Reset Part 2 (Study Guide)

With the installation of our church leadership and the start of a new year, it is important for us to hit the spiritual reset button, for us to reset as a church for the year ahead. We must consecrate ourselves, pray, fast, study, reflect, express gratitude, and set new anticipation and expectation for what God wants to do through our church in our communities, in our nation, and in the world. [00:03:12] (46 seconds)  #ChurchSpiritualReset

``There are problems on every side, and the church is the institution that God has put in place to be where we gather, to seek the face of God, to align our hearts with his heart, and to go outside of these four walls and build his kingdom, represent his character, share his love in the salvific faith that we have and hope in Jesus Christ. [00:07:12] (37 seconds)  #ChurchOnMission

And that's why in the midst of everything going on in Rome, everything going on in the culture, Jesus goes to the church. Notice he doesn't go to the emperor's palace to cleanse it. He doesn't go to the judicial system and to the halls of justice to where the judges are to cleanse it. He does not go to the governor's mansion or the mayor's house to cleanse it. He doesn't go to city council to cleanse it. He goes to the church. [00:08:20] (39 seconds)  #JesusCleansTheChurch

In each of the four gospels, we see the story of Jesus cleansing the temple. This image of Jesus contradicts many of the stories and depictions and characteristics that we see of Jesus. In most biblical stories, we find that he's full of passivity, that he's full of grace and mercy, that he's just kind and and and and introspective and encouraging others to do so, but not here. [00:09:00] (29 seconds)  #JesusIsNotPassive

He has invited you despite your background, despite your education level, despite your economic status, despite your past decisions, you have an invitation to be an integral part of God's plan for soul salvation, bringing healing, deliverance, justice, and love to all humanity. [00:12:50] (26 seconds)  #AllCalledAllIncluded

It's easy for us to point fingers at what the world should be doing, but God has called us to be the change agent in the world. And so unless we can seek Jesus and be ye transformed by the renewing of our minds, there is no hope for the world because the hope for the world is in Christ, and Christ has given his church to be his feet in the world. [00:17:17] (27 seconds)  #BeTheChangeInChrist

Here's the brutal honesty. Jesus in this moment is not worried about the church membership. Jesus is not worried about the church finances or the budget in this moment. He is not worried about what song the choir sung or what color the ushers are wearing. He is literally kicking people out the church. The temple is representation of the presence of God among the people. This was all about how the people were treating the presence. Jesus does not compromise on the presence. How are we treating God's presence? [00:19:31] (67 seconds)  #ProtectGodsPresence

The temple represents the presence of God among the people, but there were criminals who were hiding, hiding out in the temple. Why? Because legally, they were allowed to seek sanctuary. They could not be arrested as long as they were in the temple. They did not come to seek God, to serve God, or to have a heart for God. They came to hide from the consequences of their actions. [00:24:00] (36 seconds)  #NoHidingInTheHouse