Devotional: Mark 11:15-17 Jesus clears the temple for people to worship the Father

I am one of many people who help to write daily devotionals for my church. It is a blessing and really helps me think through and see connections and the big picture of the passage. Here is a devotional I just wrote that will be emailed out for March 14 next week: 

Devotion for: Tuesday March 14

Devotion By: Daniel Harrison – engineering student at CSM and bible study leader with InterVarsity

OPENING:  Appropriate as a beginning to each day is to remember your baptism by making the sign of the cross on your forehead.  Place a little bowl of water in the middle of the table, dip your finger in it, make the sign of the cross on your forehead and say the words “In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.”

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY: Mark 11:15-17 New International Version (NIV)

 

¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’^[c]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’^[d]”

A BRIEF THOUGHT ABOUT THE LESSON:   “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” comes first from Isaiah 56:7 and now again here in Mark. In Isaiah 56:6-7 God promises that the godly gentiles will be able to come and worship God in the outer area temple area and offer sacrifices.  Even before Jesus and salvation came to the jew and to the gentile God made provision for godly non-jews to worship. Yet this space God had provided for his people who were not Jews has been filled with merchants and become a den of robbers. The Jewish religious leaders had interfered with God’s provision by allowing this to happen. But Jesus comes and cleanses his Father’s temple. Jesus in his death then breaks down all barriers between God and people. For in his death the curtain of the of the temple was torn - Mark 15:38. Because of Jesus all people can worship God wherever we are and worship the Father in spirit and truth – John 4:23. The only thing keeping us from going to God is our own hearts, so let us humble ourselves to submit and give up our lives and our sin to our Father in heaven.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:   How as Christians do we hinder other people from being able to come to God and experience his love and grace and worship him? Jesus has broken down all barriers between us and our Father God so why do we build our own barriers and hold ourselves back? What is keeping us from going to God with our lives, our money, our sin?

PRAYER Lord, may the words of our mouths and the thoughts or our hearts please you. Let us give up everything to you in prayer. Do not let us hinder anyone or ourselves from coming to you to worship and receive your love and grace. Amen.

A BLESSING TO GIVE: May God make you wise, so that you believe in Jesus and are saved. Amen.

MEALTIME PRAYER: For all we eat and all we wear, for daily bread and loving care, we thank you, God. Amen. 

Email Katie Kline at my church if you are interested in getting more daily devotionals!

kcandert@gmail.com