Class #3 Good Religion vs Bad Religion

This week we framed the wonderful character of Jesus between the 2 extremes of the dysfunctional/evil Right and Left. On the one side we looked at the Right Wing Controlling/dysfunctionally angry version of Christianity. On the other side the Left Wing Permissive/dysfunctionally compassionate version of Christianity. Then we looked at the healthy version of Christiantity as seen in the person of Jesus:

1. John 11 - Jesus weeps over Lazarus and the loss of Mary and Martha's family. These are real tears as He is moved by compassion. Therefore God has real compassion over our pains and losses.
   
2. Mark 10:35 - Jesus is so approachable that James and John think that by merely asking Jesus they can get the highest rewards in all of eternity! The children find Jesus approachable and not scary like typical 'holiness' preachers. Even the despised Tax Collectors and prostitutes come to listen to Jesus an interact with Him. Therefore God is approachable ... if you really know what He is like. He is not angry and fault finding - just looking for something to accuse you of.
   
3. John 2 - Jesus drives out all the profiteering businessmen and the religous leaders who entrench their wicked system from the temple with physical violence and force. His anger and zeal result in worship of Jehova being re-established in the temple. Matthew 21:14 says that after this "The blind and the lame came to Him as the temple, and He healed them." Jesus's anger results in protection and healing! Therfore God's anger results in protection and healing.

When we dig through the Gospels we can contrast Jesus' healthy anger and fierceness with His healthy compassion and tenderness. Then we truly see why He is both:

The Lion and the Lamb! (Revelation 5:5)

And to pull another quote from John 1:17 we can see why Grace AND Truth came through Jesus Christ... not just one or the other. He is not one extreme or the other. He is both in perfect harmony!