Removing the Marketplaces from Our Bodies

The Rev. Brad Sullivan
Lord of the Streets
March 3, 2024
3 Lent, Year B
Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
John 2:13-22 

Removing the Marketplaces from Our Bodies

So, what was the deal with the animals and the moneychangers in the temple, and why did Jesus drive them out? Animals were supposed to be there as people brought them for sacrifices. Animal sacrifice was part of the religion of Israel since the time of Moses; people would offer many different kinds of sacrifices to God, many of which involved animals. Of course, originally, the animals were ones which you brought yourself, but, it seems that not everyone had animals. Society had changed in the centuries since Moses and the priests had first established animal sacrifice, so if people didn’t have animals of their own, they were available for purchase.

The moneychangers as well, were kind of a good thing. Israel was under Roman occupation, and people had to use Roman coins, but they couldn’t use those coins in the Temple. So, the people could change out their Roman coins for Jewish coins.

That all sounds pretty legit, so what was Jesus so upset about?

Well, perhaps it’s that they had all the trappings of Temple worship, but the Temple worship was kinda corrupted. For centuries, God had had problems with Israel’s worship. Their sacrifices were always before God, and yet true love and compassion for one another was often missing in those sacrifices. Dot every “I” and cross every “T” with your Temple worship, but if it doesn’t change your heart, then who cares. Just like when the Word of God spoke through the prophets, Jesus saw worship that was an end in and of itself, rather than a means to life of greater unity and love. Jesus wanted the Temple to be a house of prayer for all, a place of life and community. Jesus wanted the Temple to be a place like Eden, where people could walk together with God in the cool of the evening breeze.

Instead, the Temple had become a place where money that could have gone to help those in need was going to purchase animals to kill on an altar to supposedly make God happy. As the prophets wrote time and time again, sacrifices don’t make God happy. Supporting and caring for one another as we were created to do, as we did in Eden, that’s what makes God happy.

God becoming human as Jesus is meant to grant us a life more like Eden, where we walk together with God in the cool of the evening breeze. Healing and unity with God and one another is the Gospel. At various times and in various ways, has that Gospel of healing and unity with God and one another been corrupted, like Temple worship was? I’m gonna go with yes.

Last week I talked about name it and claim it preaching, a Christianity which promises power and riches through belief in Jesus. That turns God into a giant ATM. Insert faith here; receive power and riches here. That’s not real life. That’s not the Gospel; it’s a gospel corrupted.

Additionally, the Gospel of Jesus, who heales us and restores us to unity with God and one another, that Gospel of healing has often become known as a gospel of sin management. Do right, or else. Of course, we’re all gonna do wrong, but don’t do too wrong. Jesus loves you, but you better not mess up too much, or after you die, you’re going to be tortured, forever. Jesus loves you, but if you’re not quite sure and don’t quite put your faith in Jesus enough, then you’re going to be tortured, forever.

Yes, that is a gospel that has been corrupted. Believe in Jesus or be tortured forever is a faith that has gone radically off the rails and is full of money changers and animals that need to be driven out of the Temple. Never don’t be afraid, and be judgmental of people around you is a faith corrupted, full of money changers and animals which need to be driven out of the Temple.

Of course, the Temple we’re talking about here is the faith itself and the Temple of our bodies. Life is hard, and we carry all of those hardships in our bodies. Why do you think healing was such a part of Jesus’ ministry? Our bodies carry all of our hurts. Our minds carry every scar. Our hearts beat with every pain we’ve ever felt. Our bodies are temples of God’s presence, and for us fully to love and live God’s presence within our bodies and among one another, our bodies need healing. Our temples need cleansing.

That healing and that cleansing comes from love. Love drives out the moneychangers and the animals from our bodies so that we may walk with God and one another in the cool of the evening breeze.

And yet, our bodies are often a marketplace, aren’t they. Things are sold to us, increasingly marketed to our specific bodies. There’s plenty of good stuff out there, don’t get me wrong, but our bodies are more than places for people to hock their wares. Our bodies are sacred and beautiful even without those body enhancing whatevers are out there.

Our bodies also become marketplaces when we become transactional in one another’s eyes. What can you do for me? How can you, your body, serve my needs?

What about when we get into religion. My god doesn’t want this thing happening. Your body is doing that thing. Somehow, I need to control your body to make my god less angry.

Our bodies become marketplaces, ways for us to get what we want out of others.

Does this transactional approach to one another’s bodies displease God? Yes! Zeal for God’s temple will consume Jesus. Zeal for how we treat one another’s bodies will consume Jesus.

So, what needs to be driven out of our lives so that we no longer treat one another’s bodies like marketplaces? What needs to be driven out of our bodies to bring about healing for us? What needs to be driven out of our bodies so that we may help others heal?

To find out, we can ask, where do we cause hurt? Where do we cause harm? What hurt and harm within ourselves are we trying to soothe? Then we can seek healing for ourselves. That usually means help from others. Healing our hurts, healing our scars, healing the pain within. That also means seeking help from God. As Psalm 51:17 tells us, “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Seeking God’s help and healing of our hurting bodies and broken spirits, that is our bodies’ temple worship.

What needs to be driven out of the temples of our bodies so that our temple worship will be the worship that God desires? What hurt and brokenness do we need to offer to God so that we may find healing and walk with God and one another in the cool of the evening breeze?