Anger Toward Others, Harm to Yourself – Matthew 5:21-26
Pastor Tan Thai · Oct 16, 2011
This sermon explores Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about anger, comparing it to the sin of murder. The pastor shows that uncontrolled anger harms not only others but the one who is angry, and calls the congregation to quickly seek reconciliation and forgiveness.
The sermon opens by defining anger according to Webster's dictionary and the Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, showing it as an emotion that arises when a person's values, rights, needs, or honor are threatened or violated. The pastor presents the first murder recorded in Scripture — Cain killing Abel — as a classic illustration of how uncontrolled anger leads to the gravest sin. From this, the pastor argues that Jesus' comparison of anger to murder in the Sermon on the Mount is not an exaggeration.
The pastor explains that not all anger is sinful — Jesus, Paul, and those who love others can be righteously angry. However, anger rooted in wounded personal pride, infringed rights, or offended honor is precisely what Jesus equates with murder. Two Greek words are analyzed: 'raca' (contempt for someone's intellect) and 'moros' (contempt for someone's moral character and dignity), showing that insulting words spoken in anger are no different from murder in God's eyes. The story of Goujian enduring humiliation and nursing hatred for years to take revenge is used as an illustration of the danger of prolonged bitterness.
The sermon then presents the concrete consequences of anger through aggressive actions, hostile attacks, scheming to harm others, and rebellious behavior, as well as through words and thoughts. The pastor cites a medical study showing that anger reduces the heart's pumping efficiency more than fear or mental stress, emphasizing that the angry person is the first victim. Proverbs passages on being slow to anger and self-control are quoted to reinforce practical advice.
The final section focuses on Jesus' call in Matthew 5:23-26 to prioritize reconciliation with a brother or sister before offering worship. The pastor applies this to the modern context — if you are in church and remember a conflict with someone, leave immediately to seek reconciliation first. Paul's words in Romans 12:18 and Ephesians 4:31-32 are cited to emphasize that true worship cannot be separated from peaceful relationships with those around us.
The sermon concludes with a practical call to action: intentionally seek reconciliation, forgive, and ask for forgiveness from those with whom you are angry, because God wants us to be freed from the prison of bitterness and resentment. The congregation is invited to hold hands in prayer as an act of commitment to live in harmony according to God's Word.