John 2:14-16 (ESV)

In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 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. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

Let’s set the scene. The Temple grounds were divided into four courts. Coming in from the east and moving toward the sanctuary itself, a visitor would successively pass through the court of the gentiles, the court of the women, the court of Israel, and the court of the priests. With their usual contempt for all thing’s gentile, the Jews had designated that court as a suitable place to transact business. “The place of prayer for all nations smelled of the barnyard, sounded like a cattle market, was filled with noise, and was the scene of many a swindle” (Dr. John Phillips). Imagine coming home to find your house in a similar condition with your own kids at the helm of the takeover.

A good time to grab that whip of cords, huh?

Jesus meek and mild. Jesus in soft-focus. Jesus with a lamb over his shoulders and a child in his lap. Jesus with a whip, an enraged facial expression, and words of condemnation. One of these things is not like the other. I don’t think Jesus used the whip on people—perhaps he did on some animals—but did he really need to? The moral authority he carried as the Creator of the Universe combined with His Righteous Indignation must have been a terrifying combination that forced the offenders out of the courtyard while also holding the Roman garrison at bay.

Would you want to face this Jesus?

Pastor Bruce Barton remarked that, “We dare not cheapen this truly miraculous and intimate privilege called worship. Jesus was angered by actions and attitudes that cheapened worship, and we must take care not to let such actions and attitudes into our church. How would Jesus respond to the worship in your church if he were to visit this Sunday?” Would he be pleased with the sound and light show? The awesome band? The casual dress and attitudes? How would he react to seeing me scroll through my Facebook feed or reply to a text or check my Fox News app while His Word was being preached? As born again Christians, we are free from The Law, but we are not free from the call to holiness. We can certainly “come as we are,” but we should never forget that while Jesus is our friend, he is also our Lord, Master, and King. Let us approach worship accordingly.