Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | September 30, 2010

“ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.”

Today’s devotion is John 2:13-17.
 
“13  The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 
                                                    
 14  And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.
                               

 15  And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

 16  and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”

 17  His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.”  John 2:13-17.

If this Scripture does not motivate you to consider what your church allows, maybe the following article in today’s St. Petersburg Times will get your attention.  

I normally first read the Scripture and then read the newspaper before I write the daily devotion.  So, knowing the specific Scripture for today’s devotion, and also as an attorney with a general interest in lawsuits, this following article in today’s newspaper was doubly interesting to me.   

 
Our churches may not be as bad in being “places of business” as the temple in today’s Scripture, but our churches could be worse, in their existence as “places of entertainment”. 
 
As a side note, for liability reasons, this jury verdict should be considered by church leaders.  They may decide that it is too risky to allow some entertainment to occur within their operation and supervision.
 
But, obviously, much more importantly, our zeal for God’s house should motivate us to consider what we should allow, not only in terms of business, but also in terms of entertainment.
 
Ezra 7:23
“Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
 
Psalm 69:9
For zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
 
So, what should our churches be?
 
For one thing, our churches should be houses of prayer.
 
Matthew 21:13
And He said to them, “It is written, ‘ MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’;  but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”
 
More comprehensively, the following article by Professor Barry Gritters of the Protestant Reformed Churches answers this question.  Click here: PUBLIC WORSHIP AND THE REFORMED FAITH 

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