in turn to the gospel according
to John, chapter 2. John, chapter 2. And I'd like to read from verses
13 to 17. John 2, 13 to 17. This is dealing with the passage of Scripture
when the Lord purged the temple. And let's read that and then
after we see what the Lord has to say, we'll ask His blessings
upon what we've heard. And the Jews' Passover was at
hand. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem
and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and
doves and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made
a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple,
and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers'
money, and overthrew the tables, and said unto them that sold
doves, Take these things hence. Make not my father's house an
house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered
that it was written, the zeal of thine house hath eaten me
up." Let's pray together. Our Father, how wonderful it
is to be able to call upon You and to know that it is in and
by and through the Lord Jesus Christ who is the way that we
are able to boldly enter into the throne of grace. Wonder of
all wonders that we can enter into Your very presence by faith,
calling on You, asking You, knocking at the door Himself, and seeking
help in our moment and hour of need. We thank You for Your indescribable
grace and mercy that You've shown us. Thank You for sparing Glenn. Thank You that it was pleasing
in Your sight that he would still be here with us. We realize that,
Lord, You do all things well according to Your purpose. And
that which You do, You do according to that which You've eternally
purposed to do. I pray that You'd give him a
day of rest and recuperation. Bless the services we ask. Bless
our hearts. By Your Spirit, our understanding,
cause us to see truly the glory of our precious Savior. For it's
in His name we pray. Amen. The event that we're going to
witness, look at, consider for a few minutes today, we know that there's got to be
more. than just a historical event
that took place. You know and I know that all
Scripture is given by inspiration of God and it's profitable. Profitable
to God's people for instruction, for doctrine, for correction,
for reproof in righteousness. Now this event, the cleansing
of the temple, actually is recorded in all four of the accounts of
the gospel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Now, in Matthew, Mark,
and Luke, this event is always recorded toward the end of the
ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in this particular book,
it's recorded, listed toward the beginning of the book. And as far as I could tell, there
was no explanation. The message is always the same,
but there's no explanation as to why the cleansing of the temple
was listed toward the beginning except that this is where the
Spirit of God was pleased to record it. So therefore, we don't
question. There's no indication that I
could find of why it was recorded at the beginning of our Lord's
ministry. That's the way the Lord was pleased
to write it. Now, this event took place in time at the Passover. That's what it says. The Passover
was the time where all leaven was supposed to be removed from
the places, the houses, everything. They were very, very particular. I mean, they'd go into that house
and just in case any crumbs had possibly fallen and had been
kind of swept over to the side, they went over that house with
a fine-tooth comb to make sure that the leaven was removed out
of their houses. Leaven, removing of the leaven
was recorded in Exodus 12, 15. Seven days shall you eat unleavened
bread. Even the first day shall you
put away leaven out of your house. For whosoever eateth leavened
bread from the first day till the seventh day, that soul shall
be cut off from Israel. It was important. that no leaven
be found in those houses. Now the absence of leaven was
intended to teach that no works, that's the picture, would be,
no works, no self-righteous works of man's ability would be permitted
to mingle with the blood and the righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ for acceptance before God. That was always the message. I mean, the Jews, they wouldn't
eat the leaven, and they saw that because they didn't eat
the leaven, because we don't eat any leaven, there's no yeast,
because we don't do that, than in their minds, they trusted
in that work. And they didn't see the picture
of Christ. They didn't see that Christ and
Christ alone is all the whole. They trusted in their works. They trusted that they didn't
eat leaven for seven days. Now, I'll tell you where the
Lord was pleased to reveal. what that leaven, back in the
Old Testament, truly symbolized. Listen to this. In Matthew 16,
verse 6, it says, Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. And then verse
12 of Matthew 6 said this, Then understood they how that He bade
them not Beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine
of the Pharisees and Sadducees." The forbiddance by the Lord to
have leaven back in the Old Testament. The heart of that leaven being
forbidden had nothing to do with the bread that they ate. It pictured the forbiddance of
false doctrine, man's self-righteous, self-willed religion. And that leaven, the leaven of
the Pharisees and the Sadducees, that leaven was nothing more
than just that, man-centered, self-righteous works. Pharisees and Sadducees, they
differed on some things. The resurrection. They disagreed
on some points. But what they did always agree
on was that salvation was by their works. That's what they
agreed on. Man-centered. And it's the same
thing today. You know, people may have some
trivial points of difference. We believe that you're saved
because, you know, you ride around in a buggy and a horse and sell
cheese. And we believe that you're saved
because you go to a confession and you're part of the Catholic
Church. And we believe you're saved because
there's always a trivial point of difference, but the heart
of what you believe. It's always man-centered. It's
all self-righteous works. Just like leaven in real bread
changes the whole character of the loaf, the leaven of man's
self-righteousness The leaven of man's works for acceptance
before God. The leaven of man's free will,
so-called free will, corrupts the simplicity of Christ. That's
what it is. A little leaven. That's what
1 Corinthians Paul said. 1 Corinthians 5 says, Know ye
not that a little leaven, doctrinally, leavens the whole lot. I was listening to a man last
night, Paul's preacher. I'm going to tell you this, 99%
of what he said, Jim, sounded right to me. He would make this statement.
