Cleansing the Temple -- A Message for January 18, 2026

 

Friends, our worship services will focus on the Gospel of John over the next few months. Last week, we focused on Jesus’ first miracle – turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana. 

This week, we pick up where we left off last week. After the wedding, Jesus went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, brothers, and disciples. Then, Jesus travelled to Jerusalem – and had a violent reaction to what he found in God’s city at the Temple.

Listen to the story as it is told in the Gospel of John, chapter 2, verses thirteen through twenty-five:

Scripture Lesson John 2:13-25

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 

In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 

To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 

His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 

But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 

After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.

But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 

He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Here ends this reading of the Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray…

Message Cleansing the Temple

Jesus went to the Temple in Jerusalem and was dismayed by what he found. 

 

When Jesus walked the earth, the Temple was being rebuilt. King Herod the Great started improving and rebuilding the Temple in 22 BC – it had been destroyed by the Babylonians and then rebuilt, but Herod wanted it to be restored to its former glory.  So, it was being expanded and adorned with more and more splendid architecture. The Temple complex was full of activity – worship life and festivals and construction were on-going, year-round activities.

Every year, each Jewish male over the age of twenty was required to pay a Temple Tax. The tax was paid before Passover. The tax was used to maintain and expand the Temple in Jerusalem and pay the many priests who operated and administered Jewish life in Israel. The temple tax was not optional – every man, no matter his health or his profession, had to pay it. And, the tax couldn’t be paid in Roman currency – it had to be paid in Tyrian shekels – the coinage of the Jewish Temple.

In 30 AD, the chief-priest, Caiaphas, instituted the practice of selling animals to be sacrificed at the Temple in the Court of the Gentiles – before 30, people could buy animals outside the Temple and bring them to be sacrificed. Caiaphas changed things – under his leadership, believers had to go to the Temple, exchange their Roman money for Tyrian shekels, and then use their Tyrian shekels to buy animals to sacrifice in-house. 

This was all very profitable for the Temple and its priests. The Temple added a fee to exchange money. The Temple added a fee on every animal that was purchased. And, then after the animals were sacrificed to God, the priests and their families received the meat of the sacrificial animals for their own dinner tables.

Jesus’ public ministry just happened to begin as Caiaphus’ new profit-making strategy was put in place. 

And, this requirement was too much for Jesus – Jesus came to liberate us from oppression. And, he saw the charges and fees imposed on worshippers as oppression – the fees exploited the poor – the fees exploited the devout – the fees took advantage of people who wanted to worship God.

So, Jesus was furious. He turned over the tables of the money changers. He cast out the people selling animals in the temple. He wanted his Father’s house to be a place of prayer, not a market-place to exploit the faithful.

Jesus’ actions must have shocked the people in the Temple that day.  A man who was unknown to most of the people walked in and caused a huge disturbance. He objected to “business-as-usual.” He objected to making a financial profit off of the backs of the faithful who came to worship. He caused a big disruption. 

When Jesus was questioned about authority – “What gives you, Jesus, the right to disrupt Temple business? Show us a “sign” of your authority!” – Jesus didn’t show them a sign or do a magic trick to justify his qualifications – instead he made a prediction about his future – Jesus said: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” Jesus was talking about his own resurrection, but the people in the Temple didn’t know what Jesus meant until three years later, until Jesus resurrected.

The Jewish people of the first century believed the only place they could properly worship God was at the Temple – They thought God dwelled in the Temple. They thought God required them to make animal sacrifices to atone for their sins and to offer thanksgiving to God. Most 1st Century Jewish people didn’t realize or recognize that Jesus was God incarnate. Jesus’ words and teachings, as well as his death and resurrection, would free believers in God from needing to make symbolic animal sacrifices to worship and honor God.   

Jesus objected to the priests and Temple authorities taking advantage of worshippers. They were making a financial profit from exchanging money and selling animals in God’s house. In order to worship God at the Temple, they had to be paid. Imagine how we would feel if we couldn't walk into our church without first paying an entry fee, and then couldn’t sit in the sanctuary pews without paying another fee, and then couldn’t receive communion without paying a third fee.

We would not want our lack of money to prevent us from worshipping God. We wouldn’t want our lack of money separate us from God.

As Protestant Christians, we believe that all people can access the Holy. We can pray and talk to God. We can sing our hymns and join the choir. We don’t require entry fees or mandate a set tithe or tax on our worshippers. We don’t believe in intercessors – we don’t need priests or saints to be go-betweens on our behalf with God. 

But, we have all heard stories about churches who are unfriendly. I have walked into unfamiliar churches on a Sunday morning and no one showed me where the sanctuary was. I have visited new-to-me churches and the minister ignored me when I walked past him at the door. I have heard about churches whose members come across more like country club cliques who ignore new people instead of welcoming them.  We all have had experiences of feeling excluded or unwelcome at churches, at God’s houses.

So, we must be the opposite. We must be invitational – and invite our friends and neighbors and co-workers to our churches. And, when people come, we need to be friendly….we need to be welcoming….we need to invite them to participate in whatever it is we are doing. 

