The church does not encompass the fullness of the kingdom.

This world is filled with all kinds of systems. Financial systems, governmental systems, educational systems, judicial systems, religious systems, etc. As we grow up in this world we get accustomed to these systems and learn how to function in it. In many instances we don’t have a choice about what kind of interactions we will have with these systems.

As we interact with these systems we can become invested in it. We invest time, money, skills. We rely on these systems to function well, in order to provide us with effective services, which in turn helps us to order our lives in certain ways, it provides convenience and comfort, we like safety and predictability.

We become dependent on these services and systems, because it saves us time so we can focus on the things in life we deem important, be it our careers, family, or whatever else.

And although there might be hiccups here and there, things seem to work, rather well. But then something comes and disrupts the system or multiple systems. And it causes anything from discomfort to outright havoc in our lives. Things can get really shaken up!

What’s you first reaction in times like these?

Anger, shock, disorientation, offence?

I can tell you mine, offence! Whenever there’s load-shedding, unreasonable levy or tax hikes, lockdowns, exposure of even more corruption, discrimination, I would get so angry and offended!

It took me a while to realise that my offence was a good indicator of the level to which I am invested in the systems of this world.

John 2:12-22

Jesus at the Temple

After this, Jesus, his mother and brothers and his disciples went to Capernaum and stayed there for a few days. But the time was close for the Jewish Passover to begin, so Jesus walked to Jerusalem. As he went into the temple courtyard, he noticed it was filled with merchants selling oxen, lambs, and doves for exorbitant prices, while others were overcharging as they exchanged currency behind their counters. So Jesus found some rope and made it into a whip. Then he drove out every one of them and their animals from the courtyard of the temple, and he kicked over their tables filled with money, scattering it everywhere! And he shouted at the merchants, “Get these things out of here! Don’t you dare make my Father’s house into a centre for merchandise!” That’s when his disciples remembered the Scripture: “I am consumed with a fiery passion to keep your house pure!”

But the Jewish religious leaders challenged Jesus, “What authorisation do you have to do this sort of thing? If God gave you this kind of authority, what supernatural sign will you show us to prove it?”

Jesus answered, “After you’ve destroyed this temple, I will raise it up again in three days.”

Then the Jewish leaders sneered, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and you mean to tell us that you will raise it up in three days?” But they didn’t understand that Jesus was speaking of the “temple” of his body. But the disciples remembered his prophecy after Jesus rose from the dead, and believed both the Scripture and what Jesus had said.

Matthew 21:12-15

Jesus in the Temple

Upon entering Jerusalem Jesus went directly into the temple area and drove away all the merchants who were buying and selling their goods. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the stands of those selling doves. And he said to them, “My dwelling place will be known as a house of prayer, but you have made it into a hangout for thieves!”

Then the blind and the crippled came into the temple courts, and Jesus healed them all. And the children circled around him shouting out, “Blessings and praises to the Son of David!”

But when the chief priests and religious scholars heard the children shouting and saw all the wonderful miracles of healing, they were furious.

Here we see the two times Jesus cleansed the temple. The first was at the start of His earthly ministry, the second just before His crucifixion and resurrection.

The two events seem very similar, and for a long time in my Christian life I never realised that Jesus did it twice.

Can you start to think of the havoc this caused in the temple? Here comes this man that mingles with the societal outcasts and blue collar workers, he makes a whip out of some rope, and starts to turn and kick over peoples tables, money flying everywhere, doves and feathers, oxen & lambs running around, people yelling angrily, Jesus chasing them out.

I don’t know about you, but I think I would’ve hidden out of sight. I wouldn’t have wanted to be seen at Jesus side while He’s causing all this chaos, it would’ve been so uncomfortable.

Let’s look at what happened right after He did this:

1st cleansing:

The Jewish religious leaders came and challenged Jesus’ authority and demanded a sign. Jesus mentions the sign of his death and resurrection in parable form. They were angry, offended and sneered at him.

2nd cleansing:

The blind and crippled came to him in the temple and he healed them all.

Children came in and started to sing his praises.

Then the chief priests & pharisees came, and what they saw made them furious. Once again, they were angry and offended.

So why did Jesus do this? What was the fruit of his actions?

The first temple cleansing happened shortly after the Cana wedding, where Jesus turned water into wine which revealed his miracle working power.

He challenged the authority of those in charge in the temple. Remember, these people used to be the God-appointed authority over the temple, but they allowed the corruption of the world to enter into their hearts, and consequently into sanctuary. This allowed an evil system to replace a godly one. Fear, control and corruption reigned in a place that was intended to function by righteousness, peach, joy, faith, truth, love and freedom.

