Be Angry and Sin Not

Oh, how I love my job. Why you ask, well part of its is because I get such great illustrations to use on Sunday mornings. One day this week I had a young woman call me about 6 AM to check on her vehicle that was at our yard. The longer we talked the angrier she became. Then she began screaming at me, attempting to change the name my mother had given me so long ago. She was angry about the CHP taking her car, she was angry because she had to wake someone to come pick her up, she was angry about the $500.00 in tow fees and she was angry about the fact that she had to wait to pick up her car until we opened.

She want angry with everyone except person the one person that was responsible for the mess she was in. Who was the one driving on a suspended license? Not me.

Then there is those that want to be angry with everyone, for what ever the reason. You mess up on your job, your girlfriend of wife dumps you, you mother beat you as a small child. The excuses go on and on. You can’t cope so you go out and buy a rapid fire gun of some sort; you go to your former place of employment and open fire. You go to the mall and just shot anybody that crosses your path. You go to a nightclub where people are have a nice night out, and you start shooting until you are stopped. The worst of all you enter a school when children are trying to learn, planning for their future and because you are angry or hurt, your end their precious lives.

Psalm 4:4 says this about anger ---

Psalm 4:4 NKJV

4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah

Webster’s Dictionary’s Definition of anger is a strong feeling of displeasure and usually of antagonism or rage

Left unchecked anger can and will be an uncontrollable rage. You begin to act on impulse, not thinking about the consequence. And need I remind you there will be consequence, as we will find as we begin our journey today.

With all the ungodliness around us, we have great reason to be angry, but does that give us permission to sin? No, it doesn’t. The Word of God gives us clear instructions — and I’m paraphrasing — go into your quite place, your place of peace and meditate in your heart. It doesn’t mean that we are to lash out at others, or destroy stuff.

I or should I say we know that it is Satan's job to kill, steal and destroy and when we let anger control us we are submitting to his game plan. Socality has taught us over the years that we should never accept the blame for the things we did wrong. It’s always someone else s fault.

We need to learn how to let it go. If we mess up and we will mess up accept the consequences and then let it go. If you in the mirror and be painfully honest with yourself. What part did you play in this situation

I was talking to Rev Young, yesterday and the conversation turned to the 2007, 2008 house crisis. When so many people lost their homes because to the subprime mortgages. Many of the people I knew blamed the banks, the sellers, the realtors but no one blames the people who signed on the dotted line. And many were angry when you suggested that they were to blame, the banks just made it easy for them. I think its called being responsible.

Anyway .....

TITLE

Our Title for today is : “Be Angry and Sin Not”

Our Scripture is taken from the Book of Numbers the 20th chapter verses 2-13, with our focal verse being verse 12.

Numbers 20:2–13 NKJV

Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord, and He was hallowed among them.

Numbers 20:12 NKJV

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Anger by itself is not a bad emotion. It’s an emotional alarm system that says we’re feeling hostility. But when anger takes control, people can do some pretty nasty and terrible things. Christians, like anyone else, can experience times when our tempers flare. As we look at the story of Moses, I see four powerful lessons we must learn to help us control our anger.

Here are four lessons we can learn from Moses …

Lessons:

1. Restrain Yourself When Dealing with Angry People (vv. 2–5).

Angry people incite others. In verse 2, everyone in the congregation is reinforcing each other’s frustration and anger; they decide to get together to let Moses and Aaron have it. They’re in this big meeting pointing fingers at Moses. If you’re an anger-prone person, being confronted like this is a perfect formula for a serious shouting match. When angry people come at you, things tend to escalate. We must restrain ourselves when angry people engage us. Or they’ll drag us right into the fray. Moses did the perfect thing. He listened to them out and didn’t retort. He didn’t defend himself. He may have been churning inside, but he restrained himself.

