Today we are reading from Mark 11: 15-19:

15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves; 16 and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 He was teaching and saying, “Is it not written,
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?
    But you have made it a den of robbers.”
18 And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. 19 And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

Today we see Jesus cleanse the Temple.  What is happening here is the people in power were taking advantage of the folks coming to worship; the money changers took Roman money and “changed” it over to Temple money while taking a little cut off the top. Then the money would take that Temple money and buy their animals for the sacrifice.  Now, these animals were supposed to be of the highest quality and easy for the people to afford. But they were not. They were of poor quality and were overpriced. 

So, the people who were trying to come to Temple to worship, the people who were trying to experience the goodness of God and forgiveness of theirs were blocked at every avenue.  

Because of this, Jesus drove them out. They were keeping people from being able to experience the grace of God. So He made a way. 

God always makes a way for us.  God wants us all to know the power, the love, and the grace of Jesus Christ. God will make a way.  

So, the question for us to ponder today is this. Are we making a way? Are we doing all that we can to make sure as many people as possible know about God?  Or are we blocking metaphorically blocking the door? 

Are we making a way to Jesus? Are we drawing people to Him?  Or are we driving them away? Which are we doing with our words and with our lives? 

Do we make a way? 

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