Text: Matthew 21:12-22, Isaiah 56:1-8
Today is the second day of the portion of the church calendar commonly known as Holy Week.
In the coming days, we will slow our pace, walking through the events that took place between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Rather than offer personal, written responses to each day’s Scripture reading, we’ve asked our friend, Pastor Russ Ramsey, to provide a real-time summary of the week’s events. Our prayer is that this more descriptive approach will usher you into the narrative and allow space for you to fully engage the beauty and ache of Holy Week.
Take this week slowly and reverently. It is a somber time, but let us never forget: Sunday is coming.
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On the Monday of Holy Week, Jesus asserted His authority in the temple.
If Jerusalem was a beehive, with His triumphal entry the day before, Jesus hit it with a stick. You could hear the buzz grow as the anger within the religious leadership got organized. With that kingly arrival on Sunday, Jesus had made a strong declaration about His authority over all the conventions of man.
On Monday He returned for more, this time to declare the failure of His own people to live up to the covenantal mandate God had given them to be a blessing to the world (Matthew 21:12-13).
Much of what the Gospels tell us about Monday centers on the theme of Jesus’ authority—both over the created world and in His right to pass judgment upon it. Everything Jesus did He did with authority.
So when He woke His disciples Monday saying He wanted go back into Jerusalem to teach in the temple, as risky as it sounded, it wasn’t surprising. But everyone sensed something stirring, as if Jesus had rounded a corner and His end was coming fast. He was a marked man.
When Jesus saw the commotion, commerce, and chaos going on in the temple, He was indignant. The way the Sanhedrin led Israel was not how God’s people were supposed to be led. The temple was a sacred space, and worship was a holy matter. The propriety and dignity of approaching the presence of God had found an advocate in this visiting rabbi. And so, on the Monday before His crucifixion, Jesus went into the temple and overturned the money changers’ tables (Mark 11:15-19).
This was not the first time Jesus had done this. He had cleared the temple like this once earlier, back before anyone knew His name. Then He had warned the merchants to remove the money-changers’ tables and stop making His Father’s house into a den of thieves (John 2:13-17).
If the first time Jesus cleared the temple served as a warning; this time it served as a judgment. This was not an eruption of sudden anger. Jesus saw nothing on that Monday He hadn’t seen many other times. He had even stood in this very place as recently as the day before, so nothing He saw came as a surprise. Jesus simply did what He planned to do.
Jesus’ provocative actions in overturning the money changers’ tables spoke to His deep concern for the way God’s people had traded the work of loving God for a religion of economy. And ever since, He remains involved in the provocative work of overturning idolatrous hearts, calling them back to the dignity and sanctity for which they were intended.
written by Russ Ramsey
adapted from Behold the King of Glory
Lately I have noticed that my heart is thirsting to feel God’s presence. This is something I have a hard time admitting for some reason, but I’m hoping that someone else can identify or help in this confusing and tough season. I feel as though I have these “expectations” of what that presence should feel like – a clear voice, an obvious sign, an immediate response. I truly am unsure. I desperately crave to hear the Holy Spirit speak more truth and direction into my life, but I feel as though there’s a disconnect or something in the way. That when I pray and have quiet time, it’s not “intentional enough” or that I’m doing something wrong – which isn’t true, but hard to not think or feel. God calls us simply to just come to Him in all things.
This week as we draw closer to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, I truly pray that my pace slows and I lean into Him. That I allow myself to feel presence, because He is always near. I pray this over all of you as well
I know how you feel. There have been many seasons in my life where I felt like God was far away and I couldn’t feel His presence. I knew He was there because Scripture tells us He never leaves or forsakes us, but at the time He felt so far away. Keep seeking His face. I think all believers have seasons in their life where God seems farther away, we aren’t walking with Him as closely, or we’re in the middle of a trail, the list goes on and on. The most important thing is to keep our focus on Him. We might not always be able to feel Him with us, but we can’t let the doubt overtake us.
Praying for you, Samantha, as you seek His face.
I truly believe that God honors the fact that you’re seeking Him and longing and looking to see/hear from Him.
I’ve been and still wrestle with where you are right now.
Not knowing exactly what to look for in terms of God’s voice and leading can be so difficult when you are longing so deeply to hear or see it.
I believe that God will speak to us uniquely as He sees fit for that situation.
It may be a clear voice, a moving of the spirit in a certain direction, a verse.. ect.
