Where is Jesus? He’s flipping the tables in the temple.
I was tucking my then 3-year-old son into bed and he asked “Mommy where is Jesus?” Seems simple enough, but as a parent answering these questions for the first time I stumbled to answer such an important question. “Jesus is in heaven…and Jesus is in your heart, he is with us.” My son looked at me matter-of-factory and said, “No. Jesus is in the temple flipping over the tables.”
I recently taught on this passage at church with my 3rd-grade class and I loved their honesty and surprise. They responded, “No Jesus wouldn’t do that….Jesus was loving and kind and peaceful….Jesus didn’t sin.”
And yes all of those statements are 100% true and correct…AND Jesus flipped the tables in the temple. He cleansed the temple of what threatened to block people from drawing near to God. He welcomed the outcast, he included women in his work in a time when women had no place in society. He drew near to those who openly acknowledged their brokenness and need for him. He fought against the religious leaders who tried to put down those in need. And when necessary he flipped the tables to make that happen.
2000 years later, people are still imperfect, church is imperfect, but Jesus tears that all away to clear the path for you and for me. And to me those flipped tables are beautiful.
in the image 