He said, Salvation is all of grace. I'll go along with that
one. Salvation is of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ died upon
the cross to put away sin. Yeah, I'll go along with you
on that. He said, all you must do. And I think, uh-oh, here
we go. Here we go, right here. Now, buddy, you just leavened
the whole lump because now I know what you're getting ready to
say. Just a little leaven. I'm telling you, I don't know
how you are, but here's me. This is me. I can listen to everything
you're saying. And when I hear that little leaven,
I'm going to tell you something, I can't get by that. And everything
else you said now is polluted. Everything else. Because I know
that you don't believe in salvation, all of grace. You don't believe
that. You don't. We add nothing to the gospel
of God's grace. We add nothing to Christ. We
take nothing from the gospel. We are not ashamed of the proclamation
of the glorious gospel of God. That gospel that sets forth that
salvation is all of grace, all of Him, that He saves whom He
will, how He will, when He will, and He tells them about it. And
they believe it by faith. A little heaven. Well, okay. Verse 13, the Jews' Passover
was at hand. You know, isn't it amazing, in
Exodus 12, 11, it was referred to as the Lord's Passover. The Jews Passover was at hand
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and He found in the temple those
that sold oxen and sheep and doves and changes of money sitting.
And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them
all out of the temple and the sheep, the oxen, and poured out
the changers' money and overthrew the tables. What we observe in these passages,
I know, that we can, without a doubt, we can observe absolute
disrespect. That man-centered religion has
toward the glory of God. I know we can see that, but let
me tell you this. What you're getting ready to
witness right here is one of the most glorious pictures of
the mercy of God that you've ever seen. Let me just tell you where I'm
going with this so you'll understand what I'm saying. These that the
Lord has driven out, they're pictures of the objects of God's
mercy. They're pictures of the elect. And I'll show you that. Now,
I can definitely tell you, humanly speaking, here was a group of
people Disrespectful. Disobedient. Disrespectful. Let me just use that word. Disrespectful. Disrespectful in themselves.
Disrespectful toward God. Disrespectful. Caring not for
the sanctity of the place that they were. That's what all of
us were as being born in Adam. That's what all of us were. For
all is an unclean thing. There's none good. There's none. None. Here's what the Lord said
concerning this account in Matthew's account in Matthew 21, 12, 13.
And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all of them
that sold and bought in the temple. and overthrew the tables, the
money changers, the seats of them that sold doves, and said
unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house
of prayer. You've made it a den of thieves." That's us by nature. That's what
we are. Thieves before God Almighty. I have one desire. I want God's glory. I want some
praise from me. It's all about me. And don't
tell me that that's not the way we think, because we do. I'm the one that gave my heart
to Jesus. I'm the one that came to Christ. A believer will say, I came to
Him as a helpless, needy sinner. I came because He made me willing
in the day of His power. I came because I could come to
no other. Lord, have mercy. And an unbeliever
will say, I came, I made the decision. He said, you've made
my father's house a den of thieves. Oh, as I said, I can see the
rejection of the Jews toward Christ. I see the justice of
God to send the gospel to the Gentiles. I know, I see that. I know that. But the heart of
this is, where is the gospel in this? You're looking for the
gospel in every passage. I'm looking for the gospel of
Christ. I'm looking for the glory of
God. I'm looking that Almighty God
show me what I am by nature. Isn't that right there? With
eyes to see and ears to hear, you see what man is by nature.
