When Jesus visited Jerusalem on a Passover, He found something in the temple that did not belong there. “And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business” (John 2:14). Does this sound familiar?
In the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Jesus examines seven churches. As in Jerusalem, He found something in the churches that did not belong there. The church of Ephesus had left its first love. Pergamos put a stumbling block before the children of God. Thytira allowed a woman prophetess to woo God’s servants into sexual immorality. Sardis was a dead church. The Laodicians were a lukewarm church.
In John chapter 2, Jerusalem’s issue was making “My Father’s house a house of merchandise” (John 2:16). In every case, the church and temple had not lived up to its calling. The temple was the place where God’s holy presence dwelt. And from there He was to rule and bless those who kept His commandments. From within His people, He would make Himself known.
The church is His body of holy ones who have believed in Christ as Savior, become individual dwellings of God via the Spirit, all that they may publicly witness that their Redeemer is risen.
When the disciples saw Jesus had driven “them all out of the temple … and overturned the tables” (John 2:15), they remembered the OT verse, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up” (John 2:17). These words of Psalm 69:9 mirrored the desire of King David to honor the Lord faithfully. It wasn’t being received well, and the people were speaking against him.
If any of us see troubles in our church, never mind in other churches, we can feel powerless at times, even ostracized, which means to be alienated or excluded. Yet we can pray that the Lord will give us a holy zeal to be overcomers and not be part of the problem. The Lord did not tell the people to leave their troubled local church in Revelation 2 and 3, but to overcome the issues He raised. This way, they could be examples of the Lord’s healing forgiveness and enabling grace to recover others.
May we acknowledge the shortcomings the Lord has revealed in us, whether by whip or the sharp, two-edged sword, the word of God (Heb. 4:12). May we not only repent, but ask with King David for the Lord to “renew a steadfast spirit” within us (Psalm 51:10). We need a steadfast spirit of zeal for the Lord’s honor that reverses course and publicly champions the Lord’s purpose for His people through one’s own holy living.
“Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2b). If you hear His voice and know your soul sickness, then know that He is telling you to act now. Believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). From sickness to health, from death to life–this is the gift the Lord offers to us who believe.
