JSM | Uprightness .3 | Anger (8/25/2024)

JSM | Uprightness .3 | Anger
By Rev. Nicholas Sybrowsky
Heb. (נּט רּקהץ מּןביםךשד דּטנרם'דלט)

Gk. (Βψ Ρεω. Νιξηολασ Σψβροωσκψ) 

Invocation & Opening Word:

(Psa 25:1-22 KJV) "(1) [[[A Psalm] of David.]] Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. (2) O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. (3) Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. (4) Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. (5) Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou [art] the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. (6) Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they [have been] ever of old. (7) Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD. (8) Good and upright [is] the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. (9) The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. (10) All the paths of the LORD [are] mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. (11) For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it [is] great. (12) What man [is] he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way [that] he shall choose. (13) His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. (14) The secret of the LORD [is] with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. (15) Mine eyes [are] ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. (16) Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I [am] desolate and afflicted. (17) The troubles of my heart are enlarged: [O] bring thou me out of my distresses. (18) Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. (19) Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. (20) O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. (21) Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. (22) Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles."  ~King David

Let us worship the God of Israel, the God of Jacob.  Let us worship in spirit and in truth.

Anger is an inevitable emotion that must be mastered or else we become slave to its destructive pathway to death.

Intro:

In our examination of JSM we’re in the section of case studies or rather teachings in the subject of personal relationships.  Last week we touched on our relationship with the Law as in the Torah, the Moral Law and the OT & NT relationship.  Our hero Jesus completes and compliments our ability to execute the practice of these moral absolutes.  We ALL need a hero.  Jesus Christ honored the law and pointed to the rescuer and redeemer.  Jesus became our Savior and Hero the new High Priest who grants us access to the Father.  Without His Divinity and resurrection Jesus Christ would be another mythological character recorded in human history.  Jesus is NOT a myth.  Jesus is real and our relationship with him via the Holy Spirit is real.  Today Jesus shares a teaching on Anger.  What is your relationship with anger?  Do you have hot anger that is explosive and rage like?  A powder keg ticking time bomb ready to pop off at any moment.  Perhaps you have held space to develop resentment and unforgiveness by exercising cold anger that is more like a simmering toxic gravy.  Building up a stew like meal for someone unexpecting.  I’ve heard it put this way “Vengeance is best served cold”.  When it gets expressed this way it’s clearly saturated with a spirit of unforgiveness.  These two types of expressions of anger have potential to wreak havoc and destructive impact to you and your neighbor.  In our mid-week study Dr. Charles Stanley suggests that these are types of bad anger.  After examining the scriptures, I couldn’t agree more with the late, but alive Stanley.  If these are bad angers, is there such a thing as good anger?  In sports I attempted to use anger as a fuel.  It worked pretty well in the sports of football and hockey yet it got me injured too.  Not to mention could be the reason I never pursued college level play.  During pool week at the Naval Diving & Salvage Training Center I nearly failed my buddy hit because of anger with my dive buddy.  Over the many years of life, I’ve done my best to never be angry, but this effort didn’t work for very long, avoidance and will power alone have NOT been a strong enough strategy for me to escape anger.  The world around us has events and details that don’t always work out for us justly.  Injustice causes a sense of dispute & disharmony.  May I suggest that pursuing God leads us to seek justice.  We may be justified in our anger, but our response in anger, to anger and with anger isn’t always fair or just.  To be constructive we need to learn to develop righteous indignation and act on it.  Righteous indignation is the good type of expressed anger.  In our main text listen closely.  Jesus is describing the destructive dangerous type of anger that leads to murder like when Cain killed Abel in the Genesis.    

 Main Text:

(Mat 5:21-26 ESV) "(21) "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' (22) But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. (23) So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, (24) leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (25) Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. (26) Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny." ~Jesus the Christ

parallel (Luk 12:57-59 ESV) "(57) "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? (58) As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. (59) I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.""  ~Jesus the Christ our Lord

1. Holding a grudge, unforgiveness or bitterness toward someone (without cause) is going to cause you trouble.

Perhaps you restrain yourself from breaking the moral law and commandment to never killing this someone.  Chances are you will do a list of other behaviors that are just as dangerous to your eternal destiny and/or earthly consequences as if you did commit murder.  What might these behaviors look like.  Withholding compassion for said person when you have the means to help them with a resolution.  (I once experienced this when a colleague of mine had their motorcycle break down.  I saw them but kept on driving and never made a U-Turn to offer support despite having the means to help because of resentment toward said person.  How about you can you recall any similar memories?)  