What He did disrupted the system. And by disrupting the system he exposed the people’s hearts. Those that were invested in the corrupt system became angry and offended. Those that weren’t came for healing and sang his praises. And this infuriated the religious leaders even more.

We are in a unique season of disruption. Why do you think this is?

God used a leader like president Trump to disrupt and expose all kinds of evil in the world’s governmental and financial systems.

Although the pandemic is not of God, he has been using it as well to disrupt the systems of this world, even the God ordained religious system of our day, the church.

This disruption have exposed the hearts of Christian leaders and Christians worldwide. The fearfulness, hopelessness, and lack of true faith that many have been living in could not stay hidden anymore. Each of us were being confronted with the question: Do I believe in God’s word, in His character, goodness and promises, no matter what?

Or will I become offended and turn away?

In this time we have seen many fall away, leaving their faith, we have seen many choosing a fearful Christianity, not wanting to turn from God, but at the same time, not trusting Him enough to stand boldly in faith for truth and righteousness. But, what we have also seen, is the rise of a breed of believer that is bold and unafraid. These are the ones trusting Jesus for miracles and praising His name, in spite of the fearful getting offended at them.

But why does God have to use these severely disruptive ways? What is His end game? What does he want to achieve?

Psalms 115:16

The heavens belong to our God; they are his alone, but he has given us the earth and put us in charge.

Acts 7:48-50

“However, the Most High God does not live in temples made by human hands, as the prophet said:

‘Heaven is my throne room and the earth is but a footstool for my feet. How could you possibly build a house that could contain me?’ says the Lord Yahweh. ‘And where could you find a place where I could live? Don’t you know that it is my hands that have built my house, not yours?’

The church has become complacent in recent years. She allowed humanistic governments to push her influence out of almost every influential part of culture and society. She allowed herself to be sidelined, ignored and become irrelevant.

She was not accomplishing God’s purpose of kingdom advancement. As we can see from the previous verses, God wants his dominion to be over all of creation, not just the church. Church buildings can’t contain him, only the church that he builds and are satisfied with. He lives in us and wants to reign wherever we are.

Psalms 24

THE GLORIOUS KING

David’s poetic praise to God

God claims the world as his. Everything and everyone belongs to him! He’s the one who pushed back oceans to let the dry ground appear, planting firm foundations for the earth.

Who, then, ascends into the presence of the Lord?

And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place?

Those who are clean—whose works and ways are pure, whose hearts are true and sealed by the truth, those who never deceive, whose words are sure.

They will receive the Lord’s blessing and righteousness given by the Savior-God.

They will stand before God, for they seek the pleasure of God’s face, the God of Jacob.

Pause in his presence

So wake up, you living gateways!

Lift up your heads, you ageless doors of destiny!

Welcome the King of Glory, for he is about to come through you.

You ask, “Who is this Glory-King?”

The Lord, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, invincible in every way!

So wake up, you living gateways, and rejoice!

Fling wide, you ageless doors of destiny!

Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in.

You ask, “Who is this King of Glory?”

He is the Lord of Victory, armed and ready for battle, the Mighty One, the invincible commander of heaven’s hosts!

Yes, he is the King of Glory!

Pause in his presence

God wants to use us as living gateways through which he can enter as the king of glory to reign everywhere. He is always ready and willing to come. But not all of us have been ready to be his gateways. We had to be woken up! Our worlds had to be disrupted, almost like an unwelcome alarm that you can’t ignore and slumber a while longer.

I believe each of us here this morning, are willing to be part of a company of believers willing to be his entry points into our spheres of influence. A place from where he can flow and change atmospheres and environments. This is the revival the world needs right now, not more church meetings, but powerful God-encounters at workplaces, in the streets and the marketplace.

The enemy is conspiring through world leaders to try and stop God’s plans of a global harvest and kingdom advancement, but as we submit our lives to Christ all the enemy’s plans will play into God’s hands.

Psalms 2:1-4

THE CORONATION OF THE KING

How dare the nations plan a rebellion.

Their foolish plots are futile!

Look at how the power brokers of the world rise up to hold their summit as the rulers scheme and confer together against Yahweh and his Anointed King, saying:

“Let’s come together and break away from the Creator.

Once and for all let’s cast off these controlling chains of God and his Christ!”

God-Enthroned merely laughs at them; the Sovereign One mocks their madness!