Anger is a very powerful emotion, and as such can be a very destructive force. How should Christians handle their anger even if it is justified?
sermon transcript
While getting behind the wheel when angry is never a good idea, occasionally that anger begins when the wheels are already in motion.
According to the National Roads and Motorists’ Association, things that really made drivers’ blood boil were the types of problems we all experience almost every day when driving and they are: –
- Drivers who don’t give the ‘thank you’ wave.
- People who slam the brakes unnecessarily.
- People who merge without indicating.
- Drivers who can’t keep a constant speed.
- People who drive under the speed limit.
- Those who don’t allow others to merge.
- Drivers who cut people off.
- People who text and drive.
- Tailgaters,
- Drivers who use the right lane incorrectly.
I can feel that some of you are getting heated with me just reading the list! Yeah, we’ve all experienced rotten drivers!!! And of course we are never the rotten driver ourselves.
I’m sure we’ve all had bad driving experiences that have made us angry, but the following case of road rage defies belief, because both drivers called the police as they pursued each other through the streets.
In 2015, Robert Doyle called the police in Florida (USA) and informed them that another driver had attempted to ram him clean off the road.
At the same time, Candelerio Gonzalez’s wife, Cathy, was on the phone with the police to tell them about a driver that was out of control, and she told the police they intended to follow him home (bad decision!)
The whole incident played out on the police radio, as Doyle, weapon in hand, pulled into his driveway. Gonzalez blocked his car in (that driveway) and Doyle opened fire as soon as he exited the car. Gonzalez was killed by four separate gunshots and Doyle held Gonzalez’s family at gunpoint until the police arrived.
He was charged with second-degree murder, but the charges were later dropped.
It just goes to show, though, that perspective is everything in a road rage incident and both drivers felt they were in the right, both drivers felt they were in the right!!
Anger. How many lives have been taken, how many families destroyed because of it?
I’ll tell you how many – too many, that’s how many!
We’ve all felt anger. Many of us have even suffered the consequences of it.
We all know what it’s like to be angry.
Even newborn babies know how to be angry when they clench their little fists, turn red in their face, and scream with all their might!
When I was 16 or 17, I was quite annoyed over something one day, I can’t remember exactly what it was. But what I do remember was something that my dad said to me just before I went to bed.
I was saying goodnight to my parents and my dad could see that I was still carrying the anger and he said something that really impacted me.
He said, ‘Oh Pamela, don’t let the sun go down on your anger.’
I tell you when he spoke that sentence to me the words pierced my heart,
I went to bed forgetting my anger and meditating on dad’s good advice.
My mind has recalled that quote time after time after time over the last 45 years.
The truth is he was quoting Scripture at the appropriate time.
And that scripture, which was powerful and sharper than any double-edged sword, pierced my soul to make a lasting impression.
‘Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.’
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, Who lives in my heart, I ask that Your name be glorified throughout this sermon. Lord I pray for every Spirit inspired sermon that is preached in Western Australia this morning that people will receive Your Word into their hearts, and WA will be a better place for it. Amen
Turn with me to
Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Be angry, and yet do not sin.
Anger is not called sin here, in other places in Scripture it is, however in this verse it is acknowledging the fact that yes there are times we do get angry, but in this verse there lies in the background the thought that when one is angry sin is crouching at the door.
In other words, ANGER can so very quickly lead to sin.
We all know this fact; the prisons are full of people whose anger has resulted in serious assault or murder.
We’ve all experienced times where our anger has led us to say awful things that we wouldn’t normally say, it has led us to behave in a way that we wouldn’t normally behave.
Anger is a very powerful emotion, and as such can be a very destructive force.
But there is no doubt, that there is a proper place for ‘righteous anger or indignation’ which is what this verse is really dealing with – Righteous indignation.
Did you hear about the child who was asked by the teacher?
“What is righteous indignation?”
And the child answered,
“I don’t know but I think it means to get real mad and not swear.”
Righteous indignation, righteous anger is when morally you are right when your anger is aroused by something felt to be unfair, unworthy or wrong.
Hey, I regularly feel justifiably angry when I watch the news.
- Cruelty to animals makes me angry.
- Children dieing of starvation makes me angry.
- Human trafficking makes me angry.
- Old people being maliciously attacked by youth makes me angry.
- Racism makes me angry.
- Puberty blockers and so called “gender affirming” surgery used on confused children makes me angry.
- Drunk driving makes me angry.
- People dying of drug overdose makes me angry.
The list can go on and on because we live in a sinful world and the injustice stirs up my temper. This is righteous anger.
God’s anger is righteous, so was the anger of Jesus who is God.
If God and Jesus experienced anger then there must be a good and true anger which God’s people can learn from.
I will go even further and say that there is a great need in the contemporary world for more Christian anger.
We human beings compromise with sin in a way in which God never does.
In the face of blatant evil, we should be indignant not tolerant, angry not apathetic.
If God hates sin, His people should hate it too. If evil arouses His anger it should arouse ours also.
Righteous anger should motivate us into the right action.
Righteous anger should motivate us into the right action.
