The King's Command on Anger

So let's talk to I guess everybody in here. I was suppose at some point or another has been a student or is a student ever had an English or a writing assignment. Or you're supposed to interpret what a stories about or a paper or a book or something. You're supposed to interpret you're supposed to figure out what the author was trying to convey and then tell people tell your teacher tell the class of it's a report a verbal report. What what that thing that you read was about nobody ever had to do that before? six of you bouquet home screen

Sometimes that's really easy to do sometimes it's it's really playing like they give you if you read Chronicles of Narnia CS Lewis was a direct allegory type of person and Azlan is Jesus forgiving tokens little different. He didn't like allegory so you can't really pigeonhole his characters into one little Ro so sometimes it's hard to figure out what the author meant when you're reading something what they really want to try to convey. I had a friend ask I was an a student break Guy high school and he was decided in his interpretation his paper about Beowulf that he was going to go against hundreds of years of tradition of what things meant and he came up with his own interpretation and he was really proud of it. Okay, okay. It didn't work out so well for him and he was really mad. He got to see because his thoughts were original. When you're trying to interpret something, we're not looking for original t we're trying to figure out what is somebody mean. What did they say? And what does it mean well this morning? That's exactly what we're doing. Hopefully that's what I'm doing every week when I come and present the Bible to you. Hopefully, I'm looking to see what the authorial intent was what the author was trying to say to the to the people that he was riding to and then bring that Timeless truth into our day and help us applied to our lives. But let me ask you this question. What if the author showed up and told you? What the story meant or what the paper meant or what the law meant? What is the author could explain what he meant when he wrote what he wrote was that clear some things up. Oh, yeah, absolutely someone today what we're going to get. We're going to get the author capital A author explaining exactly what he meant when he wrote something. Jesus is going to tell us what he meant when he gave the law Jesus Christ is was forever will be God. We believe in a trinitarian God God the Father God the son God the Holy Spirit, they are not different or the same and yet they're different right same and Essence different enroll different manifestations, maybe but one God so when the law was given Jesus Christ as God gave the law. So today what we're going to see is the author shows up on the scene and 400. I don't know you Thousand Years people have been interpreting the laws according to what they thought it meant. And today the author shows up and explains exactly what it meant. So we get first-hand explanation of what the Bible actually says and what the law is actually all about and he's going to do this throughout the rest of chapter 5 of Matthew on various subjects, but today topic is anger anybody ever deal with anger? People elbow in their spouse and stuff like that. I just really the better question is has anybody ever not had any anger issues and it's crazy. We all have had anger issues, right? We did all of us have do and we'll deal with anger in one way or another or the one extreme or another and here's spoiler alert. We're always going to you're always going to deal with anger anger is a big part of our lives and we need to know how to handle it and you know what? It just so happens the Bible says stuff about anger. So we're going to deal with that in The Sermon on the Mount one of the first specific things that Jesus addresses is anger. So that kind of makes it seem like a big deal right because it is Jesus knew it and as the author he wants us to know it. So let's read what he has to say and work our way through it will be reading Matthew chapter 5 verses 21 through 26 if you would stand with me.

And let's look through another window this morning. The window of the word of God God's revelation of himself to us that points us to him and I would ask you to hear past my voice this morning to hear the very words of God. You have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment you ever insult his brother will be liable to the council. And whoever says you fool will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and their remember that your brother has something against you leave your gift there before the Altar and go first be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift come to terms quickly with your accuser while you're going with him to court lest your accuser hand you over to the judge and the judge to the Garden you put him in you be put in prison truly. I say to you you will never get out until you have paid the last penny the spray.

Can you speak clearly? And in our malaise and in our laziness and sometimes just out of utter confusion. We don't hear clearly. This morning. Would you open up our ears open up our hearts open up our minds open up our lives so that we might hear you speak clearly through the power of your spirit. the power of your word apply this word to your people and if there be those here this morning who do not know you Holy Spirit breathe life.

