Anger is not bad—after all, God got angry. But how do you tell the difference between bad, selfish anger and Godly loving anger?
Read Acts 7:51-60
How can you tell that Stephen’s anger was the Godly, loving kind?
What characterizes the anger of the church leaders?
Phase 3: Angered
After being threatened and persuaded, we inevitably become angered. This selfish anger at the rendering and exposure of our true selves often comes out in very immature ways, which makes it easy to distinguish (see vs. 57—what are they? 7 years old?). Notice though that as selfish anger flares up, the true identity of Stephen calms down, leaving him crying out in vs. 60 “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”
When was the last time you got angry? What was it about?
Notice that it’s hard to remember the selfish reasons for anger specifically, but much easier to recall the loving anger.
Ask God to reveal to you the strength of loving people because he made them. Ask him to anger you only over the things that anger him.
Read Acts 7:51-60
How can you tell that Stephen’s anger was the Godly, loving kind?
What characterizes the anger of the church leaders?
Phase 3: Angered
After being threatened and persuaded, we inevitably become angered. This selfish anger at the rendering and exposure of our true selves often comes out in very immature ways, which makes it easy to distinguish (see vs. 57—what are they? 7 years old?). Notice though that as selfish anger flares up, the true identity of Stephen calms down, leaving him crying out in vs. 60 “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”
When was the last time you got angry? What was it about?
Notice that it’s hard to remember the selfish reasons for anger specifically, but much easier to recall the loving anger.
Ask God to reveal to you the strength of loving people because he made them. Ask him to anger you only over the things that anger him.
Post a Comment