“And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.” The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”” (John 2:15–18 LSB)  https://accordance.bible/link/read/LSB#John_2:15

Those who claim to be Christians must live as Jesus did. Jesus was consumed by zeal for His Father’s house. If we are to be like Jesus then why are our churches depleted from Sunday worshippers? Why are our churches struggling financially and with finding helpers to carry out it’s ministry of making disciples in the cities to which it resigns? How are Christians justifying staying home, ignoring God’s people, claiming to be at church because they watch a sermon on their televisions? Church is not a sermon. Church is the people of God gathered for the purpose of encouraging one another in their most holy faith. They are encouraged by their corporate praise, the message to live in obedience to Jesus, prayers for one another and the camaraderie that accompanies the children of God. We gather together to give and to serve so that we can grow together. We do not measure our church participation by what it does for us but by what we do for it. Are we zealous for God’s house? Are we passionate about meeting with God’s people, giving to God’s work, serving to God’s glory so that His kingdom comes to earth as it is in heaven? This is what it means to be zealous for God’s house. This is what it means to be like Jesus.