Read: John 2:13-22 (part 2)

The words that Jesus spoke to the people after he cleansed the temple made them very confused. Jesus said that he was going to build the temple again in three days. The people laughed at him because they knew that it had taken forty-six years to build it. How could Jesus build it in three days?

But Jesus was talking about himself and not the actual temple. We’ve seen how God dwelt among his people in the temple. He could do this because of the sacrifices that were offered. These sacrifices all pointed to Jesus Christ himself. And now Jesus had come to fulfil all these sacrifices.

The temple wasn’t about buying and selling, but it was all about repentance from sins, sacrifices and the people being restored to God. And that is exactly what Jesus does for us. Every day he drives out our sins and forgives us. Every day he replaces our sins with his perfect obedience. Just like he cleared out the temple so that the sacrifices could be brought again, so he clears out our hearts with his sacrifice on the cross.

That is why the curtain in the temple was torn in two when Christ died on the cross. It showed that Christ’s death was the payment for our sins that was needed for us to be forgiven. Christ’s sacrifice was the one that bore all of God’s wrath. He was punished in our place. Now we can have a relationship with the Lord again.

In the Old Testament they needed to offer sacrifices before they could go into the temple where God dwelt, but now we are the temples of the Holy Spirit. And because of Christ’s sacrifice, God is dwelling in us. He actually lives in our hearts. God talks to us in the Bible and we can pray to him. He loves us and cares for us always. And so we can live our lives in such a way that the glory of God shines in us.

Reflection with your child:

What does it mean that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit?

Source: Sermon by Rev. R. Vermeulen