And bring regeneration. And help us to be faithful with what you give us today we have in Jesus name. Amen. You may be seated. Not that you really needed my permission for that but As we start this morning, it's going to be really important to remember what we've covered so far in our short progress Through The Sermon on the Mount to this point first. We saw that Jesus is speaking to whom

His disciples when he sits down on top of the mountain it says he opened his mouth and his disciples came to him and he began to teach them again. That's very important. This is for the Disciples of Jesus. Then we saw the characteristics of the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven verses 3 through 12, which we call the Beatitudes and then verses 13 through 15. We saw that Jesus tells his disciples that they're the salt of the earth and the light of the world and that they are to do their Good Deeds before men so that God would get glory and then two weeks ago up my notes a last week cuz this was ready last weekend. We didn't have the church thing. So two weeks ago. We saw Jesus turn his attention to the law of God and he said that he had not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it to fill it full. And Burst when he was a shock to everybody system when Jesus said to his hearers for I tell you unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And burst 20 is pivotal as we move into the passage today. Jesus is clearly saying that the external righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees is not true righteousness and that if anyone wants to see the Kingdom of Heaven, they can't rely on outward works, but rather have to be right with God and before men flowing from a heart that is clean and pure true righteousness is internal and works itself out word as the righteousness of Christ is exhibited through the True Believer. And this greater because actually much greater righteousness. This righteousness is a gift from God and cannot be achieved by our efforts or trying but Jesus was clear that his followers the citizens and his kingdom would live lives based on the law of God and the same law that was revealed in the Old Testament. Jesus said not a jot or a till would diminish from the love of God and his people would keep the commands of God and they would teach others to do the same. So what will see today and through the rest of chapter 5 is Jesus expanding on what living in and buy this law looks like so we'll see Jesus start with anger today, then we'll move not next week next week. We'll have a Christmas message. But the next time we come back together on The Sermon on the Mount will move to lust and then to divorce Odes retaliation and then loving your enemies. And this will be based on the law not in opposition to it and Jesus Will amplify this wall. Give it its true meaning focusing on the internet and not just doing things that look like they may be what God may have wanted us to do with bare minimum effort know this teaching will look into us it will penetrate us and call us to heartfelt obedience. And repentance internally and externally this passage today and going forward through chapter 5 is devastating.

and I mean that this on Earth things in us and opens our eyes to things in the law that we have not seen before. Not new truth the old truth made clear made plane. Let me tell you what it's going to affect every area of my life is going to affect every area of your life. And if it doesn't you missed it I missed it. So let's start and verse 21. You have heard that it was said that those of old you shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. So Jesus starts this section and you just come out of true righteousness, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees and he says let's talk about murder. Animes like no K that's pretty easy clear. I'm good. He says that his disciples have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judgment now. Ready to take a test and it like they give out the the paper and you sit down you're cracking your knuckles and you look and you know the first question I am I know that flash car boom. Got it answer suit. Yes. And then you get your test paper back and you got that one wrong. And then you say you got a lot wrong cuz you didn't know what you thought you knew that's kind of what's going on here. Jesus says you've heard it said You shall not murder and I'm sure that most people sitting on that Mountainside that they were righteous and I'll murder never done that when I'm good. You shall not murder. Whoever murders will be liable to judgment. So this is addressing the sixth commandment right now. Yes or no. The sixth commandment is found in Exodus 20 13 and it's here's your memory work for. You ready?

You shall not murder. Okay, you just memorize diverse. You're welcome. Okay Nexus 2013 is stated simply you shall not murder. So that's what Jesus is referring to write will look closely. He says you have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judge. Well, that's not the same. What a kid to memorize this verse little different, right? So what's going on here if you jump if you see that you have heard that it was said if you jump forward into verse 22 real quick. It says but I say to you so no Jesus the Same Jesus Is God Jesus is the author of the law says you have heard and then he says but I say to you so we saw two weeks ago that Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. So he says you've heard this but I say to you this so let me ask you a question is Jesus contradicting the law?

