Editor’s Note: The following piece is part of the Holy Week Series from our Young Writers cohort. Matt Fang reflects upon Mark 11:15-19 and the cleansing of the temple.
When Jesus proclaimed His divine authority by cleansing the temple, it was clear that the merchants inside were not worshiping the Lord. They had moved the service of selling animal sacrifices from outside the temple inside the holy ground. A place for people to intimately convene with God in confession and prayer had now turned into a crowded marketplace of overpriced kosher meat and excessive commercialism.
Why is Jesus so angry? Christ drives out all the merchants because His Holy Temple has been replaced with worship of their own selfish gain. Instead, God desires the complete affections of our heart, not any false pretenses of worshiping Him. Because Christ first came to die and gave up His kingdom for our sinfulness, we should also give our pure and undivided worship to Him.
How should we respond given this truth? As fallen beings, we can easily disguise what should be sacred for God with our worldly desires. What intentions do we have during worship service and ministry? Is serving just an opportunity to gain friendships? Are church services just opportunities for feelings of fulfillment? These desires are not bad in itself, but we should caution ourselves from making God the means to our own ends. We can rest in God’s promises that if we are faithful to Him, all these things will be added to us (Mt. 6:33).
As we continue into Passion week, take a moment to reflect: Where is God convicting you to reorient your worship? What desires can you submit to God? Consider meditating on His sacrifice and praying your struggles to Him, knowing that even our fight to reorient our worship is a form of worship itself (1 Cor. 10:13).