Anger Management

Passage: Matthew 5:17-26

Having addressed the blessings of kingdom character in the Beatitudes, and the calling of kingdom citizens to be salt and light in the world, Jesus now turns in the Sermon on the Mount to the commands of the kingdom that define and guide the lifestyle of those who belong to the kingdom. He begins by noting the enduring nature of God's Word, pointing out that he has come not to do away with it, but to establish it in all its fullness. Then he proceeds to take the traditional interpretations of several commands and point to the deeper heart righteousness involved in living them out. The first issue he tackles is one that indeed cuts right to the heart: the issue of anger. Anger is a universal problem that is often made light of or even encouraged in our society. But Jesus does not hold back in pointing out the seriousness and danger of anger in our lives, equating its effects to that of murder. Which is why he wants us to not only better understand the nature and effects of anger, but to offer wise counsel in dealing with anger in a way that demonstrates the character of the kingdom as those who pursue peace. Join us Sunday as we look at what Jesus has to teach us about anger management.