Holy Anger


The Bible spends a lot of time talking about things like LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF CONTROL.  But today I want to talk about ANGER - because even Jesus got angry...and I think it's important to see why.

Take for instance the morning Jesus came riding into Jerusalem as a king.  Crowds of people lined the street.  They cut down palm branches and laid them along the road.  They shouted, "Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (Mark 11:9)

And immediately after his triumphal entry, the books of Matthew and Mark both record the following two events (though they vary on which came first).

"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 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  And as he taught them, he said, 'Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? <Is. 56:7), but you have made it a den of robbers! <Jer. 7:11> (Mark 11:15-17)

Jesus' holy anger came in reaction to the fact that the people in the temple were more concerned with making money than they were with praying and worshipping God.  It mattered more to those running the temple that the people had the right "gifts" to offer, instead of recognizing it is US - our hearts and minds and souls, that Jesus wants...that offering ourselves is the gift He desires.

The next story (or the previous one depending on the book), is about a fig tree.  The tree has leaves signifying it SHOULD also have figs, and hungry Jesus goes over to get something to eat.  However, upon reaching the tree He finds it has no fruit.  "Then he said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again.'" (Mark 11:14)

Jesus was angry with the tree because it was "all leaves and no fruit," and I suspect there are a lot of people like that little tree.

Friends, God wants us to bear fruit.  It's why He created us.  We are not here for our own pleasure.  We are not here to take up time and space and resources without producing anything for the Kingdom! 

God created each one of us with a purpose, and He desires us to figure out what that is - and to DO IT - to bear fruit.  Because the Bible warns us - over and over again - that there are consequences if we do not:

  • Matthew 3:8-10
  • Matthew 7:16-20
  • John 15:2


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