ARE YOU WORSHIPPING ON WALL STREET?

Mark 11:15-19

¹⁵ Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; ¹⁶ and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. ¹⁷ He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a hideaway for robbers.” ¹⁸ And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; because they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was captivated by his teaching. ¹⁹ And after evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

when religion becomes robbery

Religion is simply a people’s way of expressing their devotion. There is nothing wrong with religion itself. It becomes wrong when religion is hijacked by those who wanted to take advantage of the worshippers. That is what Jesus objected to here. He had expected a loaded fig tree, and he saw an empty one. He had expected a temple where the nations could gather to pray. He found Wall Street – a frenzy of buying and selling animals for the slaughter. The people were being robbed, and so was their God.

The apostles watched as their Lord violently attacked this commercial racket in the temple. They reflected on his passion against these robbers. The people listened as Jesus explained why he had gotten so upset. We should take our worship seriously. God does.

LORD, rid us of our religious rituals that rob you, and keep us from seeking you. Give us a religion that honours you.