Who was doing all the robbery? We were. Who was doing all the
thieving? We were. Who was doing all the
purging? He was. Who was driving out that
which was odious to Him? Oh, in this we're going to see
the deity and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He took a
small scourge of ropes and He drove them out by His power. I don't know how many of them
there were. A bunch of them. But I will tell you this, when
he decided that they were going to be driven out, when he decided
that he was going to purge that temple, they didn't stop him. They didn't gang up on him. Where is your God, David? He
said, My God is in the heavens. And He's done whatsoever He's
pleased. In the army of heaven among the inhabitants of the
earth. And I tell you, just as the Lord Jesus Christ He drove
out these merchandisers from the temple. I know that in the
day of judgment, I know that all men that Almighty God has
left to themselves, I know this, those that He drives not out,
that heart of rebellion and it doesn't sit on the throne. I know. He said, I'll take away
that heart of stone. But we still have. We still have
an old nature that rebels against us. I know that. That which is
flesh is flesh. But I'll tell you this, that
heart of rebellion doesn't rule. It doesn't reign in the heart
of a believer. That old rebellious heart, that
old nature is there, but it's not enthroned. He is. He is. I know. I know. The Lord Himself purged this
temple. And I can see in that right there,
I know what's going to happen based on other scriptures that
I read. I know what will happen in the Day of Judgment to all
that Almighty God leaves to themselves right now. This happened while
these people were still alive. They were in that temple. and
they were driven out. Oh, that Almighty God would have
mercy while I still have breath in this life. Some in that day
will say, Lord, Lord, we did many mighty works in Your name.
We cast out devils in Your name. We preached in Your name. I never
knew You. I'm telling you what you're looking
at right now is the indescribable mercy of God. Is there any believer
here that would not say, you know what? I can enter in. I can enter in
to that rebellion right there that I see in these pictures.
What these people right here picture, I too I had a heart that did nothing
but make merchandise of God's glory. It was nothing more than
just pocket change to me. The Scripture says we are all
as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags, and we all do fate as a leaf, and our iniquities
like the wind have taken us away. disrespect, irreverence, thieves,
but Almighty God who is rich in mercy. Rich in mercy toward
all that He's everlastingly loved, He will not leave His own, His
elect to perish. I want you to turn to Malachi
3, and I'm going to make a few comments on this, We'll stop
in this verse, Malachi 3, 1-4. Now, you listen to what the Lord
God Almighty has said in Malachi 3, 1-4. And while we're reading
these verses, think on what Almighty God has done in the purging of
His temple. Remember this, 1 Corinthians
3, 6, Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, that the Spirit
of God dwelleth in you? What's Almighty God going to
do for those that He's eternally been pleased to inhabit? What is He going to do for them?
Malachi 3, 1-4, Behold, I will send my messenger, that's John
the Baptist, And he shall prepare the way before me. And the Lord,
whom you seek, the Lord Jesus, shall suddenly come to his temple." Even the messenger of the covenant,
he's going to come to his temple. He's going to come to those that
he's everlastingly been pleased to inhabit and to purge. and show mercy to. Even the messenger
of the covenant. Now listen to this before I read
any further. Before the foundation of the
world eternally, Almighty God, Father, Son and Spirit, in that
everlasting covenant of God's grace, the messenger of the covenant
was there. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
The Word Himself. Wisdom Himself. He was there. He was there at that meeting. If I can say that just so that
we can understand. I know that that doesn't enter
into the fullness, but you know what I mean. That everlasting
covenant, that covenant that never began, He was there. And this is what He's done. He's telling us what happened.
