Sermon - Mark 11:15-17 A Church For All People

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

Sermon - Mark 11:15-17 A Church For All People

March 8, 2015

Our image this Lent is the sound of a cloth being ripped in two. This was the sound as the barrier between heaven and earth was erased in Jesus' baptism. Now, there is nothing separating us from God. As we saw two weeks ago this new reality has important implications for our ethical behavior, because God is watching. And last week we saw that this new reality has implications for our faith because the God we worship is not a construct of our minds, but rather the living, breathing God who died on a cross because he loves us and calls us to sacrificial love for others. Today we will see that the elimination of the barrier between heaven and earth has important implications not only for us but for the church as well. We will get to this, but first let's pray.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our rock and redeemer.

We have already hear this morning about Jesus’ action in the Jerusalem from the book of John. Let’s look at the same story from the perspective of Mark,

Mark 11: 15-17 15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

In the first century the people of God would come to the Jerusalem temple for the sacrament of sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. A small bird or some grain would be burnt on an altar. The smoke would symbolize prayer going up to God. And the priest would declare to them God's forgiveness. But for some people, who traveled a long distance, it would be easier to bring cash rather than objects to be sacrificed. So a vendor was needed to be near the temple selling birds and grain for the offering. Also people would bring their tithes for the temple. The currency of the day was the Roman Denarius. This coin had a picture of Caesar engraved on one side. Since Caesar considered himself a God this coin was an idol. It was forbidden to bring an idol into the temple. Money changers were needed to swap Roman coins for something more acceptable. Thus vendor and money changes were needed to facilitate the sacrifices in the Temple. They set up in the court of the Gentiles.

When Jesus arrived at the temple and saw the merchants and money changers he became extremely angry and violent. Why? Why did Jesus act in a way that seems most inappropriate? Why was he so angry? Why did his anger escalate to violence? Here is what he told us, “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” When Jesus said this, he was quoting his favorite book, the Book of Isaiah. Here is what it says.

Isaiah 56:1-8 This is what the LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed. ² Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil." ³ Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree." ⁴ For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant-- ⁵ to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. ⁶ And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-- ⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." ⁸ The Sovereign LORD declares-- he who gathers the exiles of Israel: "I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered."

In the 6^th century before Christ the people of God returned from exile in Babylon and rebuilt their temple. They then had a decision to make. Who could enter the temple? Who could worship there? And, who must be kept out? During the years of exile many foreigners had relocated to Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They joined a remnant of people who had stayed behind. Many of the foreigners converted and worshiped the LORD, God of Israel. Should these people be allowed in the temple?

The returning exiles decided that only the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob should be permitted to worship. A line was drawn that separated people along ethnic lines. Foreigners were judged unworthy to enter the temple and were excluded.

But God spoke through a prophet. This prophet was devoted to the writings of the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years earlier. We don't know his name, but his work, from the time of the restoration of the temple is included in the last eleven chapters of the Book of Isaiah. This prophet told the people not to draw lines. The temple was to be house of prayer for all people. The people of God were not to choose who goes in and who stays out. The only person capable of making a judgment like this was God.

The prophet told them that aliens, the gentile who were not ethnic Jews were to be permitted into the temple for worship provided that they had converted and worshiped Yahweh, the Lord God of Israel. And he told them that eunuchs must also be permitted entrance. These people were sexually mutilated into order to enter into service for the Persian king. The temple authorities were excluding ethnic minorities and the sexually impure because these people did not measure up to their standard of holiness. But the prophet told them that holiness was not standard to be used when admitting people to worship. The only thing that mattered was their faith in God.

Jesus too was reacting to exclusions in the Jerusalem temple. The temple was supposed to be open for everyone who believed in God. God-fearers, non-Jews who believe should be welcome. No one should be turned away because of their ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, income or anything else but belief in God. And this is why Jesus was so angry. He saw people being excluded from the temple. Barriers had been set up to prevent certain people from coming to God. Jesus was about removing these barriers so that all people could get to their God.

So what about us today? God does not want us to draw lines excluding people from church. He wants the church to be inclusive and welcome everyone into its doors. But we fail to obey this command of God. We are judgmental, drawing lines and choosing for ourselves who is in and who is out. We want to be the judge of who is evil and who is good, and excluded those we don't like. This is sin. We are not to judge. Is there is evil in the world? Yes! Will it judged? Yes! Who is the judge? Certainly not us, God alone is the judge.

I think that Jesus would be very angry with the church today. He would see us divided into churches of different races: white churches that do not welcome blacks, black churches that do not welcome whites. He would see us divided by ethnic groups and sexual orientations. He would see different churches for different generations. Jesus would insist that the barriers that separate us be broken down.

When I was in seminary I served as the Intern for Multicultural Ministries at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. This church has a rich history, but began to see membership declines year after year. They took a realistic look at their community and saw the problem. Pasadena California was becoming more and more Hispanic and Korean. The church sensed God's call to become multicultural. So they hired pastors to begin ministries for Spanish and Korean speaking Christians. By the time I arrived the church had three congregations meeting every Sunday morning with services in English, Korean and Spanish. One of my jobs as an intern was to develop a Lenten Bible Study that would bring people from each language group into diverse small groups. We used a technique called, “Mutual Invitation”, to help people with limited English ability to participate in the discussions. Also, while I was the intern, we had a very diverse and multicultural wedding, when Grace and I got married. This is what Jesus wants. A church that is diverse and inclusive. This is what it will look like one day.

Revelation 7:9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

I hope that all of us will graciously accept into fellowship all who desire to worship God. I pray that we will be diverse and inclusive. I pray that people of all ages, economic levels, races and sexual orientations will be welcome here at First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City. I know that one day God will judge evil. But I also know that we are not to judge others. Let us be a house of prayer for everyone.

Already we host the Worcester County School’s ESL program. People from different countries with limited English ability come to our doors every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:30 – 11:00 am. What if some of us volunteer to just talk with them? They would love to have American conversation partners. And they might even come to church with you once they got to know you. I found a wife that way.

When I was in school Grace introduced me to a young student from Korea. He had a wife and family and had come to Fuller Seminary to study advanced theology. His English was terrible, but we developed a relationship. He invited us to visit his school in Daejeong South Korea. I have been in South Korea three times and have been warmly greeted each time by professors at that school. One of the professors sent his son to study at Salisbury University. He even came to Pocomoke and preached at my church. Last summer I had the privilege of preaching at his church, a 3000 member church, in Chungju South Korea. Amazing things happen when you spent some time helping people learn English. As we welcome people who are different from us into our doors we will hear the boundary separating heaven and earth being torn in two, and Jesus will be pleased with us. Let’s pray.

Lord God of heaven, listen our prayers. We ask that you form us into a gracious church where all people feel welcome. Help us to not draw lines which exclude people from our fellowship. Help us to not be judgmental because you alone judge. Let us be a house of prayer for all people. This we pray in your son's name who told us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Amen.