No is Jesus going to contradict the law? No? So what's going on here? Is there something different is Jesus saying something different 22 that he isn't 21 answer is yes, but what he's saying in 21 is not quite what we think. I don't think

you have heard that it was said to those of old now if Jesus was speaking of the Old Testament specifically, what do you think? He would say? It is written or let's say that the Lord has God not said right if he was referring to that specifically he would say something about God saying something I think so, but he says here you have heard that it was said to those of old. I remember we said two weeks ago that the scribes and Pharisees were known for their interpretation of the law. And I kept their laws and traditions as ways to show their version of their righteousness. That's Tim's back to how they would take the law and decide how to carry it out. And here's this is a pretty big coin hear. This was especially important after the return from Exile from Persia. Listen after having been in exile for a few Generations. The Jews had lost their identity in many ways. One of the main ways was that they lost their language OK as they were in exile for those 70 years. They stopped speaking Hebrew and started speaking Aramaic Jesus probably spoken Aramaic a lot because that was the language of the Jews but it wasn't the language of the original law that God had given the original law was written in Hebrew what you got a bunch of Exile to come back to Jerusalem and over the course of the years. They never adopted the Hebrew language back there. Still speaking Aramaic. What was the law written in Hebrew? So what happens when you can't read God's off you have to rely on somebody else to interpret it for you. Which is exactly what we saw in the Reformation, right the calf of the Roman Catholic church had bound up the word in Latin and nobody could read Latin or speak Latin. So you had to go to church listen to the professional preachers. Tell you what the Bible said. That's exactly what's going on here. Okay, they come back and they're speaking Aramaic and they had to rely on the scribes and the Pharisees who spoke Hebrew to tell him what the law says and to tell him what the law meant. So I had to lean on the teachers. They had to have an intermediary between them and the direct revelation of God. So here and Matthew. Jesus says you have heard that it was said to those of old. Light on the chapter, he start statements with you have heard that it was said and follow that up with but I say to you. So then what he is contradicting is not the law. He's not contradicting God's word, but rather he's contradicting the rabbinic tradition that has been passed down through generations by those who were watering down the law. And we see that here. He says you have heard that it was said to those of old you shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judgment will again, what did that 6 Commandments say, what was your memory work? You shall not murder.

Where did the rest of the statement then come from? It came from rabbinic tradition. It came from people interpreting and adding to the word of God

and whoever murders will be liable to judgment that was were been a tradition and the Judgment here refers to a civil a magistrate judgement. It's not even talk about the judgement of God. It's saying you could get in trouble with the courts. If you commit murder the authorities might come for you. That's what they're saying in the rabbinic tradition. And all that was true in Exodus when the law was given the rabbinic tradition was concerned only with getting in trouble. It wasn't referring to God being upset with you or God judging you was talking about some guy with a gavel he's going to swing it and say you're guilty.

What was the penalty for murder in the Old Testament? is that I'm actually we see that law predates even Moses time to go back to Genesis 9. This is God talking to Noah. And for your lifeblood, I will require a reckoning from every Beast. I will require it and from man from his fellow man. I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of Man by man. Shall his blood be shed for God made man in his own image.

You want to talk about capital punishment? Why because if you take somebody's life you are in direct confrontation with the image of God.

And this predates Moses this predates the law this goes back to God talking to Noah. So when you take someone's life, it's a big deal because it's an affront to God. And what the rabbis have brought in here is that don't murder cuz you could get in trouble with the Civil Authorities? Jesus like that's not what we were talking about back when we gave this lava for Davis law before if someone murders another human being his life is forfeit for God made man in his own image is the taking of a life made in God's image that is of Paramount importance. And so God would make it clear in the law and the sixth commandment and various points of the rest of the law and there's a lot in there that murder is a capital offense.

You heard that it was said to Those About You shall not murder and whoever murders will be liable to judgment. That's the rabbi's but thus saith the Lord You shall not commit murder because man is made in God's image and taking the life of another on purpose is to attack the very image of God. So the commandant is a much bigger deal than the teachings of the rabbis. before in verse 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 a fire. So this verse starts with one tooth or big words, but I say to you. Matthew is portraying Jesus as what? King this is authoritative. This is the king speaking. This is setting the record straight. This is the king making things right now note again. He's not quoting a rabbi or a tradition. He's not saying now according to Rabbi selling. So what they said is not true. He's saying I say to you. I gave all originally and I'm telling you exactly what it means. He is exerting his authority. He is exerting his deity clearly and emphatically you have heard that it was said to those of old but I say to you and what does he say regarding the command to not murder. He says that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. You say something if you got a different version, it may have been started in there without cause I know if I just got that that's in some of the versions. It's not in most of the early manuscript. It's not in the best manuscripts so we can kind of think I can be mad as long as I got a call. It's not in there folks.

Everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment and whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council and whoever says you fool will be liable to the hell of fire. Let me just say real quick to my mom hates it when I use the word fool because she thinks I'm going to hell.

Like seriously weight insightful to my house. So now sit around a lot just to get on your nerves, but you never listen this message, but okay. If I ever hear that for if you call somebody for you're going to hell just my mom Greg, okay.

So yeah, this is quite a bit bigger deal than just not murdering someone right? He equates murder with anger. He equates murder with insults. Listen to me young and he and he equates murder with name calling. When you're angry.

How did you hear what I just said? You've heard don't murder so that you don't get in trouble. But I say anger insulting and name-calling put you in danger of being found guilty by men and by God. That's a pretty big difference. Have you ever gotten mad at somebody?

Have you ever insulted somebody in that anger? Have you ever called somebody and name in that anger? Jesus equates that with murder

devastating

did you get what he's saying? He's saying that the command not to murder was much more than just telling people not to kill each other instead that command encompassed the whole of how people interact with each other in tense situations and they're bound to come up. You're bound to get mad at someone sometime obviously and Jesus isn't saying the law forbids that will get that later but he is saying but not addressing this anger not dealing with this anger or dealing with it in a way that demeans or lashes out at somebody else. is letting that anger manifest itself in ways that demean or twist your opinion of others and that's a really big deal and I listen this is super giant enormous all caps underline Circle! And stars important the verb that is translated is angry here is a present tense passive verb What's that mean? It means that I am angry, but the fat anger is acting up on me. Now you say why is that important? Because what you're going to see is we're supposed to act on our anger and handle it not let our anger directed what we do we can't be passive when anger is trying to act upon us. We have to act upon the anger. You cannot cannot cannot be passive when it comes to anger the statement. We make all the time. I think this is later on. I'm going to say it again for the state when we make all the time.

He deserve that because he made me mad kids get rid of that excuse. I'm destroying it today. Well, I punched him because he made me mad. If you will see in a minute punchings not the way you deal with anger. Name-calling is not the way you deal with anger. And you don't let anger act upon you you have to act upon it. The verb translated is angry is a present passive verb, it means that it is happening now and it is acting on the subject. You are angry. And the anger is making you angry.

And this is the younger that's not all right. And it leaves the insults and name-calling at least and ultimately that's carried out to its ultimate end. It leads to murder.

And that's clearly forbidden, right? And so Jesus is saying if you continue to be angry, if you continue to let that anger influence you and your angry with your brother. If you let that anger act on you drive you influence you you will be liable to judgment and this is not civil judgment as he makes clear by going to the extreme of referencing the hell of Fire. This is a far cry from not killing to avoid jail time. I kill more people but I go to jail that doesn't work. And we got a lot more to say here and we will an application but let's move on for now cuz he is not done by far verse 23 and 24. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you leave your gift there before the Altar and go first be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift. Now. Woo. first 23 starts with so Jesus is moving from being angry and hurling insults into what we should do about her anger how to handle it so that it's not handling you so since anger is a big deal and has to be dealt with do this. And what's he say this seems so counter-intuitive to me if I'm forming up. I thought process I don't bring this up here. But it's right and the author tells us why it's right. Listen. Anger is a big deal and has to be dealt with so. If you're offering your gift at the altar, what's the first thing that anger influences? your worship

you talk about stepping on toes you talk about getting all up in your business. This is exactly what Jesus is doing your anger affects your relationship with God first and foremost.

So anger affects our worship. Actually he sang handling our anger takes precedence over our worship. You know, what would have been would be awesome to hear you don't see somebody here today and ask him. Hey where we at? You know what I had to go make things right with my brother. So I missed Church.

