Flipping Tables
Flipping the Tables: When Jesus Disrupts Our Faith
When we think of Jesus, we often picture a kind, patient, and loving man. While this is true, we sometimes forget that Jesus wasn't afraid to make a scene or make people angry. In John 2, we see Jesus marching into the temple and flipping tables - a powerful reminder that Jesus isn't just interested in adding new things to our lives; He also wants to remove things that don't belong.
What Happens When Jesus Enters Your Life?
If you invite Jesus into your life, He doesn't just move in with new belongings. He addresses old issues in your heart as well. There are many things in our lives that Jesus wants to throw out, and if you invite Him to do that, it will transform you. We have witnessed Jesus:
Remove old habits from people's lives
Heal cold hearts
Break addictions
Cool down grudges
Dismantle prejudices
Mend wounds from past relationships
Alleviate fears about the future
Change feelings of inadequacy
But for this transformation to happen, we need to pray prayers that aren't just "Jesus, give me more good things," but also "Jesus, get rid of some of the bad things too."
Two Prayers That Will Disrupt Your Faith
1. Jesus, Flip Over the Good Things That Keep Me From God
Often it's not the bad things that keep us from God - it's the good things we don't recognize as distractions. When Jesus flipped the tables, He was essentially saying, "Don't let this creep in here. This is keeping you from the most important thing happening in this room."
What distracts you from worship? What keeps you from giving your entire heart and mind over to God? It might be:
Pride that keeps you from taking steps of faith
Tradition that limits how you can worship
Worry that steals your attention
Unforgiveness toward someone who offended you
The thing that draws your attention from God has become your god. In moments of worship, if your mind and heart are on that thing, that's what you're worshiping.
2. Jesus, Become the Good Thing That Leads Me to God
In John 2:18-22, after Jesus flips the tables, the Jewish leaders challenge His authority. Jesus responds by saying, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." They thought He was talking about the physical temple, but He was speaking about His body.
Jesus was telling them that one day:
The temple would be destroyed
He would become the Passover lamb
His life would be purchased at a thief's rate
He would be whipped
His blood would be shed
His body would be put in a tomb
But three days later, He would rebuild what was torn down
The temple was meant to be a good that pointed people to God. But it had been altered so that the focus was taken away from God and put on the temple itself and its leaders. Jesus came to become the good thing that brings us to God - and nothing else can replace Him.
The Danger of Substituting Jesus
Jesus doesn't just want to be important to your faith - He demands to be central to it. Throughout history, we've struggled to worship an invisible God, so we platform visible gods instead:
We dress men in robes, give them titles, and place them on thrones
We idolize pastors and hop from church to church seeking the most talented ones
We worship presidents and call them our saviors
We worship social media influencers
We worship social causes
We put ourselves on thrones and make ourselves gods of our own lives
But Scripture warns that Jesus will always smash golden calves and flip temple tables to remove anything or anyone that sits on His throne.
How Do You Know Who's on the Throne of Your Heart?
Ask yourself: What keeps you coming back to church? Is it:
The pastors?
The people?
The programs?
The place?
These aren't bad reasons to come to church initially. But if these things disappeared or changed, would you still come? When Jesus is truly central, you recognize there's something bigger happening in the room than just these elements.
When Jesus is your good:
The temple can fall, and you've lost nothing
The table and all your distractions can be flipped, and you've lost nothing
Your world outside can be rocked, and Jesus still stands
All other good things can be lost, and you've lost no goodness at all
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to examine what might be sitting on the throne of your heart instead of Jesus. Take time to identify the "good things" that might actually be distracting you from truly worshiping God.
Ask yourself:
What typically distracts me during times of worship or prayer?
What good things in my life have I elevated to a position that only Jesus should hold?
If I lost the things I value most about my church experience (the people, the programs, the pastors), would I still pursue Jesus?
What old things might Jesus want to remove from my life to make room for something new?
Remember: Pray these two prayers daily: "Jesus, flip over the good things that keep me from God," and "Jesus, become the good thing that leads me to God." Be prepared for Him to disrupt your faith in ways that ultimately draw you closer to Him..
