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NL422

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

John 2:13-25

Graphics Options

The Narrative Alive graphics are designed with careful thought about how they relate to the text. We've provided possible sermon themes for each graphic to help you choose the direction that best fits your sermon.
An Act of Protest
Option A
An Act of Protest
Sermon themes:
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Upon entering the Temple, Jesus finds worshippers being exploited. Jesus’ response is not impulsive rage. Instead, it is holy protest and standing against injustice.
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True worship cannot coexist with greed, exclusion, or exploitation. True worship is always connected to our treatment of neighbor. Loving God demands justice and challenging oppressive practices and systems.
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Jesus’ passionate cleansing fulfills OT Scripture: “Zeal for Your House will consume me.” As Jesus drove out sin and restored reverence, we, too, must continually seek cleansing so our worship is pure and authentic.
Graphic description:
A common occurrence during any protest is people carrying signs. Or sometimes you see protests written on walls. This graphic illustrates, in a symbolic way, the “sign” that Jesus “writes” on the walls of the temple. His act of protest. The purple color on the right half of the image hints at what is to come, of his sacrificial death and resurrection.
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The Dwelling Place of God
Option B
The Dwelling Place of God
Sermon themes:
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Jesus finds the Temple turned into a for-profit marketplace. Sacred Space has been corrupted by selfish motives. Jesus makes clear that God’s House is meant for Presence, not profit.
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Jesus declares that his body is the new temple where the divine is most revealed to humanity. Through the death and resurrection, Jesus becomes the true dwelling place of God.
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God is no longer confined by structures, walls, or buildings. God lives in you, me, us. Together, we are the Spirit-filled disciples where God resides. We carry God’s presence out into the world.
Graphic description:
This graphic depicts a powerful swirl of energy coalescing in the center. In a sense, this is what Jesus is doing in that temple when he declares that he is the dwelling place of God. He brings it all together. The rainbow colors at the core of the graphic offer a contemporary symbol of Jesus’ love for all.
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Bold Authority
Option C
Bold Authority
Sermon themes:
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Yes, Jesus overturns tables, drives out merchants, and clears out the space. But this boldness comes not from aggression. It is not personal ambition. It is Jesus defending God’s honor and the sacredness of God’s house.
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Jesus boldly confronts injustice and exploitation. Bold authority challenges systems, traditions, and actions that are contrary to God’s purposes.
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The authority in which Jesus speaks isn’t just corrective; it’s redemptive. It’s not about asserting power, dominance or control; it’s standing courageously for truth. The authority we have been given empowers us to witness, testify, and point people to Jesus.
Graphic description:
How do you capture boldness in a graphic? With dynamic colors. With big, bold type. With strong angles. Everything about this graphic reflects the bold authority Jesus claims as the Son of God.
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