(John 2:18)
�Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?�
In Matthew 12:39 Jesus said, ��An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.� This was the assessment of Jesus of those who asked a sign in this instance as well.
That these people were evil is pointed out by their hostility toward the Lord. As they had questioned and persecuted John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, so they persecuted the Savior.
The word �adulterous� comes from the word �adulterate.� The Encarta dictionary which comes with this word processor defines �adulterate� with this: �make impure: to make something less pure by adding inferior or unsuitable elements or substances to it. � We see this concept in marriage when one partner chooses to bring another into the relationship. From this we see adultery.
The concept is the same in the sense in which Jesus used the word in this instance. This generation of religious leaders had adulterated the Law of God by adding their own laws above that which God had given. The concept under which this had been done was colored by the best of human intentions. They wanted to make it so that people would not sin. In doing so they had added their own prohibitions over that which God had said. In effect they were saying, �You can�t do the sin if you can�t get to the process.� �The Law says you can�t pick up a house; we�ll make it so you can�t pick up a brick.�
They had adulterated the Law by adding their own �church rules� above that which God had intended. Their intent may have been to make it harder to sin; the outcome was that they had elevated their own teaching above that of the Law.
They may have sang, �To God be the glory�.� but they had made it necessary for others to give obedience to their doctrine rather than to God. Their words were counted as more important than His Words. �I am the LORD; that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to grave images.� (Isaiah 42:8)
The truth was that these people would not accept a sign had one been given. They disregarded His resurrection. They began to persecute the infant church after the great sign gifts of the Day of Pentecost. They would not believe that with which they did not agree. It mattered not if God, Himself, were to show them the Way.
By the way, God had shown them The Way when Jesus stood in front of their eyes.
Men will never accept that which they choose not to accept. This is a simple truth we need to understand in our personal work. We must present Jesus rather than our morality, or even the morality of our churches, when we seek souls for the Kingdom. Even as we do this, we must be in prayer - by name when at all possible - for the soul of those to whom we witness. They will not accept, their sin nature will cause them to reject, unless the Spirit draws them to Himself.
God can produce a new creature which will live according to Christian morality after that person has accepted Jesus into his heart. Before that person could not live up to the standards of the Bible. After conversion, he has the help and witness of the Spirit to energize his new life.
Besides this, and as a practical matter, we tend to preach a �works salvation� when we exalt life style over the Savior.
The first thing we see in our text verse is the questioners. �Then answered the Jews��
Jesus, as we have seen in the verses preceding our text verse, had just purified the Temple. Some of the day, had they been writing in our day, would have said that He �just trashed the place. This was the answer of the religionist, �Why was it O. K. for you to do that?�
I fail to see this as a very strong defense of their religious building. They should have been really upset had they really cared.
This is a problem in our own day. We see congress investigating six large ministries. Those in government have decreed that they consider the income of the evangelist�s involved as to be too great. For the record, I would agree. There is a scent of avarice in the message which is odious to the Christian message of redemption.
But, by what possible Constitutional right has the Federal Government to intervene in religious dispute. To be quite blunt, �It ain�t none of the Government�s business what the religions are doing when they are not harming those outside the �flock.��
If we, as Christian�s, attempt to say �Merry Christmas,� people get upset. If I choose to not vote for a candidate because his moral stand is one I consider bigotry, the ACLU, the People for the American Way, Christians and Others United, etc. - nearly all of the �civil liberties� groups will put up a howl and claim that we are mixing religion and politics.
Thomas Jefferson�s well known letter to some Baptist clergymen where he argued that there need be a �wall of separation� between the government and religion, is brought up to claim that we are �unAmerican� if we, as churches, make any statement to support public morality.
As a quick aside, the purpose of the Jeffersonian letter was to calm the fears of the religious group. He was making a promise that the government would never interfere in church matters. He was standing for freedom of religion rather than arguing that there need be governmental restrictions on religion.
