December 5
Matthew 21.12-17
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
Seems like kind of a strange story to look at for the beginning of Advent. Jesus in the temple shortly after the Palm Sunday entrance to Jerusalem. And yet, this is the reading from the daily lectionary for today. Looking at Jesus in ministry, even as we deal with the anticipation of the first appearing of Jesus, and the second appearing of Jesus still coming.
I am a bit troubled by the reading. Wondering if we dare to look at the place in the story where we fit. The role of Jesus is filled. We can keep Jesus there. But have we ever wondered how we fit into the role of being indignant. The chief priests and teachers of the law saw the wonderful things Jesus did, heard the children shouting and they were indignant.
What is upsetting us about the things going on in the church? Our local congregation or the larger church? Have we considered that it is possible that the things that upset us might be the work of God that we have not begun to take part in? Sometimes it takes us awhile to figure out the nature of things; whether it is good or not. Sometimes we don’t quite get it.
But on the positive side, do we find ourselves in the place of the children? Having joy in the works of God in our midst. Giving praise for the works taking place. Things we might not yet understand, but things that certainly have shown that God is at work. Take a look for the positive things that are going on around us and find the places where we see the hand of God in action. Let’s bring praise to God for the good things he is doing, especially those things that stretch us and go beyond our walls and our controls.
Song – All Creatures of Our God and King
Prayer
Eternal God, long ago you prepared a way for the coming of your Son, and by your Spirit you still bring that light to brighten our paths. Renew us in faith and hope that we may welcome Christ to rule our thoughts and claim our love, as Lord of lords and King of kings. Amen.