Bloghardt's Reflector

“Don’t you know, Jerusalem?  Don’t you get it?  Don’t you see that I am all that you need?  Why do you seek your peace elsewhere?  Why do you think that will give you rest?  I’m here.  Right here in My gifts.”

And on Palm Sunday, after Jesus’ triumphant entry in Jerusalem to the sound of children singing, after such joy that if the kids were silent even the stones would cry out... He approached the Temple.  

The temple was the presence of God with His people.  God is everywhere, but He was there, in the temple, where the sacrifices were going on, delivering forgiveness to His people.  

That’s the temple, by the way,  the place where God delivered forgiveness.  Where He showed He was at peace with sinners.

You see, the world thinks that God changed in the New Testament.  He was means and nasty in the Old Testament and soft and cuddly in the New.

He didn’t change.  God has always been the same.  Mean and nasty to sin and forgiving and gracious to those who hunger and thirst for salvation.

And all of it - every lamb slain, every prophet that preached, pointed to Christ.  For only Christ saves - saves the people of the Old Testament and you and me in the new one.

So, Jesus comes to His Father’s house, to the Home-Depot of forgiveness - where God is just giving out forgiveness and finds Moneychangers.

Now, the outer court of the temple was a place where religious business was done.  It was the court of the Gentiles, where those who wished to worship who weren’t part of the children of God gathered.  On the fringes of the Father’s house, it was common to sell things that were temple related - like animals for sacrifices, wine for the offering, bread, etc.

But.. The Temple court had become a place of non-religious business.  Since, you know things were being sold there anyway. 

“My Father’s house is a house of prayer and you’ve made it a den of thieves.”  And He cast them out.. “cast” them out like He cast out demons - same verb in Greek.  

They didn’t get it - too messed up.  Like you and I don’t get it.  We have our messed up priorities.  Minds and hearts everywhere but in Him.  

And the Father loves us enough to let us reject Him.  If we want our messed up lives with our messed up priorities, your own peace, He’ll let you have it.   He’ll let you reject Him and all He’ll do to you in this life is mourn.

And on the last day, He will cast you out, like He did the money changers.  And just like happened to Jerusalem, one stone of your life won’t be left on top of another.  

Google the destruction of Jerusalem.  For in 70 AD, the Roman Army led by future Emperor Titus did just as Jesus said.  Everything was destroyed - even the temple and over one million men, women, and children were said to have been killed.

Yes, it’s startling what Jesus does in today’s Gospel, but don’t just be startled by it.  No, be saved by it.  For Jesus takes those cords and forms of whip to save you and me from what we think is most important - whatever it is.  He drives them out, drives us out, to save us.

He mourns, but doesn’t stop there.  No, He shows you peace - He delivers it to you. 

For here is true importance.  Here is His visitation.  Here is your salvation. Here is your true peace.  Not in you, not in how you feel, not in what you have or have or haven’t done.

Today, we see Jesus, the one who has saved us from our sins.  He calls to us, “I marched into Jerusalem, into my Dad’s house, cleansed it, prepared it for My Sacrifice - my sacrifice which saves you from the sins you have done that terrify you and the ones that you have grown so cold about.”

Behold your sins.  Crucified with Jesus.  Mine too.  Each nail your peace.  Each drop of blood your salvation.  Each bit of suffering for your life.

For Jesus has come to save you, to die, to be the sacrifice that shows that the temple sacrifices were but a foreshadowing of His sacrifice.  

For God dwells not in a big temple of stone, but in the flesh of the Man Jesus, who lived His life perfectly loving God for your sake and then died as the eternal sacrifice for your sins.

For our messed up-ness.  For our twistedness. For that which about us is skewed by sin.  For that which we think we have gotten away with and haven’t.

He dies for it all.  Redeems it all.  Forgives it all.  All of it - with His death.  To give you true peace in this world.

And now, today, He comes to you in His gifts - not in a temple, not on the Cross, but flowing from the Cross in His Supper.  

Take eat His Body given for you.  Sacrificed on the Cross for your peace.  Drink of the once and for all time sacrifice of Christ for you in His Blood.  Here, at His Supper, is the sacrifice of Christ given to you this morning.

For God has nothing more to mourn about concerning you.  Nothing to be sad about.  Nothing to watch with His eyes covered.

For your twisted life has been forgiven.  Your messed up priorities answered for.  Your peace won by Jesus death on the cross and delivered into your mouth today in His Supper.

For Jesus has come to save you - even from you being you.  In the name of Jesus. Amen/