Most of the wonderful missionaries we support in Cityview Church are doing what they are doing because they got angry with a particular injustice. Whether it be starvation, human trafficking, drugs, unwanted pregnancies, unwanted children, or out of control and unloved children. Our missionaries got so angry with an injustice to the point where they are doing something about it. And you know what? You need to get angry along with them so that you will pray for, and financially support, the work they do!
The psalmist says,
Psalm 119:53
Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law.
Or here’s another way of saying it,
Psalm 119:53 GOD’S WORD Translation
I am burning with anger because of wicked people, who abandon Your teachings.
So tell me, what other reaction can wickedness be expected to provoke in those who love God?
It has to be anger.
At the same time, however, we need to remember our weaknesses and inconsistencies.
So often there is a subtle temptation for me to regard all my anger as ‘righteous indignation’ and other people’s anger as sheer bad temper.
We can excuse all our anger as being righteously motivated. But it is not.
In this Scripture
Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
It is suggested that anger can be prevented from degenerating into sin if a strict time limit is placed on it:
‘do not let the sun go down on your anger’
In other words, if possible let reconciliation be effected before nightfall.
Don’t stay angry.
Don’t lay in your bed angry… this is very dangerous, and all married couples say AMEN.
If the person with whom one is angry is not accessible, or refuses to be reconciled, then at least the heart should be unburdened of its animosity by giving the matter to God.
Give it to God.
Give the situation to Him.
Say, God this person, persons or situation has made me mad, but I am not going to keep thinking about it I am giving it to You in faith.
Romans 12:19
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
If retribution (or punishment) is called for, let God take care of it: His retribution (His punishment) will be just, and free from SELF-REGARDING motives!
If you have been wronged, God is your greatest vindicator. You don’t have to lose sleep thinking about payback. Because whatever people have done to you they’ve done it to Jesus. Just remember that. In fact, it’s a very scary position for those for who have been unjustly cruel to innocent Christians. They don’t know what they are going to face on judgement day.
If you are suffering hurt by being angry and unforgiving, you need to let it go. Don’t lose sleep over it, it’s not worth it. It will make you sick.
‘Nursing one’s wrath to keep it warm’ is not a wise policy for any Christian:
Let me say that one again,
‘Nursing one’s wrath to keep it warm’ is not a wise policy for any Christian:
Why?
- It magnifies grievance.
- Makes reconciliation more difficult.
- And destroys friendly relations.
Proverbs 30:33
For the churning of milk produces butter,
And pressing the nose brings forth blood;
So the churning of anger produces strife.
When you nurse your anger when you keep it warm because you won’t let it go,
You are actually giving Satan an opportunity to cause strife in your body and environment.
The other day I was mediating on this very Scripture ‘…do not give the devil an opportunity’ and I saw it like this,
Anger starts in your mind as a little spark,
if you keep entertaining that anger, if you keep nursing it, the longer you nurse it and feed it and fuel it, the more it is going to grow,
Now when it first started, it’s just a little spark and if you immediately give it to God the Holy Spirit will just go
BLOW OUT THE MATCH
and it will be blown out!
BUT when you give personal attention to that spark by nursing it and feeding it and fueling it (with every thought that Satan sends your way) before you know it there’s a raging bushfire out of control and you find yourself doing and saying things that could have eternally destructive consequences.
You can just imagine Satan throwing the logs on the fire of your brain and laughing at the destruction that it causes.
You’ve given him an opportunity which he will not refuse.
And before you know it, you’re thinking and behaving like the father of lies rather than the Father of LOVE.
Paul in,
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 (The Message)
Don’t think I’m carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I’m joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief–we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!
Satan knows how fine the line is between righteous and unrighteous anger, and how hard we human beings find it to handle our anger responsibly.
So, he loiters around angry people, hoping to be able to exploit the situation to his own advantage by provoking them into hatred or violence or a breach of fellowship.
Don’t let him do it people…. don’t let him feed your flammable rubbish!
Don’t, every lie of Satan is highly flammable.
Finally, I wish to finish this sermon with a little story from the Bible.
Matthew 18:23-32
“The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t pay up, so the king (in righteous anger) ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.
“The poor wretch threw himself at the king’s feet and begged, “Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ Touched by his plea, the king (let go of his righteous anger) and let him off, erasing the debt.
“The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He became extremely uncontrollably angry and in anger he seized him by the throat and demanded, “Pay up. Now!’
“The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, “Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ But the angry and vengeful servant wouldn’t do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid.
When the other servants saw this going on, they became righteously outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.
“The king summoned the man and said, “You evil nasty piece of work! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn’t you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?’ The king was righteously furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that’s exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn’t forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy.”
It all really boils down to how much we’ve been forgiven.
The next time you are angry and tempted to go over the top with your anger, before you do, remember the debt that was paid for you by Jesus.
And Jesus didn’t just pay the debt but He has sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us through our times of anger. The Holy spirit helps us to forgive, the Holy Spirit can blow out those sparks of anger.”
Because remember one of the fruits of the Spirit is self control, if you are born again you have self-control!
Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.
Don’t nurse your anger by keeping it warm.
Get over it. Get over it quickly. Amen?