John Chapter 2:13-22

We can't place obstacles in the way of somebody searching and seeking and looking for Lord there's enough there already with fear and doubt, and yet what we do.

We had a bunch of surgeon to have certain times are fine.

If you are where a single guy here where a student, I praise God. Just don't make wearing a suit and a tie an obstacle to coming, the God now muscular strength.

If you come in here with T-shirts and shorts and flip-flops. Praise God. Great I'm I'm just glad you're here. But don't make that an obstacle in coming to the Lord beginners that works both ways. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, were glad to have one of the McGee's associate pastors DA Brown here with us as best David continues through the book of John, Bob, it's important that we don't add traditions to what Jesus said the gospel that simply believing God for you know sometimes we want to communicate so much more. The simplicity of the gospel to people and yet it doesn't help, maybe for sure to leave them completely astray, following Jesus doesn't get more more complex gets more simple, loving him love you. So let's listen as David McGee helps encourage us and others as he continues teaching verse by verse in the Gospel of John chapter 2 verse 13 the Passover of the Jews was at hand. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem and he found in the temple.

Those who sold oxen and sheep and doves in the moneychangers doing business and when he had made a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers money and overturned the tables as is interesting. One thing that's interesting that I didn't see until I was really digging in these verses is the way 15 opens up verse 50 faces. When Ian made a whip of cords understand something. Jesus was sitting there watching them, as he was making this with this wasn't done in a heated moment, he sat there watching doing the court Wayton didn't do it out of impulse. He sat there with all with planning public prayer as I read the story as it is a young Christian. It was interesting to me because you know this. The pictures they have of Jesus and he always is very is very meek looking than me and and I don't know. I'm not seeing a lot of carpenters that really look that way and to be honest, some of those paintings were painted by Matthew. Don't think these are actual paintings. These are renderings of your will, because some of those paintings if I saw this guy with a chord in the temple would be freaked out latest so maybe little different and you know what this this radically upsets the apple cart of some people's view of Christianity done Christianity just back get along with every body about being nice. That's what Christianity is about will obviously not Jesus it and they're trying to get along with everybody.

He's mad he's upset he's angered. He's we use the word righteously indignant were told by Paul in Romans chapter 12 verse 18.

He says if it is possible as much is depends on you, live peaceably with all men and you know what I've decided with some people is not possible. I want to live peaceably with all men like Paul talks about here sure what I am not willing to sacrifice my peace with God in order to live peaceably with all men and I don't think the Lord ever intends us to do that you look at Matthew chapter 10 verse 34 Jesus is do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. And I get often joke when the last time you saw that on a Christmas card but these this is the words of Jesus. This is what Jesus said and the reality is, is when you are living for the Lord. I mean full gonzo 24 seven living for God, it will put you at odds with some people, not intentionally.

You don't have to go out of your way.

Don't be mean and spiteful to show them what a radical Christian you are. You don't need to do that. Some people think they need to do that and they're very rude and were told first kind inserting you you're not supposed to be rude, you're supposed to love people, but that doesn't mean always get along with everybody is what I found is a pastor can say some things in such a way that you can guarantee some people get offended about, but you can also put it in a way back. It was Scripture in which way they won't be offended by how you say that they may be offended by what you say I may be offended by the word of God for 16 and he said to those who sold those take these things away. Do not make my father's house a house of merchandise.

See these guys were set up obstacles to approaching the Lord, you had to go through these guys in order to approach God and they had become obstacles, guys, we can't place obstacles in the way of somebody searching and seeking and looking for Lord we can't do that. There's enough there already with fear and doubt not understanding the gospel. There's enough already there that we don't need to add any and yet what we do.

We had a bunch know we do even here we have in other churches as well. You know if is well said sometimes suits and ties are fine. If you wear a suit and tie here wear a suit and tie. Praise God. Just don't make wearing a suit and tie an obstacle to coming, the God but you're not dressed appropriately to come to the Lord. I don't buy that now muscular strength. If you come in here with T-shirts and shorts and flip-flops. Praise God. Great. I'm just glad you're here.

But don't make that an obstacle in coming to Lord unison works both ways somebody with a talking look at somebody and flip-flops and shorts in God's not right.

But then somebody with flip-flops and shorts can look at somebody and talk about tomorrow is cleaning up obstacles to go around without putting them in front of each other in between us and God. Now an incident like this is not talk about having a bookstore café in the church. Okay, can we get on the same page. There, the reason we have the bookstore here in the café is to be a blessing to you guys.

A lot of the materials that we have in there.

You simply can't get local bookstore. So we make those available all the profits go into missionaries were not doing it to make money but to be a blessing and help facilitate fellowship something that's interesting here, though, that as I was looking at this talks about the temple, the literal temple but temple that spoken about. Later on, what is that which you and I we are referred to as the temple and why we get all offended and all upset about these moneychangers being in the temple Matthew question what's in your temple where your priorities is your temple filled with materialism in moneychangers and profits and that edited what's in your heart what's important to some merchandise is that stuff temple filled the Lord. Our enemy wants to rip us off.