And then we, as Christians, just sit idly back and allow the government to chip away at our freedoms and ignore the problem. We are not even disposed to ask, �By what right are they doing this?�
A cartoonist in Denmark draws some, not all that funny, cartoons about the Muslim prophet, Mohammed. Riots, arson and murder are the outcome. We are told that we must understand the great insult this had been. The rioters are just some good people who have been abused, we are told.
Then, a Christian Cross is inserted into a glass of human urine. This picture is entitled, �Piss Christ.� The Christians are castigated because they write a few letters to the editor and ask that the Governmental agency which paid for this insult be reigned in. The reaction to the Christian? We are assured that we are bigoted. We must make an effort to understand �Art.�
We need to be passionate for our Christ and our religion. We are not. I�m not saying that we should riot and loot. I am saying that we need to spread the Christian message that Jesus Christ died in time so that others could live in eternity.
We need to react. But, we need to react as Christians. Sadly, too often our response is to hurry home from church so we can watch the football game. Our passions are more stirred by the spectacle of grown men playing a boys game than it is over the eternal matters of Jesus.
Not only was this the answer of the Jews, of course, it was also their accusation.
About fifty years ago a movement began to accelerate whose purpose was to �dechurch� Western culture. Today we live in a �post Christian age.� The sad thing is that it seems not too many �Christians� have figured it out.
We still seem to react against non Christian life styles and morality with an attitude of, �If I just show that this is wrong they will stop.� Folks, they ain�t a gonna stop. The world at large just sees Christianity as one more of a myriad of competing life style issues.
Christianity was never about life styles and morality. Sure, those things are important and should be addressed. But real Christianity is about the things of eternity. We need to reach people with the purpose of obtaining decisions to accept Christ. It�s not that the former is wrong. It�s that the former is useless without the latter. People need to get saved. We need to work and pray for that eventuality. That is our real purpose as Soldiers of Christ in a post Christian age.
We are in danger of preaching a life style evangelism, whether we intend to do so or not, when we preach anything other than Jesus Christ, and Him crucified and risen again!
The anger of the Jews was also directed against Jesus. He was teaching a message with which they could not agree. To have accepted His message would have meant the end of their temporal power. The Romans might not have left much power for the local leaders but those leaders were not going to let go of what they had.
Satan�s not going to let go of what he has either, not without a fight.
The world, by and large, will not accept us or our message. We might as well accept that as �gospel.� Would you like to know why we must accept this fact? It is because this is Gospel.
�They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.� (John 16:2-3)
I used to run a gas station. Every morning, at shift change, and at night, we were required to put a substance on the end of a long pole marked off in one inch increments. We were checking the number of gallons of fuel in our underground tanks. We were also, with that substance, checking the level of water in the tank.
Condensation will normally insure that there is some water in all underground tanks. Since the pipes which pump the gasoline are normally about four inches above the bottom of the tank, we tried to make sure that there was only an inch, or so, of water in those tanks. If we found more we had to close the station and call our district office to have the tanks pumped out.
The reason that we were able to pump out gasoline even when there was an inch of water at the bottom of the tank was because the water and the gasoline will always separate. We had a �sump pump� contraption that could be lowered into the tank with a tube to remove the water. The gasoline will float on top of the water; all we had to do was get our tube lower than the gasoline.
The world of sin, and that is any part of the world which is not dedicated to Christ, and the world of Christ will separate. Sin will hate Christ. Every single time. This is why the world will accept almost anything except His message of salvation.
The world is seeped in sin. They can no more understand our message than I can understand what the fish in my son�s living room is saying. The world sees the spiritual things of God as opposed to them. And, they are right! Jesus wants to change people. We make our mistake when we assume that we can change them ourselves.
Ain�t gonna happen!
Our attempts to impose the morality of Christ into the world of Satan are going to cause friction. The world, by and large, will hate our message and the True Christ we worship. They may �love� the Jesus of tolerance; although a reading of this chapter in which we see Jesus as cleansing the Temple might dispel the myth of His tolerance.
