18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
3 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.[d] 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Personal Reflection and Discussion
1. If you had to add one room to your house, what would you use it for? When is your house the cleanest?
2. What are three thing that catches your attention in this story?
3. What if anything surprises you? If you would have been there, what would you have thought or made of the whole incident?
4. At one time, the doves were for sale in order to help Jews who had traveled from long distances be able to make sacrifices. It started with good intentions. How do some good intentions begin to deteriorate?
5. How does Jesus display his anger? What makes some anger righteous? How does he release his anger?
6. After a while do you think these people realized that they were “asking for whip”, they were welcoming a cleansing from Jesus? What parts of our “temple” might Jesus be asking or insisting on a cleanse?
7. Why is it important to view our selfish actions that take the place of Christ is our lives as destroying his temple?
8. What reasons might Jesus have had to be so upset?
9. Where does Christ dwell today, according to Ephesians 3:17. How does this story coincide with where he desires to dwell.
10. Where in the temple would have this buying and selling been happening? …with what effect? (Mat. 21:12-17, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19L45-48)
Prayer
To the God of the greatest intentions and in that, never allows for those to deteriorate We confess that we have slipped and created ‘markets out of your temples’ and deserve for our selfish achievements to be whipped to shreds, Whip my selfishness to shreds and make me new. Allow me to use my time, talents, and treasures for your good. Thank you for building your temple in me. I love you!
Greek Word of the Day
English Word: Destroy | Transliterated Word: Luo
To loosen – break (up), destroy, free, loosen, unbind. More important to note in THIS case, to destroy buildings, to demolish, to be destroyed by fire, to dissolve, melt, to make void
Family Engagement Activity
Ask your family to create blueprints for a dream home whether with playdough, a sheet of paper, blocks, or Minecraft, or maybe a drawing of your current home. Have them explain their picture. Then, label the rooms. For instance, bedroom can be where you find your rest and the kitchen can be what you crave, living room can be about your relationships with others, mailbox can be what you are sending or receiving from others, furnace can be how you get fired up, have fun with it! In the following rooms compare each room to your spiritual life. Does Jesus needs to clean up any of those rooms and how? Then make a plan.
OR
You and your family can take a family walk, picking up the trash in the neighborhood. With each item, identify how that specific piece of trash could symbolize trash in your own heart and family life. Then talk about how your family can replace intentions that have deteriorated into God’s intentions and take action!
Going Activity
It’s time to clean your temple. Make a list of all the different ways in which you need to clean your temple. What places in your life might you be putting your intentions in place of God’s? Use the house model identified in the family section to better help you for any ideas. Tell a friend or mentor to pray or help you clean your spiritual house. Ask if you can be of help to a friend. If we are out of quarantine maybe you can help pick up trash in the neighborhood as you go on a walk.