Anger and Violence (Ephesians 4:17-32)
Gary McManus, 11/26/2023Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
November 26, 2026 Ephesians 4:17-32
Is violence an answer?
What would the Apostles say? (They knew violence and
the threat of violence.)
Today's sermon deals with inappropriate behavior
--inappropriate for Jesus followers and for those who are
not Jesus followers--behaviors that are dangerous and
deadly.
Pastor mentioned last week that we celebrate Thanksgiving
When two cultures, two languages, two ways of living, two
very different religions sat down together to a feast.
Pastor wants to believe that as Christians, we could have loved
Our Native American neighbors but we failed to continue to do
so. Today, there are people in this country who make it difficult
for us to love our neighbors.
American Christians have trouble tolerating lots of people who
are different than they are--tolerating them--Pastor is not even
suggesting acceptance.
Two examples of intolerance:
--Aimenn D. Penny of Chesterland, Ohio, age 19..
--Dylan Roof, age 21, Charleston, South Carolina.
These two men demonstrated intolerance against Christians
with little regard for the particulars of those Christians’ beliefs.
You know what Jesus said about love and neighbors.
You know what the Apostle said in our reading today.
(Note especially Ephesians 4:31.)
A health poll done BEFORE the world Pandemic, 2019:
Americans are angrier than a generation ago. . .
Daily news that confirms this anger. Besides road rage,
there have been fights at even high school athletic events.
This stuff isn’t racially motivated or politically motivated!
Many professionals simply call it “anger out of control”.
Why does violence seem to be the natural response to anger
in America? (And out of ALL proportion! See Exodus 21:24-27,
Deuteronomy 19:21).
How does this concern you? My fear is that these incidents
will concern you because all of the victims were innocent.
You and I don’t have to have done anything wrong to be victims
of crime. More examples this week: . . .
56 percent of American Christians feel their spiritual life is
entirely private.
https://www.barna.com/research/discipleship-friendship/
(Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:35).
How are we going to love our neighbors or our enemies
-- PRIVATELY?
Pastor suggests that private spirituality isn’t helping anyone.
How can Christians love despite all the difficulties?
A: God the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
See also: Ephesians 4:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:3
Dr. Quinnet:
--anger is biological. So. . ., be angry. (But don’t sin and
bon’t commit crimes.)
Dr. Quinnet says we have learned how to express our anger.
Therefore, we can UNlearn how we express our anger and learn
a different way to express our anger.
.Have you ever thought that it might be up to us Christians to
show the world a better way?
Jesus’ prayer, John 13:35 and John 17:23-25:
“. . .that the world may know that You, Father have sent me
and have loved them, the disciples even as You, Father, have
loved me. Amen.
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