Status Quo

"When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”"
Matthew 21:23
On Monday Jesus cleared the Temple, healed many, and cursed the fig tree.  He spent much of Tuesday in and around the Temple.  Jesus using a whip and driving out the money changers likely created quite a disturbance on Monday.  Business was stopped.  Money changers were run off.  The common, status quo of the Temple came to an end.  But the disturbance of the Temple day was not over.
All of Jerusalem had likely heard of Jesus arrival and knew He was at the Temple.  The sick, disabled, blind, and deaf were brought to Jesus and they were healed.  Two days before Passover, the day to day of the Temple was not so day to day.  But, rather than seeing the miracles of God before them, the priests questioned Jesus’ authority. "They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”" Luke 20:2


The priests were comfortable in their religious work and life.  Sacrifice a lamb here; a dove there; and a bull on occasion.  Throw in some flour and wine and their schedule was predictable.  There was no room for upsetting their status quo.  It was comfortable.  It was predictable.  These men whose job was to point people to God were so wrapped up that they were unable to see literally God under their nose.  Religion had blinded them to God and His activity.
These men are easy for us to look down upon but I’m afraid that I’m as blind as them.  I can get so caught up in my life that I can miss God.  In the midst of focusing on completing my “Bible in a Year” plan I can miss God.  In the midst of grocery-shopping in a hurry I can miss God.  In the midst of working 8 hours in the day, I can miss God.  In the midst of worrying about the service going 10 minutes too long I can miss God.  In the midst of being a parent I can miss God.

  1. How does God show Himself to you?
  2. Does God have the freedom to upset your status quo?

    --Zine Smith

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