Rabbi Gluck and Imam Chebli at an interfaith program, May 11.Hosting other faith communities in our sacred space has fostered connections that otherwise might not have been made. For example, in May, we welcomed the members of the Muslim Center of Somerset County to share an evening of dialogue and fellowship.
And said vnto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but yee haue made it a denne of theeues. King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan And He.said to them, 'It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN.' “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer.” That text chosen by our Lord to remind the merchandising-minded, and the material-minded, and the worldly-minded who ministered in that sacred place—that text, chosen by our Lord, God’s description of His place of worship, is not unique or strange or isolated or alone.
We were graced with the presence of Imam Hamad Chebli of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey, who warmly shared with us his insights into the life and faith of the Muslim community. We broke bread together, sharing both halal and kosher treats, and had a wonderful, joyful encounter that felt like a family reunion.On April 23, the Sai Baba community invited me to speak on the meaning of life according to the teachings of Judaism. This led to an extremely warm and fruitful exchange that we hope to build upon. In this new year, we look forward to deepening and expanding these relationships. On October 29 at 2:00 p.m., at the North Branch Reformed Church in Bridgewater, we will, God willing, assemble an even greater spectrum of faith communities and civic leaders under the banner of “Many Faiths, One Earth.” We will declare our shared commitment to be faithful stewards of the one home that God has given to us all. We will join in song and prayer, learn each other’s teachings on environmental responsibility, and commit to and engage in actions to care for God’s creation.At a time when some seek to fracture the human family through verbal and physical acts of violence, it is vitally important that we draw more closely together and denounce every effort to divide us by race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality.
The variety of faith groups that meet at TBE and our gatherings as a diverse but united faith community teach us that Isaiah’s and Micah’s visions are not a fantasy, and that we need not — indeed, must not — wait until the end of days to heal the brokenness in our world.May the New Year 5778 be one of renewed hope and promise for the fulfillment of our dreams, and may it be one in which we advance the visions of our prophets by words and deeds of loving kindness.L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu, May you be written and sealed for a year of blessing!Rabbi Arnold S. GluckOriginally published in the September-October 2017 issue of the Shofar. For more, visit the archives.
My house shall be called a house of prayer,Introduction-Prayer-I want you to know if you are a guest with us this morning, it is not by accident.I do not think it is a coincidence that I am speaking this morning on prayer.For the last several weeks- God has been stirring in a new and fresh way.Last week like never before. If you left here last week without touching God, it was not that God was not reaching out to you.I pray this morning is no different. I do not understand all that the Lord is doing, but I know that I want to be a part of it. I’m glad I don’t understand all because we will not be able to take any of the glory of it away from the Lord.I feel like a prophet yelling to the people that there is a God sighting. Giving warning to draw close to the Lord as He passes by this morning.We are going to look at several Scriptures but if you would turn to our text in. It is Jesus at the Temple.- John adds the detail that Jesus made a whip of cords, drove all from the Temple, overturned tables and told them “Get out of here, how dare you turn my Fathers house into a market place of merchandise.”Pastor Jim Cymbala says we can picture gentle Jesus with the wayward lamb across His shoulders, but that it is hard to picture Jesus cleansing the temple by over-turning tables and being angry.
In fact if someone showed that kind of anger, we would say that they were in the flesh. They could not be in the Spirit.Jesus was very much sending a message that God’s house is not a marketplace, that it is a house of prayer.You have to understand something here- those selling the doves and those selling the animals to be sacrificed were suppose to be there. People needed those animals to sacrifice to God.What Jesus was overturning was that they were grouching the people of God in the price.
The money-changers as people came from far away exchanging their money for Roman coin were charging gangster fees. “My Temple has become a den of robbers”.This same church that Jesus said later “The gates of Hell will not bring down, is the same church that God is purging of it’s wickedness.Man’s spirit will not control God’s house. The Holy Spirit of God will control the secrete place of God and the dwelling place of God’s people.Prayer is so familiar it at times can be overlooked.
Three dolls and a strange girl named Emily will also start roaming the house as the hours toll. Now you must figure out how to get out of this stupid creepy house.Freely roam the house and try to figure out what is going on. Emily wants to play download free. It's 11pm, and you are at the last house on your route. Stay away from them, but if you do end up in a room with one, figure out how to stay alive.This may be your last pizza delivery.
We take advantage and get lazy to the things of God.You need good preaching, but it is not a house of preaching.We need good music, but it is not a house of music.God, the Father says that it is to be a house of prayer.-“Will you steal and murder. Commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my name, and say, we are safe, safe to do all these detestable things.
Has this house, which bears my name become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching declared the Lord.”The church universal has gotten into the merchandise business and gotten away from God’s house being a house of prayer. 92% of Americans profess to have a relationship with God. Under 40% attend church on a regular basis. Those numbers do not compute to me.
I am not sure out of that number how many come for the right reasons.You don’t come to the house of God primarily to see people, you come to be with the Lord.Not on our time. Not on our terms.
Not three minute prayers, but desiring to see God move in a fresh and new way in our lives.Holy Spirit fell on the people of God when they were praying. When they were waiting and anticipating God to move.We talked on Wednesday night from Hebrews ch 2 of people drifting away from God.Loss of focusLoss of prioritiesLoss of passion.Loss of commitment.If we are not intentional, a loss of our relationship to God.Like a ship floating in a big ocean, hoping, not praying that it does not crash against the rocks of the shoreline.In the news this week, pastors professing to be atheist. Pastors admitting they don’t believe the whole truth of God’s word. God help us- God help them- that the house of God would return to being a house of prayer.
Where communication and relationship with God is priority.