I’m a Patriot…I ThinkI’m a Patriot…I Think

Thy Kingdom Come – p.1Thy Kingdom Come – p.1

Matthew 21:12-17Matthew 21:12-17

• The church was established to The church was established to serveserve the world with Christ-like the world with Christ-like love, not to love, not to rulerule the world. the world.

• Kingdom people have Kingdom people have oneone MasterMaster and serve and serve oneone KingdomKingdom. .

Two things happened Two things happened during this trip.during this trip.

• The people celebrated with The people celebrated with symbols that celebrated Jesus as symbols that celebrated Jesus as the coming Messiah – the coming Messiah – KingKing..

• They declared Jesus as their They declared Jesus as their saviorsavior..

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

And Jesus entered the temple And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. those who sold pigeons.

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

He said to them, "It is written, He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers." of robbers."

(Matthew 21:12-13 ESV)(Matthew 21:12-13 ESV)

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

• Traditional thinking is that Jesus Traditional thinking is that Jesus was upset because the traders was upset because the traders were taking advantage of the were taking advantage of the poorpoor..

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

• And Jesus entered the temple And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who and drove out all who soldsold and and boughtbought in the temple… in the temple…

• Jesus drove out all who Jesus drove out all who soldsold and and boughtbought

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

• Jesus was offended because they Jesus was offended because they were using the temple as a cover were using the temple as a cover for their for their politicalpolitical ambitionsambitions (21:13)(21:13)

Antiochus IV EpiphanesAntiochus IV Epiphanes

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

•   Jesus said:Jesus said:

Your political ambitions are Your political ambitions are uninvitinguninviting people God people God invitedinvited. . (Matt. 21:13a)(Matt. 21:13a)

He said to them, "It is written, He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' of prayer,'

Jesus was Jesus was offendedoffended! !

•   Jesus said:Jesus said:

You are using the temple as a You are using the temple as a covercover for your for your politicalpolitical ambitionsambitions (Matt 21:13b)(Matt 21:13b)

but you make it a den of but you make it a den of robbers."robbers."

Jesus opens the temple Jesus opens the temple to the to the uninviteduninvited

And the blind and the lame came And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he to him in the temple, and he healed them. healed them.

(Matthew 21:14 ESV)(Matthew 21:14 ESV)

Jesus opens the temple Jesus opens the temple to the to the uninviteduninvited

•   Two reasons this is a big deal:Two reasons this is a big deal:

• It is the only reference It is the only reference (Synoptic) to Jesus healing in (Synoptic) to Jesus healing in JerusalemJerusalem..

• Jesus Jesus embracedembraced the people the people rejectedrejected by the political zealots. by the political zealots.

Jesus opens the temple Jesus opens the temple to the to the uninviteduninvited

The LORD said to Moses, “Say to The LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. to offer the food of his God.

Jesus opens the temple Jesus opens the temple to the to the uninviteduninvited

No man who has any defect may No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; or lame, disfigured or deformed; no man with a crippled foot or no man with a crippled foot or hand…hand… (Lev. 21:16-19 NIV) (Lev. 21:16-19 NIV)

Political zealots are Political zealots are defensivedefensive when their when their powerpower

is threatenedis threatenedBut when the chief priests and But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the things that he did, and the children crying out in the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant, and David!" they were indignant, and they said to him, they said to him,

Political zealots are Political zealots are defensivedefensive when their when their powerpower

is threatenedis threatened"Do you hear what these are "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read,"Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?“ prepared praise'?“

(Matthew 21:15-16 ESV)(Matthew 21:15-16 ESV)

Doing the Doing the rightright thing is not thing is not always a always a popularpopular thing thing

And leaving them, he went out of And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged the city to Bethany and lodged there. there.

(Matthew 21:17 ESV)(Matthew 21:17 ESV)

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• The church has a role to play in The church has a role to play in the Kingdom of God, but it is not the Kingdom of God, but it is not a nationalistic stronghold.a nationalistic stronghold.

• The church was established to The church was established to serveserve the world with Christ-like the world with Christ-like love, not to love, not to rulerule the world. the world.

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• ““In my former book, Theophilus, In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach”began to do and to teach” (Acts (Acts 1:1)1:1)

• ““why are you persecuting me?why are you persecuting me?” ” (Acts 9:4)(Acts 9:4)

For those checking out For those checking out the Jesus of the Biblethe Jesus of the Bible

• Please Please forgiveforgive the church the church

For those committed For those committed to following Jesus…to following Jesus…

• Pick up your Pick up your crosscross! !

Whenever the church picks Whenever the church picks up the sword, it lays down up the sword, it lays down

the cross. the cross.

For those committed For those committed to following Jesus…to following Jesus…

• Kingdom people have Kingdom people have oneone MasterMaster and serve and serve oneone KingdomKingdom. .

• The Scriptures do not teach us to The Scriptures do not teach us to notnot participateparticipate in government. in government.