Mark 11:15-17
Then they (Jesus and His disciples) came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, 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.”
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It is recorded in the gospel of John that early in His ministry Jesus had railed against those who were making the Temple a place of business! {Jn.2:14-16} He was surely quoting the words of God spoken long before through Jeremiah. {Jer.7:11} That Temple, defiled by mammon, is now long gone, destroyed by the Roman legions long ago in 70 A.D. Today in Jerusalem the Temple Mount is currently occupied by followers of a false religion.

However, the true Temple of God is alive and well, being built out of living stones, just as the apostle Peter wrote: “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” {1Pt.2:4-5} Those spiritual sacrifices, presenting our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, {Rom.12:1} make this temple a true and lasting place of worship!

We need to be conscious of that glorious truth, also proclaimed in the Word as the apostle Paul wrote: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” {1Cor.3:16) We also need to truly take heed remembering that the Lord will not tolerate His holy temple being defiled by the world and the things of the world, rather calling us to be holy even as He is holy. {1Pt.1:15-16}

The holiness that God has called us to and makes possible for us through the work of His Holy Spirit who dwells in us is not about the clothes we wear or the food we put in our mouths but rather about what we have in our heart. God is a God of good order and that means it must be holiness that controls our actions, not our actions that make us holy and righteous! Our own righteousness based on our own actions is just like filthy rags to the Lord. {Is.64:6} True holiness is about God's work—not ours.

So take a moment and thank God that He is at work in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure. {Php.2:13} Holy is rightly defined as being set apart by God for His purpose, not ours! Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to let our light shine before men in such a way that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven. {Mat.5:16} To God be the glory!

So we must not be fixed on the material things, things that lead to the buying and selling of things in the temple that then led to the Lord's harsh response as today's verse describes. We must rather have our eyes and our hearts fixed on being like Jesus who gave all. That, not material stuff, is the path to having joy unspeakable and full of His glory. {1Pt.1:8} Let us now wake up and smell the roses—the Rose of Sharon. {Song of Solomon 2:1}

“Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12)

CONSECRATE YOURSELF AND BE HOLY, SANCTIFIED BY THE LORD