“Zeal in religion is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way.” –J. C. Ryle
What would be one of the characteristics of the ministry of Jesus and the manner in which he would lead? Jesus would be marked by his joyfulness, patience, love, patience in difficult circumstances, faithfulness in prayer, and in the middle of all those qualities would be the attribute of zeal. During the Passover, as Jesus approached the temple precincts, he saw the clamor, the hustle and the bustle of the moneychangers. The Court of the Gentiles had become a circus of activity rather than a place of prayer and seeking of God. His righteous anger was aroused. He took action:
15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:15-17 ESV)
This zeal had two elements to it. The first was a present element. The burning desire he felt for the glory of God consumed him in that moment. He fashioned the whip. He let the crack of the whip cleanse the temple. The crowds stumbled over the overturned tables, coins were being trampled into the earth. The words of the Lord were ringing in their ears, “Take these things away…” Crack! Goes the whip, “Do not make my Father’s house…” Crack! Goes the whip. “A house of trade.”
Another element of this zeal was a prophetic one. Zeal for the Father’s will would ultimately consume the Lord. His desire was to clear the temple so that the Gentiles could approach God. There was also an element of replacement or fulfillment that was coming. The sacrificial system itself would be replaced with his perfect sacrifice. How would this be accomplished? Through the zeal of the Lord, his desire to advance God’s glory would mean serving his Father through his life and when his hour had fully come. That hour had already been mentioned at the wedding in Cana. It would be the pinnacle of suffering, the cross.
Finally, how are we to serve the Lord? With zeal. Note what the apostle Paul sandwiches in between love and prayer, in his epistle to the Romans, “10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:10-12, emphasis mine) Have a blessed week and we will see you on Sunday. D. V.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Dale
