Transforming Our Souls: Jesus as Lord and Cleansed Temple

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, we encounter a powerful moment when Jesus cleanses the temple, driving out merchants and money changers. This event is not just a historical account but a profound teaching moment for us as individual Christians. Our souls are temples where God desires to dwell, and this incident challenges us to examine the state of our spiritual lives. Jesus' actions in the temple symbolize the cleansing and purifying work He desires to do within us. He came to offer us life in abundance, to fill us with His fullness and grace. This is the essence of Christian salvation—not merely forgiveness or a new nature, but the indwelling of Christ within us.

We must recognize Jesus as Lord, not just as Savior. He has the authority to cleanse and transform our lives, and we must submit to His lordship. This means allowing Him to examine our hearts, revealing any hidden sins or selfish motives. Just as He drove out the merchants from the temple, He seeks to remove anything in our lives that hinders His presence. This process may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for true spiritual growth.

Moreover, we are called to actively participate in this cleansing process. While Jesus initiates the work, we must respond by removing anything that competes for His place in our hearts. This involves a deep commitment to holiness and a willingness to let go of anything that does not align with His will. As we do so, we create a space where God can truly dwell, where His presence is evident in our lives.

Ultimately, the goal is for our souls to be a dwelling place for God, where His life is manifest in us. This is the fullness of the Christian experience—knowing God intimately and experiencing His presence daily. It is a journey of continual cleansing and renewal, leading us to a deeper relationship with Him.

Key Takeaways:

- Our souls are temples for God, and Jesus desires to cleanse and purify them, removing anything that hinders His presence. This cleansing is essential for experiencing the fullness of Christian salvation, which is more than forgiveness; it is the indwelling of Christ. [07:13]

- Recognizing Jesus as Lord is crucial. He has the authority to transform our lives, and we must submit to His lordship. This involves allowing Him to examine our hearts and remove any hidden sins or selfish motives. [23:15]

- The cleansing process may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for spiritual growth. Jesus' actions in the temple symbolize the work He desires to do within us, driving out anything that competes for His place in our hearts. [41:07]

- We are called to actively participate in this cleansing by removing anything that does not align with God's will. This involves a commitment to holiness and a willingness to let go of anything that hinders our relationship with Him. [44:28]

- The ultimate goal is for our souls to be a dwelling place for God, where His presence is evident in our lives. This is the fullness of the Christian experience—knowing God intimately and experiencing His presence daily. [46:46]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Jesus Cleanses the Temple
- [01:10] - General and Personal Application
- [02:01] - The Miraculous Action
- [03:14] - Life More Abundantly
- [04:11] - Taking Jesus as He Is
- [05:05] - Examining Our Souls
- [06:01] - The State of the Temple
- [07:13] - Our Souls as Temples
- [08:07] - The Indwelling of Christ
- [09:38] - The Fullness of Christian Experience
- [11:16] - The Temple of the Living God
- [12:39] - Examining the Condition of Our Souls
- [13:58] - The Lord's Examination
- [16:02] - Misusing God's Gifts
- [18:30] - The Abuse of Worship
- [20:01] - The Danger of Selfish Ends
- [23:01] - The Lordship of Christ
- [26:04] - The Examination of the Temple
- [28:22] - God's Omniscience
- [33:19] - The Intolerance of Sin
- [39:54] - The Cleansing Process
- [41:07] - The Scourging of the Lord
- [44:28] - Our Role in Cleansing
- [46:46] - God Dwelling in Us

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 2:13-17
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
- 2 Corinthians 6:16

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Observation Questions:

1. What actions did Jesus take when He found merchants and money changers in the temple, and what was His reasoning for these actions? [00:31]

2. How does the sermon describe the state of the temple when Jesus arrived, and what does this symbolize about our spiritual lives? [06:18]

3. According to the sermon, what is the ultimate purpose of Christian salvation beyond forgiveness and a new nature? [07:30]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between Jesus' authority and His actions in the temple? [23:15]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the cleansing of the temple by Jesus serve as a metaphor for the cleansing He desires to do within our souls? [07:13]

2. In what ways does recognizing Jesus as Lord, not just Savior, impact a believer's spiritual growth and transformation? [23:15]

3. The sermon mentions that the cleansing process can be uncomfortable. Why might this discomfort be necessary for spiritual growth? [41:07]

4. How does the sermon explain the role of believers in actively participating in the cleansing of their own lives? [44:28]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life as a temple for God. What "merchants" or "money changers" might be present that hinder God's presence in your life? How can you begin to address these? [06:18]

2. Jesus has the authority to transform our lives. Are there areas in your life where you struggle to submit to His lordship? What steps can you take to surrender these areas to Him? [23:15]

3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of examining our hearts for hidden sins or selfish motives. What practical steps can you take this week to allow Jesus to reveal and cleanse these areas? [17:07]

4. Consider the discomfort that comes with spiritual cleansing. How can you embrace this discomfort as a necessary part of your spiritual growth journey? [41:07]

5. The sermon calls for a commitment to holiness. What specific actions can you take to align your life more closely with God's will? [44:28]

6. How can you actively participate in creating a space in your life where God's presence is evident? What changes might you need to make in your daily routine or habits? [46:46]

7. Reflect on the idea of your soul being a dwelling place for God. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with Him and experience His presence more fully in your daily life? [46:46]

Devotional

Day 1: Our Souls as Sacred Temples
Our souls are likened to temples where God desires to dwell, and just as Jesus cleansed the physical temple, He seeks to cleanse and purify our spiritual lives. This cleansing is not merely about forgiveness but about making room for the indwelling of Christ within us. Jesus' actions in the temple serve as a powerful reminder that He desires to remove anything that hinders His presence in our lives. This process is essential for experiencing the fullness of Christian salvation, which involves a deep, abiding relationship with Christ. [07:13]

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life that you feel is cluttered or hindering your relationship with God? How can you begin to clear this space to allow for His presence to dwell more fully within you today?


