The Condition of Our Heart, His Temple

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words” (Luke 19:45-48).

Upon His arrival in Jerusalem, Jesus went straight to the temple. In light of His mission, He went right to the heart of the matter since the temple was the heart of this precious city. Jesus knew that to impact a culture and a people He must start in their heart. This is true of the human heart too. It is His primary target. The Spirit teaches that the human heart is created to be the dwelling place of Christ… “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Galatians 4:6). The Spirit inspired Paul to pray that true believers would experience an increasing awareness of the presence and rule of Christ in our hearts… “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:14-17). Jesus’ dramatic cleansing of the temple is a clear reflection of how much He cares for the condition of our heart, His temple.

Our heart is to be a place of purity. Though we are born again children of God, we live in a fallen and impure world. Our enemies are numerous and relentless in their aggressive efforts to distract us and make us ineffective and unproductive ambassadors, soldiers, and witnesses for Christ. We must be diligent to guard and keep our heart, the dwelling place of the Spirit of Christ, set apart from the corruption that engulfs us… “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Demonstrating His awareness of our struggle to keep our hearts pure in an unholy world, Jesus prayed for us… “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15-17). As Christ conquers our heart we grow in purity and we are sanctified by His Word.

Our heart is to be a place of prayer. The whole purpose of the temple was connection with God. The whole purpose of the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection is connection with God. Evidence that we are born again is echoing the first disciples’ increasing desire for connection with God through prayer… “Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’” (Luke 11:1). As Christ conquers our heart it is transformed into a house of prayer.

Our heart is to be a place of prophecy. After the purity of the temple was restored, Jesus began to teach God’s Word daily. The word prophecy found in the New Testament comes from the root word for prophet, prophētēs in the Greek, that means inspired speaker. The Lord wants His Word firmly implanted in the purified heart of every true believer… “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). He also wants us set apart from sin and the corrupting influence of the world so we are able with the help of the Holy Spirit in word and deed to share His inspired Word with the hurting world around us… “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:14-18). As Christ conquers our heart we become more effective at sharing the prophecy of His inspired Word every day.

As we grow up into Christ, He fills our heart with His presence as He gracefully guards and keeps…

The Condition of Our Heart, His Temple.