S.o.t.M. Overcoming Anger
Notes
Transcript
OPENER: LET’S START WITH A VENTING SESSION, (VERY CAREFULLY, AND CALMLY PLEASE?)
Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVES?
Here are a few of mine and some others that many people find annoying: (let’s see what we have in common, raise you hand when you also find one of these to be a pet peeve:)
With each one I am going to ask you to be honest as well and admit if you do the thing. HA! (this should be kind of fun…)
Category: bad drivers: people not using their turn signals and you wait unnecessarily, people not knowing that you can turn right on red (and you wait behind them unnecessarily),
Category: phone usage: when someone walks around in a public place (store etc) talking on their phone on speaker like this…people do not care about your conversation, have some consideration...), (if any of you do this please repent…HA!), this is most of us…sitting with someone and they are more interested in their phone because they check it every five seconds...
General: redundant hashtagging, excessive hashtagging, or #Ihateridiculouslylonghashtagsthataresentancesthathurtyoureyestryingtoread. #please stop it! (Grammer correctors, anyone?), talking during a movie, aggressive interrupters, (just try to listen), formal social media departures, (just leave quietly), over posters on smedia…(we do not need to hear about your dog, cat, or even child three times a day…) and then…over personal social media posters…(please do not complain about your spouse on social media…I promise you will almost instantly regret it…story of this…)
Now think about the feeling you get when you see one of your pet peeves...
Q: NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THE FEELING THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU SEE OR ENDURE A PET PEEVE?
Often it is just simple harmless frustration that passes quickly.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT FEELING OF FRUSTRATION AND WHAT YOU FEEL WHEN YOU GET ANGRY?
Intensity? Harder to let go of? WHILE FRUSTRATION USUALLY DISSIPATES, ANGER CAN BUILD UP AND EXPLODE CAUSES YOU TO GO A LITTLE OUT OF CONTROL OR SETTLE IN YOUR HEART AND CAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE.
Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.
FOR EXAMPLE: UNCHECKED ANGER CAN LEADS US TO DO STUPID THINGS
Q: HAVE YOU EVER DONE SOMETHING STUPID OUT OF ANGER, THAT YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE OTHERWISE?
BROKEN HAND: I was church league softball once when one of my fellow teammates got mad at the referee and punch the steel pole in the dugout, which resulted in him breaking his hand.
TONIGHT’S TOPIC: Tonight we are going to fast forward in the text to verses 21-26 and discuss overcoming anger. (Wesley wanted to teach “you are the Salt and Light” so we switched and then next week Mr Keith Coble is going to teach Christ coming to fulfill the Law in verses 17-20.)
Tonight we get to a point in Jesus’ sermon where He points out particular topics that are teaching individual lessons in and of themselves, while also being perfect examples of the underlying current of the Sermon on the Mount: TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MORE THAN ACTIONS BUT MUST BE FROM THE HEART.
OVERCOMING ANGER
We all get angry at times, it is a human emotion. But it is a tricky one because it is not so easy as anger is wrong, do not get angry!
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT: We are going to talk about our anger, God’s anger, when it is wrong and what Jesus means here.
WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT: This is and has always been an issue (unrighteous anger that is) (think Cain and Abel) but at this time in our history in the country and world, we each need to be especially careful about being angry.
More people are frustrated and angry right now in the midst of 2020.
Q: DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE MORE ANGRY RIGHT NOW, AND IF SO WHY?
There are a lot of reasons people are frustrated; the changes that we have had to adjust to are frustrating, the evil that we see in the world, the unrighteous reactions that people are having because of uncontrolled anger.
But something that we NEED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THE ENEMY WILL USE ANGER (WHEN WE DO NOT DEAL WITH IT APPROPRIATELY) TO DESTROY RELATIONSHIPS, CAUSE DIVISION, FIGHTING, HATRED, MURDER, AND ALL KINDS OF DESTRUCTION.
JESUS GETS TO THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM OF ANGER. HE DOES NOT JUST TALK ABOUT THE SYMPTOM OF MURDER.
Thus in the first two examples (21–30) a mere literal avoidance of murder and adultery does not get to the heart of the problem. Underlying these outward acts are the fundamental attitudes of hatred and lust. Where the heart is not right, drastic action is needed to correct it before it results in outward sin.[1]
There are a lot of “solutions” for the problem in the world that are useless because they do not get to the heart of the matter, only try to cover one problem with SOMETHING THAT CAUSES OTHER PROBLEMS.
