Anger is a universal emotion so how can we be distinctive in the way we handle it?

Matthew 5

21. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’

22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

26 I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

What is it that makes being a Christian distinctive?

How did Jesus Christ expect his followers to live in a fallen world in such a way that the that differences people see in us make us attracting and Christ awesome?

That is the thrust of the sermon on the mount!

In this section Jesus apparently is teaching us about murder.

I can image you going away from here today and someone says “What did Ian preach on?”

• “He preached on murder”
• “What did he say?”
• “he was generally against it”!!!

When Jesus taught about murder he did something vitally important to our Christians growth

• he looked at motives
• (we are going to see this repeatedly in the sermon on the mount)

What makes living for Christ distinctive? –

• it’s motives as well as the methods,
• it’s the heart as well as the habits

And when Jesus unpacks the whole topic of murder her finds one dominant heart attitude behind it – anger

• seething, violent, vicious anger.

Anger is one of the most powerful of all human emotions.

• it can rise and fall at a moment’s notice
• it can be ignited in one person by things that seem trivial to another

One person becomes irate when someone else lets them down

• another becomes annoyed when they get cut in while driving round a roundabout
• one person can get angry when someone speaks to them
• another gets angry when they’re not spoken to!

I have come across a few people who say they are never angry

I would like to give such people the challenge I faced this week

Attempt to change the service you have with your internet provider.

• Search their website for the minuscule ‘contact us’ button (doesn’t the size of it tell you something?)
• then ring one of the 3 numbers offered to you only to be told you need to dial one of the others.
• Read the little note that tells you the charge for this call – 6p a minute – and ring the number
• be entertained by Mozart with a drum kit for seven minutes and be told every 45 seconds that ‘your call is important to us’
• Then explain your predicament only the to told you’re talking to the wrong person again “but I can redirect you ..”
• When you’re redirected to the right person (after more Mozart) you discover that his first language is serbocroat and he’s speaking to you from a call centre in Mexico.
• When you tell him that you pay our bills every 6 months in advance by ‘cheque’ he is not programmed to receive that response and sends to you customer services in India.
• After being transferred for the sixth time I guarantee you first hand experience of anger!

We get worried by anger

• because we fear that it can be something that could get out of control
• “I’m afraid” said someone to me recently “that I could snap and then I don’t know what I’d do!”

There are times when we have all felt angry – even if we haven’t expressed it or even acknowledged it – it’s there

• and in this passage Jesus tells us about how to deal with it.

Jesus – more radical than the OT law <ppt>

This passage s the first of six statements of Jesus where he says “You have heard it said … but I say to you”.

• he was calling into question what they had been taught
• not to write it off, but to say “that’s not the whole story”

Jesus makes the requirements of discipleship more radical than the letter of the law!

• He in implicitly putting himself above the law (not that he can flout, but that what he says supersedes it!)
• This is an implicit claim to be on a par with God!

Is he writing off the commandment not to commit murder?

• No way! – He’s going to the heart of the matter
• Where does murder come from? – the heart

a man doesn’t murder someone without first having murderous thoughts in his heart.

TWO COURTS v21-22

21. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.’

What happened to a suspected murderer?

• he was brought up before the courts – Sanhedrin
• evidence was brought
• judges had to decide whether he was guilty or not.

22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] will be subject to judgement.

Is Jesus saying that an angry person should be brought up before the courts? No!

• no human court is competent to judge a person’s heart to see if it harbours anger – only God can do that
• so here he’s describing a different court – a heavenly one

The Pharisees taught that it was only the action that mattered – you could feel as angry as you like with someone so long as you didn’t murder them

• Jesus says NO! It’s your heart attitude that counts.
• my heart is judged by the heavenly court – and by my own conscience
• Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.

V22 … Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

There seems to be a scale of seriousness that Jesus applies to these insults

one is ‘liable to judgement’ one is ‘liable to the Sanhedrin’ (=the supreme court of the land) and finally one ‘in danger of the fire of hell.’

