Jesus taught that just because your anger may not lead to murder does not mean that your thoughts are unclassified as sin. Unaddressed anger must be confronted in our lives.
- External actions reveal internal attitudes.
- Each of us is known by what makes us angry and how we handle it.
Address Anger (21-22)
- Murder is a symptom; anger is the sickness.
- Insulting others is attempting to empty them of their worth.
- Judging another’s spiritual condition is actually an indication of our own.
Pursue Reconciliation (23-24)
- You cannot fully worship your Father if you permit unresolved conflict with your brothers and sisters.
- If you are aware of the separation, do what you can to pursue reconciliation.
Settle Up (25-26)
- Do whatever is necessary to diffuse relational conflict.
- Drama will always escalate until someone gets intentional about disrupting the pattern.
- If thoughts could kill, every single one of us would be on death row.
- The undeserving grace of Jesus should motivate us to reconcile with those for which He died.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
