Last week’s message was on Lent and its theme of renewal aided by self-examination, positively impacting the State.  Today I want to build on this theme by having us think about “leaven.”

Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.  Upon his arrival, he immediately went to the temple to cleanse it.  Later in the week he celebrated for the last time with his disciples the Passover.  He had instructed two of his disciples to go to a certain home where they were to prepare the Meal (Luke 22:13).  Preparing the Passover Meal involved more than cooking the food and setting the table.  Arguably, the most important preparation was scouring the home for leaven, and removing every trace of it.  This house cleaning dates back to Exodus 12:15.

A striking parallel is found in 2 Chronicles 29, where King Hezekiah instructed the Levites to “carry out the filth from the holy place” (i.e. the temple) (v. 5).

Under the “new covenant” the holy place (temple), and the home referenced above is one’s life and heart (Matt. 7:24-27).  Leaven, in the context of cleansing these places, represents corruption and sin.  And the “priesthood of all believers” comprises the Levites, whose task it was to remove the filth from the temple.

Indeed, there are many “temples,” such as Church and State, but such cleansing begins at “home.”  The cleanliness of the Left Hand Kingdom is in direct proportion to the cleanliness of the Right Hand Kingdom, whose cleanliness is in direct proportion to the cleanliness of each home.

An oft over-looked event of Holy Week is the search for and removal of leaven…from our temple-home.

May the Spirit of the Living God guide us in our search for and eradication of all traces of leaven from our home, that righteousness may flourish, which by God’s design and grace exalts the Nation.