Do Not Be Angry
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Do Not Be Angry
Grit it out vs. give it up
- the sermon on the Mount does not push us to do either of these things
- it points us toward Jesus
Before being a pastor, Dan worked with inmates. Dan befriended an inmate named Keith, and cam to find out he was in for double murder. Why are we hearing this?
You may be worshipping today with a murderer. Or even more, you yourself may be a worshipping murderer.
Matthew 5:21-22 NLT
[21] “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ [22] But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
The deeper roots of anger
Jesus quotes right from the 10 commandments. Commandment #6 "do not murder".
Dan's striking realization about all the murderers he has met: how similar they are to him.
The original commandment is like the top of the iceberg. Jesus begins to show the rest when he says, "But I tell you..."
Matthew 5:22 NLT
[22] But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!
Is Jesus really equating anger with murder? Doesn't God get angry? Doesn't Jesus get angry?
We can conclude from this that not all anger is bad.
Jesus could have chosen two words for anger
- Thumos - a flash of anger. An impulse.
- Orgizo - anger as a state of mind. To brood and hold a grudge
Orgizo is the word that Jesus uses here.
Anger is a secondary emotion. Anger is always attached to something deeper. Anger is often attached to something you care deeply about. When that thing is threatened, you become angry.
This is why there can be good anger. If you threaten my wife, I will get angry in defense of her.
But bad anger can happen when you care about something that should not be a priority, like your own pride.
The poisonous progression of anger
Matthew 5:22 NLT
[22] But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
Jesus is helping us see that there is a poisonous progression to our anger.
Gossip is pornography of the mouth. Seeking a cheap thrill at someone else's expense
Moros - the Greek word we translate as "you fool"
Raca - empty-head. Non-person. Person who no longer exists to me.
- Our anger might start with diminishing insults. These become a lot easier to do when not in person.
- Those insults lead to a condemning contempt. We see ourselves as superior, able to evaluate another's character.
- That contempt leads to an eliminating indifference. We cancel a person or group out with our indifference. We effectively "kill" them in our minds. They are dead to us.
- That indifference leads to the danger of hell fire.
The word Jesus uses for Hell is gehena (sp?). This is an actual place in the Greek language. The Hinnom Valley. Israel became synchrotist (sp?) in their darker days. Worshipping God and other foreign gods.
What did they do in the name of other gods? They offered babies as sacrifices by burning them in fire. That is why this place is synonymous for hell in the Greek language.
Are we modern day practical synchrotists?
- We say we worship God, but if things so fringe on our rights we may get angry and act in ways not in accordance with God's will.
- If bad thing happen in sports we follow, so we react in ways that don't reflect God.
- In an election year, are things making us angry and responding in a way that does not reflect God?
What does Jesus mean that we are in danger of Hell fire?
- he may be saying that sitting in anger is resigning yourself to hell on earth. Is is at least not experiencing the kingdom
- but maybe he is saying that not responding to his teaching is a signal that I follow Jesus with my lips but not my life.
- and if that is the case, I may not just be heading to hell on earth, but he'll after too
1 John 3:15 NLT
[15] Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.
Jesus is saying you may be at church worshipping God, but if you are nursing anger in your heart then you are further from God than you can imagine.
The drastic solutions for anger
Case Study 1
Your brother or sister
Matthew 5:23-24 NLT
[23] “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, [24] leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Go First
In the kingdom, we make the first move.
Go Now
Jesus says to leave your gift. Whatever you're doing, stop and go make things right.
In the context Jesus was saying this, the person to be apologized to would have been a ~80 mile journey away.
Go All Out
Do everything you can to heal the fractured relationship.
Case Study 2
Your adversary
Matthew 5:25-26 NLT
[25] “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. [26] And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.
Settle Matters Quickly
If there's something you've done, don't let it fester. You may want to wait, because it gives you an opportunity to justify yourself. Do not do this.
Do not want to be right more than to be righteous.
Stay Out Of Prison
Do not enter the prison of unforgiveness. Many in the church live behind doors of resentment and bitterness. There is no freedom there.
Our culture encourages us in a different direction than this. Even in the church, we've found ways to justify anger. Many people only know a picture of angry/hateful Christianity.
Now What?
Is there an attitude I need to repent of?
Is there an action I need to take now?
Is there an affection I need to reorder? Something I am loving above Jesus?
What Jesus is saying is impossible. That's why we need him.