I think the best thing we can do is to keep our eyes, ears, mind, and heart open to the Holy Spirit. He will speak, He will lead. It is His desire.
God is not a God of confusion.
Sometimes the smallest whisper saying, “Here is the way walk in it(Isaiah 30:21),” is all we need to hear and obey in that moment. Blessings to you, Samantha!
I am right there with you. Just this morning I wrote in my journal about my growing hunger for God’s presence. Sometimes I feel that my expectations are unreasonable – That I have a preconceived idea of what my relationship with Him should look like and I should just be content with the ways He has showed Himself to me thus far, but then I realize that He is the one who has placed this longing in me and there must be more! I will keep seeking His presence until the end of my days, knowing that only He can, and will (!) fulfill my deepest desires. Press in to Him – He will not disappoint!
A couple practical things that may help : change the place of where you do your praying /devotions. Sometimes moving outdoors or to a cafe or just a different room in your house helps. Make the area appealing – lighting, flowers, favorite mug, notebook. (I even have a favorite pen reserved for Bible study). Add worship music – feel free to sing along or choose instrumental music and let yourself really hear it. Pray the Scriptures. Personalize them. Reread a passage until you feel like you could tell someone about it in detail. Journal your thoughts, including the frustrations. Jot down your blessings – seeing them on paper makes them more apparent. Read the Scriptures out loud, as if you are an actor in front of an audience. Use the full range of inflection and tone in your voice. Listening to yourself read scripture can be very impactful. These things help me keep fresh in my approach and bring me closer to Him. Praying for you, friend.
I can totally relate. I’m so hungry for God to come and move and speak into my life. So hungry to be completely set ablaze for him. So hungry to be sold out and never the same. I want. And I worried that I wanted too much. But I felt God whisper that you can never want too much of Him. Indeed, he gives us the desires of our hearts and a heart that longs for him WILL be satisfied! I’m clinging to that promise. Even when I feel so dry. Even when I feel nothing. I believe he is with me. I believe.
I feel as though i could have written this exact statement! Praying for you :)
It is totally normal and expected to have seasons of “desolation” and “consolation.” I think “universal” might be the right word! Almost always right when we first believe, God gives an amazing sense of his presence, but this sensation subsides a bit as we grow into our faith, and comes subsequently in waves.
I’ve heard lots of reasons about why exactly this is so, but I think the main thing is to realize that this is entirely normal and expected, and to keep on praying right through it. That feeling of closeness will come again.
To me it feels almost exactly like my marriage, where some days I’m blissfully happy and loving while other days I look at him and am like …. “I know I love him but I am NOT FEELING IT.” And some days I feel loving, but it seems as if he is disengaged (like….when we were remodeling the house and whole weeks would go by when that was ALL he ever talked about).
Anyway at those times I just sort of stay present to him and trust that it will all come around. And then it does. Sometimes I feel closer to him in the end than I did before, because it was an exercise in faithfulness for me.
If I had to hazard a guess I’d say that this happens in our relationship with God because we are imperfect and human. Unless we are VERY spiritually mature, we just can’t maintain that sort of constant communion with God — although it IS, several of the great spiritual writers tell us, possible — after years of faithful practice. I have not managed it!
Practically speaking, I agree with Churchmouse. Look at what your daily practice is like. IS it daily? It really has to be. What can you change? What can you add or take away? What works for YOU? Different denominations have different approaches — try talking to your pastor.
I personally need silent time waiting on God before I really feel present to him. I also like to journal, and obviously spend time in the word, and I like to use the Ignation Examen prayer.
Everyone is different, but EVERYONE goes through these times. There is NOTHING wrong with your faith. You will feel close to God again. I don’t need to wish you good luck because I know it will work out! But I wish you lots of growth from it. Hugs. I know how hard these times are.
Yesterday in church we talked a bit about this yesterday in church.
I like the point made about how this time he overturned the tables as a judgement, not just a warning, like before.
“this time to declare the failure of His own people to live up to the covenantal mandate God had given them to be a blessing to the world.” This mandate is on my life as well.
Jesus, oh Holy One, that I may lean on You as I examine my heart and all that is not well within me. All that is keeping me from Your mandate on my life, the blessings You have for me and for the world through me and my obedience to You. May my energies spent in devotion to myself and devotion to my husband and devotion to graduating turn wholly into devotion to You. For in You alone I find rest and joy. Move the world around me this week, Father, that I may see You more clearly, for You are always at work around me. You are Salvation. You alone are King. Amen.
