John 2:16 NKJV

And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”

John 2:16 NKJV

What started with good intentions to help pilgrims from afar to buy their sacrifices and to make their burden lesser has turned into greed and money-making businesses for those who come.

When the motive changes from giving and helping to getting and being selfish for personal gain, it becomes very evil.

This was happening in the house of prayer. People's burdens become even heavier and it adds more sorrows to their pain.

Jesus therefore reset the temple to what it was intended, to liberate people from that oppression.

This is also speaking in the spiritual sense of the new temple that Christ himself has built in each one of those who have believed in Him.

The temple in us has no more selling, buying and offering sacrifices of animals. It is where He Himself had become the sacrifice for all humanity once and for all.

Today, in Christ we have been liberated to live in His fullness and in His kingdom. There are many things in the churches today that need to be cleaned and removed.

Whatever we do in the house of God is not to make a profit but to be a giver of His love, mercy and grace. To heal, to restore, to lift people from their burden, to clothe, to feed and to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We, as His house, need to be people who communicate with God and be in a relationship with Him and to intercede for others.

We, as His house, should be a place of refuge, a place of hope and mercy. As His spiritual house, let us all flow out of Jesus to the world so that all may taste His goodness and love.

Live in the blessings,

Ps Ambrose