Jesus Is Not Judgy

NOTE: We start a new sermon series this Sunday on Friendship... bring a friend!

I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 
     - Jonah 4:2

What are the attributes of God in this passage - the things that are attached to God that describe his ongoing character?  

Did you notice that anger is not one of them?  Yes, anger is mentioned in relation to God - but it's not his attribute.  He's not called "an angry God."  It's more like, "At times, God could get angry."  

So many of us, whether we name it or not, consider God to be an angry God.  And that messes with our souls.  When our God is angry, it's so much easier to slide into into guilt, fear, and shame.  We can live as if to dodge the lightning bolts we fear might be coming - always watching to see when 'the other shoe drops.'  But what if that's not what God is up to?

Remarkably, Jesus says that all of God's judgment has been handed over to him (John 5:22).  So take some time to think about how judgmental Jesus was.  There, that didn't take too long, did it?  Jesus was the most non-judgy person ever!  That's because, like God, he is not angry.  Like what Jonah said, he's "gracious and compassionate... abounding in love."  Sit in that truth for a while today.