October 1, 2012 Jesus' Loving Whip

Jesus’ Loving Whip John 2:13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. & John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” DO THESE two scripture passages mesh? In the first, Jesus makes a whip to cleanse wrong activity from temple. In the second you see John express God’s loving salvation through Jesus. Does Jesus’ whip to cleanse demonstrate God’s love to save? What happens in a household where the parents say, “I don’t care what you do.” to their children? That statement tells their children, “I don’t care enough about you to guide you and correct you to live the right way.” Such language is the parent negating their authority over their children. Jesus’ whip demonstrates both his authority to remove sin from his people and his love to save them. Note in John 3:18 that those who do not believe are condemned. Salvation comes only in obeying God’s authority. Jesus’ whip is a sign of his passion to save you. It’s True! Jesus passionately acts to remove sin and save you.