Thank you for this beautiful prayer. It echoes the cry of my heart.
I like the point that is made about how everything Jesus did, he did with authority. It helps us to understand that the provocative act of overturning tables is actually still an act of gentleness because he was using the least amount of force necessary to address the situation and he had every right and authority to do so. It’s so important that we have him as our model and the Holy Spirit as our guide to show us when and how to turn over tables in our own lives. And like with everything in the spiritual life, God does the heavy lifting for us! Praise Him!
Amen!! Thankful he does the heavy lifting for us!
Reminds me of the song Furious by Jeremy Riddle…”nothing can tear us from the grip of His mighty love. We’ve only glimpsed his vast affection, heard whispers of His heart and passion. It’s pouring out. His love is deep, his love is wide and it covers us. His love is fierce, it is strong, it is furious. His love is sweet, it is wild and its waking hearts to LIFE.”
Thankful for His deep love for us. That he doesn’t let us stay where we are but calls us to true life and purpose.
I have a close personal friend who is far from God and struggling. Pray that I can be a light to him this week. I would love to share these truths we are learning about this week with him, I just don’t know how.
Gracie I am praying for you. It’s ok to be uncertain. The Lord will open the conversation at the appropriate time for you to share with your friend. And maybe he just needs to feel loved and accepted by you. You have a compassionate heart. Lord give Gracie peace and the discernment to see where Your spirit leads her interactions with this friend.
Praying the Holy Spirit encourages you and provides the right time and the right words. You already have a willing heart!
A week ago, I have felt a dryness in my morning devotions and quiet time with God. It seemed like no matter how I try, I couldn’t enter His presence and it left me feeling frustrated and far from Him. Until He revealed to my heart that I’ve been so addicted with facebook lately, and that I should take some time off. As soon as I did choose to pray and read His Word (when I was tempted to open facebook), I’ve felt that my connection with Him was slowly being restored. Then I would reinstall my facebook and IG apps once again, and feel that I’m loosing my connection with Him again. It’s a clear confirmation that God is “overturning” my social media addiction table. In His great Love, He never allows me to wander too far.
I also feel that He is teaching me to be intimate with Him during this season when things in my life are going well and His promises are coming my way (I’ve learned and have always been intimate with Him during suffering seasons, so this feeling is new to me).
Pls pray for me to hunger and thirst for God’s presence like how I used to in difficult seasons of my life. I long to always be desperate for His presence and nearness.
I will be praying for you! The more I read your comment I identified with you more and more. Jesus can heal any addiction and restore us back to Him! V.
How wonderful that you listened for our Lord’s voice…and then was obedient to decrease your time on social media! And you’re right: often we find it more difficult to remain intentional with our prayers, devotionals and seeking Him when things are going well for us than when we’re desperately calling out to Him during rough times. A friend once counseled me: “Don’t let the answers to your prayers become the barriers to your prayers.” Miscue, I am praying that you will continue to seek His near presence, whatever the circumstances in which you find yourself.
That’s an interesting perspective Susie. I can see in my own experience how answers have become barriers or distractions to my closeness with God. I’ll be chewing on that for the rest of the day. Thank you!
I am identifying as well. Thank you.
Yeah! I too have had similar struggles, and similar words from God! Amen!
Ah yes, a while back,the Lord was telling me my smart phone was making me dumb – in that I was choosing social media, near constant current events and entertainment apps to occupy my time. It was crowding out His still small voice. I KNOW better; thus , I believe, Him telling me I was making dumb choices! So… No more Facebook, Instagram, etc. I hit delete and Uninstall. Now my phone apps reflect my focus… All for Jesus.
Why was nothing said about the fig tree?
“Much of what the Gospels tell us about Monday centers on the theme of Jesus’ authority—both over the created world and in His right to pass judgment upon it. Everything Jesus did He did with authority. ”
Hi Meghan! I think the fig tree would be included in this comment. Jesus was demonstrating His authority over the created world. I think it was just another example of Jesus’s authority over nature. If he can command a tree to wither and the waves to be still, He surely would have that same power when it comes to the spiritual realm. That He holds that power and authority over death as well.
That was my take away but I’m certainly open to correction and other perspectives!!!