The Cleansing of the Temple

Key Scripture

John 2:13–25

Take Away / Application

Jesus can’t be fooled. He knows our motives and heart. He wants the lives of His people to be clean.

Discussion Questions

Don’t be afraid to add to this list, skip questions that don’t work for your group or branch off with additional questions as the discussion unfolds. Conversation is key! This is the time to work through the application of scripture and have group members figure things out together.

Keep your Bible open to John 2:13–25 throughout group discussion.

1. What impacted you the most from today’s message?
2. Pastor Harrell mentioned that our motives matter. Can you share a time when you did something that outwardly may have looked good, but your motives were wrong?
3. Read John 2:13–16. What are your thoughts about Jesus’s response to his Father’s house being used as a house of merchandise?
4. For some, the Jesus we see in these verses is different from the Jesus people think about. In what ways do we replace the real Jesus (as seen in the Scriptures) with an imaginary or self-defined Jesus?
5. How often are we like those in the temple… focusing more on making a profit, our jobs, our hobbies, etc., instead of worshipping God?
6. We read about Jesus cleansing the temple. If we stood up in the face of sin as Jesus did in today’s culture, how do you think we would be received?
7. Pastor Harrell mentioned that there is nothing loving about tolerating or ignoring sin. How do we fight gradual desensitization to evil and sin? Should we monitor what we do, watch, listen to, etc?
8. Read 1 Corinthians 3:16. Is there anything in your life (temple) that Jesus needs to clean out, clear out, or turn upside down?
9. Read John 2:23–25. We can fool people but we can’t fool Jesus. He knows our heart. Is there anything you’re holding on to that you need to surrender?

Action

Recognize and address a sin that you may have been struggling with recently. Read 1 John 1:9. Pray to God regarding this sin, confess it, and begin taking practical steps to turn away from this sin. If you feel comfortable doing so, share it with the group or individual.