Anger

Everyone has seen the lion king by now right?

But if you have not the main characters name is Symba

And Symba is next in line to his father to be the next king.

The issue is his uncle is very jelous and so one of the major parts of this story has Symba’s uncle scar doing things to make Symba think he is not worthy to be the next king.

‘and it culminates with Scar actually convincing Symba that he had killed his Dad.

And so as we all know Symba then runs away, until h relizes its time to claim his rightful spot and child of the king.

And let me tell you why I am bringing this up, because you are probably thinking sweet we are talking about reclaiming our identity as a child of the king, and thats partly true.

But really today we are looking at a tough passage and it actually places us in Scars seat.

Because my sermon today is not as much about reclaiming our identity, but its about how often times we are actually the ones who push other peoples identities away from children of God

Because to often what happens is we end up actually being the one tearing someone down, and saying you are not worthy or that you have no value.

And today Jesus actually addresses this, and he talks actually hits on how a lot of times this happens through our anger.

And so we will be in Matthew 5:21-26

And if you have your Bible you can turn there, but this is the second week of our series called “upside down” and really in this series Jesus turns our idea on how life should be lived and he flips it on its head.

And so once again we are in Matthew 5 and are starting in verses 21-23.

It says this:

Matthew 5:21–22 (ESV)

Anger

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

So Jesus starts by telling them you have heard it said you shall not murder or you will be liable of judgement.

And so far this makes sense doesn’t it?

Because this is already one of the 10 commandments

And I think I go wow I am really glad that me and Jesus are on the same page here.

But then Jesus says the next part and he says everyone who is angry with his brother and insults them in public will be liable to judgement with the council.

And in the Bibles original language that phrase insults a brother would have actually been referring to a public shaming.

So this would be like if as you were walking out of the church I was just trash talking Debbie.

I am publically shaming her to others.

And then Jesus goes whoever calls someone a fool is liable to the hell of fire.

And so whats interesting about this passaage that would have left everyone scratching there heads is as the offense goes down from murder, to talking bad about someone, to telling them to their face

(As these deescalate) the punishment gets way more intense to the point where we get to this last line that I just read where it says “you call someone aa fool, you are liable to the fire of hell”

But I think the key to understanding this passage is found in the word for fool in the Bibles original language.

Because the greek word used is “RACA”

And this word is literly translated as “worthless one” or “empty one”

So when you call someone that you are saying you have nothing to offer, you have no value.

And you might go that really bad, I would never say that,

And you might not say those exact words, but you will call someone an idiot,

or you might say wow the office would be way better off without that guy.

or you might further a rumor about someone and it elevates who you are (because you knew) and it takes away their value.

You might be judgemental, and every time you make a judgment you take a little more of that persons value.

And I want you to catch why Jesus says these three things together and its because they are all rooted in devaluing another person.

And he connects it all together, by going”

calling someone this is saying they have know value, publically shaming someone is declaring it to others, and then all murder is, is taking it into your own hands.

Its the ultimate act in which says I think this world would be better without you.

And this is why Jesus is going the problem is bigger then just name calling, because most of us can control ourselves where we would never murder someone,

But what really challenged me this week is how easy it is to catch myself whether its outloud or not devaluing other lives that were created in the image of God.

Whether it is the person that drives me crazy

Whether its the person that I disagree with

Or someone on the other side of the political aisle, and we just love throwing insults at them.

And Jesus tells us here this is serius, because these are people created in the image of God.

It is almost like this vase.

It is very nice isn’t it? I found it at goodwill for a few dollars. (possibly switch out for an old toy or playdough)

But if I asked you what this is you would know right?

But If I broke it, it becomes to look a little less like a vase.

And I hit it again and it looks a little less like the vaase

And the more you do it the more it looses how it is supose to look.

And my fear for the church and for Christians (especially during election season)

Is that we become a people that devalue other by calling insults, spreading rumors

And what we end up doing is devaluing people who are made in the image of God which is every person on this planet.

We can disagree with something or someone, there can be frustrated (in fact not all anger is bad), but please do not do this.

Because Jesus tells us that this is really serius.

And let me jump to verses 25-26 (we will come back to the verses I am skipping.

Because Jesus tells us just how damaging this can be and what to do:

Matthew 5:25–26 (ESV)

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

So Jesus tells them come to terms quickly,

Basically get this figured out,

And Jesus goes it is almost like if you came to court obviusly guilty, but you are pleading inocent.

I do not know if anyone has seen the video of this court case, where this guy (I am assuming he did it to be funny)

But he went to court for steeling a Dolphins jersey, but he pleaded innocent.

And the judge looks at him and goes well that interesting.

And Jesus is going this is what we are doing when we come to God and worship Him, but then devalue the people around us,

Because while God is so graceful, he is also a just judge.

And we are coming to Him going look how good I am and we say God you are so good,

But then we go but this person that you made and love, they might have been a mistake.

And what we are doing is we are showing up to God obviously with a huge issue, and we are acting like it does not even exist.

And Jesus tells us there is a cost here.

Because Jesus goes when you do this it will cost you a lot

He says you end up imprisoned and will pay every last penny.

Meaning you will pay more then you ever thought you would pay.

And what happens is yes you probably made someone elses life bad

But really what you are doing is being imprsioned by this toxic thing in your life.

And now its not just the people around you suffering because of your actions, but its you.

And I want to read verses 23-24 because this is how I want to wrap it all together:

Matthew 5:23–24 ESV

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

So Jesus tells us how important this is, because he says if you are offering something or really if you are in worship and you remember that a brother or a sister has somthing against you, leave and get reconciled with that person before you do anything else.

Its very rare that Jesus says leave worship right?

But I think it shows how Jesus is going worship and devaluing another person do not go together.

It would be like if I had this can of spray paint and I just started spray painting the front of the church, you guys would be pretty upset and disgusted right?

But in a sense Jesus is going this is what we are doing when we come and worship God while having this grudge against a brother or sister.

And as we get readyt to close I know this was a little bit of a shorter sermon, but I wanted to close with communion,

And the reason is because communion is something where we all come to the table as equals.

We come as people made in the image of God, maybe tons of differences, probably tons of different stories, but we come remembering that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

And this morning we will be singing this song, but before you come and get the elements,

I imagine there are some of us who have a tendency to devalue others, maybe this morning we can start to repent and realize the value in each life.

But also there are probably a lot of us that have a grudge this morning with someone, before you come, what would it look like to just send a text saying “can we talk?”

Maybe its someone in the room and you just need to tap them on the shoulder

Maybe you just are going I need to leave this place and have a talk.

But this morning is there a person on your heart?

Maybe God is saying its time to get this fixed, because it has been to long.

So lets get this fixed. Will you pray with me?