Jesus wanted everyone to have access to the Temple – to God. He was furious when he felt people were being financially exploited when they came worship God. We must work to make not only our church welcoming, but to share with others that God is approachable to them. They don’t have to have money, or the right clothing, or live in the right neighborhood, or have the right ethnic background to be a part of the family of God. Let us do our part to be welcoming and to invite all people, all kinds of people, to join us here at worship.

Amen. 

The Wedding at Cana -- A Message for January 11, 2026

 

   Friends, in the month of January we are beginning our study of the Gospel of John. Last week, we read about John the Baptist telling his disciples that Jesus was the Messiah – several of John’s former disciples decamped and began to follow Jesus instead. As Jesus began his ministry, he also began amassing disciples who were excited to learn from and work alongside Jesus.

But, apparently even the Savior of the world had family obligations – so very early on in his “ministry” days, Jesus traveled with his mother and his disciples to attend a wedding in Cana. Cana was about 8 miles away from Nazareth – we don’t know the relationship between the couple being married and Jesus’ family, but we assume they were relatives or close friends. And, something verging on tragic almost occurred during the wedding feast – fortunately Jesus was there to save the day. 

Let us listen to this memorial story as we turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 2….

Scripture Lesson John 2:1-11

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 

and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 

When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

They did so, 

and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 

and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.

Here ends this reading of the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Let us pray….

Message The Wedding at Cana

Not very long ago, even in the United States of America, things could happen in families that would cause so much shame that the whole family was affected. Early in the 20th century, a part of my family had to move far out into the country – far away from their homes and jobs and schools and lives in the city, because they were ashamed that a woman in their family got divorced…or, maybe had a baby outside of marriage. My grandmother said it was a divorce, but she wouldn’t have wanted us to know that it was ever possible to have a baby outside of marriage, so even though this happened a hundred and twenty-five years ago, we are not sure what happened.

Either way, the woman was ashamed of her failed marriage, or unplanned pregnancy. So, she moved with her mother and father far away from their home. It was a big, terrible secret.

And, it remains a secret. We only know a little bit of the story because the woman’s brother would come up from the city on the weekends to spend time with his parents and sister….and when he visited them, he happened to meet his future wife, a farm girl. And, they got married in 1902 and became my great-great grandparents.

But, secrets…and shame…and humiliations are passed down through the generations. And, whatever happened was so embarrassing, so shameful, that now we, the descendants continue to wonder about what happened. Whatever caused the divorce – or illegitimate pregnancy –  was so shameful for the family that they felt the need to pick up everything and move to the country and not speak about what happened.  

Shame – secrecy – humiliation…

In the first century, in the land of Israel, weddings were a big deal. The wedding feast typically lasted for seven days. The host was expected to provide abundantly – the guests expected to be provided with food and wine for all seven days. A wedding was the uniting of two families – each family had specific obligations to fulfill in the time of betrothal and the year that followed before the wedding. They had rituals to perform, clothing to sew, and a party to plan.

Since the wedding was an agreement between two families, it was not just about the couple who were being wed but the whole extended family. Everyone had to put their best feet forward.

Running out of wine before the end of the wedding feast was a huge deal – failure to perform the host duties correctly would shame the bride, the groom, and the entire family. And, this would not be a little problem…the family would have trouble living down the shame for years. In a shame-based culture like Israel of the first century, running out of wine was so shameful it would have plagued the family for years, generations. They would be that family who were unable to perform their social obligations and provide the proper food and beverage for the wedding feast. Future daughters and sons would have had trouble securing brides and grooms. Future business deals would have been avoided. The whole family would have suffered. 

Fortunately for the bride and groom and their families, Mary and her son Jesus were at the wedding. 

Mary came and told Jesus the wine had already run out. And, although Jesus protested and said it wasn’t his time to reveal himself, I can imagine Mary raising her eyebrow, turning to the servants, and telling them to do whatever Jesus told them to do. Mary was apparently the kind of pushy mom that didn’t take No for an answer. So, Jesus told the servants to fill huge jars with water.  The water was turned to wine….the best wine anyone had ever tasted. And Jesus’ first recorded miracle was turning water into wine. 

Jesus saved the bride and groom and their families from shame and humiliation. Jesus chose for his first miracle to protect a family and a couple just starting out in wedded life from the shame and humiliation that would have occurred if their wedding feast went wrong.

Jesus ministered to people who were experiencing shame.  He talked to the Samaritan woman at the well who had been married five times – Jesus offered her living water, acceptance and redemption. Jesus healed the woman who was hemorrhaging for 12 years – for twelve years she was essentially an untouchable, but Jesus offered her healing, grace and peace. Jesus ministered to people who were outcasts and rejects – adulterers, prostitutes, tax-collectors, thieves, rebels, the mentally ill, the physically ill, and people with disabilities.

We are not perfect people either. We are all carrying burdens. We all have things we have done that we are ashamed of. We all know stories about people in our families that are shameful. We are the children and grandchildren of people who did things wrong – some of them criminal, some of them just morally reprehensible. We feel shame and guilt and humiliation – some for ourselves, some for our ancestors.

