By Carey Kinsolving| Oklahoman
Coloring on the walls always got me in trouble, too, Rachel.
"The temple is a holy place, not a place to charge money to people who come there," says Melissa, 12. "We should not go into a holy place and charge people money because a church or temple is not a tax department."
"Jesus drove the money-changers out because he said, 'My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves,'” says Kosse, 10. “God's action teaches me that if you are deceitful or use the church for the wrong reason, you will not be rewarded.”
During the various religious feasts in which thousands of Jews traveled to Jerusalem, authorities allowed money-changers and animal sellers inside the outer court of the temple. People bought animals to sacrifice, and they had to exchange foreign money for money acceptable to religious leaders.
These temple-sanctioned businesspeople were inside a place of worship. When people profane sacred things by trying to profit financially from them, they become dull and callous to the ways of God's spirit. The problem only compounds when they become ministry leaders.
"Jesus drove them out because he didn't want the house of his father to become a house of merchandise," says Morgan, 10. "In the Bible, it also said, 'Zeal for your house has eaten me up.'"
Yes, Jesus got angry, but it wasn't the kind of selfish anger we so often exhibit.
The money-changers were making it hard for common people to worship God. The outer court of the temple was full of bleating sheep and money- changers. Jerusalem visitors had to exchange their money for the currency accepted by the temple priests. Everyone was focused on money — or the lack of it.
"When Jesus said he could build the temple in three days, he was trying to get the people to believe in him," says Shelby, 8.
Jesus spoke of his body as the temple, and the three days he mentioned referred to his resurrection on the third day. Jesus was the reality to which the temple pointed.
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
The next time your pastor refers to the church building as the house of God, please remind him that God doesn't dwell in buildings, but in the hearts of his people. When we come to worship God, we must put aside all distractions and agendas. Jesus wants his people to experience the joy and peace of undistracted devotion to him.
The Hebrew prophets foresaw a time when God himself would live in his people (Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Joel 2:28). That time is now!
Think about this: In Jesus' time, people traveled for days to visit the temple where God's presence dwelt. If you're a Christian, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Memorize this truth: "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (I Corinthians 6:19).
Ask this question: If you really believed your body is the temple where God's spirit dwells, how would the reality of God's sacred presence affect your thoughts, behavior, work and recreation?
Listen to a talking book, download the "Kids Color Me Bible" for free, watch Kid TV Interviews and travel around the world by viewing the "Mission Explorers Streaming Video" at www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. Bible quotations are from the New King James Version. To find out more about Carey Kinsolving and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
COPYRIGHT 2010 CAREY KINSOLVING
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