I saw a sarcastic T-shirt that said, “Jesus is coming back, and he's mad as heck.” (Heck is eternal separation from Gosh ). It can seem odd to us that the Prince of Peace would be mad. His Father is love itself, and he is the greatest expression of love. He is the reason for hope. Yet, Jesus got both mad and sad.
If we can look at the world we live in today and not get sad, we have no heart. If we can look at today's world and not get mad, we have no brain. We can apply how Jesus got mad and sad to help us be angry and sin not, weep with those who weep, weep over our fallen culture, hate what is evil, and stand against everything that kills, steals, and destroys.
When he was mad and sad:
Jesus wept over the lost.
He came closer to the city, and when he saw it, he wept over it, saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it! . . . because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you!” Luke 19:41-44
Jesus weeps as “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel” 2 Cor 4:4. He is calling us to weep with him that the eyes of their hearts would be opened and that the lies of the enemy that lead them into sin and deception would be demolished and every thought taken captive and made obedient to Christ. Eph 1:18, 2 Corinth 10:5
Jesus wept with those who wept and mourned with those who mourned.
John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the bible, “Jesus wept.” Jesus wasn’t weeping over his friend, Lazarus dying. He knew he would be raised from the dead. He wept in sympathy with his close friends who were crying and mourning. Knowing the end of the story doesn’t mean you can’t cry at the sad parts.
Jesus, God with us, demonstrates and compels us toward sympathy so that we “weep with those who weep” and “comfort (console and encourage) those who are in any kind of trouble or distress.” Romans 12:15, 2 Cor 1:4.
For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation. Hebrews 4:15 AMPC
People are in fear, turmoil, frustration, and sadness over the oppression of the enemy from a corrupt government, a devastated economy, the plandemic, confused identities, unprecedented cultural divides, crime and drugs, decaying morals, and broken families. We can be the arms and voice of Jesus by encouraging them with our care, our prayers, and our testimonies of God’s faithfulness in our own struggles.
Jesus got angry but didn’t sin - Jesus' anger made him turn over tables, lash out at the self-righteous, and threaten death and hell for those who hurt others and kept people from God’s presence and grace. He said about people who lead children astray:
It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Luke 17:2
With all that is being foisted on our kids in the guise of affirming care, education, social justice, and identity choices, there’s no doubt that some people should be fitted for cement shoes.
As forceful as he was, Jesus exemplified how to “be angry, and yet do not sin.” Eph 4:26 As we exercise godly anger, we need to be reminded that “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” James 1:20. If we direct our anger at the enemy and his influence we will “not give the devil a foothold” Eph 4:27.
Jesus excoriated the religious leaders.
In his latest book, Religionless Christianity: God's Answer to Evil, Eric Metaxas follows up Letter to the American Church with a stern rebuke to “religious” Christians and their leaders for “having a form of godliness but denying its power” 2 Tim 3:5.
In the book of Matthew, Jesus calls the self-righteous, proud religious leaders “hypocrites” seven times, blind guides and fools, white-washed tombs, lawless, serpents, brood of vipers, murderers, and sons of hell! Matthew 23:13-33.
Jesus definitely expressed his righteous indignation and disgust.
Ezekiel issues a warning for us today as he describes the religiosity that angered Jesus:
Her priests have despised my law, and have defiled my sanctuaries: they have put no difference between holy and profane: nor have distinguished between the polluted and the clean Ezekiel 22:26.
The Message Version of the Ezekiel passage brings it closer to home:
Your priests violated my law and desecrated my holy things. They can’t tell the difference between sacred and secular. They tell people there’s no difference between right and wrong . . . profaning me by trying to pull me down to their level. Your politicians are like wolves prowling and killing and rapaciously taking whatever they want. Your preachers cover up for the politicians.
Jesus is still “mad as heck” at injustice, ungodly leaders, and evil-doers, yet he still weeps . . . and he still loves deeply.
Let’s gather together tomorrow to rejoice in the truth and practice sincerity that is “free of hypocrisy.” as we “detest what is evil; cling to what is good” and get mad, sad, and glad with Jesus. Romans 12:9, 1 Cor 13:7,13.
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