Worldly Distractions

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
Luke 19:45–48
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Worldly Distractions
We live in a very individualistic and self-serving culture. We want everything catered to our unique tastes and desires. This even includes our church. Many people go “church shopping” as they try to find a church that fits them just right. What the church actually preaches and teaches is often secondary to things like worship style, coffee bars, and youth activities. Do I like the pastor? Is he entertaining in the pulpit? Is there a concert-like atmosphere that makes it fun and exciting?  Do the have good coffee and donuts? These too often are the measure of whether or not one will attend a particular church. But when these are the reason for going and not whether or not the church preaches and teaches according to God’s Law and Gospel, if sin is not called out and forgiveness offered, then the church has become something else. Church is for the hearing of the Word and the receiving of the Sacraments. When that is primary, there you have a faithful church. Jesus goes directly to the temple to cleanse it for proper services: the hearing of God’s Word. Therefore, today we should beware of worldly distractions from the Lord’s Word. Hang on to it, for Jesus cleanses our hearts by faith in His Holy Word.