Zeal

Zeal | John 2:13-25

John Bourgeois, Lead Pastor

Key Takeaways

• The Gospel of John is theologically organized, and the cleansing of the temple is placed early to establish who Jesus is and what kind of relationship he offers.

• The sacrificial system was designed to humble worshippers and fill them with joy simultaneously, the same way the gospel works on us today.

• Jesus found the temple operating as a marketplace, a transactional, performance-based system, and his cleansing was a declaration that this is not how God relates to his people.

• Jesus drives out all the lambs from the temple except one—himself, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

• Because Jesus is the temple, and the Spirit now dwells in his people, our lives have become the dwelling place of God. His zeal for the temple is now zeal for our lives.

  
  Study Questions

• Question 1

  The sermon describes two contrasting ways of relating to God: performance and grace. In what areas of your life do you find yourself most tempted to approach God through performance rather than through trust in what Christ has done?

• Question 2

  Jesus drove out the money changers not because commerce was inherently evil, but because it had crowded into the wrong space. What good things in your life have gradually moved from their proper place into the center where only God belongs?

• Question 3

  The court of the Gentiles was meant to be a place where outsiders could come and encounter the living God, yet it had been turned into a marketplace. In what ways might the church today inadvertently create barriers that prevent curious outsiders from encountering God?

• Question 4

  John suggests that our Sunday morning choices communicate something to our children and others about what we truly value, even when our words say otherwise. How do the rhythms and priorities of your week reflect or contradict what you say you believe about God?

• Question 5

  John used the image of a stranger rearranging the furniture in your house to describe what Jesus does when he takes up residence in a life. What areas of your life have you felt Jesus "rearranging"? Are there areas where you have been resistant to that?

• Question 6

  Jesus drove everything out of the temple, leaving only the one lamb that remained— the Lamb of God himself. What does it mean for your daily life that Jesus is not just the one who cleanses but also the sacrifice who remains?

Seeking God’s Face Devotional

This year, we’ll be using the devotional “Seeking God’s Face” for our personal daily discipleship.

This Week’s Liturgy

Call to worship

Psalm 141:1-2

Leader: O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

All: Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Confession of FAITH

New City Catechism Q & A #39

Q: With what attitude should we pray?

A: With love, perseverance, and gratefulness; in humble submission to God’s will, knowing that, for the sake of Christ, he always hears our prayers.

Confession of sin

Holy God, we confess that we have turned your house of prayer into a marketplace, trying to earn what you freely give by grace. We have trusted our performance instead of Christ’s righteousness. We have let good things take your place at the center of our lives. Forgive us for resisting your authority and gracious work of reordering our loves. Turn our hearts again toward Christ, our True Temple, Priest, and Sacrifice. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

This Week’s Playlist

Looking Ahead

Next week, we continue in the Gospel of John on Sunday at 8 & 11:15 a.m. Also, join us for our Congregational Meeting between worship services at 9:30 a.m.