Commands of Christ – 28b

Wednesday, October 12, 2022 Commands of Christ – 28

A Christian's Character: Dealing With Anger

Open: What do you think is the most powerful human emotion and why?

As we once again look at the subject of anger as it is presented in the Bible, I remind us of what Paul David Tripp wrote last week:

8 Ways We Normalize the Abnormal

October 04, 2022 by: Paul David Tripp

The Norm Should Be Love

God has made it clear that the norm for his children should be love. It is the thing that the listening and watching world should know us for.

Since our series has concentrated on KNOWING and DOING the commands of Jesus, don’t think we have abandoned that series.

We are still in it.

Tripp says:

This love is the new commandment that Jesus left with his disciples in his final days with them:

John 13:34–35 (NASB95) “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Last week as we looked at James 1:19-22 we didn’t quite get to 2 more commands of Jesus that this issue of anger touches:

James 1:19–22 (NLT) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Life Application Commentary says about:

James 1:20 Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

The anger spoken of here is a thoughtless, uncontrolled temper that leads to rash, hurtful words.

Our anger toward others does not create within us a life that can withstand God’s scrutiny.

Why not? Because expressed anger tends to be uncontrollable.

Anger usurps God’s role as judge. In fact, we can be sure our anger is wrong when it keeps us from living as God wants us to live.

Anger is inconsistent with Jesus’ command to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43–48) and not hate our brothers (Matthew 5:21–26).

Matthew 5:43–48 (NASB95) “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:21–22 (NASB95) “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

The standard for our responses to one another is not just some standard of cultural niceness or human love. The standard is nothing less than the generous, sacrificial, pure, forgiving, and faithful love that God has so graciously showered down on us in the person of his Son.

So, because of the clarity of his call to love and his promise to us of empowering grace,

there are things that we CANNOT allow to be normalized in our everyday responses to one another.

2. The normalization of anger-driven responses.

Although I talked about anger above, I want to give it added attention.

It doesn’t take very careful observation to conclude that we are living in an angry culture. Outrage of some kind, directed at someone who has created some offense somehow and needs to pay in some way, greets us every day.

The level of hair-trigger intolerance of even minor foibles, errors, or offenses should concern us all.

We are mad, and we are about to let you know it. Be very careful of what you post or say, because there are a lot of angry readers and listeners out there who are ready to respond with vengeance.

As I have reflected on the angry state of things, the words of James have come back to me again and again: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19–20). May we be those who are known for being ready to listen, slow to speak, and not given to quick angry reactions.

5. The normalization of vengeful responses.

A quick scan of Twitter responses reveals that it is not unusual for responses not just to debate, rebuke, or confront, but to harm. A person who is hurt by a post responds in a way that is calculated to hurt in return, to damage a person’s reputation, or even to attempt to end someone’s career. Here’s what we need to remember: vengeful anger is always the result of some person trying to do God’s job. There is only one judge of the heart. There is only one who is able to mete out perfectly holy and just judgment.

This article is adapted from Reactivity: How the Gospel Transforms Our Actions and Reactions by Paul David Tripp.

Dig:

As we continue to dig into God’s Word concerning anger, we remember:

Proof text:

Anger: Ephesians 4:26-32 (Consider context of Ephesians 4:17-25)

Ephesians 4:26–27 (NASB95) Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Ephesians 4:26–27 (NLT) And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Ephesians 4:31–32 (NASB95) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Perhaps the NLT of vs.26-27 aligns with Vs.31 better?

How likely are you to be able to be angry and NOT sin? When you get angry does it control you?

Which is better, to be angry and hold it in (and let it eat you alive) or express it without restraint (and cause all sorts of problems that apologies will NOT fix).

Handout: Fix it or Release it.

A definition and some characteristics of anger

A Dictionary of the Holy Bible: ANGER A violent emotion of a painful nature, sometimes arising spontaneously upon a just occasion, but usually characterized in the Bible as a great sin, Matthew 5:22 Ephesians 4:31 Colossians 3:8.

