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Read: Matthew 5:21-22
Introduction:
- Most of the time our peace in God has been shattered by our emotional struggles that affects so much of our relationships. We could blame it to others for a lot of reasons but none of us embraces the truth that we decided to dwell on it for a long time and we did not even bother to take a step to be free from it. Anger is a God given emotion but if you forget to look at it in God’s perspective this can be the enemy’s greatest weapon to destroy us as His children. Our calling as part of God’s kingdom is to be peacemaker. We can never be one unless we are settled on this emotion. What is anger?What are the implications of anger? How to resolve anger?According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, anger is a strong feeling of displeasure. American Psychologist would define it as, an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately wrong you. In addition to that anger is good because it will give you a way to express negative feelings that will motivate you to find solutions to it. It is a normal universal human emotion. But excessive anger can cause problems. In theological perspective, they categorically define it as, a righteous anger- a strong feeling to hate sin without the personal desire of vengeance and sinful anger- an emotion that causes you to commit murder( Cain killed Abel), create conflicts (Prov. 29:22), you being in trouble (Prov. 19:19) and when use to justify oneself over selfish desires. Like Jonah, he believes that he is right to be angry with God, when God spares the wicked. The disciples were angry when the woman who anointed Jesus with costly ointment.
- When was the last time you were angry? Or are you angry of someone now? Are you angry of the situations you are in now? Are you angry of people’s treatment, attitudes and responses? It is good to acknowledge that you are struggling now because He cannot help us unless we see that we need Him in this area.
- Studies found out that regular feelings of anger increase the likelihood for heart disease, and that within two hours of an outburst, the chances of a heart attack or stroke is high. Which means all you angry folks better watch out; it’s a dangerous weakness. But wait. Anger is more than a problem for “angry people.” It is actually a problem for all of us — that includes you and me. The truth is, everyone gets angry — it’s just expressed in different ways.
- In our text, we see here the implications or the results of anger; description of anger here was not used to hate sin or the remorse over sin. But it is an action taken by this emotion, which led someone to sin. We can note here that its anger that cause someone to kill or commit murder. It’s true that when someone is at the pick of his/her emotions the easiest way to do is fight. Another one is, anger destroys relationships. First to your brother may it by blood or to your spiritual brothers/sisters. God’s holy institutions were divided and destroy because of anger. Families were broken because someone was angry of actions committed by someone members. Churches were divided because anger became the stronghold of some leaders and ministries became selective for the few. And lastly we can see here that, anger destroys our devotion to God. It will bring us away from God. Aside from we will face judgement from God and He will not accept our worship. The reason why Matthew admonishes his readers to be reconciled to person you’ve wronged you or the person who wronged you before you offer something to the Lord. The truth is, we can never be right with God unless we not right with someone else. The word says, it’s totally a lie when you say I love the Lord when you hate you brother or sisters in Christ. Anger destroys relationships!
- So how are we going to response to anger? Is it wrong to be angry? What if I sin in my anger, what shall I do now? The word of the Lord says in Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” I may say that, the sons of God are peacemakers not peace destroyers. Remember that this is the new value system of the one that belongs to the kingdom of God, they live to the kingdom values. They have a kingdom perspective. You will not be able to be a peacemaker when you are not living at peace with your God or your King. You can only make peace when you truly live in peace. A peacemaker is already settled with his emotions. A person who is emotionally settled with God will not sin when He is angry; He is quick to embrace responsibility to make reconciliation happen regardless he/she was wronged. In the text we see the descriptions like, “First be reconciled” and “Come to terms quickly”. It is not a command of will go first to ask for forgiveness, is it the one at fault or even if you are not. It is a calling of those who are in Christ to be peacemakers. Most of the time to be at peace with someone is not an easy thing and a logical thing to do, but it’s the most blessed decision you will ever make.
Conclusion:
- Because of my anger towards my father for 5 years I chose not to talk to Him, totally no communication at all. I just live life without Him even if I am already in the ministry. All I though I can run away from this issue, or I just can just justify that everything is okay because I am doing the ministry of God. But little did I know that my emotions are eating me up every day that I became a person that I hated the most. Until such time that God confronted with the issue of how settled Am I in my relationship with God. Then I realized that I am not because I could hardly to take a step to make peace with my Father. So I work this out with my wife, I have to be settled with God first. So I did, praise God I found my peace in God with this emotion and so taking a step to be reconciled with my Father is anchored on the truth that I am so settled in the love of God.
Photo by: Nathaniel Callanta
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