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In our society we live with a market place mentality. It is all about consumerism. We are bombarded with advertisements and saturated with information about sales and products. Economists will tell you that the success of our nation depends on our ability to buy stuff. We live, in what I like to call, "The Wall Street Syndrome." Just about anything can affect the DOW: politics, weather, economic reports, productivity, legal settlements or lawsuits, etc. It seems to me we are being conditioned to measure the pulse of society based on the soul basis of our “economic condition."

 

Perhaps life hasn’t really changed all that much since Jesus’ day. Here in John we find Jesus confronting the people of his day with their "marketplace" attitudes. "Stop making my Father’s House a marketplace!" he said.

In that day the temple was at the center of the community. Since everyone came to the temple, the temple courtyard became the marketplace, in other words, the local shopping mall. Even in Jesus’ day, the "Wall Street syndrome" took precedence over the faith of people. You had to visit your local money changer before you could enter the temple.

 

Jesus did more than lecture to the folks in the temple courtyard that day. He "drove the moneychangers away with a whip, turned over their tables and emptied their coins on the ground." He was concerned that those who could not afford to pay the temple tax were excluded. Also, he was angry at those who were taking advantage of others and exploiting the faith. He was saying, "Enough is enough. This "Wall Street" attitude is interfering with the sacredness of God’s temple."

Jesus’ behavior seemed a little out of character and a bit extreme. But the faith community needed some improvement. Therefore a little demolition was necessary. He wanted to open up the faith to everyone by tearing down the barriers of a temple tax that was making it difficult for the poor to afford.

 

I heard recently about a charitable organization called Educap that loans money to college students. Unfortunately they have been charging excessive interest rates and charging excessive fees for late payments. Watchdog Stephen Burd says all the money going out Educap's door should be put back into the charity to make student loans more affordable. After all, that's the whole point. Instead, he says Educap has some of the toughest loan terms around. “These are absolutely not charitable terms,” said Burd, of the New America Foundation. Burd says Educap charges up to 18 percent interest - triple the government rates and as much or more than for-profit companies. He's heard from dozens student borrowers who complain about costs and aggressive collection tactics.

 

Jesus was angry about the unethical business practices of the money changers but I believe he was also concerned that the “market place” environment became a distraction for true worship.

One time I visited a young couple who were considering our church as their place of worship. They had wanted to come but just hadn’t got around to it. When I asked them what was holding them back their answer might surprise you. They said “We can’t afford to put anything in the offering plate.” They were embarrassed about their financial condition. It was easier for them to stay away than come and take a pass on the offering plate. I tried to assure them that the size of their gift was confidential and that whatever they gave, God would understand.

 

The average worker looks forward to his/her weekly paycheck. But, workers need more than just financial reward for their labor. They also need appreciation and praise. God may ask for the “first fruits of our labors,” but more than anything God wants us to give God our adoration and praise. God wants us to live our lives in the spirit of thanksgiving.

 

Faith in God is not something you can buy. Faith in God does not exclude people who are poor. Faith is about making God’s love ethic the center of our lives. Faith is about worship, trusting in God for our needs and making sacrifices for others.

James Burke, CEO of Johnson and Johnson, was facing a crisis. Someone had tampered with a few bottles of his Tylenol pain reliever, and Burke needed to respond to the public. He wanted to recall the product and remove it completely from the shelves until the source of the tampering could be determined. However, his lawyers, financial advisors and a few business consultants advised him that such a move was not necessary as it would be very difficult to do and brutally expensive.

Despite the pressure, Burke had his company remove every bottle of Tylenol from store shelves across the country. He said that putting himself in his customer’s shoes led him to make that decision. “If I’m a mother and use Tylenol,” he said, “am I ever going to buy it again if there is a chance my child might get sick?” Today, Tylenol is in just about every store in America. They also feature safety caps that were pioneered by James Burke. Burke survived a potential crisis by acting on the strength of his convictions. He was willing for his company to make a short term sacrifice in favor of a long term relationship with his customers.

Had there been folks in the temple like Burke that day, chances are, Jesus would not have gotten so angry. Instead he would have praised them for their integrity and ethical behavior. Fortunately, James Burke had faith that went beyond the market place. He put the reputation of his company and its product over the need to make a profit. As a result Johnson and Johnson still profited.

 

God wants our faith to go beyond the market place. God wants us to be open to the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ. Jesus was challenging the religious practices of the day because they were embedded in old rules and traditions that made it an exclusive faith. Incidentally, Jesus’ protest occurred during Passover, the most sacred holy time of the Jews. When he said that the temple would be destroyed they did not understand. That’s because he wasn’t talking about their building, he was referring to himself. He was making the point that belief in the resurrection and living in God’s grace were primary to our faith.

 

In uncertain economic times it is easy to get too focused on the future of our finances instead of our faith. Jesus was attempting to teach his disciples the importance of believing in him over being obsessed with institutional religion and living in a state of anxious self-concern. Later they understood, after his death and resurrection, but at that moment it was over their heads. Like everyone else they lived in a culture where religious traditions were about money instead of people.

 

I believe the following story illustrates the need to be faithful over the need to look out for number one. Marty Logan was a skilled carpenter who worked for a successful contractor. One day the contractor said, “I’m putting you in charge of the next house we build. I want you to order all the materials and oversee the job from the ground up.” Marty accepted the assignment with enthusiasm. But, as he worked he thought to himself, “Hey, I’m in charge so I will cut a few corners and use less-expensive materials then pocket the money. No one will ever know.” So, Marty ordered second-grade lumber and put in cheap wiring. He hired unskilled workers at minimum wage. When the home was finished the contractor looked it over. He said, “Looks like a fine job Marty. Now I have a surprise for you. I’ve decided to give you the house as a reward.”

 

Just because everyone is looking out for number one doesn’t mean we can justify our own behavior based on what others do. To have faith beyond the market place means that we are free to live outside the norm. Jesus challenged the religious unethical practices of his times as “self serving.” He did this to remind us that to have faith is to follow in his footsteps and make God the primary focus of our worship.

 

Dr. Keith Wagner