Angry like Jesus

Bible passage: John 2:14-22

Today's title is meant to be a little provocative. Angry like Jesus – doesn't seem to fit. Anger is negative and destructive, full of hatred, isn't it – nothing to do with Jesus.

What I want to look at today is the passion of Jesus – Jesus felt things passionately so that it provoked his emotions. Not some emotionless cold fish who went around with a benevolent mile – he felt deeply about the world he came to and it provoked him to strong feelings.

The Jesus we see in the Temple is a Jesus we might feel uncomfortable with. Jesus is angry enough to use a whip made of cords to get people to leave the Temple.

He expresses his anger by driving out cattle, sheep, and doves and overturning the tables of the temple money changers. Just like the people there that day we're shocked.
Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek, and love our enemies. How could he become so angry and do what he did?

This was a holy time of year, it was the Passover. The people in the temple courts were  doing what was required of them Jewish law. They were buying and selling animals for the purpose of offering God a sacrifice in the temple. It was inconvenient for them to bring their own animal sacrifices, as they were pilgrims who travelled some distance to Jerusalem for the Passover. The money changers were necessary because the people couldn’t use the Roman money, which had the inscription of the emperor on it. They needed to exchange Roman money for the Jewish shekel, which was used to support the temple priests as well as the maintenance of the temple with a temple tax.

So why did Jesus get so angry?

Mainly because the people had lost any sense of what the temple was for. They'd turned it into a marketplace for the convenience of everyone. A religion of convenience.

A religion of convenience is attractive, because it does not expect much of people. It's a religion that makes everyone has a good comfort level. It keeps religion easy and fun. It's about getting what you can out of God.

But Jesus came to say that life is not about religion. Religion is about getting what you can from God and others. A life lived for Jesus is about loving God and loving others

True faith is about grace  The Jews of Jesus time, so focused on the proper way of making sacrifices had turned what should have been about God in on itself. If they'd read their prophets they would know that true faith is not about burnt offerings but about a heart given over to God.

Behaving the way they were in the temple was blasphemous – offensive to God. Jesus had to show the people in a very clear way how God felt about their actions.

OT – prophetic actions – tearing clothes – walking through the streets covered in ashes. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. Jesus clearing the temple was a prophetic action to show the heart of God against the profanity in the temple.

There is a time to stand up and be counted. To say "in God's name this has to change"

Anger can be destructive. It can damage relationships and ruin people's lives.
These days anger is used as an excuse for domestic violence, often against women or children.
We have words for anger like Road Rage and Air Rage make it sound more acceptable – but it's not.
Most anger is selfish and dangerous. Not the kind of anger Jesus ever showed or ever condoned.

But there is also holy anger – the grief of God shown in our prophetic words and actions.
In Ephesians 4:26, Paul says, "In your anger do not sin." This is holy anger or righteous indignation.
Righteous indignation means a Christian has a right to be angry about the things that make God angry.

There is a difference between rage and righteous indignation. We have to be very careful how we use the powerful emotion of anger. It is right to be angry about injustice and sin; it is wrong to be angry over trivial personal offences.

Can easily explain away our selfish anger as righteous indignation. If our hearts are burning for our own reputation our those who have offended us we are simply angry. But if we burn against the way God's name or his justice or his righteousness has been offended then that anger can be righteous.

If I feel hurt or insulted, I have to deal with it and forgive those who insult me. But if we see children starving because of war we should be indignant. If hear people blaspheming the name of Jesus we should be indignant. If we see people leading others away from Jesus by false teaching or by watering own the gospel or deceiving people we should be indignant.

But we have lost our sense of indignation. We hear the name of Jesus used as swear word and we don't care. We are surrounded by false religions and we let it pass. We see people oppressed and lost and we shrug it off. If we do that we are not being like Jesus.

Tony Campolo – well–known for being provocative. One year spoke at Spring Harvest about poverty in the world- or about how little we cared about it. "there are a million children dying of hunger today and you don't give ****" "You care more that I just said **** at Spring harvest than about the million children.

Very uncomfortable moment.

If only we cared he way that Jesus cared and were able to get angry not at each other but about the way this world is going without Jesus.

One other snapshot from the life of Jesus:

Outside Jerusalem just before entered on Palm Sunday. Luke  19:41 – "as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city he wept over it and said "if you had only known on this day what would bring you peace".

Jesus saw Jerusalem and wept. Didn't sweep for himself – even though he knew what lay ahead. Wept that this city was going to reject him and in doing so be judged by God.

When did you last weep over Liverpool? This city which could be a signpost of the blessings of God, has been given so much in Christian message and heritage – city turns its back on Jesus. How much do we care? Do we care about our neighbours and friends and family who are lost without Jesus? Do we care about those we work with?

Jesus cared – not in a way that was weak and pitying. He cared enough to take action and show his love in laying down his life.

Sometimes we should be angry the way Jesus was angry. Sometimes we should weep. People are dying eternally without Jesus. People are being destroyed by ignoring his call to righteousness. People all over the world are suffering because of the selfishness of the few.