But, we believe in a Savior who loves us and forgives us and offers us grace. Jesus loved people like us who made mistakes. Jesus loves people like us who make mistakes. And, he came to teach us that God loves us. God forgives us. God accepts us even though we have done things wrong. Even though we do things wrong. And, Jesus doesn’t want us to be plagued by humiliation. Jesus wants us to free ourselves from shame. And live knowing we are loved and forgiven by the God of grace and truth. 

In the letter to the Romans, St. Paul wrote;

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing we do, nothing we have done, nothing our ancestors have done is so terrible that we can be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

God loves us. God forgives us. – let us make it our work to love and forgive each other. And, to tell others that God loves and accepts them. We need to be reminded that God loves us – and everyone we meet needs to hear that God loves them and accepts them. 

Amen. 

Jesus Said Come and See -- A Message for January 4, 2026

 

Friends, on this first Sunday of the year, we turn to the beginning of the book of John. John is quite different from the other three books of the Gospel: Matthew, Mark and Luke. Instead of starting the beginning of his book with the birth of Jesus, like Matthew and Luke, or the baptism of Jesus, like Mark, John begins philosophically – “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God.” The book of John cuts to the chase – in Jesus, the Word of God became flesh (a person) and dwelled among us (the people). Through Jesus, those of us who believe become the beloved children of God.

In his first chapter after Jesus was introduced, John explained that John the Baptist was not the messiah, but came to point us to the messiah. When Jesus appeared, John the Baptist began to tell his own disciples about Jesus.

Let’s read as John’s disciples began to consider leaving John the Baptist and begin to follow Jesus instead….we will read at John chapter 1 verses thirty-five through fifty-one:

Scripture John 1: 35-51

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 

When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 

And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 

He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

Message Jesus Says Come and See

Come – See – Believe

Sometimes people need to “see” things to believe them…I am originally from Missouri – people have teased me about our motto: “The Show-Me” state. The motto comes from a quote Missouri Congressman Wilard Duncan Vindiver made in Philadelphia – he said “...forthy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me.  I’m from Missouri, and you have got to show me.”  Sometimes people are not convinced by the words or writing of others – they need to see things for themselves in order to believe them.

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, some of the people who became his most loyal followers wanted to “see” him to “believe” him. John’s gospel doesn’t start at Jesus’ birth – with angels declaring Jesus is the Messiah – or Jesus’  baptism – with God’s voice echoing out from the heavens declaring Jesus is God’s son….instead, John starts with a theological statement that Jesus is God come to earth and then said John the Baptist came to prepare the people to meet Jesus. In this morning’s scripture, John the Baptist announces to his own disciples that Jesus is “the lamb of God.” John’s disciples understood this phrase to mean that Jesus was the Messiah, is the Messiah.

John’s disciples had to then make a decision – should they continue working with John the Baptist to prepare people to meet the messiah? Or should they go be with Jesus and work alongside the man John identified as the Messiah?

But, they also had a few seeds of doubt….John said Jesus is the messiah, but was he?

They needed to go and see – to come and see Jesus. And, once they met Jesus they knew John the Baptist was right – they were with the Messiah. So they left their former prophet, their former guru, and started following Jesus.

Jesus’ invitation to those first disciples extends to us through the centuries. We no longer live in a world or a community where being a member of the Christian faith is a norm. Instead, our communities are filled with people who are opting to not be Christians, or perhaps only be cultural Christians who participate in the fun traditions of Christianity without really believing in our faith. 

We have chosen to “come and see” Jesus.

We choose to follow Jesus. We choose to believe in God. We choose to practice our faith by worshipping in our church, by reading our scripture, by praying, and working to deepen our faith.

We are mandated by our God to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. Just as we have chosen to have a relationship with Jesus and believe in God, part of being believers in Christianity is sharing our faith with non-believers. It is our work to invite others to “come and see’ Jesus.

For Christians like us … UCC Christians, mainline Christians…it is sometimes very difficult for us to be open about our faith when we talk to other people. We associate evangelism with annoying people knocking on our doors early on Saturday mornings or people standing on busy street corners holding up signs that proclaim things like “The wages for sin is death.” 

But, we have something important to share. You can be a Christian and not be like the people who make others uncomfortable. Instead, we believe in a faith that is open-minded. We believe in a faith that works to be non-judgmental. We believe in a faith that welcomes and respects all people – women and men, young and old, straight and gay, poor and rich, of every educational background and professional background and social group and ethnic group.

There are people in our communities who have been hurt by the church. There are people in our communities who have false notions about Christians. They need to know that God loves them, even if they have been told otherwise. They need to know they are welcome here at Trinity, even if they have been unwelcomed in places that professed to be Christian. They need to know there are people who live out the slogan of the United Church of Christ – no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. 

  

We understand our lives are much richer because we believe in God and in Jesus Christ – the word of God. Through our faith, we experience God’s love, God’s forgiveness, and God’s grace. Through our participation in God’s church, we are connected to a community of believers who come together to support other another during the best times of our lives and the worst times of our lives. We have a gift to share with people who need support–who need to know they are loved just as they are, they are forgiven for whatever they regret, and they are the beloved children of God. 

Let us do our part to invite others to Come and See Jesus.

Amen.