Sermon for Sunday June 8, 2003

Keeping Your Anger Under Control by Dr. Dave Hartson

Galatians 4:26-32

THE BATTLES OF LIFE: KEEPING YOUR ANGER UNDER CONTROL
EPHESIANS 4:26-32

Introduction:

I wonder how many of us this morning will admit that we have a problem with anger. I would ask us to raise our hands, those of us who have an anger problem, but I don’t anyone to get angry at me so I won’t. Sufficed to say, some people in here have an anger problem including your preacher.

Just the smallest little things will get our anger going. Someone enters I-55 from one of the on ramps and then pulls out right in front of you and then slows down forcing you to get in the other lane. As you pass them you give them a dirty look but you really want to do or say more.

Or you in a rush to get out of Wal Mart and so you pick a line that is moving fast and then all of a sudden you here the dreaded words, price check on aisle 6 and you know you will be there for a while and your anger builds.

But not all anger is harmful. If you discover someone is trying to hurt your child, you are going to get angry. That’s a positive thing to protect your child. Or when we saw President Clinton pardoning all those criminals on his last day in office, we got angry at the injustice of it. It is a positive thing to make sure that does not happen again.

Since anger can be used in a good way or a bad way, God in His Word gives us instruction how to avoid the bad anger and use the good anger.

Read Ephesians 4:26-32.

1. I need to see the onset of anger like a warning light that tells me the potential for sin is near.

Vs 26- In your anger do not sin.

A. My car is equipped with these warning lights that come on to tell me if I keep driving after one of these lights come on I may damage my vehicle. If I stop now no damage will be done to my car.

B. God is telling me that when anger rises in me, that anger is like a warning light that tells me sin is right around the corner. If I keep going and allow this anger to build, I am going to sin.

2. Anger is also a warning light to tell me something else is wrong. The anger is not my main problem but something else is.

Mark 4:37- 40 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

A. Notice how Jesus responses to the disciples. He didn’t ask them why they were so angry. Instead he asked them why they were so afraid. Their anger was caused by fear. You remove the fear, you remove the anger.

B. In Jonah’s story, the town of Nineveh repents and it says that Jonah is angry at God. He was angry at God because things did not go the way he wanted. His anger was caused by frustration. You remove the frustration, you remove the anger.

C. And then there was Elijah after calling down the fire from heaven to burn the sacrifice. He is so angry that he wishes he could die. God tells him to rest and eat. Elijah was physically and emotionally exhausted and that caused his anger. You remove the exhaustion, you remove the anger.

3. I need to resolve my anger before it becomes apart of my personality.

Vs. 26- Do not let the sun go down on your anger.

A. Have you ever gone to bed angry at your spouse? We all have. But we need to be careful. There is one thing to be angry, there is another thing to become an angry person. Unresolved anger leads me to become an angry person.

B. We all know people that we could describe as angry people. More often than not, those around him can see this anger coming out. That is a person who didn’t resolve his anger quickly. Many of nights, he went to bed with unresolved anger in his heart.

4.Anger can be a sin that leads to more sin.

Vs.27- and do not give the devil a foothold.

A. Remember the story of Cain and Abel. In Genesis 4:6 Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you so angry? Why is your face downcast? 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. And we know that Cain killed Abel.

B. His anger lead to more sin.

5. Anger will commonly express itself in words that hurt others.

Vs 29- Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths , but only what is helpful in building others up.

A. Have you ever found yourself going back to apologize saying: “I am sorry for what I said, I didn’t meant it. I was just angry.”

6. Anger will distance us from God.
Vs. 30- And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

A. Think about it, when you are angry you don’t want to think about God or have anyone bring up about God.

7. Anger can be replaced today with the character of God if you chose to ask and accept his forgiveness.

Vs. 31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger.. Be kind and compassionate...just as in Christ God forgave you.

A. The best way to deal with anger is to replace it with god like qualities. If you are angry today, or if you are an angry person, you can ask God’s forgiveness and remove that anger and replace it with a spirit of kindness.

B. We are going to open our altar this morning. And if you need to confess to God that you are an angry person you come and do that. Don’t leave here angry or an angry person.