The problem is sin.) (Not that a command of God is good enough…but Jesus digs deeper TO THE REASON FOR THE COMMAND)
He uses six well known examples; murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, retaliation and loving your enemies…(LET’S GET INTO OUR TEXT!)
RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION VS UNJUSTIFIED ANGER
I. V. 21 “You have heard it said”… you shall not murder…
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’
Q: WHO ARE THE “THOSE OF OLD” THAT THIS WAS SAID TO? AND HOW DID GOD CHOOSE TO SAY IT?
Killing leads to judgment. Obviously, this, the sixth commandment (Ex. 20:13) punishable by death. (Ex. 21:12) This is something we see often depicted on TV and in real life. LIFE IS NOT VALUED AS IT SHOULD BE.
But again Jesus digs down to the core issue in the heart that leads to murder which is anger (that often leads to hatred that often leads to murder.)
II. V. 22 “But I say,”…anyone who is angry with His brother, “without cause.”
“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; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
Q: SO DO YOU THINK IS IT WRONG TO BE ANGRY?
It seems that Jesus says yes. But this is where we have to examine what the bible says about anger. It depends on what context.
LET’S THINK ABOUT WHAT ELSE THE THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ANGER...
Q: WHAT ELSE DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ANGER?
WE CAN BE ANGRY AND NOT SIN:
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
GOD HAS ANGER OFTEN: We see God’s anger burning against the Israelites and others who were doing evil.
God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.
JESUS WAS ANGRY AT TIMES: We know that Jesus in anger “cleansed the temple.” Jesus also got angry because of Hypocrisy and people not loving.
And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
Q: HOW CAN GOD TELL US NOT TO BE ANGRY WITH PEOPLE, WHILE HE IS ANGRY WITH PEOPLE? (When is it and when is it not sin?)
(1) GOD’S ANGER IS ALWAYS JUSTIFIED AND RIGHTEOUS. It is true righteous indignation.
(2) GOD DOES NOT TELL US TO NOT BE ANGRY in every situation.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN GOD’S ANGER AND OUR ANGER?
God’s anger; righteous indignation is not what we see in man the majority of the time. GOD’S JUDGEMENT/EVALUATION OF EVERY SITUATION IS TRUE.
GOD’S ANGER IS NOT QUICK, IT IS PRECEDED BY PATIENCE.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
How does compare to our anger? We are often quick tempered, jump to conclusions, misinterpret intentions and give little mercy or empathy.
GOD’S ANGER IS NEVER UNJUSTIFIED OR UNCONTROLLED.
(Rom. 1) Paul said many times that the disobedience was the reason for the coming wrath of God.
HOW EASY IS IT TO CONTROL OUR WORDS, THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS WHEN OUR ANGER IS KINDLED.
Our anger is not always like God’s. The question is; why are we angry? God exhibits righteous indignation while our anger is sometimes unfounded.
We can be angry “without cause.” (V22) AS SOME TRANSLATION SAY.
WE OFTEN LET ALL OF THE OTHER FRUSTRATIONS IN OUR LIVES INFLUENCE THE LEVEL OF OUR ANGER ABOUT ONE SITUATION. (Take it out on…)
Top off the milk cap. When I was a kid I was once at one of my friend’s house when the friend’s dad came storming through the house yelling and cussing at his kids. Why was he so mad? Someone left the cap off the milk jug. But what was he really mad about? It was not the milk cap but something else. Many times we take our unresolved anger out on the innocent.
WE NEED TO BE SLOW TO ANGER, BECAUSE OUR ANGER DOES NOT PRODUCE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT GOD REQUIRES:
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.
JESUS IS NOT TALKING ABOUT RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION
When we understand the type of anger that Jesus is speaking of then we understand that it does not contradict “being angry and sinning not.”
Some translations have the Greek word ‘Eike’ which gives; “whoever is angry with his brother, without cause.”
This is an anger that would lead someone to outbursts and physical or verbal harm. “Jesus is warning of the danger of what anger can do.”
Our anger often does not produce righteousness but instead harm
Jesus gives two examples of the product that this type of anger that we harbor, or is uncontrolled that leads to sin when it is given opportunity.
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.
Whoever insults his brother: who says to him ‘racca.’
Q: SO IF YOU INSULT YOUR BROTHER IN ANGER YOU ARE LIABLE TO JUDGMENT? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY ‘RACCA’?
Some translations go ahead and translate it “fool.” This gives an idea but...
