Be a House of Prayer

Good evening and welcome to the Panhandle. I don't know about you, but when I hear the term House of Prayer, I think of a church or a synagogue. What I'm getting at is the first image in my mind when I hear the phrase a House of Prayer is a physical building. But is that really the case? Well come on in take a seat, open your Bible and let's do a little Bible surfing to answer that question.

Matthew 21:13 - And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”

The charged nature of Christ Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem was matched by His arrival in the temple area. This was a huge open space of some 33 acres, within which stood the temple itself and associated buildings. In the porticoes surrounding this area (not in the temple building) were the stalls of those who changed money for the temple offerings and sold sacrificial animals (including doves). They were there with the permission of the priestly authorities and performed a useful, even necessary, function for pilgrims coming from a distance. But the whole thing had got out of hand, and worship and prayer were being squeezed out by commercialism. Christ Jesus’ violent onslaught on all concerned (buyers as well as sellers) expressed His conviction that the temple was no longer fulfilling the purpose for which it had been built.¹

Corruptions and abuses had come into the temple by the practices of those whose intentions were too gain is financially at the expense of those there to worship. It can rightly be said that they made worldly gain pretending to be godly, and counterfeit godliness was their way to worldly gain ~ If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing;…who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. (1 Timothy 6:3-4; 5).

Corruption and abuse still come into the church, it is practiced by those who are looking to gain something. These people pretend to be interested in the church and it’s people, they say all the right words, quickly get to know all the “right people.” However their whole reason for being in the church is to get what they can get for themselves and that is all. Their counterfeit godliness is their way to worldly gain.

There is a story about a salesman who would come into a church and after awhile he would join the choir. After he had been there awhile he would point out how they could really use a sound system, mics, the whole nine yards. He would work up a cost and show the leaders of the church how cost effective it would be and how easily a professional could install it. The church would vote to buy and have a new system installed, a few months later the man would be gone and attending another church. Counterfeit Godliness for gain.

The house of prayer also looses it’s effectiveness when well meaning Christians loose sight of why the church was instituted. Too often we get so busy with programs and the stuff of the church that we forget the purpose of the church. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20).

What does God want in His house? God wants prayer among His people ~ First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6). True prayer is an evidence of our dependence on God and our faith in His Word. ² He wants the church, that is His people to pray. Yeah, the church building is to be a place of prayer, but we as Christians are to be houses of prayer. May we never forget that.

Well that's it for tonight, thanks for dropping by and I'll see ya next time. Until the may our Lord, Christ Jesus richly bless you and yours.

Biblesurfer

1 France, R. T. (1994). Matthew. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 931). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 77). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.