When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to
Jerusalem. In the temple courts he
found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables
exchanging money. So he made a whip
out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he
scattered the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables.
To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here!
How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”
His
disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal
for your house will consume me.” Then
the Jews’ demanded of him, “What
miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
Jesus
answered them, “Destroy this
temple, and I will raise it up again in three days.”
The
Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are
going to raise it in three days?” But
the temple he had spoken of was his body. 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.
And
while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous
signs he was doing and believed in his name.
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.
He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a
man.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is
in you, whom you have received from God? You
are not your own; you were bought with a price.
Therefore glorify God with your body. I Corinthians 6: 19 –
20
Our Body is the Temple (house) of God.
God wants to live in and be worshiped in a clean house.
The
person who glorifies God and is used by God is a clean vessel.
Application Points:
Do you want to see God work through you? Do you long for your prayers to be answered? Do you desire to live a lifestyle of holiness and to have your love for God renewed?
The believer begins by facing his/her sin honestly. Painful honesty with God and others will enable you to walk with purity and power. Humbly pray and search your heart. Don't rationalize or excuse your sin. Place your full confidence in God -Who alone can make you holy. Here is an idea for a practical commitment that you can apply for the next 30 days:
I determine that:
I will not go to bed this evening or live this day without confessing and repenting of all known sin against God. (James 4: 4-10, II Corinthians 7: 9-10, Revelation 2:5, Joel 2: 12-13)
I will not go to bed this evening or live this day without removing from my life every habit or activity I cannot be absolutely sure is approved by God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 13: 14; Romans 14:14)
I will not go to bed this evening or live this day without doing all that is possible to correct any wrongs between myself and others. (Matthew 5: 5: 23-24; Matthew 6: 14-15; Matthew 18: 15-35; Romans 12: 17-21, Colossians 3:12-15)
I will not go to bed this evening or live this day without spending quiet time with God in prayer and sincerely meditating on His Word. (1 Peter 2:1-3; John 17:17; Colossians 3:15-16; Mark 11: 22-26)
I will not go to bed this evening or live this day without asking and expecting God to use me in someone's life. (II Timothy 2: 20-21; John 15:16; James 5: 19-20; Colossians 4: 5-6; I Peter 4:11)
Permission is granted to use this Bible Study outline for personal study and small groups only.
Study written by Bob Krepps © 1999 all rights reserved