Jesus went straight to the temple to observe everything. He then went two miles and spent the night in Bethany. The next day He returned to the Temple. The Temple is the center of Israel’s worship and thought to be the very dwelling place of God.

The temple was first a tent or tabernacle in the wilderness. Solomon later built the temple in Jerusalem. It was destroyed and Haggai and Nehemiah worked on the rebuilding of the temple. After the life of Christ, the temple was once again destroyed. Today there remains a wall that is referred to as the Wailing Wall and pilgrims still travel there to pray.

The temple is where people came to meet with God and bring sacrifices to worship Him. It was the place where people learned abut God, had their sins forgiven, prayed and had their prayers answered.

So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.
(Mark 11:15–18 NKJV)
People had come from everywhere to celebrate Passover. They needed animals for the sacrifice of their sins. There were vendors who sold “Priest approved” animals that were held in cages and pens.

Money changers were also present to exchange Roman and Greek money into approved Jewish coins so that people could purchase the animals. This exchange was necessary because the Roman and Greek coins had portraits of the emperors. Eventually this had become a business that ripped off customers by charging unfair exchange rates and fees. It had become crass commercialism, full of commotion and distraction. It was anything but holy and respectful. Along with all of this, the money changers had moved into the Court of Gentiles inside the temple.

People were also using part of the temple as a thoroughfare to cut through as a shortcut to make deliveries. This all took place while people were trying to worship.

Jesus fixed the situation by stopping all the distraction that was taking place. He didn’t do this as an angry Jesus that was crazy mad and out of control. He did this with zeal and passion. He overturned tables and benches to block the shortcut. People often get the wrong impression of this and think that He was so mad that He just began kicking over tables.
And they came to Jerusalem. And He went into the temple [area, the porches and courts] and began to drive out those who sold and bought in the temple area, and He overturned the [four-footed] tables of the money changers and the seats of those who dealt in doves; And He would not permit anyone to carry any household equipment through the temple enclosure [thus making the temple area a short-cut traffic lane].
(Mark 11:15–16 AMP)
Remember that Jesus had rode into town through a parade and went straight to the temple. This is hugely symbolic. It is easy for us to welcome, cheer and lay down palm branches when we think He is coming to fix a horrible situation in our lives. This is only welcoming half of Jesus.

He also wants to go to our temples or inner lives and straighten out our hearts, motives, move things out, change our values, lifestyles and standards. He wants to help us see our blind spots and change behaviors that are coming through our lives. This is not as easy to accept for some people because they see Jesus as an angry Jesus.

We need to lay palm leaves down for both Jesus the Savior and Jesus the Lord. We need to want Him as both Jesus Friend and Jesus King. It is important that we have both in our lives and not just half of Jesus.

So as we symbolically lay our branch at the foot of the Cross, we are saying to Jesus Savior and Lord, Friend and King, “please take care of me and fix me up!”

WORSHIP
Hosanna! Jesus Savior and Lord, Jesus Friend and King, thank You for taking care of me and fixing me!

GROW
“Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”
Mark 11:9 (NKJV)

SERVE
Please invite someone to church Easter weekend.

Meadowbrook Church 
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