Temple Tantrum, Violet Burning, 4th of July: "Who Can't Attend Your Church?"

I have actually heard people say they deeply fear having a bake sale, youth group fundraiser, or a table where a visiting singer sells CDs in a church building.

"Remember when Jesus cast out the moneychangers and dovesellers?"

It is absolutely amazing how rare it is to hear someone teach on the "temple tantrum" Scripture
without turning it into the "Better not sell stuff in church; Jesus might overturn the tables..".

...when any serious study of the passage concludes that the reason Jesus was angry was not commercialism , but:

• PREJUIDICE
• RACISM
• EXCLUSIVISM
• NATIONALISM
  

If that classic interpretation of the passage is new to you, I have several posts you can read (like this one, or click "temple tantrum" at bottom of page).

Even better, watch a four minute section of Ray Van Der Laan's "Faith Lesson" episode on
"City of the Great King."

Or read the wonderful post I just found HERE from Gary Molander.

Heck, he even wraps up the post with a video that Floodgate Productions (his company) made, soundtracked by The Violet Burning's
"Invitacion Fountain" (the best song ever written on the Long Beach Freeway) to illustrate his point.

Ironically, the song was first debuted at a 4th of July event.
It's on days like the 4th that we need to re-read (in the midst of celebrating) the tantrum.

Gary gets way extra credit!!



Gary also gets the Palm Sunday Scripture's real point; another text that usually takes a ground-zero reading and a Van Der Laan video..."the classic "Lamb of God" episode.. to deconstruct for people.......and is on the same theme of misplaced nationalism)

Bonus: a few articles for the 4th below. Dare someone to preach this stuff tomorrow:

• Dear Patriotic Disciples..BY JIM HARNISH (ht: St. Spidey)

• Unpopular Annual Post: “Why Christianity and the ’4th’ are Incompatible” OR “Why this is NOT a day to celebrate” OR “Why my friends wont like me for the next week or so”
  by Kurt Willems (note;also picked up by Sojourners here)

• Be Careful What You Worship on July 4:Is national patriotism inconsistent with Christianity? by Bob Hyatt

• see also an earlier classic article by Bob Hyatt (that cost his job):" Profoundly Disturbed on the Fourth of July (Redux): God, the Flag and the End of America"