Sermon Tone Analysis

Radical Christianity

How to Handle Anger

Goal: Explain how anger is an extension to murder and that Christians are to seek reconciliation rather than vengeance.

Introduction

   Jesus had laid the foundation for Kingdom Living, that is for Christian Living.

The foundation laid in the Beatitudes is diametrically opposed to the world’s view.

Jesus went on to tell His disciples they were to be both Salt and Light in the world.

The next paragraph really introduces all of the topics Jesus will touch on in this discourse.

Verses 17-20 establish the relationship between Jesus’ teaching, the Law and the teaching of the Religious Leaders.

*Matthew 5:17-20 *  17 ¶ "Do not think that I came to abolish* the Law* or *the Prophets*; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others /to do /the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches /them/, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses /that /of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

A. Jesus’ Teaching

1. Jesus did not come to Destroy

a. Yet, that which he was teaching was not what the Pharisees and scribes taught.

b.

The words “Law or Prophets” were at times applied to different things.

1.

The Decalogue

2. The Pentateuch

3. Law and Prophets meant all of the O.T. writings.

4. Oral or Scribal law - which was the most common meaning at the time of Christ.

c. Jesus did not destroy the Decalogue.

Jesus did not destroy the Pentateuch.

Jesus did not destroy the Law and the Prophets.

Jesus did destroy the Scribal, Oral Law.

2. Jesus came to fulfill the Law, 18

a.

Nothing from the law would pass away until it was fulfilled.

b.

But in Christ, it was fulfilled.

1.

The Decalogue is the moral law of God was fulfilled in Christ because He was without sin.

Heb.

4:15 says, "For we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

2 Cor.

5:21, "For he hath made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteouness of God in Him."

2. The Ceremonial Law was fulfilled.

a.

This is the law governing the sacrifices and Holy Days, etc.

b.

When Jesus died on the cross he cried out, “It is Finished.”

c.

When Christ fulfilled everything in the Law, then the Law passed away.

1. Ultimately the Mosaic Law was never given to save anyone from Hell and condemnation.

2. Gal.

3:24 makes it clear that the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith.

3. Jesus’ Expectations of Obedience, 19

a. “Until all be fulfilled” the commandments are to be kept.

1.

The Scribes and the Pharisees were teaching people to observe the Oral Traditions - not the true Law.

b.

However, lest a person think that to come to Christ would mean he could do as he wished Jesus establishes the norm - greater righteousness than that of the Pharisees.

1. Jesus illustrates this extreme or radical righteousness.

2. Six times Jesus begins with "You have heard...but I say..."

3.

Each time he expands the teaching so that it is brought from actions to attitudes.

*Matthew 5:21-26 *  21 ¶ "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.

23 "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 

24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

25 "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

26 "Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

I. What the Law Actually Teaches, 21

A. “Do Not Commit Murder”

1.

I recognize there are different degrees of killings.

2. But murder in its basic understanding is the crime of killing another person deliberately with pre-meditation.

3. Other classifications that we have in American law are:

a. manslaughter – killing someone without malice or intent.

b. homicide – is justifiable or accidental killing

4. The basic teaching of the 10 Commandments is that we are not to murder.

B. Murder Results in Judgment

21 ¶ …and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'

1.

The OT established procedures for judging someone accused of murder.

2. But ultimately, if someone was found guilty of murder he~/she was to be put to death.

3. Jesus takes this basic teaching and shows that murder is first and foremost a heart issue.

II.

The Heart of Murder, 22

NAU *Matthew 5:22* "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.

A. Murder is an extension of anger

1.

The word translated “angry” refers to someone who is quick tempered, given to anger.

2. All of us know people who are quick tempered.

3. It’s easy to see how that quick anger can turn to uncontrollable rage.

4. Verse 22 actually shows a progression in anger.

B. Anger’s Progression

1.

I believe that what Jesus is giving to us in vs. 22 is the *heart’s attitude progression toward actual murder*.

a.

You don’t get up one day and decide, “I think I’ll go kill someone.”

b.

There is a progression that takes place deep inside a person that brings him to the place of acting on the anger.

c.

Jesus begins:

NAU *Matthew 5:22* "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court;..

1. Angry – orgilos – inclined to anger

a.

The Greek word orgilos is describing a tendency in the person.

b.

The tendency is to be quick tempered.

c.

You may never know what is going to kick off the anger.

d.

We are looking at a pattern; something that is common in the person.

e.