Galatians 5:19-23—The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
For the second time in his life, Jesus was sickened and filled with holy anger as he entered the temple and saw what was happening. The place where everyone went to worship God, the place meant for hearing the Word, the place where people learned the truth: there is no forgiveness without blood, God’s house was filled with dishonest money changers. The temple courts were filled with salesmen, gouging those worshipers who needed to buy a lamb or dove for sacrifice. Jesus flipped tables and drove out the animals; he forbid anyone from entering the temple to sell any merchandise. In sadness he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nation’s? But you have made it a ‘den of robbers’.”
God created us to love and serve him above all things. God created us to love and serve our neighbors as ourselves. Yet, far too often we serve ourselves first. Far too often we don’t care about what happens to others. Too often the acts of the sinful nature which Paul names are found in our hearts and lives. As we see Jesus anger in the temple, we realize how God feels about such sins. Jesus hates sin and those who commit it.
Jesus’ actions are a call to repentance, but they are also a comfort. It is for those people that Jesus died. With his every breath that week, he called his enemies to repentance, desiring to save them. Jesus calls us to repentance. He dies for us. He forgives our sins. He forgets his anger and prays for our life before the Father. He sends his Spirit into our hearts, so that instead of the acts of the sinful nature, we can produce the fruits of the Spirit.
Prayer: Dear God, you hate sin. In our weakness and rebellion, we sin every day. I am sorry for my sins. O Lord, have mercy on me and do not treat me as my sins deserve. Do not drive me from your presence as Jesus drove out the merchants in the temple. For his sake, because of his perfect life and innocent death, forgive me all my sins. Send your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may produce the fruits of repentance.
Hymn 98 (Especially verses 1, 4, 5, 6)