Hulk (pg-13), The

Group, Jul/Aug 2003 by Belknap, Bryan

MOVIE

Geneticist Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) works on a top-secret military project. After being drenched in gamma rays during a test, he transforms into a mean, green, muscle-bound fighting machine whenever his anger boils over. While your anger probably doesn't manifest itself as blatantly as The Hulk's, it can wreak havoc if not held in check. Althouah anaer itself isn't sinful, the way people handle this volatile emotion often forms the dividing line between sinner and saint. Walk your young people through Jesus' most famous foray into anger and discover together how to express it righteously.

Ask: What do you usually do with your anger? Does that make you feel better? Why or why not? When have you seen others act on their anger? What happened? Why is it so difficult to deal with our anger in healthy ways? Read aloud John 2:13-17. Why didn't Jesus choose a calmer way to make his point? Why weren't his actions sinful? How can you apply this standard to your own anger? What's the best way to deal with anger that isn't righteous? What are some practical ways to focus righteous anger? What one thing makes you angriest, and how can you address this area in the future?