Jesus points out that if we curse someone, we “are in danger of the fires of hell” (:22 NLT).

Flipping the bird, no matter the situation is a form of cursing with sign language.  I remember learning to do this a child.  I had a friend that when he didn’t get his way, he would express anger as such in private.  Ironically, eventually this habit of cursing verbally and physically with his hand behind someone’s back eventually spilled out directly and I’m certain his mother rendered some very uncomfortable punishment for cursing her over the phone thinking he had hung up when in fact the line was still live.  Jesus helps us see that our thinking influences our mouth and our actions and habits lead to character that is willing to commit murder physically.  You also might bare false witness murdering the character of the person you have a grudge against.  Defamation of character is just as unfair as what Cain did to Abel according to Jesus the Christ our Lord in this text.  Such activity is in violation of the Law of Love that Paul shares to the church in Rome 

“(Rom 13:10 ESV) "(10) Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."  ~Apostle Paul formally known as Saul

2. For the most part anger appears to not be good for mankind throughout the Bible.

A)     Anger affect’s & effect’s us.  Anger causes us to act in certain ways that can cause undesired results and consequences that in the end are usually not rewarding but more likely to cause punishment.  If not punishment here on earth, then standby for the coming judgment.  The Lord will have his repayment or restitution.  You will pay restitution.  Fortunately, we have a merciful God.  Anger controlling you instead of you controlling anger influences attitude and behavior.  Look at what the Creator said to Cain 

(Gen 4:7 NIV) "(7) If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.""  ~Jehovah

Cain had a bad-titude that caused his “"…face downcast"”(Gen. 4:6 NIV) (Jas 1:14-15 NKJV) 

"(14) But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."  ~Apostle James

Concepts begin in the mind.  With Cain the underlying thoughts I suspect he had were covetousness and desiring something for nothing with short cuts.  Affected him to kill his brother Abel and the effect of this caused him punishment.

More examples of anger's negative impact on us.

B) Anger disturbs sleep.  (Eph 4:26 KJV) "(26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:"  Paul suggesting to go ahead and be angry only do not sin and do not attempt to sleep on it.

C) Anger influences our perspective of everything.  Ever heard someone say? “All I could see was red”, it’s a phrase of anger.  Anger can prevent a shift in paradigm that can help us think win/win and prevent us from having a positive outlook in good times and most definitely in the bad times.  These are but a brief look at the negative impacts of anger.

3. Upright anger is righteous indignation that warns, cleanses, heals, restores and honor’s God.

The various woes listed by the Messiah in Mt. 23 are warnings.  Jesus turning over the money changer’s tables in (Jn 2:15) was a cleansing.  Healing of the hand on the Sabbath, I.A.W. Mk he was angry. (Mk. 3:1-6; Mt. 12:9-14; Lk. 6:6-11). The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall by Nehemiah (Neh. 6:15; 13:6-31) restoring the practice of ceremonial Law’s in worship. 

 (Psa 119:52-54 ESV) "(52) When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. (53) Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. (54) Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning." ~King David

Righteous indignation drives us to take a stand to honor God and restore worship and love for the Creator.  We can act on our anger as long as we do so in accordance with the moral law and ethical fair treatment.  Dignity and respect.  Sow dignity and respect and reap dignity and respect.  Remember two wrongs don’t make a right.  Although you may be justified in feeling angry the response option isn’t always helpful or constructive.  Forgive.  Make peace with the past.

4. Next Week: JSM | Uprightness .4 | Adultry:  We continue in this section on teachings in personal relationships.  We’ve examined:  Law & Anger.  Suit up and show up for Adultry, Divorce, Vows, Revenge & Enemy Love.

Conclusion:

We must be very careful to master anger or else become a slave to unrighteousness.  Seek justice not vengeance.  Engaging with wisdom and grace empowers you to learn how to cope with anger and develop an action plan to overcome unjust circumstances.  According to the Prophet Micah, God doesn’t delight in sacrifices and burnt offerings, rather that we do the right thing. 

 (Mic 6:8 NKJV) "(8) He has shown you, O man, what [is] good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"

Exhortation:

Speak up, stand up and pray up. 