IT Can be easy for us to miss the meaning of what Jesus is saying. It’s not like Mr T saying “I pity the fool.”
Raca is a transliteration of an Aramaic term of uncertain meaning but it is thought that it means, “Empty headed,” or “stupid,” or most likely “worthless.” The term does appear in an Aramaic Papyrus dating to about A.D. 133 where it meant “worthless” or “invalid.”
RABBIS WOULD SAY IT TO ONE WHO WAS BEING KICKED OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE! IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST INSULTS, LIKE SAYING YOUR WORTHLESS.
It is not that you jokingly say to someone you idiot, but your anger leads you to hate the person to the point of hurting them verbally or physically.
When your anger leads you to hate another person or to think of them as worthless because of what they have done then your heart is darkened. God hates sin but considers no one worthless.
ANGER THAT LEADS TO HATRED WHICH LEADS TO MURDER
Anger like this is a seething bitterness towards someone, so great…that if given the opportunity would do violence and even kill. Anger breeds hatred and hatred murder.
Jesus is speaking of being angry enough to kill someone. The Pharisees are a perfect example of this. They felt righteous because they did not murder anyone, but then again they were angry enough to murder Jesus when given the opportunity. (BUT IT IS NOT JUST MURDER…BUT MORE COMMON THINGS)
Results of Unrighteous Anger
Q: BESIDES MURDER WHAT OTHER DESTRUCTIVE THINGS COME FROM ANGER?
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Notice that anger and then malice…(malice is an intention to harm someone b/c of anger...)
Q: SPECIFICALLY WHAT TYPE OF DAMAGE HAVE YOU SEEN ANGER DO?
“If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will avoid 100 days of sorrow.”
Leads you to say things you regret; just as Jesus talked about…Leads you to do things you will regret; We may not this but say or do things we regret… Leads you to hurt the people you love…
We may not kill like this but we may do great damage to others and ourselves.
Destroys relationships, destroys lives, and destroys people. Physical and verbal abuse, Mental stress… is being miserable…
Some people are so angry that it comes out at everyone…or at least makes the person who is angry is miserable and those who have to live with them have a hard time not being miserable…it is hard to be the person God wants you to be in your home and church family if you are bitter and angry…)
Leads you to hurt yourself
- What it ironic is the damage that it does to the person who harbors it.
3 QUOTES THAT ILLUSTRATE THAT:
“Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat.” H. E. Fosdick
“For every 60 seconds of anger you lose one minute of happiness.” - ??
“Anger will not only hurt others but burn you up inside.”
THE GREATEST DAMAGE IS It can lead us be lost!
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.
V22b: The word translated “hell” (Gehenna, 5:22)) referred literally to the L-shaped Hinnom Valley, south and west of Jerusalem. Child sacrifices had once been offered there to Molech
(cf. Jer. 7:31), but it had become in Jesus’ time an unclean rubbish heap noted for its continual burning. It became a metaphor for the place of eternal punishment.[3]
Trans: Sometimes it is not you who is angry, it is someone angry with you!
Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE IT WHEN SOMEONE IS MAD AT YOU?
RECONCILIATION WHEN SOMEONE IS ANGRY WITH YOU.
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.
Q: WHAT DOES LEAVING YOUR GIFT AT THE ALTAR HAVE TO DO WITH RECONCILING?
The importance of reconciling quickly
Spiritual importance:
You cannot be right with God if you are not right with your brother. (AS FAR AS YOU ARE CONCERNED…)
Even if you are there at the temple and you are about to offer…go to all the trouble it takes to leave you offering there and go make amends…
If you do not love your brother as God says then you do not love God and your offering will be useless anyway.
The reason this type of anger is sinful is because it keeps us from loving as God commands;
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
Physical importance;
If you are at fault it is wise even on worldly term to go and settle out of court. We see this all the time people are so angry with each other and hateful that they would rather go to court and risk losing so much or being put in jail to oppose that person.
Q: IN MARRIAGE, WHY WOULD IT BE IMPORTANT TO RECONCILE WITH YOUR SPOUSE QUICKLY? (MARRIED PEOPLE?)
Resentment can set in and anger builds and slowly effects everything in the relationship.
Q; What does it take to want to reconcile with someone who has wronged us? Love and a desire to not be resentful or for someone to be angry at you.
Story of Jacob and Esau is an example of reconciliation! There was forgiving, forgetting and no resentment.
IS THERE ANYONE YOU ARE ANGRY WITH THAT YOU NEED TO RECONCILE WITH?