacle! What would He cast out o f your life and mine were He to take upon Himself the task o f cleansing? What is there o f greed, or selfishness, or lust o f power, or the lusfioi the flesh, or the pride o f life that mars and makes unholy His purchased possession? Our bodies are the temples where He is to be worshipped; where He comes in holy communion and fellowship, with us. If these money chartgers are to be condemned, how much more are we to be condemned if we traffic with sin; if we become the vehicle o f Satan’s foul birds; if we make our lives to be as a den o f thieves. PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Trafficking in holy things leads to trickery and deceit. (2) There are still money-changers in the church. (3) Many churches need a house-cleaning. (4) Does the tenant o f your temple have control o f the house? (5) Can He say to you “My house is a house o f prayer?” (6) To question His authority is to ques tion God’s Anointed. (7) One question from Jesus will silence all questioners. (8) Jesus proved His authority by the power o f His works. (9) Don’t question His right; quietly sub mit to His reign in your life.
PERTINENT ILLUSTRATIONS
By W . H. Pike.
A ND Jesus went into the temple . . . 4 » - and overthrew the tables o f the money changers.” Lack of Reverence for the House of Worship .—Would not Jesus turn out some o f the church fairs, donkey parties, rum
mage sales, minstrel shows and “what-nots” that are dishonoring the house o f worship today. We heard o f a church in a certain place that would clear away the chairs on prayer meeting night, after listening to a twenty minute sermonette, and dance
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