GOLIATH MUST FALL: ANGER MUST FALL

We hope you are enjoying the Lenten study, Goliath Must Fall.  We continue to pray that the light of Jesus Christ continues to grow in your heart and life. The sermon for this week is Anger Must Fall. In the modern world, anger is pervasive. We see the impact of anger on every level of our society. One of the sources of anger is our entitlement. We have this nagging belief that we are not getting what we deserve. It has created the attitude of “you owe me.”  On a deeper level, it prevents us from finding a sense of peace and contentment. Even as believers it is easy for us to fall into the trap of wanting to be served rather than following the example of Jesus to serve one another in love. We are broken creatures and it is especially evident in the area of anger. How can we confront this giant? We turn to Ephesians 4:20-32. Most every word for anger in the New Testament is found in these 10 verses. It was preventing the believers in the Ephesian church from bearing witness to the power of Christ. Paul acknowledges that we can be angry, but we cannot allow it to rule our spirits or our reactions to one another. He also acknowledges that only the power of God can overcome the power of anger in our hearts, our homes, and our community! We pray that you will sense the ministry of the Holy Spirit creating in you a new heart that is not defined by the tyranny of anger but set free by the power of God’s grace and love. 

Ephesian 4:20-32

That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV)