Scripture Readings: Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 16:32, James 1:19, Proverbs 19:11
Sermon Idea: Man’s anger is foolishness.
Sermon Type: Topical Sermon
Introduction:
As I was finishing my scripture study for this particular sermon a pop-up window came up on the bottom right corner of my laptop screen. The message read, LOW BATTERY! PLEASE CONNECT TO ANOTHER POWER SOURCE. So, like any other computer literate person out there, I hit Control S in order to save the work I had already accomplished, which to remind you, I was almost finished. As-soon-as I hit these two buttons I heard a ‘click’ and the whole screen went black. Not only that but all he little lights went out and the little cooling fan inside slowed to a complete stop. The whole computer shut down. Stunned, and with mixed emotions, I just sat there, staring at the dark screen. My whole face went pale. I closed my eyes and reopened them several times to make sure I wasn’t just seeing things. I even rubbed my eyes a few times. I swallowed hard and prayed my work was saved. As I tried turning it back on, I found the battery was dead! My body, already shaking, shook more. My heart pounded like it was going to come out of my chest. Then it happened, I realized the work may not be saved. My eye brows sunk and wrinkled up above my eyes. My lips tightened and my nostrils flared. I closed the laptop and put it into its case. I gathered all my books and notes and started making my way to my apartment from the computer lab, shoving my fist into a few brick walls on the way.
When I got home, I told my wife and prayed for favor from God. I prayed, “Lord, please don’t let all my work be erased. Please, Lord. Please!” I took the laptop out of the case and placed it onto my desk. I reached for the power cord that was tucked behind the desk, and I plugged it into the back of the machine. When I hit the power button, I prayed again, “Please, Lord! Please!” After it was all ready I went straight to my work and……my heart sank. All the breath that was held in my lungs came out through my mouth oh so slowly. Again, I closed my eyes and reopened them. Again I rubbed my eyes, but I wasn’t seeing things, the document was not recovered. It was only saved from the first time I saved it, which was basically at the beginning. Two hours of work, gone! I thought I was going to cry. My wife, Jenny, tried calming me with prayer and encouragement topped with a hug and kiss, but regretfully, it did not work. I became very angry. I put on my coat and went for a very long walk. I kept asking God why He allowed this to happen. I gave people dirty looks as I walked past them. I was so mad. When I came home that night, I decided not to even do the assignment. “I had already done it once, why should I have to do it again.” “It’s not my fault the computer battery went dead.” Excuses! Again I asked God why.
I went through the next couple of days just angry about it and complained to several of my friends, which made me even angrier. And again, I asked God why. Finally, I was laying at home, sick with a sinus infection, and it hit me! God answered my question. He said, “Tim, you learned nothing in your study the first time. You are still angry. That is why you need to do it again, but this time, take your time and apply the study to your life!” Harsh words they were from God, for my study was on the anger of man.
Sound familiar in your life? It is called anger; man’s anger. It takes a hold of us and tears us apart from the inside out. It can ruin different things in our lives. It can ruin our relationships with our family and friends. It can even ruin our relationship with God, as well. It is an ugly action that needs to stay out of our lives. So how can this happen? What can we do to take control of it? We are going to look at four different passages concerning man’s anger. Psalm 37:8, Proverbs 16:32, James 1:19, Proverbs 19:11. Each passage teaches us a different way to take control of our anger. Now remember, this is a sermon on anger, so if I frustrate you any where during this time, you can’t get angry, instead apply what God has to say to you today.
I. Man should not “fret” in his anger. (Psalm 37:8)
Psalm 37:8 reads “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. (NIV)”
Fretting is a very well known action all of us have done. We tell each other not to fret, or we hear it from someone else, but what exactly does the term mean? While the Webster’s Dictionary says it is an annoyance, irritation, or worry (Webster’s 558), we find that the psalmist defines it a little differently. It is not literal, it is figurative.
This figurative term comes from the Hebrew word hr;j; charah, khaw-raw’, which means to be blazed up, of anger, zeal, jealousy-be angry, burn, be displeased (Strong’s 372, Vines 43). Fretting is a burning anger. It is wrong. It is an act of anger that can lead to evil. John Gill in his explanatory notes states that “evil may be done by fretting at the prosperity of wicked men, or by imitating them, doing as they do, in hope of being prosperous as they are” (45).
It is very important to point out that according to the psalmist fretting leads to evil, so to fret is to sin, because when you fret, you are asking for sin to come upon you. Is this a good thing? Do you want to ask for in to come upon you? Every time you fret that is exactly what you do. Not only that, but you can effect other people when you fret. Fretting can damage our relationships with family and friends and with God. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to ruin any relationship I have with anyone at all, especially God. I know from experience that it is hard not to fret, but in the long run if you can be patient it pays off.
Fretting is a very dangerous act that needs to be left out of our walk with God period. In order to do this, we need to be patient, which leads us into the second teaching of taking control of our anger.
II. Man should not act as a “warrior” in his anger. (Proverbs 16:32)
Proverbs 16:32 reads “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.”
