Anger Kills
Matthew 5:17-26

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

I. The Word of God is built to last.

He fulfills prophecy.
He fulfills the requirement of the law.

II. Deal with your anger.

1. Anger leads to murder

Spewers express their anger.

“Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.” Proverbs 29:11

“A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.” Proverbs 14:17

Stewers suppress their anger.

“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” Psalm 32:3

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in.” Luke 15:28

2. Your anger hinders your worship to God.

"If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Romans 12:18

What to do with your anger.

Resolve conflicts quickly.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27

Nip it in the bud.

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” Proverbs 17:14

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19-20

BUILT TO LAST
Mathew 5-7

“Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” Deuteronomy 34:7

I. Building a life that will last.

It is not cheap
It is not built in a day.
It is not build alone.

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.” Proverbs 24:3


You are Jesus in the flesh.

1. Keep a strong testimony.
2. Be bold in your witness.

The Road to Freedom
1. We are all enslaved to sin.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12

I consider myself a good person, isn’t that enough?

2. The penalty for sin is death.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Is sin really that big of a deal?

3. The penalty for sin was paid for by Jesus.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Knowing what I have done, would God really help me?

4. If we repent of our sins, and confess our faith in Christ, we will be saved from our sin.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

How can I have my sins forgiven?

"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

1. Authentic Community drives the Church.

2. When you trust God you obey God.

1 Corinthians 14:20
“Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.”

3. No longer a mystery

Growing Together
Romans 15:14-22

Authentic community < Independent living

1. The community spurs growth.
Hebrews 10:24-25  “ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and
good deeds,  25  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

2. The Holy Spirit ignites growth.
Acts 1:4-5 “ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this
command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you
have heard me speak about.    For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

3. Risk is often an ingredient to growth.

Why are we in debt?
Jesus

Who are we under debt to?
Everyone

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35

“Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:14

How do we love?
As yourself

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
Matthew 5:43-47

Why don’t we love?
1. It’s hard.
2. I like me.
3. They don’t deserve it.

Why does Paul address civil authority?

Reasons to obey civil authority:

1. God placed them there.

2. It is for our good.

3. They bear a sword.

4. Clear conscience.

When should we be active in civil disobedience?

“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!”
Acts 5:28-29

1. Is it a clear violation of God’s command?
2. Is it a consistent unjust action?
3. Is the Spirit calling you to stand up?
4. Who are you defending?

1. Be devoted to one another

Authentic community > independent Living

2. Honor one another above yourselves.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:3-4

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.”
Luke 14:7-10


3. Live in harmony with one another.
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.”
James 4:1-2

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”
Proverbs 25:21-22

1. God’s sovereign choice.

We are talking about a people, not a person.

“The LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated, one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” Genesis 25:23

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26

2. God’s merciful character, v. 14-22

“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

"Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

“As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Hebrews 3:15

3. God’s concern for all people.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” 1 John 4:14

“He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2

“Who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

“For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.” Romans 11:32