We’re up to the Third Sunday in Lent – 07 March 2021.

The Lectionary readings for this week are: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; and John 2:13-22. The sermon text is the reading from John’s Gospel. It is set out in full below. The other readings can be heard as part of the video service, further down.

The main scripture for this week…

John 2:13-22 (New International Version)
Jesus Clears the Temple Courts
13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people 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 courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Video service of readings, prayers and sermon

This week Geoff reflects on the story of Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers in Jerusalem’s Temple Courts. In Britain, we are said to have particular ideas about “good manners”. Was Jesus displaying bad manners in his behaviour in the Temple? He was certainly zealous in his actions. Geoff also considers what we can learn from France’s reaction to the significant fire damage sustained by Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral. Sometimes we need to get beyond well-mannered behaviour and understand why is it good to be zealous as followers of Jesus.

Musical Selection

Christ is made the sure foundation has often been sung at the dedication of a church.

It also refers to Christians who are spoken of as living stones that are being built into Christ’s church.

Image credit: Nicky Mack, Lossiemouth (“Gull attack”)