Jesus hates sin. Jesus died to defeat sin. Sin and the Holiness of God are at different ends of every spectrum. As the magnetic poles will repulse each other unless they are properly aligned, so also will the culture of humanity be repulsed by the things of God.
We need to live our lives �plugged in� to the Christian�s life line of prayer. That is the only way, through the power of the Spirit as He brings real conviction, that we can attempt to win the lost.
We have seen the questioners; now we need to look at the question. ��and said unto him��
Notice that this question was directed toward Him.
Have you ever noticed that nearly every time you seek to witness for Christ, those to whom you are witnessing are experts in religion. They may have never studied the subject; but they are experts.
For some reason medical doctor�s must go to school for many years, and then continue to update their educations. The same is true of school teachers. Even the city I live in is unable to find anyone among the populace who they deem competent to manage the affairs of the city. They opt for a stranger who has studied the proper courses in college.
But, when it comes to matters of religion everyone is an expert. �That might be your view; but I think�� It seems that most preachers have wasted a whole lot of money and time by taking courses to learn about the history and meanings of the Bible. Even an ex-athlete, if he is saved during a revival service, is considered an expert in spiritual matters immediately upon conversion.
It�s always been this way. Even the �Woman at the Well� to whom Jesus ministered was well versed on the way she believed religion should be addressed. She was busy telling Jesus all the what, where, when, why and how�s of religion.
For the most part they all have the proposition wrong. Religion is man�s attempt to placate the anger of a vengeful god. It is man trying to find a way to earn some sort of rest and acceptance from forces he can not understand. Christianity is the complete opposite of religion. Christianity is the realization that the God of Love has come to offer us the means of salvation.
Yes, religious understanding must be directed toward Him. We must see Him, as He is, to even begin to understand all that He has for us to learn and accept.
The problem with the people in our text verse is that, while they may have asked a question, they were really making an accusation. Theirs was a question declared toward Him.
They knew the way they believed that things ought to be done in religion. They weren�t even going to let the Son of God tell them anything that differed from their own conceptions.
Again, we see this attitude every single day. I was at lunch in Chez Golden Arches a few days ago when an old friend entered. As our discussion began to examine some of the large ministries, and the current government examination of their financial dealings, (A quick aside: Where is that sacred secular doctrine of the separation of church and state in this government query?) he said that one large church had people living in cardboard boxes just a few blocks from their Cathedral. �They should be using their money to help those poor people.�
Folks, show me in the Bible where this is so. What verses tell us to take up offerings to support the poor among us? Don�t misunderstand; the Bible does say to help the poor. We are to offer alms where we may. But, this is the duty of individual Christians; it is not, necessarily, the duty of the churches.
The only real offerings taken up in the New Testament, from the churches, were used to help other Christians. The poor were offered healing for their bodies and souls so that they might begin to help themselves.
It is good, and history is replete with example, that the churches help the poor of the world. The Rescue Missions were begun by Christians. Hospitals, libraries, even the concept of a universal educational establishment were begun by people who were guided by the principles of Christian charity and love from the pages of Holy Scripture.
These are all good. I support them. But, the main obligation of the churches is to teach their membership to tell the old, old story of love. To tell the story of the fact that Jesus Christ died in time so that others could live in eternity is the mission of the churches and their memberships.
How many churches have let people slip into a Christless eternity because they operated a soup kitchen instead of a redemption center? The social gospel is important. I understand that we are judged by others on this account. Even if they did not judge us, the social gospel would be important. But, we must realize that we only offer the concept of �naked and ye clothed me, hungered and ye fed me,� as illustrations of the love that Christ has for all humanity.
Our main job, and we should see to it that our social gospel ministries are a means to this end, is to spread the message of the evangel into all the world. Jesus Christ died in time so that others could live in eternity! Shout it from the housetops. This is our message.
If people have become so enamored of tomato soup that they cannot see the blood of the Savior shed for their sins, we have shirked our most important duty to them. A stomach filled for a day is a wonderful thing. A warm bed and a secure night�s sleep is a blessing. But all else is secondary to a man when compared to the eternal destiny of his immortal soul.