Amber Heard that your life that's exactly what Jesus is saying to do here you pull in the parking lot you're coming in to make your offering and you realize that your brother has something against you.

Then come back and worship. This is pretty important. This is a pretty big deal.

First be reconciled to your brother and then come off of your gift if you're going to worship God and you remember while you're there that your brother has something against you and leave. And know that this has to do with your brother having something against you. He's not saying if you're angry with your brother. He said if you realize that your brother has something against you and you need to leave and do something about it. This is not just about harboring something but this particular statement rather is about there be tension between you and someone else and what they feel.

So this goes even deeper than just your anger. This is beyond how you feel and goes into how others feel. No room for all. Well, it's not on me here. I can't help it. If they're mad you're bringing your offering to God your animal your grain yourself your song and remember that someone you know has a beef with you and Jesus says don't bother worshipping leave and be reconciled to your brother and then coming off for your gift. Wow.

This is like offering and I'm not trying to blow it out of proportion. Let me ask you this. How many people in this room here this morning would be disqualified from worship because they need to be reconciled to someone he was upset with them.

And remember this is coming out of teaching on anger. Jesus is saying don't let the relationships in your life get to a point where you are angry with someone else and don't let them be angry with you either. You be pre-emptive you be proactive you get out ahead of it and make it a matter of highest priority. This is a big deal. And again, there's a lot of possibilities here a lot of variables that need discussed and we'll talk about them and application because I know a lot of you are sitting here right now one. Yeah, but yeah, but yeah, but yeah, but yeah, but yeah, but let's get rid of your butt.

There's no yeah buts in Jesus's statements. There's no caveats. There's no disclaimers. There's no fine print.

first 25 come to terms quickly with your accuser while you're going with him to court less your accuser hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard and you be put in prison. So verses 23 and 24 had to do with someone being upset with you. Remember to have something against you not here in verse 25. We see what happens. If you don't take care of that issue possibly hear the one who has something against you has become your accuser. 2 progression you're mad. Then somebody's upset with you. You don't deal with it. Now. They have become your accuser there issues with you have now become public record and are headed to the Civil Authorities. Now, is there room for anger here?

That son of a gun was telling everybody what he's mad at me about. The room for anger their righteous anger. I'm justified in my anger know Jesus says the onus is on his disciples to come to terms quickly with their accusers while they're going with them to court. This refers to the disciples willingness to give what is needed for reconciliation whether it is qualified or not. Come to terms means work out a deal. Take the first step take the initiative. Listen to what the offended one is asking for and make efforts to meet them there to do what they want. Why because they feel like you have they have they feel like they have been wrong. They are taking you to court.

Your job is not to establish your innocence. I need to say that again your job is not to establish your innocence. But instead to see the need of even your Accuser. And seeking to meet it. This is killing the need to be right. This is killing the need to make yourself look good in the eyes of others, but I didn't do anything wrong is the precursor to he lied about me or he's just a big baby and I'm down to go until we are angry insulting name-calling.

And that's not okay.

Jesus disciples are to be willing to compromise be willing to give up your rights and always be willing to do what is right.

What if you did do wrong to the Accuser? And what if the accuser is right then make it right and do it quickly. This is up to you.

Imagine how angry you would be sitting in prison for something like this. Don't let that happen you so I'm only thing I'm going to jail. Listen. There's more at stake here than just jail.

Maybe you got your faith in the justice system. Good luck with that one. If your faith is in the Justice of man, you're not fully trusting God's grace. If your faith is in somebody else forgiving you. Good luck. If you're trusting in things just working out right because I'm God's kid. Good luck. You're going to need it. In this world you will have trouble if they persecuted me they will persecute you if they hated me. They're going to hate you.

Are we supposed to whine and moan and complain and justify ourselves in the midst of that no come to term quickly with your Accuser.

You know what? Let me say something you're going to be wrong.

