First Ref0rmed Presbyterian Church of Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Lord’s Day October 27, 2002 Anno Domini

Ephesians 4:26-27

Be angry and do not sin.

Anger is not an evil in itself, but it is easily deceived by sin and becomes wicked and destructive.

  I.  The beginning and end of anger.
      A.  The first angry person: Genesis 4:5.
      B.  The last angry person: Revelation 12:12
      C.  The final display of anger in the creation: Revelation 19:15
      D.  The end of anger: Revelation 21:4.
     

  II.  The beginning and end of God’s anger.
      A.   God shows his wrath as judge. Psalm 7:11; Nahum 1:2-3
      B.  God takes vengeance on sin.
      C.  The anger of God cannot be separated from the love of God. John
3:36
      D.  God’s anger in the end brings good to his children: Psalm 4;
Hebrew 3:10-13; Psalm 30:5; Psalm 2:12.
     

   III. The anger of man: both righteous and sinful. James 1:20
      A.  Anger: the heart rises up in passionate displeasure against an
evil.
        

Mark 3:4-5; Mark 10:14; John 2:15

Moses: Exodus 32:19 and Numbers 20:10-12.

      B.  Anger is emotional, spiritual, physical, active.
      C.  There are degrees of sinful anger. Matthew 5:22.
      D.  Anger with a righteous cause is not sin:Galatians 3:1; Luke
11:39-40.
     

  IV.  The dangers of sinful anger and ways to restrain it. Proverbs 29:22;
Ephesians 4:26.
      A.  The law of God restrains man’s anger to keep it from becoming
sinful and destructive: “Be angry, and do not sin.” Proverbs 25:28;
Proverbs 19:19; Hebrews 5:14; Ephesians 4:20-24.
      B.  “You shall not murder.” The sixth commandment prohibits anger and
insults towards a brother and vengeance of individuals.
      C.  Express anger in the right way: plank and speck, Matthew 7:3;
Ephesians 4:29; 2Timothy 2:24-26.
      D.  Express anger in the right time frame: do not let the sun go down
on your wrath. Matthew 6:34; Psalm 4.
      E.  Own your anger before God: do not give place to the devil.
      F.  Keep away from angry people. You will learn sinful ways. Proverbs
22:24-25.
      G.  Control your anger by cultivating the fruit of the Spirit:
self-control, gentleness, patience.
      H.  Respond to another’s habitual sins as the Lord directs: Seventy
time seven, seven times a day. Proverbs 19:11.
      I.  Use anger for good: desire the glory of God, the advancement of
the kingdom of Christ, the salvation of the lost. Matthew 5:44-45
     

Pastor Christian Adjemian, Dipl.Div., Ph.D.

phone: 617.864.3185