Pam Padgett ... teacher
John 2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep
and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a
scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the
sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew
the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things
hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
While reading this, I thought of how we are the temple of God, with the
Holy Spirit living in us. We are called to serve God with spiritual
sacrifices, laying down our
lives on this earth so that we might be conformed to the image of
Christ, going in the ways of God, and pleasing Him.
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively
stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Much as Jesus drove out from the temple those things not ordained by God
to be there, the Word of God cleanses us from those things in our lives
that are not right in the sight of God, as our eyes are opened to our sins that we might repent and serve Him acceptably.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(Comments by Joan Boney)
Every time we see a scripture and do as that word instructs, we lay down our lives on this earth.
We end up losing our lives, only to find our lives.
Jesus said: Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mk. 8
The only thing that matters is the word of God and doing the word of God. Doing the word of God is our spiritual sacrifice.