What are going to be told about you? And if you let that anger settle in your heart and don't do anything about it you are in guilty. You're liable to be judged. Listen to me Christian get used to this statement. Why not? Just rather be wrong? Is that the biblical underrated for you? Paul sister the president when one of you has a grievance against another does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the Saints or do you not know that the Saints will judge the world and if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivia OKC do you not know that we are to judge Angels how much more than matters pertaining to this life? So if you have such cases in the church a month believer, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church say this to your shame can't be that there's no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers but brother goes to logins brother and then before unbelievers now listen to have lawsuits at all with one. Another is already made the beat for you rather suffer wrong. rather be defrosted but you yourselves wrong in the fraud even your own Brothers.

I love that. I love that verse 7. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrosted if you're willing to suffer wrong, if you're willing for people to defraud you it's going to be real hard for that anger to settle into your life.

Just give up your rights be defrosted be wrong. Your reconciliation to even your accuser is more important than you being right.

And what if that doesn't take care of it and it escalates look at verse 26 truly I say to you you will never get out until you have paid the last penny and he said if you end up in jail any sign if you end up before the Judgment seat of God and you haven't dealt with this you've missed your chance. You're going to pay and you are paying full. And here's the lesson there there will come a time when you can't reconcile. Don't put things off till that time. Don't Harbor your anger don't want to be right that long you had a chance to swallow your pride and come to terms before all this happened. But you chose to want to defend yourself you chose to make your righteousness known and seen by others. Now, you can't make things right? Your only choice is to pay the price that your accuser was originally asking and maybe even more and you will pay

now what's this got to do with anger? I was not over spiritual as this but anger will imprison you. promise and once you've gone there once you're a slave to your anger than reconciliation won't happen reconciliation can happen. You just have to sit there and stew. I know a lot of angry people. And they're angry because of something that happened 20 years ago.

Please church please disciple of Jesus Christ. You are accumulating debt and that person that you are angry with has you in their grip. Don't let it get to that point.

You should have gotten out in front of this. You should have not counted yourself in your feelings as more important than the other person whether it was a brother or even your accuser. You should not have let your anger which hold you captive with. No, hope of getting out until the other person gets what they want from you you are in prison to their whims and you are imprisoned by your own anger and that's no way to live. That's not the kingdom of heaven.

That's not how Jesus lived right? That's not how we should live because I can The Sermon on the Mount is saying is Jesus saying this is how I'm going to live watch me and this is how I'm going to have you live. In response to how I live. I want you to be like me.

So much more to be covered, but we're out of town. So we have to apply and there's a lot to apply. Okay. So what should we do with our anger? Seems as if to me legal serve for our application points, there are stages of anger. We're going to look at getting angry. Being angry staying angry and I had to cheat on this one processing angry. It should be angry, but we had to stay so getting angry being angry staying angry and then processing Angry Angry Angry. Let me be clear. Getting angry is not a sin. I know we've let papa anger anger anger and natural part of life. You are not hearing today that you're not supposed to get angry. Jesus got angry, right? We saw him act on that anger a couple times cleansing the temple. We see him calling the Pharisees names. Right, so see a hypocrite. You're going to get angry.

But the anger of Jesus did not Define him. The anger of Jesus is not what drove him to do what he did. When he got angry he acted on his anger and move through that anger that gets into processing will get there in a minute.

He didn't get angry easily either. nor should we The word of God is clear that we are to be slow to anger Proverbs. 19:11 Good Sense makes one slow to anger and it is his glory to overlook an offense. People just gets mad.

What happened? I don't remember mad.

The fact that Proverbs talks about this shows that anger is a wisdom issue 2, by the way. So we should be slow to anger. In the Bible is clear that we can be angry and not sin. Actually. That's Commander the Fusions for 26 and 27 be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil. So couple things here don't send when you're angry and deal with it promptly. Don't let it linger why because lingering anger gives an opportunity to the devil lingering anger is a handle on your life that the devil can grab. To put it away Colossians 3 8 through 10 says it this way, but now you must put them all away anger wrath. Malice Lantern obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one. Another thing that you have put off the old self with its practices and it put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. So put it away. It away when it comes put it away deal with it. Actually if we read the rest of that Ephesians verse passage be angry. Do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity the devil listen to let the thief no longer steal but rather let him labor doing honest work with his own hand so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth. Been calling accusations, but only such as is good for building up as fits the occasion that it may give Grace to those who hear and do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were still for the day of redemption, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice be kind to one another tenderhearted forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. So when you get angry deal with it, how do you deal with it or get to that in a minute? But we see hear clearly we're going to get angry getting angry is a fact of life and the scripture clearly teaches were to be slow to anger and we're to deal quickly with anger when we do get angry. So that's getting angry. Now. There's a problem because what happens is when we get angry. We have a tendency to stay angry.

