There are a few attitudes or actions that appear to annoy Jesus, make him angry or grieve Him. Here are three ways that appear to get his goat.
1. Have a church and turn it into a den of thieves instead of a house of prayer.
In Mark 11:14, Jesus said, “My house should be called a place of worship for all nations.’ But you have made it a place where robbers hide!”
During this time, people bought animals for sacrificing at the temple, which doesn’t seem out of the ordinary until one discovers that the High Priest owned some of the shops that sold animals. So, here the main goal for the priest was to get in the people’s pockets instead of leading them to an intimate relationship with God. They weren’t having prayer meetings but sales and banking events, because they also exchanged Roman coins for Hebrew shekels inside the temple.
Jesus displayed disapproval for their actions, by chasing out everyone who was selling and buying. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the benches of those who were selling doves.
2. Profess to Be a Christian but produce no fruit.
In Mark 11:12-14, we have a fruit tree bearing leaves during fig season which means it should have figs underneath. Jesus went to the tree expecting fruit because he saw leaves but found none, so hence he cursed the tree. He declared it would no longer be allowed to be a fraud, the tree withered and died!
In Luke 13:6-9, He notes a man owned a vineyard that had a fig tree but the fig tree had not produced fruit for three years. He told the gardener to cut it down because it was only taking up space. However, the gardener asked the owner to give it one more year and if it didn’t produce/bear fruit He would cut it down.
Perhaps some Christians leave earth early because they stop bearing fruit?
3. Forget previous concepts He’s taught you, then act clueless when He attempts to teach a new principle.
In Matthew 16: 5-12, Jesus told the disciples to take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples immediately thought Jesus made the statement because they had forgotten to bring bread/lunch to the meeting.
One can hear the consternation in Jesus’ voice, when He said, “How is it that ye do not understand, that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?”
He proceeded to remind them about the five thousand people He fed with two fish and five loaves of bread or how He fed four thousand with seven loaves of bread with baskets of leftovers.
He wondered how in the world they could see the miracles and “not get it!” Perhaps it’s time to get a clue! Let’s not forget the miracles He’s performed in our lives.