2. Get Before God About Upsetting Situations (vv. 6–8).

Verse 6 tells us that Moses and Aaron left the presence of the people and fell face down before the Lord at the doorway of the tabernacle. They both got pounded and they wanted to get next to God before they did a thing. That was a good move. When people are angry at us and criticize us, the sensible thing to do is to retreat before the Lord, to get away from the source of agitation and settle down. The tabernacle was where the Lord was present and where God would speak with Moses. God told Moses exactly what to do: to gather up all the people and speak to the rock. Water would come out of the rock for everyone. These were simple instructions with miraculous results. When we retreat in our anger and bring it before the Lord, He will give us an answer through His Word.

3. Obey God’s Instructions Completely (vv. 9–11).

Up to this point, Moses was doing everything right. Now comes the part where he’s supposed to do what God told him to do. Verse 9 says that Moses took the rod; that was good. Verse 10 says that Moses gathered the people before the rock; that too was good. But here’s where things go south. God told Moses to speak to the rock. What did Moses do? He spoke to the people. Actually, he blasted them, can’t say I blame him, cause I do understand. He shouts … , “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” (v. 10). He then raised his hand with Aaron’s rod and struck the rock twice (v. 11). His anger had finally bubbled over. Moses obeyed God’s instructions only so far and then did his own thing. Moses crossed a line. Partial obedience is sin and it’s dangerous.

4. Realize That Unrighteous Angry Behavior Is Always Harmful (vv. 12–13).

Sometimes we think angry behavior is no big deal. God thinks otherwise. God told Moses and Aaron in verse 12 that their angry behavior would prevent them from leading Israel into the Promised Land. Verse 12 reveals that Moses didn’t believe God. Verse 24 says Moses rebelled against God. Moses also compromised the holiness of God. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, the rock is identified as Christ; Moses struck this symbol in anger not treating it as holy (Deut. 32:49–52). As Christians, how we handle our anger reflects upon God. People will form opinions about God based on how we behave when we are angry. Can I ask, How are you representing Him when you’re angry?

Conclusion:

An old preacher man once wrote this story … and I can relate to it, very well … He wrote ...

“I remember the day clearly, as I sat in our worship service some time ago. Something went on in the service that made me very angry. It had happened a few times before, but this time, I had had it. In a few minutes, was was to get up and preach and I was madder than a hornet.

As the music played during the offering, I had this daydream. I saw myself getting up in front of the church and venting my frustration. I saw myself bawling some people out and saying some pretty nasty things. I was right on the edge.

I stood up and walked to the pulpit. I had no idea what was going to come out of my mouth. But this little voice inside me said, “If you do what you just did in your mind, you will not treat Me as Holy in the sight of people.” I then thought about Moses and his fall. In an instant of time, I started the sermon as usual.

Had I done what I wanted to do, it would have been very embarrassing and I would have disrespected the Lord.

Perhaps some of you are fighting a battle with anger. Or maybe people are angry with you and you’re at a crossroads. Do what Moses and Aaron did before they sinned. Get on your face before the Lord. Let His glory surround you. And expect to hear a word from Him. Manage your anger in the power of the Lord and blessing rather than loss will be yours!

Just to be transparent, I have dealt with anger issues most of my adult life, but as my walk with Jesus grew stronger and I became a little wiser, I began to understand what Paul was speaking about when he wrote Psalm 4, it seemed nothing was going his way. Everyone was turning against him. But in verse 3 he states ...

Psalm 4:3 NKJV

3 But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The Lord will hear when I call to Him.

David knew that he and other godly people were set apart for God. There are many reasons why we set things apart.

- We set things apart for our own enjoyment

- We set things apart for greater purity

- We set things apart for special service

For all these reasons and more, God sets us apart unto Himself.

then in verse 4 and 5 David reminds himself of the valve righteousness when we draw near to God and experience the benefits of drawing near.

Psalm 4:4–5 NKJV

4 Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord.

I want to close today by reading just one verse from the book of Proverbs the 15 chapter verse 1

Proverbs 15:1 NKJV

1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

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