Please call the thief he's come to kill still and destroy anyone to get your focus off of the Lord. He doesn't want your temple filled with the Lord and see were warned a lot about this in Scripture and you know what God never warns us needlessly about anything. When you read a warning in Scripture apply. Ask yourself okay this is in here and it's for me on everything though this is really guy don't have a problem with this. He warns us about getting our priorities out of whack and yet how many of us have done the same thing. We have filled our temple with moneychangers brings us to the next life lesson. Don't fill your temple with moneychangers don't don't let stuff and materialism and merchandise become what your life is about. Because you know when at the end of it all. You will be sadly and sorely disappointed. Now do I believe that a Christian can have stuff going about your you batching out nice things but he has to be careful not to let stuff have him not to get those priorities. What verse 17 then his disciples remembered that it was written zeal for your house has eaten me up and we are to be like Jesus and the man's question. Does that statement describe you this morning.

The zeal for your house Lord has eaten me up. Do you have a zeal and a passion to be here on Sunday morning. I know some of you do. In reality, as some of you do not understand that sometimes it's hard to get here.

But you know it's spiritually speaking. It's one of the easiest things you can do to help change your life is one question that I asked people and they say they're struggling I'm struggling are you and fellowship well know, well that's probably part of the problem because you need to be taught the word of God.

You need the encouragement that comes in the body in fellowship and with one another. Someone 22 verse once as I was glad when they said to me let us go into the house of the Lord. It's important Mrs. the next life lesson is important for Christians to go to a Bible teaching church Bible teaching church, not just a teaching church, a Bible teaching church, not just saying you believe it, but actually teaching it, not just teaching you know men are from Mars, women are from Venus stuff but teaching the Bible I did I get a laugh out loud, driving down the road and looking at these, you know these marquees outside the church is something that just puzzles me. And then sometimes I want to cry. And you know what it is. If you're visiting here this morning. We'd love for you to prayerfully consider calling this. Your church, we want to pray for you will love you with a love that the Lord is shown to us, but you need to be somewhere on a regular basis. If it's not here find that place and get plugged in and start serving and and learn the word of God. And if you're listening on the radio or the Internet or television, you need to be church on a regular basis. Would love to have you here, but you know if here's too far than Collison will refer you to a Bible teaching church in your area is Gaza reality is there's a lot of false teachers out there is a lot of people that are teaching the word of God, and that's you know that's what Jesus is, in part up in arms of merchandising in the way they had ceased to be shepherds verse 18.

So the Jews answered and said to him what sound you showed to us since you do these things. That's interesting Scripture talks about people who desire to see sons to build their faith or to validate ministries and it doesn't speak highly of them.

I know some people judge ministries like that, you know there's a lot of stuff at the end of the service. If you know people are getting paid for and fallen over there doing other things.

All what's good ministry people judge by a parent signs and wonders. I've even been in the service where we had had like 10 or 12 people. It was where was someone Texas El Paso Texas. We had about 10 or 12 people at the end of the teaching that that came forward and and got saved and actually had a couple saying you know what we don't see a lot of ministry happen simply talking about I said you know where you pray for people and they fall down under the power. 12 people that were going to hell are not going to hell anymore and you can't see the ministry and that you can't see the miraculous and see why. Why does the Bible speak about these things because if you use that as the primary litmus test of a ministry you're going to be duped, you're going to be deceived. Don't take my hours for the Bible tells you that it's going to happen to be lying signs and wonders, and if you base what you see in a ministry on that you're going to be duped. When I look at a ministry it's always interesting to see the miraculous see people getting saved lives be in change but also look at the fruit of the ministry and I will see their adherence to biblical doctrine. The sound teaching guys if there's ever a time in history that you need to be careful. It's now because there's a lot of whacked out stuff that's out there will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob Luna pray for some listeners today and these California cities Maple Creek Mariposa, Marysville, Mount Shasta must coy Napa and North San Juan God, we thank you for the people living in the cities and those tuning in today. Lord, we pray that they would get excited about following you, Lord, that they would use that excitement to be a blessing and love other people that they would get plugged into godly churches. We pray for the pastors in the cities that you give them wisdom and discernment, how to lead their flocks and point them to your word. In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 19 Jesus answered and said to them, destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up in the Jews citizens taken 46 years to build this temple and you will raise it up in three days, but he was speaking of the temple of his body scanning goes with that thing of talking about our temple in the temple in heaven, merchants in our temple.

Jesus is comparing the temple. They are to his temple of his body and notice he says I will raise it up. I will raise it up. You understand what we are so familiar with this fact we don't even really stop to ponder Jesus is saying here you guys will kill me but I will not stay dead. Do you understand the powerful significance of it. Nobody else in history has ever said that anybody had to get 13 Gemini center this morning said let God in him getting killed in a car wreck this afternoon, but it's all right and I'm not to miss Thursday night you be you being this interesting. He said I will not stay dead will raise it up. We speaking of his body like a disguise he's early on. Jesus was acknowledging what he was here to do the cross was not some accident or or some political tragedy.

If you will, not happenstance.

This was the plan of God from the beginning.

From the moment he was born even before that he was here for purpose to die for you and Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus came to pay a price. He did not know because we owed a price that we could not pay.