This is what was said. This is how the covenant came
about. This was the agreement. The Father
in that everlasting covenant gave you to me and I agreed in
that everlasting covenant to come into this world and I'm
going to live for you as your representative. I'm going to
be made like you. This is how. The covenant came
about. This is what happened. Let me
tell you something. Here's how it is. This is what
happened. The Spirit of God said, I'll quicken them. I'll call
them out of darkness. The Father chose them. Christ
will redeem them. Live for them. Die for them.
And the Spirit of God is going to quicken them. And this is
here. Here's the messenger of the covenant. He's the one that's
telling His people, this is what was said. I wasn't there. The messenger of the covenant
whom you delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith
the Lord of hosts. But who shall abide the day of
his coming? Who shall stand when he appeareth?
For he is like a refiner's fire and fuller's soap, and he shall
fit as a refiner and purifier of silver. He shall purify the
sons of Levi, purge them as gold and silver that they may offer
unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the
offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as
in the days of old as in the former years." This is what's going to happen.
The messenger of the covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ, He's going
to come to His temple. He's going to come to His people.
Who shall abide? Who shall contain? Who shall
endure? Who shall restrain the day of
His coming? Who can resist the Lord of glory? He said, I will have mercy. Who can continue unaffected when
He appears? to show affection. Who may abide? Who's going to stop Him? Your
little fickle free will, so-called, are you kidding me? Thy people shall be willing in the
day of your power. And He says, come, you follow
Me, He said to Matthew, follow Me. He's like a refiner's fire. Jeremiah
23, 29, "...is not My word as a fire, saith the Lord, and like
a hammer that breaketh a rock in pieces." Aren't you glad that Almighty
God is not depending on your little thick old nut and... like a fuller soap. The fuller
soap I found out is that which removes the spots. That which removes the spots.
Oh, the blood that makes a man whiter than snow. He sits as a refiner. The goldsmith, the purifier of
silver, the purger, The One who shall separate the sheep from
the goats. That's what refining does. Separates. In all the sons of
Levi, a picture of those that Almighty God has been pleased
to make kings and priests unto God. He shall purify and purge
them as gold and silver. Isaiah 125 says, I will turn
My hand upon thee purely purge away thy dross and take away
all thy kin, I will purely, according to pureness, I will purify and
take away all the dross." Can you imagine? Here's the Lord
of glory. He says, what I'm going to do
for you. I'm going to come. In the day of my power, I'm going
to come to the temple. Who shall abide the day of His
coming? Who's going to stop Him? Who's going to purge Him and
purify Him? I'm going to take away all of your dross. I'm thinking,
Lord, only according to Your Word can I enter into the wonder
of that blessed thought. Lord, can it be that You would
do something for me? I can't even imagine. That Almighty
God, the Lord Jesus Christ, would make me White as snow. That's what David said. Purge
me with hyssop and I shall be clean. Wash me and I shall be
whiter than snow. He's taken away the guilt of
His people. He hath made Him to be sin for
us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of
God in Him. And here, the Lord Jesus Christ
Here's the picture. He made them a scourge of small
cords and he drove them out of the temple. Sheep, oxen, poured
out the money changers over through the table. He messed up their
party. He said unto them that soul doves
take these things hence make not my father's house a house
of merchandise. And his disciples remembered
that it's written the zeal of thine house in indescribable
mercy, God Almighty comes to those that He's everlastingly
loved and He's going to do something. He's going to do something for
them that they can't do for themselves. He's going to purge them. He's
going to drive out that rebellious spirit. Oh, as I've said before,
rest assured, I know the presence of sin It's still there. And we wrestle with it. But I'm
telling you, these right here sat in absolute rebellion against
God. And look what the Lord Jesus
Christ did for them. There's many that sit today in
temples, places of worship where the Gospel is preached. And to those that the Lord has
have been pleased to leave to themselves the tares. They sit, and in their heart,
this is nothing more than merchandise, a house of merchandise. But to
some, Almighty God has done something for them and has given them a
new heart, a new mind, and they know He's purged me. That's what
David said, purge me with hyssop. I shall be clean. Wash me. I'll
be whiter than snow. This is what a believer wants.
Lord, you do something for me that I can't do for myself. May
the Lord be pleased to bless these words to our heart and
cause us to see the mercy of God in this. For Christ's sake,
Amen.