Day 2: Recognizing Jesus as Lord
Recognizing Jesus as Lord means acknowledging His authority to transform our lives. This involves allowing Him to examine our hearts and reveal any hidden sins or selfish motives. Just as Jesus drove out the merchants from the temple, He seeks to remove anything in our lives that competes for His place. Submitting to His lordship is crucial for spiritual growth and transformation. It requires a willingness to let go of control and trust in His perfect plan for our lives. [23:15]

"And why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like." (Luke 6:46-47, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?


Day 3: Embracing the Cleansing Process
The cleansing process that Jesus initiates in our lives may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for true spiritual growth. His actions in the temple symbolize the work He desires to do within us, driving out anything that competes for His place in our hearts. This process involves a commitment to holiness and a willingness to let go of anything that does not align with His will. As we embrace this process, we create a space where God can truly dwell, and His presence becomes evident in our lives. [41:07]

"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:21, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific habit or mindset that you feel God is calling you to cleanse from your life? How can you take a step towards removing it today?


Day 4: Actively Participating in Our Cleansing
We are called to actively participate in the cleansing process by removing anything that does not align with God's will. This involves a deep commitment to holiness and a willingness to let go of anything that hinders our relationship with Him. While Jesus initiates the work, we must respond by making intentional choices that reflect our desire to be more like Him. As we do so, we create a space where God can truly dwell, and His presence becomes evident in our lives. [44:28]

"Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to actively participate in the cleansing process God is doing in your life? How can this step help you align more closely with His will?


Day 5: Becoming a Dwelling Place for God
The ultimate goal of the Christian experience is for our souls to be a dwelling place for God, where His presence is evident in our lives. This involves knowing God intimately and experiencing His presence daily. It is a journey of continual cleansing and renewal, leading us to a deeper relationship with Him. As we allow God to dwell within us, His life is manifest in us, and we experience the fullness of His grace and love. [46:46]

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's presence in your daily life? What practices or habits can you incorporate to become more attuned to His indwelling presence?

Quotes


Our souls are temples into which he comes to dwell, there is our basic and fundamental proposition. That is the ultimate if you like in this matter of Christian Salvation. Christian salvation means not only that we are forgiven, not merely that we are assured that we don't go to hell and that God has forgiven as our sins. [00:07:04]

The ultimate purpose is that God should dwell in men. Well, I've often quoted you before that great definition of it which was put as a title to a book by Henry Skugal in the 17th century: this is Christianity, the life of God In The Souls of men. Now there is God's ultimate purpose with respect to us. [00:10:02]

We must never be content with anything less than that in the Christian Life. We must come to regard and learn to regard our souls as temples in which God comes to dwell—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. You will notice always that this teaching is something that is conveyed as the Believers are being led forward. [00:12:09]

The state in the condition of the soul of so many of us as believers is very similar to that which our Lord found when he visited this temple in Jerusalem. Here it was, you see, God's house with all the ceremonies appointed and ordained and commanded by God himself, but what our Lord found was an abuse of all this. [00:16:00]

The chief trouble with these people was that they were abusing, misusing the very things that God had appointed to them as Ways and Means of worship to serve their own base and unworthy ends and objects. And here is the great thing we ask ourselves: what use are we making of the Gospel of our Lord and savior? [00:18:30]

There is nothing to me which is more tragic than the way which often in evangelism a distinction is drawn very wrongly between the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord. It is a distinction of course, but if you press it to a division you're doing one of the most dangerous things conceivable. [00:23:58]

He came not merely that we might be forgiven. He gave himself for us that he might separate unto himself a peculiar people zealous of Good Works. He came to bring us to God. He came to make us a holy people, and there is no aspect of Salvation that must ever be isolated from that. [00:25:24]

He knows everything, and when he comes to his possession, he will examine it, he will inspect it, and there is nothing that can be hidden from him. Now here again is a great principle that you'll find running through the whole of the Bible in the Old Testament as well as in the New. [00:28:22]

He hates certain things and will not tolerate them in his house, and he will never dwell side by side with them. Here's the great message, isn't it? Isn't it extraordinary how we can ever miss this kind of thing? But these are the first principles of the Christian Life. [00:33:19]

If you are not ready for the scourging, you are certain to be disappointed, and you won't go very far along this road. He always acts in this. The moment you come to him and say, yes, it's your temple, it's your right, act, he will act, and he'll make the scourge of the small cords, and he'll strike. [00:41:07]

He calls upon us to do certain things. He turns to the sellers of doves and he says to them, take these things hence. It's a mystery this, I don't pretend to understand it. Why doesn't he take it all out of us? But he doesn't. You see, the children of Israel, when they were taken from Egypt to Canaan, many of their enemies were destroyed for them. [00:44:28]

He is concerned to possess his home, that's all he wants. He just wants the temple to be as it should be, a temple meat for himself. He wants his father's house not to be a place of merchandise but to be a place in which his father can dwell. Oh, this is the great promise. [00:46:46]

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Transcript
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