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Printer Friendly VersionHave you noticed how differently people can react to the same
situation or event? People can face the same circumstances, or be involved
in the same event, and yet their response to it can be completely different.
Back in September of 1996, there was a story in the news about
a guy who jumped off the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York City. He came onto
the scene where a woman had just jumped off the bridge in an attempt to commit
suicide and he jumped off to try to save her.
Danny was his name.
He was going home from work that night. He was too busy and
he was tired just like everybody else. He was on the Tappan Zee Bridge and
saw cars stopped and people looking over the edge. He stopped. Everybody was
standing around . . . doing nothing. He looked over the guardrail and saw
the woman in the water just like everybody else.
Danny left his truck on the bridge. Handed his wallet to a stranger.
Took off his shoes. And he jumped into the Hudson River . . . 130 feet down!
Moments later, he and the woman were rescued from the water.
Visibly displayed that day were contrasting reactions to the
same situation. There was Danny’s and then there were all the others
who stood around. That kind of thing happens in life a lot of times.
Take tragedy as an example. For some people, it destroys them.
They fall apart. They never get it back together. Life doesn’t go on
for them. And yet others overcome it. They rise up and beat it. Their tragedy
somehow ends up making them even stronger than they were before.
Contrasting reactions to the same situation.
Take pressure. Some people hate it. They “choke” under
it. While others, thrive on it. They perform better with it. They want the
ball in the last two minutes of the game. They want to be the one who takes
the shot at the final buzzer. Or in the office, they want final responsibility
for the big report . . .or the big decision. Pressure. Some avoid it at all
costs, while others live for it.
It happened in the ministry of Jesus. There were radically different reactions
to the life and ministry of Jesus by the religious leaders of the day as compared
to Jesus’ hand-selected disciples or the common people.
In the first verse after the text for this message, John’s
gospel says that, “many people saw the miraculous sings he was doing
and believed in his name.” Many of the common people were thrilled that
Jesus cleaned up the temple. They were being taken advantage of. Over-priced
birds and animals for sacrifice were robbing them. They were being cheated
by a religious system that had been corrupted. They were glad to see Jesus
“knock some heads” in the process of knocking over some tables.
But, “the Jews” . . . as John says . . . weren’t
pleased at all. They were “armed for battle.” They came wielding
questions for Jesus. They came with hostility ringing in their voices. It
was a dramatically different reception from the religious leaders than it
was from the people.
But the contrasts don’t just end there. I want you to notice
several differences that are revealed in this encounter between Jesus and
“the Jews.” If we’ll listen, we may “hear” these
contrasts in our own lives.
First. Notice that these questioners were interested in authority
while Jesus was interested in action.
They “demanded” of Jesus: “What miraculous sign
can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
“By what authority do you march into this temple and mess
up our stuff?”
“By what authority do you come in here and re-arrange what
we’re doing?”
“By what authority do you do these things?”
“The Jews” were interested in authority. Jesus was
interested in action. Jesus said: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise
it again in three days.”
Of course, we know that Jesus was talking about his body and
his resurrection from the dead. And we know that Jesus’ death and resurrection
is for our salvation . . . for our transformation. Jesus came to redeem us
. . . to save us . . .to change us! He’s interested much more in action
than in authority! James accurately described an emphasis of Jesus when he
wrote: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only . . .” [James
1:22].
Another contrast. “The Jews” were interested in rights. Essentially
they said: “Who gave you the right to come to the temple and throw our
operation into an uproar?”
You see the Passover was at hand. People were coming from all over the region
to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. And, only certain animals were deemed worthy
to offer . . . and, of course, the religious leaders had “cornered the
market.” Like we all know even today, when the market is “cornered”
by a small group or individual, the prices are outrageous.
The common people . . . the people who embraced Jesus and his
ministry . . .these people whom Jesus often referred to as being “sheep”
. . . were being “skinned” by the money changers.
When Jesus interrupted their scheme, they didn’t take kindly
to it. What “right” did Jesus have to do that?
Jesus wasn’t then . . .and isn’t now . . .interested
in rights. His concern was and is righteousness!
The prophet Amos . . . hundreds of years before the time of
Jesus . . . described the very thing that “the Jews” were doing
and God’s word to them was this:
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in
your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and
cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your
fatted beasts I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs;
to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But instead let justice roll
down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” [Amos
5:21-24].
God was and is interested in His people living righteously .
. . rightly and justly!
Another contrast revolves around their demand that Jesus show
them a miraculous sign. I imagine it as something like a request to see Jesus’
credentials for doing what he had done.
Credentials.
Even today there are a lot of folks interested in credentials.
They wanted a few miracles. Today we want to know about longevity of membership.
We want a list of the committees served. We want a signed affidavit about
the number of trips to the altar with accompanying dates.
Credentials.
Like his fire-preaching cousin, Jesus was interested in conversion
and change. We call it “repentance” – turning from our sin
and ourselves and placing our trust in God. That’s not just a theme for
Lent. That’s relevant for any time of the year.
Not authority, but action.
Not rights, but righteousness.
Not credentials, but conversion.
He’s turning over the table in the temple. Are there “tables” that need to turn in your own life?