Offense Defense - Pt. 2 - Anger Danger Series

I. Introduction

He set down in his assigned, first class seat and as the plane prepared to start down the tarmac the stewardess approached Mohammad Ali and said, "Mr. Ali I need you to buckle your seatbelt." Ali looked back with his famous swaggy smile and said "Superman don't need no seatbelt." The quick thinking stewardess replied, "Superman don't need no plane either . . . buckle your seatbelt." The truth is none of us are superman or wonder woman. All of us are vulnerable. All of us are at risk. We are risk to danger and in particular to anger danger. We can all get mad. In this generation of perpetual offense we have a tendency to be so at risk to getting our feelings hurt and our undies in wad over any and everything. That wouldn't be an issue except according to the Scripture I want to examine today teach us that there is anger danger. Our anger does more than just cause us to lose sleep or lose our appetite. Anger actually starts us down a path that we may not even be aware of that is deadly and if we don't have offense defense we go gladly along down the path and then discover too late that we fell for the trap. Remember . . . last week we said the word for offense in the NT is a reference to the part of the trap the bait is attached to.

Later in this series we will talk about the idea that there are times we are supposed to get angry. But today I want to deal with the anger that isn't appropriate and see what it does in our life and in our walk with Christ.

I want us to read a portion of Scripture that is about believers. It is important to understand who is being addressed. Jesus is talking about His followers. So, He is talking to us! Jesus' disciples ask Him to tell them how to know the end was nearing. I want you to watch the progression that takes place . . .

(SLIDE 2-11) Text: Matthew 24:3-13

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. (MAN THIS IS A BAD LIST!)

10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Right in the middle of this horrid list Jesus says all this bad stuff wars, famines, earthquakes and that is just the beginning of sorrows. What? You mean it is going to get worse from here? I didn't think it could get any worse. And listed in the list of worse is that many will be offended, believers will betray one another, hate one another and then they are deceived and ultimately lose their love for Christ and fall away.

So, I want us to slow down, wake up, scream "Anger Danger!" See what anger, offense does to us.

Watch the progression Jesus shares.

Offense leads to betrayal. Because if you offended me I no longer feel the need to carry your burden. I no longer feel the need to protect you. I no longer feel the need to keep your business your business. When I am offended will say things I wouldn't say otherwise. I will share things I wouldn't share otherwise. Then betrayal leads to hate. So it progresses - anger danger - I was offended but now I can't even stand to see you. I don't want to be around you. I will duck to another aisle at the grocery store. I will wait in the car in the parking lot until I know you have cleared the lobby and then I will enter. I will leave service before you so I don't have to talk or make eye contact. I can't say your name without the snarl at the end of it. Offenses of the heart that are not dealt with end up leading to betrayal and betrayals not dealt with end up in hatred. Then hate leads to becoming vulnerable to deception. Because if they said they loved me but they offended me so badly then their word must not be true and if their word isn't true then the ONE they represent must be a liar too. If God's people are going to act like that then whey would I want to be one of them. Surely if one is like that they are all like that. Then deception leads to falling away or walking away from Christ.