Disclaimer: Over the years I have been impacted by much reading and study. So there is probably nothing original expect thought and organization.
Anger
Luke 15:25-38
Luke 15:28-AV And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore
came his father out, and intreated him.
Start with the story of the prodigal son not reading the verse but telling the story.
I. Justifible anger, Gods anger
1. anger at wickedness, idoltry Ps 7:11
Psalms 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the
wicked] every day.
Wickedness is an evilness that is committed. It is a blatant disregard for sin. God is angry at this. He does not like sin but I believe he is more angry at blatant sin. This is when people get into idoltry. Sometimes maybe even witch craft. But God is angry at this. And so should we. I myself get angry at wickness. Those who are blatant in their sin. We should stand against wickness and stand for Christianity.
2. anger against forsakers, Is 1:4
Isaiah 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of
evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the
LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they
are gone away backward.
God is angry with forsakers. These are people who knew God. These are here referring to the people such as the Israelites who have many times turned their back on God and went to other idols.
The strangest part is that they know the gospel. They are not people who have never heard the word and never accepted but they know what is right.
God is still angry today with those who have forsaken his word. People who at one time lived the Christian but has turned away from him.
Why is he provoked to anger?
1. It puts a bad image on Christianity
2. God does not want anyone go to hell but he wants all to be in heaven. God's will is for all to be saved.
So God is angry at the forsakers.
3. anger against unbelief, Ps 78:21, 22
Psalms 78:21 Therefore the LORD heard [this], and was wroth: so a fire
was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his
salvation:
God is angry against unbelief. Let us go back to verse 12 and begin reading.
God is angry because all the wonders and miracles that he did for the Israelites and they still did not believe. What is it going to take? God wrought miracle after miracle after miracle but still they murmured against God. In the book of Numbers we see this 8 times. Sometimes one after another. It would seem that God would hardly be finished with a miracle then they would murmer. I believe this is why Moses got so mad and struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God had commanded we see this in Numbers 20.
There are people in society today that I don't know what it is going to take to win them to Christ. God works miracles in their lives it seems every day but they still will not believe. I believe God is angry with these people. I believe that God is going to be harder on these people in judgement. They had so many chances but still they would not accept
II. Unjustifable anger
1. as a result of pride, Proverbs 21:24
Proverbs 21
24. Proud [and] haughty scorner [is] his name, who dealeth in
proud wrath.
This a type of anger that comes from pride when a person thinks that they are better than the other person. We must be careful of this anger. This is an presumptious anger. You are persuming that you are better than others. God warns against us. As we know pride comes before fall. We must be careful of this in dealing with certain people of society. These maybe the handicapp or those who don't seem to be as fortunate as us. We somtimes think that we are better because of who we are and we get impatient with them in our dealings. This turns to anger.
James in his book warns us about playing favorites with the rich and the poor. We must not get to proud.
2. anger as a result of incruelity, Gen 49:7
Genesis 49:7 Cursed [be] their anger, for [it was] fierce; and their
wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter
them in Israel.
This is an anger that results in cruelity. As I have said many of times anger is not always the sin but it is the result of anger that is the sin. What becomes of anger. If it produces cruel treatment upon others then it is a sin. This is an anger that is hard hearted. It puts undue burdoned on others. In the New Testament we are taught to love and to turn the other cheek but when we seek to find cruel treatment because of our anger then we are in sin and the anger is wrong.
3. malice and blasphemy, Col 3:8
Colossians 3:8. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
When anger is coupled with these then it is wrong. When anger makes you blasphem or curse God then it is wroung. When it makes you seek for wrath then it is wrong. When it causes you to have malice or wicked thoughts and ideas against another person then it is wrong. This makes anger wrong.
III. Christians to do with anger
1. Be slow to anger, Prov 14:17
Proverbs 14:17. [He that is] soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of
wicked devices is hated.
Be slow to anger always think out the situtaion before you get angry about it sometimes you will find that there is no reason to get angry.
2. Not to sin in anger, Eph 4:29
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but
that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister
grace unto the hearers.
When you are anger don't sin in it. Pay attention to what you say. Don't slip up, if there is such thing as a slip up.
3. To put away anger, Eph 4:31
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and
evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
If you have a practice of avoiding anger and don't be quick to it then you would not have a problem
Read Eph 4:26
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
So how do we overcome this anger in our lives. First and formost have patience. Take time out of your excitement and think about the situation. Second take time and pray to God. Ask God what he would have you to do. Third I believe the best way to solve any situation is by being kind and nice. It usually changes the whole atomsphere.
If we could I would like us to all stand. With heads bowed and eyes closed. I am going to call all of us to come and have prayer with God but I want to ask first if there maybe something that God has been dealing with you about that you need to get resolved. Maybe it is anger or unresolved disputes. I believe God is asking you to come down and resolve these with him. So take the first step of repentance and come to the altar. Or maybe you have a situtation coming up that you need God to help you to give you patience in. Well let it begin right here with him. Come down and get forgiveness.
