Church - Obligation or Encounter?

This morning I am thinking about a set of verses from Mark's Gospel.  Lord, open my ears and my heart to understand Your heart in this.

Mark 11:15-17 NIV:

[15] "On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, [16] and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. [17] And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' ”

My first inclination in reading these verses is to think that Jesus was against all of the business that was being done in the temple courts.  On second thought though, I realized that the money changers and sellers of doves were enabling the fulfillment of the requirements of the law, for doves were used as sacrifices for sin offerings, and such (Lev 5-15 assorted verses).  The Jews were coming from many different countries, and money changers were required to convert foreign currency to that which was used in Jerusalem, so they could purchase sacrificial animals as prescribed in the law.  So the question is what was Jesus really upset about?

So if we look at the verse Jesus referenced for His robbers comment, we get a better sense of His point of focus.  This is found in Jer 7:11, and I will include the surrounding verses - Jeremiah 7:2-11 NIV:

[2] “Stand at the gate of the Lord's house and there proclaim this message:

 “ 'Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. [3] This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. [4] Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” [5] If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, [6] if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, [7] then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever.

[8] But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. [9] “ 'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, [10] 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? [11] Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord."

As I read these verses, it seems clear to me that the Lord is addressing the hearts and minds of the people.  They are not really repentant, their hearts are not changed, they are not encountering God's presence when they come to the Temple. Instead they are using the visit to the temple to erase their guilt, but with no plans to change their behavior saying "we are safe, safe to do all these detestable things".  The focus of their visit is not to meet God, not to worship Him, but rather to whitewash their sins.

The Lord is after a heart-changed people who are in relationship with Him and who are changed to become like Him.  The people Jeremiah was addressing were not interested in God's law and its affects on their lives, but were rather interested in checking off a box so they could continue to do whatever they wanted.  One wonders how many of us go to church on Sunday's for similar reasons?  Do we go to church to encounter God, or do we go to church to do our church-going duty?   Do we go to church on Sunday and then live the rest of the week exactly how we want to, not worried about anything?

So back to the original story, Jesus first quotes from Isaiah 56:7 about the temple being a house of prayer for all nations.  The purpose of the temple courts was for the common people (Non-priest) to be able to come close to God, to worship Him and encounter Him.  It was supposed to be a place dedicated to prayer and worship, and here it was a thriving hub of commerce for  sacrificial requirements.  I get the sense that the people in the temple were largely following the same pattern of behavior that was being addressed in Jeremiah.  The Lord is after our hearts, not our attendance, not our following the rules, not our Sunday  hour obligation!  He desires us to focus on Him, to meet Him, to worship Him, and to be changed.   He is after repentance (changed lives) and relationship.

So this morning I am encouraged to look at my heart and see what my true motivation, my true expectation is concerning church.  Am I going to meet an obligation, or am I going to encounter God?