It's also interesting that with his resurrection, Jesus signaled the end of the temple sacrifices that I didn't throw away the whole Old Testament. He didn't throw away the whole Hebrew Scriptures. But he did away with the sacrifices they were a picture pointing to Jesus Christ. Verse 22.

Therefore when he had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them and they believe the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said believe the Scripture.

They believed the Scripture understand that some people have a vested interest some people have a reason for not believe in the Bible because if they believe it. They will recognize that they are a sinner or living in sin and that they need a Messiah, they need a Savior they need to turn to him to ask for the forgiveness of sins. So they have a reason not to believe it, but you know what guys you can believe it. You can believe the word of God you can trust this book I have dug in this book. I've looked in the original languages are seen historical self archaeological stuff and this has proven to me to be the literal incorruptible supernatural word of God beyond a shadow of a doubt about that doubt somebody, it's going to be these liberal Bible scholars and again if you're going down to my you know what guys be careful, be careful, be careful about stuff you hear on the Discovery Channel just because you see it on Discovery Channel does not mean it's true or the history Channel or Willis good CBS, ABC, because I've heard guys on their and then my wife keeps a lot of pillows around me while I watch television. I've heard guys on there just blatantly I mean if they've done any research at all. They know their lien and perhaps a leader not done the research, or their lien. I'm not sure which, but have heard them say such things a bit that we have proof against our proof for literary proof historical proof archaeological proof that if they do just a little bit they would know if you going to do something with skepticism. If you the shows with a great deal of it, which brings us to our last life lesson. Our Christian faith is built upon the assurance that the Bible is the word of God is simple, but it's true.

Our Christian faith is built upon the assurance of the Bible is the word of God, and it is it is Jesus does something interesting in this chapter.

First of all, he changes something miraculously the earthen vessels. The pots member we talked about that last week where earthen vessels were compared to pottery and then what is he do when he cleanses the temple. Guess what were compared to the temple was not significant what you notice the order. It doesn't say he cleansed the temple and any change the path guys we get Christianity backwards, you realize that somebody says hey what you gonna do to become a Christian will gotta quit smoking quit drinking quit chewing quit dancing.

We give him all the stuff I gotta quit doing you know what, that's beside the point. If you if you do all that you still not become a Christian, you have this this stand right here dear realize this stand whenever drink or smoke going, then this is my point is is a standard Christian now, but you know it's always in church never misses a service but is not Christian. Being a Christian is much more than those things. Being a Christian is coming to Jesus Christ and asking him to forgive you of your sins because without him you don't have a hope you don't have a prayer and then once you come to him.

He begins to cleanse your life. He begins to change her life, but a lot of us look for that cleansing and that changing take place before we come to a friend.

It doesn't happen like that you get cleaned up to take a shower. Please say no right lot because taking a shower, cleaned you up. It's the same thing with coming to Jesus you don't get cleaned up become the Jesus you come to Jesus and Jesus changes you and Jesus cleanses you and if you could do it in your own strength and in your own power when you've done that a long time ago changed her own life. But the reality is we can't, we need Jesus to changes.

That's the good news that is willing changes that is willing to forgive us what ever you have done friend wherever you then whatever has happened.

Jesus is here this morning desiring for you to come to him and desiring to forgive you of your sins and the only question is are you willing maybe thinking to get my life in order. I got it cleaned up before I come to God that you come to God this morning, and God will begin the change of life, promise you.

And if you wait to get cleaned up become the God how clean will you have to be how long will you have to wait some of your care and things it or not meant to carry your ear carrying sins that you should let go and give to God. But again, the question is are you will and that's the good news guys. Jesus Christ is ready, willing and able to forgive you of your sins, but if you're unwilling to ask him, he will not violate your free will, so you have a decision to either allow the Lord to change of this morning, or to walk out. Sadly the same condition walked in is not God's desire for any of us desires us to ask him for the forgiveness of our sins. Not just once it starts there but time and time again was pretty Lord we thank you for your willingness to forgive us. We thank you for your provision to forgive us and Lord. It is your desire that none should perish but that we would have abundant life that we would have eternal life. And Lord you desire to give it to us this morning. If we would just call on your name. Turn from our ways to your waist turn from our sin to you, doesn't mean will be perfect doesn't mean woman never mess up again, but it does mean that we will receive power to live for you and that's our desire, but perhaps their spouses, there's wives and husbands as marriages here this morning whether someone forgiveness Lord we just asked that they would forgive one another but it they would first come to you and ask for that Lord.

We know there's many voices.

There's many tugging's own heart this morning that tell us not to receive the forgiveness of our sins, but that voice are those voices are not our friends.

Lord, you proved your love for us and dying for us in Lord if we want to show our love for you.

We can do it in a very practical way by asking you this morning to forgive us of our sins in Jesus name your stay in prayer. Your believer, you don't feel the need.

Even this morning asked the Lord to forgive you. Let me ask you to be praying right now because there's people in this room right now that don't know they're not sure Jesus stands here waiting for you to come in asking to forgive you, friend.

You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes doing and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations free and you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com.

If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM Eastern time. This visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church. The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God