EMOTIONS

1. EMOTIONS Lesson 1 for the 1st of January, 2011

2. What negative emotions can you identify in the characters in this story (2 Samuel, 13)?

3. Those negative emotions provoke adverse physical responses in us. If those physical responses last long, they could generate diseases in our body.

4. JESUS AND NEGATIVEEMOTIONS JESUS WEPT “He wept over Jerusalem, the city He loved, which refused to receive Him, the way, the truth, and the life. They had rejected Him, the Saviour, but He regarded them with pitying tenderness” (E.G.W. SC, cp. 1, pg. 12) “It was not only because of His human sympathy with Mary and Martha that Jesus wept. In His tears there was a sorrow as high above human sorrow as the heavens are higher than the earth. Christ did not weep for Lazarus; for He was about to call him from the grave. He wept because many of those now mourning for Lazarus would soon plan the death of Him who was the resurrection and the life” (E.G.W.DA, cp. 58, pg. 534)

5. JESUS AND NEGATIVEEMOTIONS JESUS WASDISTRESSED “We can have but faint conceptions of the inexpressible anguish of God’s dear Son in Gethsemane, as He realized His separation from His Father in consequence of bearing man’s sin” (E.G.W. TC2, “The sufferings of Christ”, cp. 29 pg. 207)

6. JESUS AND NEGATIVEEMOTIONS JESUS ANGERED AND GREW SAD “It is usually said that the only anger that does not involve sinning is the anger against sin... The Greek text implies that Jesus’ anger was a momentary reaction that turned into concern about those children who were ignorant about the truth, were standing far from his Father and hardly understood his love to them” (SDA Bible commentary, on Mark, 3: 5) “He looked round at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored” (Mark, 3: 5)

7. JESUS AND NEGATIVEEMOTIONS “When divinity flashed through humanity, not only did they see indignation on Christ’s countenance; they realized the import of His words. They felt as if before the throne of the eternal Judge, with their sentence passed on them for time and for eternity” (E.G.W., The Desire of Ages, cp. 16, pg. 163) JESUS GOTINDIGNANT

8. What positive emotions can you identify in the characters in the story of these characters?

9. Those positive emotions provoke healthy physical responses in us. Colossians, 3: 14 “But above all these things putonlove which is the bond of perfection” Love is more than an emotion, it is still the supreme emotion. God is love, and it is His plan for His children to experience love for others and from others; He wants us to know what it means to love God and to be loved by Him. Love brings about an array of other positive feelings and emotions that can be translated into highly desirable behaviours.

10. JESUS AND POSITIVE EMOTIONS JESUS TOOKPITYON Physicalneeds Forgivenneeds Healthneeds “The compassion Christ manifested as He looked upon the multitude was not a strange thing to Him; for this love and compassion dwells in the heart of the Father… It was compassion that brought Christ from heaven. It was compassion that led Him to clothe His divinity with humanity, that He might touch humanity. This led Him to manifest unparalleled tenderness and sympathy for man in his fallen condition” (E.G.W. ST, August 25, 1898) Leadingneeds

11. “Love, mercy, and compassion were revealed in every act of His life; His heart went out in tender sympathy to the children of men… The poorest and humblest were not afraid to approach Him. Even little children were attracted to Him. They loved to climb upon His knees and gaze into the pensive face, benignant with love” (E.G.W. Steps to Christ, cp. 1, pg. 11-12) JESUS AND POSITIVE EMOTIONS JESUS WASAFFECTIONATE

12. JESUS AND POSITIVE EMOTIONS JESUS LOVED “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John, 4: 19) “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (Mark, 10: 21) “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians, 2: 20) “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation, 1: 5) “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians, 5: 2)

13. THE END OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF POSITIVE EMOTIONS HOPE “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labour, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John, 16: 20-24)