Ephesians 4:26“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.”

Proverbs 27:4“Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming…”

Proverbs 29:11“A fool gives full vent to their [anger] rage…”

Galatians 5:19-21the fruit of the flesh is “hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, dissension, and factions.”

Nahum 1:3“The Lord is slow to anger and great in power.”

Biblical observations concerning anger.

1. Anger is not forbidden

• Mentioned 262x in Scripture.

2. Anger can be relationally destructive.
3. Anger can be internally destructive.
4. Anger is not to be the source of our actions.

Jesus’ anger on display.  Luke 19:45-46: Matthew 21:12-16; Mark 11:11-18

• He “drove away” the money changers.
• He would not let them return. Mark 11:16
• Compared them to a house of thieves.

What made Jesus so angry?

• They were making a mockery of God’s Name.
  • So, it got personal for Jesus as a son to the Father.

2 Chronicles 7:16“I have chosen this temple so that my Name may be there forever.  My eyes and heart will always be there.” 

• It was to be house of prayer, but instead it was a money-making scheme for the priests.

“Instead of praying for people, the priests were preying on people.”Wiersbe

• The testimony of God was distorted before the people of the world.
  • This part of the temple was meant to be the Court of the Gentiles as their place to encounter and worship God.
  • It was to be the most effective place for evangelizing the gentile.

Jesus’ management of anger.  Luke 19:47-48; Matthew 21:14-16

• He went back daily to teach. (47)
  • He didn’t just cleanse the temple of this evil, he replaced it with good.
  • He provided the solution.

• He healed people. 21:14
• Began reaching the next generation. 21:15-16
  • His healing and teaching moved the hearts of the young.

Divine pattern for anger management.

1. Anger is directed at the right things.
2. Actions are to be constructive not destructive.
3. Anger is not a place to dwell, but rather it is to give way to God’s direction.