The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 5 April 2020 – TOPIC: THE HOUSE OF PRAYER
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DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2020
(Palm Sunday)
TOPIC: THE HOUSE OF PRAYER
READ: MATTHEW 21:1-17 (NKJV)
1. Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
2. saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose [them] and bring [them] to Me.
3. “And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5. “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ “
6. So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.
7. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set [Him] on them.
8. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread [them] on the road.
9. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed [is] He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
10. And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”
11. So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
12. Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ “
14. Then [the] blind and [the] lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
15. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant
16. and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
17. Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
THE MESSAGE:
In today’s text, Jesus sent His disciples to get a colt for Him, telling them to repeat His instructions if confronted when untying the colt. This worked perfectly and teaches us to deal with stubborn bondages and problems by speaking the relevant word of God to such situations. The next scene described Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. As the colt was untied and decorated to carry the Master, we must note that the main purpose of our release from bondage is to carry the Master – an instrument to accomplish His mission.
Jesus went to the temple and discovered that it had been turned into a business center. He overturned tables and redirected attention to the purpose of the temple – house of prayer. As God’s temple, ensure that your life is used for prayer and worship and not for profiteering in ungodly ventures. Don’t be unrepentant and angry – like the religious leaders – with people who reprimand you about your bad behaviours. Note that Jesus healed the sick after cleansing the temple; learn to emphasise repentance and cleansing before healing and supply of needs. Unfortunately, some leaders make a merchandise of the gospel, sacrificing the spiritual life of followers. Repent today as God’s temple, clean up the sin in you and yield yourself like the colt to the service of the Master.
PRAYER: Lord, deliver Your Church from empty religious rituals.