We have had, in this town, letters to the editor complaining that the local mission requires people to sit through a fifteen minute service before they are offered a free warm meal and a free night�s lodging.
We need to forgo the idea of allowing the world to set the churches agenda. We are told that we are not supposed to preach the Gospel. This might, after all, offend someone. I�d rather offend a man who I�ll meet in that eternal praise service of Heaven than make him feel good about himself and see him condemned to an eternal Hell!
The questions also posed a danger for Him.
I would imagine that the religious elite were ready to stone Jesus for His cleansing of the Temple. Their question was not of curiosity. Their question was accusation.
The world asks us how our missionaries can go into other lands and try to �change the indigenous culture� by spreading the message of Christ crucified. The claim is made that we are �spiritual colonialists.� Well, we ought to be. We are called to spread the message of Jesus Christ into a world which is lost in sin.
If people are led to leave their sin and follow Him, that is the best thing possible. They have been given eternal life, and a purpose in this life, in Him if they accept His salvation.
We are cautioned by secular political actions groups that we must not engage in speaking of cultural and political issues in our churches. Why not? When did we lose our right to preach on whatever issue God brings to our heart? �If you do that we will see to it that you lose your tax exemption,� we are told.
So, I would assume that the tax exemption is a tool used by the state to control the churches. Isn�t this a violation of church and state separation? In truth, the tax exemption of the churches is supposed to be a means whereby the state is encouraged to keep its hands off the liberties of religion.
A quick explanation because I see some of you scratching your heads. I said above that the idea of a �social gospel� is not the primary purpose of the churches. That is so. Neither is changing culture our purpose except as the culture of one person at a time is changed by the Spirit of God through regeneration. But, John the Baptist was called to a ministry whereby he was to make the path to the coming Messiah easier for the people. He was a forerunner. He announced Jesus� coming and prepared a people to accept Him.
We are, likewise, called to help prepare people to accept the message of sin and salvation. The social gospel is a means to that end; it is not that end. The social gospel can be used to prepare people to be led to Christ. So, also, can our message of Christian morality be used for that purpose.
There are times when a certain candidate would be seen to share our values. This would make the transition from those values to eternal truths more readily accessible. Why should the churches be denied their right to preach?
They shouldn�t.
Such an attitude if fraught with danger from the secular elite. They will condemn and attack. We serve The God of Heaven, not the self proclaimed gods of this world.
We also see, in our text verse, a quest. ��What sign shewst thou unto us��
We must admit, by the way their question was phrased, that these people were really seeking a sign.
They may, at least some of them, agreed with the actions of Jesus wherein He cleansed the Temple. If this were so, they were trying to have the right thing done but not wanting to put their own necks on the line over it.
We do this same thing, don�t we? We see that our neighbor needs to be saved. We pray that the Lord will send �someone� over to talk with him. Be careful. The Lord just might remind you that you know this person and are familiar with the salvation experience. You could be the one sent.
In point of fact, you�ve already been sent. The Great Commission was not just for the Apostles. The last verse of this Great Commission tells us that it was not a requirement simply for the Apostles. �Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.� (Matthew 28:20)
How long was the duration of time that those sent were to be accompanied by the Spirit? Answer: �unto the end of the world.� Did any of those first century apostles and disciples live �unto the end of the world?� Answer: No. I don�t believe that any of them even lasted until the end of the first century. So, how did the Lord intend to honor His Word �until the end of the world?� Answer: Since this statement has been incorporated into inspired and preserved Scripture, we are the ones, presently speaking as others may follow us, with whom He has promised to be with �until the end of the world.�
Conclusion: The requirements of the Great Commission fall upon us, as they fall upon all the redeemed of the Lord in all times subsequent to Jesus giving this charge to those early Christians.
Those who did not agree with the actions of Jesus, the majority of those questioning Him I would believe, were simply venting what they saw as obvious. They believed He had no right to do as He did.
