Countdown: Flipping Tables

1. Share a small everyday thing that makes you irrationally angry… something that absolutely should not make you that mad but somehow does. (traffic, long lines at the coffee shop, etc)

2. In the message Garry said you can tell what someone cares about by what makes them angry. What are some things in the world today that make you feel angry or deeply bothered? What do those reactions reveal about what matters to you?

3. Read Matthew 21:12 When you picture what Jesus might have looked like, what image comes to mind? (Long hair, nice smile carrying a lamb on his shoulder and kids running by his side) What surprised you most about the story of Jesus flipping the tables in the temple?

4. Garry defined righteous anger as a morally justified, controlled, and selfless reaction to injustice, sin, or evil, rather than a personal insult. What’s the difference between anger that is healthy and anger that becomes destructive?

5. In this story Jesus stands up for the poor, the outsider, and the broken.

Why do you think those groups mattered so much to Jesus? Where do you see people like that today?

6. The temple was supposed to help people connect with God but had become a barrier instead. What are some things - either in our lives or in religious culture - that can accidentally make it harder for people to experience God?

This week, notice the moments when you feel anger rising. Instead of reacting immediately, pause and ask yourself: What does this reveal about what I care about—and does it reflect what Jesus cares about?