When Jesus shows up, things change. That’s what happened at the Temple.

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written,”My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you make it a den of robbers.” And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. Matthew 21:12-14 (ESV)

It could be suggested that Jesus wasn’t real big on folks using the Temple to make a personal profit. When Jesus shows up, things change. Look at the order of what happened in the verses above. Jesus enters the temple, gets rid of the stuff that doesn’t belong, and then the people who were in need came to Him and were healed.

I’m not going to reach too far here, so just ponder this: What will Jesus get rid of in your life in order to see those in need truly cared for? When Jesus shows up, things change. Once there was space cleared out in the temple from kicking out the bankers, currency speculators, and the local Pet-Co franchise, the Temple was freed up to reach out and focus on those who needed to be reached. There are a lot of lessons here, but this is the main one: whatever doesn’t belong, let Him get rid of it.

What tables is He turning over in your life? What is it that must go? Who is it that is being pushed aside to make room for what doesn’t belong in your life in the first place? Leaders, here is our second question that demands our attention: who can not be blessed or find help because your church is busy doing its own thing? This happened before; let’s not be so arrogant as to think it isn’t happening now. Think about it this way: Jesus already took care of the Temple. You’re next.

When Jesus shows up, things change. That’s what happened at the Temple.