The questioners wanted a security. The Roman occupiers were real good at two things. First they conquered other lands. Second, they tended to keep the locals in some sort of peaceful state. Agitation would not be tolerated as it might give rise to a civil disobedience which would not be in the interests of Rome.
The leaders could already hear the footsteps of the Roman garrison. They didn�t want to face the wrath of Rome. They wanted it made quite clear that they were not personally responsible for the actions of Jesus.
Those religious leaders didn�t want to lose either their place of leadership, which was guaranteed by Rome, or their lives, which would be forfeit if the Romans believed that they had caused this incident - or, even if the Romans believed that they had allowed this incident!
That is why the leaders wanted His signature on the cleansing of the Temple. They wanted it known that their hands were clean, and would remain so in deference to their Roman masters.
Isn�t it sad that we so often fear man rather than God? That is, is it not, our real excuse for refusing to witness to the salvation story. We are afraid of what others might say, or think, about us. Why, they might even consider us to be radical.
This brought up the quandary of these religious leaders. ��seeing that thou doest these things.�
As when these same religious leaders had questioned John the Baptist back in the first chapter of John�s Gospel, these men were seeking some sort of proof about the message which Jesus was preaching. It was this message, after all, which had given Him the standing among the multitudes which allowed Him to cleanse the Temple.
Understand that this cleansing of the Temple was not done on the third Sunday of August when everyone was on vacation and the church was empty. Folks, this was at the height of the religious festival season. Jerusalem was crowded with people. The Temple was in her busiest season of the year. There were not just crowds at the Temple, there were throngs of crowds.
Further, these people were not just sightseeing at the Temple. Those people were at the Temple in an attitude of worship. This wasn�t even the �normal� worship season. This act of Jesus was witnessed by people who were gathered to worship specifically at the Temple.
It was in this scene, at this time, that Jesus walked into the Temple and disrupted the orderly procession of worship as the people had grown custom to seeing. For the crowds to have allowed His action, He must have had a force of personality which was backed by a reputation as a religious leader.
The people had heard of Him. This much is certain. They had heard, many had seen, his miraculous demonstrations. The dead had been raised to new life. The lame, halt, deaf, dumb, blind - He had healed all manner of disease. He had forgiven sin. He had walked on water. He had calmed the wind and the wave. He had fed the multitude with a few fish and a couple of loaves of bread.
Along with all this, He had preached His sublime message of repentance and salvation. He had identified Himself as The Son of God and God, the Son. The people would not have allowed just anyone to cleanse the Temple. In Jesus they saw the One Who had both the power and prerogative to do so!
The religious leaders wanted to know if Jesus really had the �right� to do these things. Was He a zealot intent on fermenting rebellion against Rome? Was He a �firebrand,� as had been John the Baptist? Where was the proof that Jesus had the right to do as He had done?
It wasn�t a question asked because the religious leaders agreed with Jesus.
These religious leaders knew of the prophecies of Messiah. They didn�t have the story completely correct, of course. They were looking for a political Messiah Who would reestablish the Jewish Kingdom. They were looking for someone who could throw off the yoke of imperial Rome and restore the power of the Kingdom into their hands.
They were not looking for the One Who would see the �Veil of the Temple� torn in two. They were not looking for the One Who would make them superfluous as He invited men and women to approach the Throne of Grace with boldness. They were not looking for the One Who would become the Ultimate and Final Sacrifice Who, once sacrificed for the sins of the world, would do away with the need for annual animal sacrifice.
Jesus was come so that men and women could seek real salvation. He had come to offer Himself as the Only True Means of peace with God and salvation from sin.
Jesus cleansed the Temple as a prophecy of a Temple not built with human hands. He was the true Temple whereby humanity might find true peace with God.
Have you been to the True Temple? Have you been to Jesus for salvation from your sin and peace with God?
Right now, right this minute, accept His Love and His Word on Calvary. Find ultimate salvation in the Savior. There is no work you can do to obtain this salvation. There is no sacrifice you can offer to obtain ths salvation. Jesus has already done the work; He is that sacrifice.