Colossians 3:8 (NASB95) But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

WHERE ANGER ERUPTS

Knowing the places and the ways that we are tempted can help us prepare by praying and by planning alternative responses instead of giving in to anger:

• Family—When we are misunderstood, ignored, unloved, criticized

• Church—When we are unnoticed, overlooked, unappreciated, criticized

• Workplace—When we are slighted, overworked, harassed, criticized

• Friends—When we are left out, disappointed, criticized

• Society—When we feel singled out for unfairness, taxed, criticized

Have you looked the handout over yet?

Does any of it make sense?

Your response to the handout: Anger: Facing the fire within

Even when just, our anger should be mitigated by a due consideration of the circumstances of the offence and the state of mind of the offender; of the folly and ill-results of this passion; of the claims of the gospel, and of our own need of forgiveness from others, but especially from God, Matthew 6:15.

But today let’s look at a case of UNJUST anger. next week: just anger that STILL led to sin.

READ: Genesis 4:1-16

How does Genesis describe Cain and Abel? Do these occupations reflect on their personalities? If so, how? (4:2)

Cain (gotten) - tiller of the ground

Abel (meaning breath or vapor, is associated with the shortness of his life) - keeper of flocks

Did they choose or were they assigned these jobs?

Farmers - more frustrated? Harder work?

Abel - had to learn patience as a sheep or goat herder?

Why and what did Cain and Abel offer to the Lord? (4:3-4)

We are not told God required this.

Cain seemed to be the initiator of this.

Can you hear it? “But God I came up with this idea to honor You and You reject me!

Cain - the fruit of the ground

Abel - the first and best of the flock

How did the Lord react to Cain’s and Abel’s offerings? (4:4-5)

Rejected Cain’s and accepted Abel’s

Why did God accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s?

We are not told in Genesis. But if we guess, we think it is because Abel offered the first and best (maybe Cain’s wasn’t?).

1 John 3:11–12 (NASB95) For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

What did the Lord tell Cain he needed to do? (4:6-7)

Master his anger

Master it:

Job 11:14–15 (NIV) if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, 15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear.

Romans 6:12 (NASB95) Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, Romans 6:16 (NASB95) Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Is there any question that Cain’s anger was sin?

Why “master it?”?

Proverbs 16:32 (NASB95) He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

Proverbs 14:29 (NASB95) He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.

Proverbs 15:18 (NASB95) A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute.

Proverbs 19:11 (NASB95) A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

Proverbs 19:19 (NASB95) A man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again.

Proverbs 22:24–25 (NASB95) Do not associate with a man given to anger; Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Or you will learn his ways And find a snare for yourself.

Proverbs 29:22–23 (NASB95) An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. 23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor.

What does the book of Proverbs ...

(who tells us in: Proverbs 4:5–9 (NIV) Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. 6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”)

… tell us about anger?

What did Cain do? (4:8)

He murdered Abel by killing him in a surprise attack.

What would motivate someone like Cain to kill his brother?

Jealousy?

Proverbs 27:4 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) We’re blasted by anger and swamped by rage, but who can survive jealousy?

Why did Cain kill his brother?

Does Cain’s response to God give us any insight?

He did not value his brother.

What makes all of us vulnerable to Cain’s kind of sin?

We let anger control us, rather than the other way around.

Why are family relationships more intense than other relationships?

They are closer to us and we are more vulnerable to them.

What positive or negative effect have your parents’ life-style had on you?

HUGE impact!

How do you usually react when you have been accused of doing something wrong?

Get defensive, angry, hurt.

How did the Lord punish Cain for his sin? (4:10-16)

Sent him out of the land — isolation..

What lessons can we learn from Cain’s action and subsequent punishment?

Anger will leave a lasting imprint.

From: Adult Questions for LESSONMaker.