A House of Prayer

God's People Worship
The Prophet and Praise
Temple Restored

Matthew 21:10-16

The Message

¹⁰ As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, “What’s going on here? Who is this?”
¹¹ The parade crowd answered, “This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee.”

He Kicked Over the Tables

^12-14 Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. He quoted this text:

My house was designated a house of prayer;
You have made it a hangout for thieves.

Now there was room for the blind and crippled to get in. They came to Jesus and he healed them.

^15-16 When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, “Hosanna to David’s Son!” they were up in arms and took him to task. “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
Jesus said, “Yes, I hear them. And haven’t you read in God’s Word, ‘From the mouths of children and babies I’ll furnish a place of praise’?”

For Reflection

What happens when you "kick over the tables?"  Most of the time, those who buck the current of common understanding suffer humiliation and loss of credibility at the least.  Are you ready to drive against the grain of common knowledge in favor of God-centered knowledge? 

Pray

That you will lead a God-centered life at any and all costs.