That goes into staying angry see how that works.

And what we saw one Ephesians and Colossians both were deal with it. Put it away. Don't let it linger. Do you have to do you have to let it linger?

27% y'all good

you got to deal with it quickly. Don't stay angry because when we Ecclesiastes also wisdom literature says this be not quick in your spirit to become angry anger lodges in the heart of fools. Why just means it gets stuck in there it stays there. And fools stay angry don't stay angry deal with it quickly because staying angry makes us to ugly things and how we equate it with murder if we starting to stay angry John Stotts, is it this way anger and insult or ugly symptoms of a desire to get rid of somebody who stands in your way our thoughts looks and words all indicate that we sometimes there to say. We wish he were dead such an evil wish is a breach of the sixth commandment when we start to stay angry and it lodges in our hearts. That's when the anger in the insult come out and those are symptoms of us staying angry and that's how it ties into murder because truthfully I don't wish they were dead. But yeah.

What happens when you stay angry? And when we stay angry we get angry. We stay angry. Then we start to live angry. We're living angry Proverbs 15:18 a hot-tempered man stirs up Strife, but he was slow to anger quiet contention. So when we start to live angry now, we're a hot-tempered person and everywhere we go. We're stirring up Strife was were mad and everything. You were mad at everybody something about anger. It doesn't just sit there. It multiplies it grows. It exudes out of everything we do and say how many people know angry people. I know angry people have been angry people. Cuz I haven't dealt with my anger. I told you a few weeks ago man to preach me a little while ago and said everything is making you mad. And I'm like you have your right living angry and everything was out straight up striping everything in traffic and I ever get mad forever and ever call people names and traffic.

Yes or no?

Sometimes you don't say a word you like to gestures or something.

I'm over living angry. Everything makes us mad everything.

Listen to this one. We're living angry. We got a problem 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. I promise you when you are living angry your life is not producing the righteousness of God. You are selfish self-centered. You're mad at everybody you're mad at everything. That's not righteous.

Jesus said unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees this external thing. You'll never see the kingdom of heaven. If you've gotten angry and you stayed angry and you're living angry, you are not producing the righteousness of God.

so processing angry getting staying living processing angry listen to me as we finish it is the responsibility of the angry person to deal with their anger.

Nobody else is going to fix this for you.

You might get what you want. You may get exonerated and you're still going to be mad.

Look at the commands in our passage from the why you can't look at it. Listen. Listen to the commands in this passage from today. Leave your gift be reconciled to your brother come to terms quickly with your accuser your gift your brother your Accuser.

They literally read for you to do your part. There is no mention of the other person doing anything except accusing.

Listen to me your anger is your issue to deal with?

Your anger listen to me is not dependent on somebody else.

You can't hand it off and say what if they would act right if they would do right if they would change if they would be different then I wouldn't be so angry. And if you're thinking this refers to somebody else if you're nuts in your spouse, if you're looking right when they need to hear this or blow is so so what are they really do here is your point. You're wrong. This is not about your wife or your husband or your coworker or your boss or anyone else. This passage is about you.

It's about me. Don't deflect this thinking somebody else needs it.

We all get angry, right? Then who has to deal with that anger the one who is feeling it and I cannot overemphasize that you have to hear Jesus saying that you being angry with your brother makes you liable to judgment when you insult your brother. You will be liable to the council if you call someone a fool or any other thing for that matter in Anger, you will be liable to the hell of Fire. You were the one who was to leave your gift on the Altar and seek out. Your brother has something against you and you are to be reconciled to that brother. You are to come to terms quickly with your accuser on your way to court. Stop blaming other people for your hair.