A “warrior” is known to be someone that fights in battles. Webster’s Dictionary says a “warrior” is someone who is experienced in conflict, especially war; a soldier (1603). When I think of a warrior, I think of a Native American on a horse equipped for battle, or anything that might come his way. Like the movie “Last of the Mohicans”. The Native American warriors on that movie were equipped at all times in order to do battle. They were defensive warriors. They were ready to defend themselves and their people. In this Proverb the writer is defining this term both literal and figurative, but he is not writing about a defensive warrior. He is telling us about an offensive warrior; one who is equipped to attack.
Strong’s Hebrew word for warrior is was;, ca’an, saw-an’, which means a soldier (1106, Vines 81). John Gill states, “Than a mighty warrior or conqueror; as Alexander who conquered his enemies, and even all the world, and yet in his wrath slew his best friends: a man that is slow to anger is esteemed by the Lord, respected by men, and is happy in himself; and is preferable to the strongest man that is not master of himself and of his passions” (523). The Proverb clearly states that an impatient or angry man is like this warrior.
A warrior is not considered to be the best person if defined figuratively. We find again in this particular verse that being a burning angry man or warrior can damage relationships with our friends, family and God, not to mention ourselves. But if we can define this a little differently it would certainly is not a bad thing. We can go out as defensive Christian warriors; equipped for battle against the devil and his army. In order to do this, we need to be patient and be very slow to speak.
III. Man should be “slow to speak” in his anger. (James 1:19)
James 1:19 reads “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”
Being “slow to speak” does not mean speaking slowly or clearly, even though in some cases we should. No, it means to think before speaking. Gill writes, “think before you speak, meditate on the word, and study to be approved to God and men. Silence is not only highly commended by the Pythagoreans, among whom it was enjoined their disciples five years; but also by the Jews: they say, nothing is better for the body than silence; that if a word is worth one shekel, silence is worth two, or worth a precious stone; that it is the spice of speech, and the chief of all spices; that it is the hedge of wisdom; hence it is the advice of Shammai; "say little, and do much": and they cry up, as a very excellent precept, "be silent, and hear"; and as containing more than persons are aware of” (783). Have you ever heard the old saying, “God only gave us one mouth and two ears, so we will be better listeners than talkers”?
Adam Clarke from his commentary on the entire Bible adds that “those who are hasty in speech are generally of a peevish or angry disposition. A person, who is careful to consider what he says, is not likely to be soon angry (James 1 “verse 19”). We need to try to stay away from the temptation of speaking before thinking. This, being a natural human instinct, is very hard to do. You can still be upset about the offense, but quickly speaking out of that anger shows anger at the person. This is yet another way of tearing relationships up. It is always better to listen and think before speaking. When we do these three things, not fretting, not acting as a warrior, being slow to speak in our anger, then God will reward us.
IV. Man will receive glory by not acting out in his anger. (Proverbs 19:11)
Proverbs 19:11 reads “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to look over an offense.”
Looking over an offense is something that takes a lot of patience, a lot of wisdom. How many of us have not let the offense go. We are human, and our instinct is to hold the person to that offense. Holding the offense is just like holding a grudge, being angry, being unwise. So if we don’t hold the offense, what do we get?
This proverb says there is “glory” for the man who looks over an offense. One might see this as a personal goal that was accomplished; therefore their glory is from them. Others might see this as a spiritual glory given by God. Either was it is meant literally. So, what does it really mean? The Hebrew word for glory is tre,ae,p]t{I, tiph’ereth, tif-eh’-reth, which means bravery, comely, fair, glorious, honor, majesty (Strong’s 392, 125). There is bravery and fairness to looking over an offense! Gill states, “That he does not show it immediately; but takes time to consider of the offence given him, and makes use of a proper time to resent what is fit should be resented; he is a wise and discreet man that is slow to anger, (Proverbs 14:29) (16:32) . He is most like to God, who is "longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth", (Exodus 34:6) ; and it is to the honour of his "name" that he "defers [his] anger", and "refrains from" cutting off those that offend him, (Isaiah 48:9) ; ‘and [it is] his “glory” to pass over a transgression’; to forgive an offence committed; it is the duty and interest of a man to do so, and it is to his honour; as the contrary greatly reflects dishonour on him, and tends to his disgrace and reproach, if not to his ruin” (534).
Jamieson also puts this into a spiritual side when he says that “this inculcation of a forgiving spirit shows that true religion is always the same (468)”. The glory that is gained from looking over an offense is both a personal and spiritual glory. It is gained through being patient and wise when offended. It is very clear that glory is attained when looking over the offense and from being patient in our anger. If an angry man does not look over the offense, then yet again relationships will be ruined.
Conclusion:
So, where do we go from here? I have given you four wonderful teachings from the Word of God to help you get a control over your anger. Man should not fret in his anger (Psalm 37:8). Man should not act as a warrior in his anger (Proverbs 16:32). Man should be slow to speak in his anger (James 1:19). Man will receive glory by not acting out in his anger (Proverbs 19:11). I hope you not only have learned how to do these things, but that you have learned how ugly anger really is. If you are the type of person that gets angry quickly and can’t keep a firm handle on it, then hopefully you will take these things taught today and apply them to your life. God will help you, if you let Him. We all need help in certain things and who better to ask for help than God Himself? Do you trust Him? You have to trust that God is going to help you through this. You have to trust God to release you from this sin called anger. Come to the altar and lay it all down for Him. Let God take this anger from you. Let God show you a better life.
