So far this Lenten season we have learned about Jesus as our ‘homeless savior’ from the fox, Jesus as our ‘peaceful savior’ from the donkey, and last week, Jesus as a ‘warning savior’ from the camel.
(Slide 1) Today we are going to learn from the dove, a harmless creature if there ever was one, about Jesus our ‘angry savior.’ What does the dove has to teach us about this side of Jesus? Let’s find out from Professor Junglefuss and Juanita:
(Dramatic reading from Living Lent; the animals tell the story, the dove reveals an angry savior’ by Creative Communications for the Parish © 2008)
Let’s hear Matthew’s account of Jesus’ angry outburst that is found in chapter 21 and verses 12 through 16 of his gospel account:
‘Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves. He said, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a place of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
The blind and the lame came to him, and he healed them there in the Temple. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the little children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But they were indignant and asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
When you think of ‘anger’ what comes to mind? An angry, red faced person who is ready to blow what seems like steam out of his or her ears and let loose a torrent of verbal ammo that will rip into your, or another person’s heart and soul?
When anger comes to mind what do you think of? The road rage driver who cuts you off in traffic with the wave of fist (or something else) or worse or the sharp stare of a person who has been ‘out foxed’ by you at the store because you got the last item they wanted at the sale price?
When we think of anger, do we think of Jesus? Our text for today shows us a side of Jesus that I think either we shirk from wanting to see or want to use to advance our own personal agendas because an angry Jesus can become a weapon in our hands and mouths to justify our own anger.
This angry outburst takes place after (perhaps right after) Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Now, it is the second time that Jesus does this because John records in his gospel account (chapter 2 and verses 13 through 17) a similar outburst at the beginning of His ministry.
Jesus is angry that the temple is being used for profit by those who are taking advantage of the poor and the Gentiles who are forced to the margins of the temple to pray. Now, lest we think that this was an ancient problem, we need to remember that at times in our American history, money was raised through pew rentals.
This meant that the wealthy could pay for the best pews in the sanctuary (usually the front ones) and the poor only had the balcony sections or the back of the church or even the front entrance from which to worship. In the New Testament book of James, the author talks about the favoritism that can cause problems in leaving the poor out while favoring the rich.
But it is not just a rich and poor issue. It can be a black and white issue; educated and uneducated issue; white collar and blue collar issue. It is about barriers that are built (sometimes unintentionally but built just the same) to keep people from experiencing God.
Notice that Jesus’ quotes from Isaiah 56:7 as He turns the tables and drives out the money changers. There is a good reason for that and we need to hear His statement in the context that it was written in when He calls the temple ‘a house of prayer.’ We begin with verse 1 and conclude with verse 8:
“Be just and fair to all,” says the Lord. “Do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue you. Blessed are those who are careful to do this. Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest by refusing to work. And blessed are those who keep themselves from doing wrong.
“And my blessings are for Gentiles, too, when they commit themselves to the Lord. Do not let them think that I consider them second-class citizens. And my blessings are also for the eunuchs. They are as much mine as anyone else. For I say this to the eunuchs who keep my Sabbath days holy, who choose to do what pleases me and commit their lives to me: I will give them—in my house, within my walls—a memorial and a name far greater than the honor they would have received by having sons and daughters. For the name I give them is an everlasting one. It will never disappear!
“I will also bless the Gentiles who commit themselves to the Lord and serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who have accepted his covenant. I will bring them also to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel”
Now the dove is not only a symbol of peace but also the Holy Spirit and when I think of the Holy Spirit I think of the day of Pentecost. In Acts 2:4 we read, ‘everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.’
The result was a multi-national crowd gathered and who hears about the Christian faith and many believe in it. God’s plan, of a house of prayer for all nations, starts to become a reality. The New Covenant that Jesus speaks of to the disciples in the Upper Room is now in effect.
Salvation is for all people. Salvation is for all people. There are no qualifications or exceptions in John 3:16.
As we move toward conclusion this morning, how does all of this impact us tomorrow morning when we go to school, the office, the factory, the grocery store, the doctor’s office, etc. Let’s first think about anger.