Remember that talk is cheap.  In fact, flattery is a sinful behavior.  Charming people to get your way and then in secret not really loving them is a form of bearing false witness.  We all need to find our voice in this world as children of God.  When you’ve got your voice use it.  Speak up!  Remember don’t just talk about it, be about it!  Sometimes the voice will be enough to encourage justice or correct injustice.  If you want God’s best and want justice, you must put in hard work and right believing.  Critical thinking is a useful skillset but watch out for the character flaw of cynicism.  You may have a very hard time accepting and/or appreciating the kind of help you get.  You might struggle to have friends and you also might need to work alone because the spirit of cynicism is NOT the kind of salt to be savored but to be thrown out and trampled upon.  Let’s not only talk about loving God & neighbor, let’s be about loving our God & neighbor.  Our neighbor inside & outside the church body.

Stand up for righteousness and justice.  Remember you may be persecuted for doing such heroic measures as standing in the gap for others.  When we deny opportunities to act this can lead to desensitizing the call of God convicting us to act.  Not acting can also cause frustration, confusion and doubt.  When you feel righteous indignation, and something can be done, take action.  We pray for discernment in this moments, oh Lord.

Speak up, stand up and pray up.  If you want to see change in the world you’ve got to be the change.  By praying we are invoking the Holy Spirit to lead us to this change, and we learn to engage hard unfair situations with wisdom and grace from above.  Not only for ourselves but for others!

Altar Call to Action:

Beloved, be your brother’s & sister’s keeper.  

“Avoid dismissing the impact of your anger.  Your anger is no laughing matter.  Refuse to make light of it.  Do not allow others to laugh about their short fuse, [encourage them to lengthen it].  Take anger seriously.  Resist any attempts to dismiss or trivialize the impact of anger.  The [results] of anger can be devastating in terms of physical, emotional and spiritual pain and suffering.” ~Dr. Charles Stanley (Cite 1)

Who here or online wants to be healthy?  By show of hands which of you desires happiness?  Raise your other hand if you want prosperity.  {Grab it, reach for it, say “Jehovah Nissi” Say “the Lord my Banner”} By show of hands, who in here or online wants their purpose in life to be negatively driven by anger.

If you want a better future, you must admit it and deal with it.

Recommended reading:  

• The Bible:  Read everything related to the topic of anger.  
• Join us in our Study with Dr. Stanley at 7p tonight Thriving in an Angry World or read the book with us privately called “Surviving in an Angry World”.  
• Another book I recommend is “Anger Kills” by Dr. Redford Williams.  Medical Dr. Williams and Philosophy Dr. Virginia Williams provide Seventeen strategies for Controlling the Hostility that can harm your health.  In this non-religious text; Anger Kills, they reveal groundbreaking research that confirms that hostility not only is a serious barrier to happiness but can lead to heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses.

  I find it peculiar that the Apostle Paul wrote in Ro. 6:23 “The wages of sin are death.” I had the privilege to borrow this from a shipmate on the USS Harry S Truman where one of our slogan’s was “Give’em Hell”.  My friend Suyong Lee blessed me by sharing this.  We are lightly in contact to this day.  Thanks, LS1 Lee, may God spiritually prosper your retirement from the USN.

(Rom 6:23 NKJV) "(23) For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Benediction Prayer:  

Ohh, Lord make us a channels of thy peace.  Even when we are at war, make us instruments of your peace.  Whether we are at war or the world around us is in a state of peace, empower us to be instruments of your peace. 

So that where there is. . . 

  Hatred; we may plant the seeds of love.  

  Injury; we may plant the seeds of pardon.

  Doubt; we may plant the seeds of faith.

 

    Despair; we may plant the seeds of hope.

    Darkness; we may plant the seeds of light.

    Sadness; we may plant the seeds of joy.

Our Mighty God, even when we are at war, make us instruments of your peace.  

So that where there is. . .

  Injustice; let us plant the seeds of justice.

  Pride; let us plant the seeds of humility.

  Anger; let us plant the seeds of restraint.

  

    Brutality; let us plant the seeds of kindness.

    Fear; let us plant the seeds of courage.

    Blindness; let us plant the seeds of wisdom.

Oh Lord, even when we are at war make us instruments of your peace.  Take the good seeds that we plant, nourish the soil and grow them into good blessings for the sake of your name and your Kingdom.

Lord grant that we may seek to comfort rather than to be comforted.

Seek to understand rather than to be understood.

Seek to love rather than to be loved.

For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. 

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.

And it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.  Amen ~St. Francis of Assisi

(Cite 2)

Next week:  

Citations: 

1- Dr. Charles Stanley Surviving in an Angry World, also good & bad types of anger.

2- Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi (Adaptation).

3- Bible Translations:  KJV, ESV, NLT, NKJV, NIV 

Blue Letter Bible