Lesson 9 The Life of CHRIST ( JESUS Cleanses the Temple )

Do we need some Temple Cleansing today? Yes we do. We need to get back to having Church, Worshiping a HOLY GOD with HOLY Reverence and Respect. We need to Honor GOD'S House, Time Now. If you are Preaching, Pastoring, Counseling, doing Mission work, etc, for any other reason than to Glorify GOD..Not for Big Business, Not for Big Money, Not for Fame or Fortune, Not for Mega-Churches..You get the picture. If you are...Go Out of Business!! John 2:12-25 is our text and scripture reference for this lesson. In Jerusalem, the Temple was the center of the Jewish religious worship. Solomon constructed the forst Jewish Temple to replace the old tabernacle with a more permanent building. The details of the Temple are given in I Kings 5:12, 6:38, 8:1-66. JESUS was in town for the Passover, which began in Egypt. It was an 8 day festival celebrating Israel coming out of bondage. Read John 2:13, Exodus 12:11. The book of John records every passover that JESUS attended. Exodus chapter 12 gives the reason for the Passover. The Jews Day begins at 6pm ( this is there morning ) and ends at 5:59pm, which makes up the 24 hour system. So one would say that their days and night, run opposite from ours. I believe JESUS was heading to the Temple to worship prior to the Passover celebration. Once HE arrived, into the Court of the Gentiles, which is the common place of the Temple for everyone, however HE had to walk through that court yard in order to reach the Temple itself. Remember, 1 way in and 1 way out of the Temple. This is a type of CHRIST..1 way to Heaven, 1 way out of Hell, through JESUS CHRIST only. Buying and Selling goods was not the problem JESUS encountered that day, the problem was they were making a profit off of the Passover. John 2:16 simply states JESUS'S HOLY Reverence for : My Father's House. These folks were money-changers by occupation, which was a profitable business. They would exchange the Jewish coins into Roman coins for a percentage or profits. Making money, making a profit off of GOD'S people. JESUS was Bold, JESUS was a True Man. HE found something wrong in GOD'S House and fixed it. Do you realize the same bunch of folks that HE ran out of the Temple that day was to be the same group that crucified HIM on Cavalry. This passage also states their were the selling of Oxen, Sheep and Doves. I found this quite amazing that in that day, before CHRIST gave HIMSELF as the Supreme Sacrifice on the Cross, that Doves were reserved for the poor people ( for their sacrifice ) and the Oxen and Sheep were reserved for the Rich people ( for their sacrifice ). I am even more excites that MY SAVIOR, is enough for us all Rich, Poor, Everyone!!! Amen!!! Luke 19:46 suggests that in a seperate incident, JESUS was angered by the abscence of genuine worship in HIS FATHER'S House. Verse 22 says the disciples believed the scriptures after JESUS'S resurrection and they remembered what HE had said ( vs 20 ). We are just like the people of that day. We are driven by emotions and feelings, the same ones the people of that day had. People are People are People. The Jews always wanted a sign from GOD. Say Amen right there!!!!! We do too. You know the problem with that? That is not living by FAITH!!!!! Amen again right there!!!! The Bible teaches that our faith is not static but that it is strenghtens as we grow in our walk with GOD. The same goes for the knowledge of GOD'S Word. Verse 23 is a very solemn verse..It appears that JESUS recognized that some genuinely believed HE was the SON of GOD while others were amazed by HIS miracles but never believed in HIS DIETY. JESUS knows man folks, HE knows that our heart includes Deciet, Unbelief, Fickleness. Are you trusting in the Miracles JESUS preforms daily or are you trusting in the LORD of the Miracles. I would hope you are Trusting in the LORD today! John 2:13 speaks of the Time of the Event, The Passover, To remind the Israelites of their Egyptian captivity asnd release ( Ex 12 ), and was to be an annual event. Ex 12:11 speaks of the original " The LORD'S Passover". John 2:13 speaks of the Master of the event. The boldness and strength of our LORD. The Holiness and Wrath of GOD. The DIETY and Authority of GOD. In John 2:16 HE calls the Temple " My FATHER'S House". John 2:19-21 was the sign the Jews needed. It was JESUS proclaiming HIS own resurrection from the dead. John 2:24-24 Tells us JESUS knows all men. Committ Yourself to the SAVIOR today. You can't run, HE knows you better than you know yourself. HE created you freind, Trust and Obey HIM Today. May GOD Bless HIS HOLY WORD!!








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Lesson 8, The Life of CHRIST ( Changing the Water to Wine )

The lessons text comes from John 2:1-11. Before we start, I would like to give you a few facts about wine. Wine is a symbol of Joy in the Jewish custom. In the event you did not have wine or not enough wine to go around, it was considered Taboo in the Jewish custom. Proverbs 23:30-32, tells us that the strong wine was the intoxicating type, which in no way did JESUS ever partake of. It was the weak, sweet, drink (wine), that was the best or first wine, that was fit for our KING! John calls this event, the beginning of miracles, John 2:11. JESUS was at a wedding feast. Reculect back to any wedding you have been a part of. Everything was in place and set to a tee. On the onset, everything looked ok, but, behind the scenes, problems, panic, was about to happen. The wedding party had ran out of wine. What a social embarrassment and a taboo from their culture to do so. In the very time of need, not a moment before, not a moment too late, JESUS handled the situation and provided exactly what was needed, right on time! I believe once Mary, JESUS'S Mother, told her SON of the problem, I honestly believe once her petetion was made known, she had Faith in HIM, to do exactly what needed to be done. Her Faith was based on just exactly what the Angel's proclaimed, or told her before HIS birth as to who HE is! Once Mary told HIM about the wine problem, JESUS replied that HIS hour had not yet come. It was likely related to the proper time for HIS ministry and HIS eventual death to be revealed. JESUS was doing this miracle as a mere warm up of what HE had in store during HIS ministry as well as the miracle of miracles when HE Rose HIMSELF from the Dead..Glory!! Isn't it a relief as well as a Blessing to know our GOD can and will do something about any problem we may face! The same held true for the very Miother of JESUS. As I spoke of the very sweet wine earlier, the first wine, the very best wine. This was what JESUS made from water. HE even had the servants use the unconventional water pots to catch the water in. These pots were typically used to catch water in for washing/bathing purposes. Thank GOD HE used my old unconventional condition of sin, not fit for anything but Hell and Eternal Damnation. HE gave me new wine, sweet wine..JESUS offers us HIS very best, JESUS gives HIS very best and JESUS wants our very best. Mary gave us a true example as she spoke to the serveants in verse 5, " Whatsoever HE saith unto you, do it." I believe they did just exactly what Mary told them. I believe they did just exactly as JESUS required of them. I believe that the more they drew the water (wine) out, the more glad their heart became. Just like our life. The more you do what JESUS requires of us, the more grounded and joyful we become. John 2:3 Presented the Problem, No Wine. John 2:4-8 Presented the Solution ( Mary's concern was physical and temporal. CHRIST'S concern was spiritual and eternal. CHRIST is the answer.) Also the servant's responsibility was to fill the water pots. Take the newly created wine to the Governor of the feast. John 2:9-11 Presnted the results. Wine was produced. CHRIST'S miracles begin. CHRIST'S Glory is manifested. I will leave you with this quote from Oliver B. Greene.." Christianity does not take the joy out of living. On the contrary, Christianity brings life, and life abundant."