So what does ‘Raca’ mean – the truth is we don’t really know for sure.

• It’s possible it’s an Aramaic swear word meaning ‘imbecile’ or something stronger – but it was clearly a 4-letter insult!

From this we might deduce that ‘you fool’ is an even more deadly insult

the fires of hell (or ‘Gehenna’) was a nickname given to a plot of land outside Jerusalme that was used as a rubbish dump.

It was unconsecrated ground and heathen ritual (Molech) used to take place there.

There would be constant fires burning – like a public incinerator and it was one of the worst places Jesus could describe as the consequence of saying ‘you fool’

It’s the same word as was used for the man who build his house upon the sand, the 5 virigns who failed to bring enough oil for the wedding and Jesus used it of the Pharisees at one point (“Blind fools”)

Same distinction being made here – human and divine assessment.

• “Raca” – a swear word for which you could be questioned before the council – unacceptable talk!
• “You fool” – seems to indicate a heart attitude of derision and rejection – the Sanhedrin (council) were unable to assess this, but the Lord was!

But how do I deal with feelings like this? >>>

2 Cor 10:4-5

4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

>>>

TWO EXAMPLES

Given by Jesus

a) my brother v23-24

It is sometimes people who are closest to us that cause us the most hurt

• and against whom we feel the hottest anger
• e.g. marriage relationships – one of the closest of all human relationships – yet prone to the expression of fierce anger
• Why? – because my partner knows me too well – knows my faults – can’t be hidden

Why when I’m giving a gift

• to them this would mean bringing a sacrifice to the temple
• i.e. the time when I’m meeting with God

How often this happens!

• as I come to worship – get close to God
• at that point he shows something that needs to be dealt with
• ever come to communion? – brief time for examination – God’s said “do something about that” person you’re angry with?

Also God speaks to us when we bring gifts because their gifts were an outward sign of an inner attitude

• the sacrifice is good, but there’s more to it
• it should be matched by a heart cleansed by God
• “a sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit you will not despise O Lord”

Here Jesus says “If my brother is the aggrieved party then I should go to him”

• but what if I am the aggrieved party? – see Matt 18:15

Matthew 18

15. “If your brother sins against you, (i.e. you are the aggrieved person) go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.

Principle: If you know – then go!

b) my adversary v25-26

This example is a time when someone has a justifiable complaint against me

• Jesus says deal with it quickly – if possible out of court

How seldom we listen to Jesus call for swift action when we are angry.

• Jesus says “do it now” don’t put it off
• otherwise the full consequences of my anger will be visited on me
• I’ll have to pay the whole debt!

TWO ANGERS

Is it ever right for a Christian to be angry? Is anger always sinful.

• this is an important question because we sometimes feel that we have a right to be angry.

Jesus is talking here about unrighteous anger

• destructive, malicious – need to be dealt with

“In your anger, do not sin” => there is such a thing as anger that is not a sinful emotion.

The Bible does allow for righteous anger

• anger at exploitation and injustice

e.g. Jesus in the temple

e.g. I.W. in Windsor – St Georges Chapel

WHAT TO DO WITH ANGER

a) acknowledge it before the Lord

* admit it, seek his grace to face it

b) understand it

* separate the anger from the issue >>>

c) express it constructively

Some people advocate screaming, shouting etc.

• this is unhelpful as it can only serve to re-enforce my anger

Better to do something constructive to dissipate anger

• physical exercise
• play musical instrument

d) learn from it

If we deal with anger properly, the Lord can cause us to grow in Him by learning more about his grace in bringing real forgiveness and release from anger.

Forgiveness is never easy! – but O the release from anger that is brings

e.g. Barnardo

* went to sell Bibles in a pub

* was set upon

* table upturned and danced on it

* taken back to lodgings, unconscious and two ribs broken

* pressed to prosecute

* “I have begun with the gospel – I an determined not to end with the law!”

Pray >>>