“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.'” Matthew 21:13
“62. The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546) in Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences by Dr. Martin Luther (1517) a.k.a. 95 Theses, #62 of 95 Theses.
This year marks the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther nailing 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Door, which birthed the Protestant Reformation. A wrong view of money had corrupted the Church. Pope Leo X authorized the selling of “indulgences” to pay for the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica.
A struggling associate pastor recently told me confidentially that his church was doing a campaign. The public message they were “selling” was that participation would help more people come to faith. It was, in reality, a campaign to pay for the renovation of the church building.
Many are quick to judge Leo X for his actions but pastors and ministry administrators can be guilty of the same sin today: misleading people to get more money in the coffers. When we do this we turn God’s house into a den of robbers. And we know what Jesus thought about this. God forgive us.
Might more ministry happen? Certainly. Might more people come to faith? Perhaps. What’s my point today and what does this have to do with generosity on my last full day in Europe? Let us treasure the gospel above all else in God’s house! Let’s make our churches houses of prayer.
Ironically, when we treasure the right thing, the gospel, as pastors and ministry administrators, people will likely follow suit, and participate in God’s work obediently. When we treasure money rather than the gospel, well, that’s when everything starts falling apart.