THREE DAYS

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

The Jews then responded to Him, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do all this?”

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

They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You are going to raise it in three days?”

But the temple He had spoken of was His body. 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.

John 2:18-22

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

After His behind the scenes wedding miracle in Cana, Jesus wasn’t anywhere near as subtle when He arrived in Jerusalem with His family for the annual Passover observance.

As you’ll recall from yesterday’s devotion, the scriptures told us that as Jesus went to the temple courts, He witnessed a scene that totally set Him off for in the place reserved for the Gentiles to worship and pray to God was a marketplace where animals were being sold for atoning sacrifices and foreign currency being exchanged at tables. Angered by what was nothing short of desecration of a divine and holy space, Jesus fashioned a whip out of cords and proceeded to drive everyone away, upending the tables of the money changers in the process.

So what would happen next? How would the Jerusalem Jews react to Jesus’ actions?

We find the answers in today’s scripture passage and our continued study of John, Chapter 2. Look again at these words here:

The Jews then responded to Him, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do all this?”

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

They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You are going to raise it in three days?”

But the temple He had spoken of was His body. 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.  John 2:18-22

As this passage opens, we find the Jews who witnessed Jesus’ fit of rage asking a very pointed question:

“What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do all this?”

There words were akin to asking, “Who put you in charge?” or “Who do you think you are coming in here and clearing the temple courts in that way?”

In answering their question, Jesus let them know the sign He would provide, one that had to baffle the Jews who were questioning Him:

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

Jesus telling this while standing within the confines of the temple grounds only amplified the weight of His words, ones that were met with a very skeptical reply from the Jews:

“It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You are going to raise it in three days?”

Leave it to the Jews to not get it, to completely miss what Jesus was getting at. Because when the Jews heard temple, they were only thinking about the physical structure that surrounded them, a majestic structure that their ancestors built over a forty six year period. The unbelievability factor with the Jews was off the charts and, of course, in their hearts they knew there was little to no chance Jesus could do what He was claiming He could and would do.

But as we read in the scriptures, Jesus was talking at a level way over the heads of His inquisitors, as was often the case during His ministry. For He wasn’t talking about the temple from a building standpoint but rather a bodily one and His words wouldn’t bear the intended meaning for anyone until Jesus would be crucified, laid in a sealed tomb, and then resurrected three days later. It would only be then that His own disciples would comprehend the words He spoke here and, in doing so, believe the scriptures.

From this testimony of a delayed understanding and appreciation of Jesus’ proclaimed assurances and promises, we see a snapshot of how a lot of believers approach Jesus in their own lives. For Jesus makes promise after promise after promise in the Gospels and He has never failed to perfectly honor every promise He has ever made. And yet, so many Christians seem to take a wait and see attitude. Like the disciples, they won’t push the “I believe” button until they witness something first-hand that aligns with what Jesus vowed to do. Only then will they accept His claims as truth.

To prevent this, perhaps we should just remember two simple words: three days. For although Jesus’ words were a mystery to the Jerusalem Jews He spoke to in today’s passage, His subsequent death and resurrection are both common knowledge points for believers today. Jesus said that if His temple (body) was destroyed then He would raise it back to life in three days and that’s exactly what happened. It was the guaranteed sign the Jews would see and it’s arguably the most important fulfilled promise Jesus had ever made.

For because He rose again after three days, we too will have a chance to rise again after death to abide with Him and God, His Father and ours, forever when we accept Him as Savior.

Won’t you join me in celebrating that truth today and every day?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark
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