What’s the Buzz ~ Holy Week 2018 ~ A Spring Cleanse

Greetings Dear Reader,

One of the areas of focus during Holy Week is the cleansing of the Temple.  The commercialization of faith never turns out well.  The actions that Jesus takes is twofold.  The focus unfortunately is on the running out of those using God’s house for their own business.  They are making it harder for the poor to access the Temple.  Just as the Pharisees have built a spiritual hedge around faith the money changers and merchants have built an economic one around access. 

The process went something like this:  All Jews were required by the Law of Moses to bring sacrifices to the Temple at Passover.  The Law included provision for the poor.  At the Temple, however, the road blocks were in place.  First you had to buy an “approved” animal instead of bringing your own.  You also had to buy it with “Temple Coins”.  So, the guy traveling from Nazareth who wanted to offer the doves he could afford was forced to exchange his common coin for approved Temple coins.  This of course carried a fee.  Then he had to buy the expensive Temple approved doves at the high Temple instated price. 

We did not invent red tape.  This is what Jesus disrupted when he cleansed the Temple saying, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”  When this story is told, however, what he did next does not get the same attention: “And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.”

Jesus did not just create a void.  He filled it.  He removed the abscess and filled it with life.  My temple needs cleansing almost daily.  I need to see where my faith is commercial instead of accessible.  I must focus on moving toward the cross and the resurrection having thrown out avarice and embraced healing.  I also need to realize that those entrenched in the religious system will cling to their system over truth.  Perhaps what Jesus does next is an example to follow as well: 

“But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant, and they said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?  And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

The Crimson Thread of Christmas – 1 Chronicles

Greetings Dear Reader,

Much of learning is review.  Chronicles reviews the history of the kings of Israel.  The first book holds a piece very important to our tapestry.  The crimson in our redemption thread is the blood.  The sacrifices instituted at Passover continue in the tabernacle.

David realizes that he lives in a palace and that his God lives in a tent.  This troubles him and he wants to build a proper place for the center of God’s presence in Israel.  This is the moment where David expresses the depth of his love for the Father.  This is the moment when the Father promises the Son. 

Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba will build the temple.  Out of the ashes of David’s adultery and murder will rise the symbol of redemption for a nation.  The Temple of Solomon will be the place where all Israel can gather to remember where we are headed. 

They will fail.  They divide and are ruined.  The failures of David and Solomon eclipse the good they do and the nation will fall.  The temple will be plundered and torn down.  It will be rebuilt but the beauty and glory of Solomon’s temple will not be seen again.

As more brightness and darkness is woven into the tapestry we see the shining beauty of the temple and are reminded that what it symbolizes is far more important.  It is the reminder that a King will come.  He will be both prophet and priest.  He will be God and sacrifice.  It is never about the building.  It is about the Advent of the child who will become the man.

Take Me In – Catherine Mullins

Take me past the outer courts,

Into the holy place,

Past the brazen altar.

Lord I want to see Your face.

Pass me by the crowds of people

And the priests who sing Your praise.

I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness,

But it's only found in one place.

Take me in to the holy of holies.

Take me in by the blood of the lamb.

Take me in to the holy of holies.

Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)