Anger, is about loss: the loss of power, the loss of eligibility (or being left out), the loss of influence, the loss of purpose, and the loss of dignity. All of us have experienced and will continue to experience these types of losses in our lives until we die. The question is, ‘How do we deal with them, and our anger that is created by them, in an honest and God-honoring way?’
Next, let’s think about fear. Fear and anger are linked together because what we fear we also get angry about and what we get angry about we are also afraid of. Part of the problem with anger has been the teaching is that anger is a sin.
That’s not what the Bible says. It says in Psalm 4:4, ‘Don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.’ Now this might seem to contradict Ephesians 4:25-27 which says, ‘And “don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.’
Think through this with me for a moment. When we get angry we have two options: First is to immediately blow up at the person or persons that we are angry at. Is that always the best thing to do? No.
The second option is to hold it in and never express it… appropriately. Is this always the best thing to do? No. Either we give ourselves problems and create a smoldering resentment that could eventually explode or could physically effect us or we end up dealing with depression which sometimes is anger turned inwards.
Is it not sometimes a good idea to make the choice to calm ourselves down and think through our response, ‘sleep on it, another words’ before we deal with the issue and the persons involved? Maybe it is, depending on us and the circumstances.
Let’s think about this issue of anger in another light. Is there a different between hate and anger?
I would suggest there is. Anger is often directed at a person’s action. ‘I am angry at what you did.’
Hate is a little stronger than anger (at least I think that it is). Yes we often say, ‘I hate what you just did. Why did you do that?’ That’s a really strong statement to make. I think that hatred is directed at a person or group of people. ‘I hate you!’
I recently read something that gave me a new perspective on the power of anger to resolve differences and bring people together instead of apart. It said, ‘it isn’t possible to be close to someone without being angry at times.’ It goes on to say that when we are able to express our anger respectfully and honestly to others, especially those we care about, and allow them to do the same to us, the potential for growth and better relationships are created.
Then a few days later I read about revenge, which is very much a part of hate. A question was asked, ‘are we spending time and thought on how we have been wronged? On the unfairness of life? Those who consume their resources in this way have few left for growth and development. Their wounds stay open for years, and they block the healing.’
Now, having said all of this, I ask us this morning, (Slide 2) ‘Did Jesus hate those who He confronted in the Temple?’ Did Jesus care for the religious leaders at all? Or did He write them off?
It is tempting for us to admit, based on the evidence in the four gospel accounts that Jesus cared little for the Pharisees and religious leaders. But He did care for them. John 3 says it all. Nicodemus, who was one of them, is brought face to face with the truth that a right relationship with God is not rule based but grace based and it is available for everyone who chooses to believe in Jesus. Jesus made no exceptions.
What Jesus hated, and what God hates, is our sin. Jesus hated the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. In Isaiah 61:8 we read, “For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing.’ That is what was happening in the temple.
In Romans 12:9, ‘Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.’ That’s what Jesus was doing in the temple. Standing for what was right.
God hates our sin. He hates our selfish and self-righteous attitudes. That is what the problem was in the temple. Those who were selling were selling for selfish reasons and not to help others honor and worship God. Jesus was justifiably angry with them and He hated their selfishness. But He loved them just as much as He loves us.
I would suggest this morning that during this focused season of fasting and repentance that we give up and repent of our hatred and our unjustifiable anger. There cannot be any room in our hearts for it and God. God cannot dwell in a heart of hated and unjustified anger. They must be let go of through confession, admitting the truth about them, and surrender to God for removal.
Jesus was an angry savior not because of some petty thing. He was angry because people were being selfish and self-righteous and keeping others from worshipping God who sent Jesus to die for the sins of each and every human being that has ever lived and will ever lived…
What is the Spirit saying to each of us this morning on this matter? Let us hear Him and let us obey what He has to say to us in this regard and let us honor Him. Amen.
Quotes on anger and revenge are from Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men. © 1986/1987 by Harper/Hazelden
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