Keep Your Anger in Check
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
How many of you have ever been angry? (that would be all of us). How many have ever been angry and thought, “I have no idea why I’m angry?” Many if not all of us have been angry this way. This morning Christ opens to the body of His sermon now. The introduction is now done. He is ready to get into the meat of the message.
In the the following verses you will ready again and again “you have heard it said.” Remember Christ was referring to the oral that, among the Jews, had become the standard of faith and life. Not God’s law, not the Word of God. Christ is now contrasting the oral law with His own words, He imposes His Standard. He in-turn says, “but I say unto you.”
Christ then warns the disciples to keep their anger in check. What does Anger often lead to? Broken relationships, things you never meant to do or say, and even murder.
Some years ago on a dark night, a young mother pushed her car into a lake. Inside were her two precious babies strapped into there seats. She left them to drown. For a period of weeks, the young woman told a story of a man stealing her car and taking her children. Her sad tale captured the sympathy of the nation. But after the truth of her treachery came out, the same people who had cried with her became enraged and demanded quick justice and revenge. The whole thing started with her being angry and her never dealt with the anger. It the led to murder and death.
There are many things that go through our minds when we hear about murder. We may become: Angry, sorrowful, fearful, outraged, confused, ashamed, or hurt.
These are all valid emotions when we hear about murder. Murder should upset us and make us angry. But another question is this: Do I become as upset at other kinds of murder? like the kind of murder that comes out of our own hearts.
We must question a few questions of our own hearts. Do I become so angry I wish for harm or death to another person? Do I become angry and bitter when things don’t go my way? If looks could kill, how many people would I have murdered in my lifetime?
Society as always been considered murder to be a serious crime worthy of judgement. But anger is a different matter. Few have ever thought of anger as being on same level as murder, much less worthy of serious judgement. However, Christ says that to be angry at someone without cause shall receive the same as murder.
The Law : Do Not Kill
The Law : Do Not Kill
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
The law against murder is e sixth commandment
Thou shalt not kill.
God’s law is given to protect life. Life is to be respected and cherished. No life is to be taken, not one’s own life or anyone else’s life.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
God’s law is clear, do not commit murder. Yet the sanctity of life is under attack on all fronts today. We should defend the life of the innocent at all cost.
Why? Because God places a high value on life, so we should do the same.
Christ starts by pointing out God’s command but then takes it a step farther to give us the meaning of anger.
The Meaning: Anger
The Meaning: Anger
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Christ is saying here that Man has a problem mis reading God’s law. Man interprets God’s law to say what he wants it to. He applies it only to the outward acts. In this case of murder, man says its only the actual act of murder that matters. But that’s not what God says.
Murder is deeper than the outward action. It is an inward act of anger, bitterness, enmity. Murder is born within a person, from an uncontrolled spirit of anger. unjustified anger is a sin that breaks God law.
Remember Christ is speaking to those who know God’s law. The person who knows the Bible needs this message as much as anyone. It wasn’t just for the world. We too can have this kind of anger in our hearts. When anger is left unchecked in our hearts it will lead to other things. Maybe not to physical act of taking a life, but you may think it. Anger leads o bitterness, enmity indignation and wrath, to slandering and to destroy ing a person’s image through gossip. Anger leads to hatred and fury to desiring hurt on a person.
You see Anger will grow if you don’t get control of it and let it go out of your life.
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
The growth of anger is dangerous. The word Christ uses here, Ra’ca, speaks of one who is out of control. Have you ever hear the phrase that he is seeing red? that is the same thought. When you become so anger that you have lost all control of rational thinking.
There is a justified anger though. In fact, the believer must be angry with those who sin and do wrong. Those who are unjust and selfish in their behavior. However justified anger is always in control and disciplined. It is always limited to those who do wrong either against God or against others. The distinguishing mark between sinful anger and justified is that justified is never selfish, it is never shown because of what has happened to oneself. It is an anger that is purposeful.
The Answer: Reconciliation
The Answer: Reconciliation
Christ had two surprising things to say about this point.
The urgency of Reconciliation
That Reconciliation should be sought while there is still some openness.
Reconciliation is always to precede worship. Even when we are entering the church to worship, if there is a problem between you and another Christian we are to stop and go fix the problem before the worship.
A person cannot expect to be right with God if he is not right with his bother.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Christianity is the only faith where a man can start all over again, forgiven and restored. At one time or another, all of us have wished we could retrieve hurtful words we have spoken. The only way to get a fresh start in any relationship is by going to that person and asking for forgiveness.
We must seek reconciliation when we get angry with someone.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
The time for us to seek reconciliation is while some openness still exists between the two parties. Reconciliation then should be attempted immediately.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
The End: Results of Anger
The End: Results of Anger
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Christ reemphasizes three strong points.
Judgement is sure. The Uttermost farthing or to paid down to the last cent. You will pay for unchecked anger.
There will be no escape. Thou shall by no means come out. There will be nothing and no one to deliver a person for the judgment,
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
3. Reconciliation should be sought quickly: right now - before judgment.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Everyone gets angry, but what a person does with that anger is the difference between life and death. We often find ourselves on the receiving end of evil actions of others. If you have been on the wrong end of someone else’s anger, have you forgiven that person? If you have been the one giving out the anger weather in your heart or openly, have you asked for forgiveness?
Have you taken the steps to seek reconciliation?
