Apostolic Friends Forum - When Jesus Comes to Church

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When Jesus Comes to Church

A Pastor has some unique feelings about what happens at church; he wants everything to be just right because there are going to be guests there. And there is a purpose to what the church is doing. We obviously want the guests to become more than just guests. So it is important that everything is just right.

There are some things that just need to be right: The place needs to be clean; The lights and heat or air needs to be right; The ushers need to be dressed properly and be warm and friendly; The members need to be here early to pray and to make guests feel welcome; The service needs to start on time; The music needs to be just right for that service; The worship leader needs to have his act together; The soloist needs to have practiced and have a song that says something; The preacher, he definitely better have it together.

So, a Pastor knows what it is, and how important it is, to come in and look things over before service begins, because there is a purpose to what we do.

Sometimes things are just perfect and other imes, well…. The cleaning could have been better, it is too cold or too hot, the ushers should have had their wives help dress them and they could have greeted the guests a little friendlier, and service was a few minutes late getting started, and the organ was too loud and the keyboard was plying in the wrong key, and who knew what the praise singers were doing, the worship leader didn't worship enough, let alone lead anybody in worship, the soloist didn't practice and man could we tell it, and the preacher, heaven help us, the preacher, maybe he should go back and figure out if he is really called after all.

We should never look at things from a critical viewpoint if the Church's motives are right and its purpose is being fulfilled. Because there are times that things aren't always going to be perfect. You will never find a perfect Church, and even if you do, don't join it because you'll ruin it. But then again, there are some things that should never happen in the House of God…

When Jesus came to Church, in this particular passage of Mark 11:11-24, was after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As it was His custom, He stops by the temple.

What is strange is what He did not do in the temple: He did not pray; He did not sing; He did not give an offering; He did not preach nor listen to preaching; He did not greet friends and guests; He did not shake the preachers hands.

Then what did He do? Verse 11 states that "He looked round about on all things.” Jesus came to Church and just looked around. He had nothing to say, He just looked. He then left the Temple and spent the night in Bethany.

Now tell me, why did Jesus just look around? After all, Church is supposed to be more than just looking around. I know that is all some people do, but we aren't talking about some people, we are talking about Jesus Christ, God manifested in the flesh. If anyone should have done more than just look it should have been Jesus. So, why did He just look around and leave?

To get a proper answer we have to follow the story on out. But we need to ask ourselves a couple of very important questions: What was He thinking the whole time He was looking around? What was going through His mind while He watched the people that were gathered there? The Bible does not tell us in so many words, but if we look into the rest of the chapter we find out what his thoughts were.

I have to believe that late into the night Jesus did some thinking. I have to believe that it was not an easy night for Him. There were emotional struggles that He went through. I believe that He felt frustration and anger, and that He wrestled with the response He should take. We are not told these things in so many words, but when we look at the events of the next day, we are given insight to His thoughts.

The next morning Jesus arises early and heads back to Jerusalem. He did not stop long enough to eat breakfast before he left. But hurriedly, as a man with a mission, He begins His journey. His disciples have arisen and are with Him.

A very interesting event occurs on their way into Jerusalem. Jesus begins to feel hunger pangs and sees a fig tree full of leaves by the wayside. We need to understand a couple of things about fig trees: They were plenteous in this area. After all Bethany means "house of figs." The tree would bear the fruit and then the leaves would come out. So Jesus, when He approached the tree, knew that the figs should be there, because the leaves were already there.

But He finds no figs on the tree. Mark says it was "because the time of figs was not yet." And in a technical sense he was correct. But, please understand, in this area, because of the climate, figs would be produced earlier than in other parts of the country. So Jesus had every right to expect fruit to be on the tree. When He finds none He curses the tree. "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever." And His disciples heard it. Don't forget that they heard it.

Nothing more is said by Jesus or the disciples, they just continue on their journey to Jerusalem. Not another word about breakfast, so it makes one wonder if breakfast was really the issue. Strange, isn't it? Jesus always seemed to have an ulterior motive when He did things.

He now enters again into the temple. But lest I forget, let me clarify why I think it was an emotional night for Jesus the previous night. Luke, in the 9th chapter, in describing the same event says this "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."

What an emotional appeal! I believe for Him to respond this way upon entering Jerusalem He spent a very uncomfortable night. There were things about His visit to the temple that troubled Him. His actions in the temple bear this out. His fitful night yielded to a profound burden and sorrow which has now given way to anger and righteous indignation.

He enters once again into the temple. This time He does not just look around. But with fire in His eyes and acid on His tongue He sets to work. He bodily threw out those that bought and sold in the temple.

You see some people view Church as just a place to network and do business. Absolutely no thoughts are given to the spiritual aspects of the place. Jesus was abhorred at the thought and these were the first to go.