Anger and Love in the Temple

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Goal:

The extraordinary poem hidden in the first 18 verses of John [1:1–18]
In our modern, organized minds, we want the truth laid out in 7 simple steps. But what the Bible often gives us is a Michelangelo painting
Why the very first believers were so drawn to Jesus [1:19–51]
A Different Take on turning Water into Wine [2:1–11]

A few days—time for the story to reach Jerusalem
- Very different to the previous story
Why did Jesus get so angry?
- This is going to be one of my main points
- People had come a long way
- Tyrian half-shekels
Why didn’t anyone stop him? How could one man do this?
- Shock? Guilt?
Odd kind of a challenge. Why not challenge authority?
- Maybe guilt? Had heard about Cana?
Why answer in such a strange way? How did it help? Why not point out the sin?
- There was no need to repeat what he said about the sin
- There was another dimension to the problem with the temple. Even if perfect, something much better was required.
- talk about this shortly
Why not give them any explanation? What was the point or purpose?
- If Jesus had been explicit, they would have arrested him right away
- But he did not want to dumb down the truth
- So he made it like a test of their interest
  - This is setting us up for ch.3
Note that we are the temple as well, but we are built on him, the foundation stone
Did he start these after the incident?
- That is how the story reads
- Why nothing about the response to the event?
  - for ch 3
What is the point of this?
- John’s interest in belief
- It sounds negative, but the next two stories are going to make it very positive!
Why repeat it in this odd way?
- Set up for ch3

To Nathanael
“Because I said to you. I saw you… (do) you believe(?).”
At Cana
“His disciples believed in him.”
At Jerusalem
“His disciples remembered that it was written… ”

“His disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus spoke.”

Anger in itself is not wrong. Sometimes it is exactly what is needed to motivate us
John and Julia are dating and engaged to be married.
John has the most wonderful parents anyone could imagine, but Julia has not yet had a chance to meet them
But they have crated a restraurant in Montreal which perfectly reflecte their character
- The incredible ambiance, the live music, the art on the walls, the amazing staff
Julie is visiting Montreal on a business trip, so John tells her she absolutley must go
- He doesn’t tell her the details—just says to visit there is to meet her parents.
- Although they will not be there, the feeling of being there will be completely reflect them.
The current manager has decided, without asking, to convert it to a sports bar
- All the wall painting have been converted to big screens, blaring out commentary
- He is having a “who can make the most noise” competition, when Julie arrives.
- Oh, thinks Julie. Maybe I should think again about John if this is his idea of a perfect location!
This is where they were supposed to come and meet his father.
- Everything so carefully designed. Quiet prayer and sense of forgiveness and relief.
What do you imagine John thinks when he hears the story?

What do you think of when you think of coming into God’s presence?
Jesus wants to re-write the story for you!
Are you angry at the distortions of God out there?
Jesus knows what is in you, and this is not scarey!