Just for fun
See if you can answer these questions while you participate in the online service.
- What color shirt is the worship leader wearing?
- What was the scripture that was read during the second worship song?
- Who is today’s preacher?
- Which two movie characters are referenced and pictured in today’s sermon?
Before today’s sermon
Talk about a time when you had an angry outburst, and, then, talk about a time when you were angry but you just kept it inside.
After today’s sermon
Think of a situation or circumstance where you have been angry (maybe one of the situations you discussed earlier). Did your anger (the emotion) lead you to sin or not? If so, how could you have responded differently?
Discuss today’s sermon
- Review what three things mismanaged anger destroys. (body, community, wisdom)
- Read aloud together James 1:19-20 – What three things should everyone do according to these verses?
- What are some ways that you think you could do better at these three things?
- Complete these sentences:
- The next time I get angry God would want me to_____________________.
- The next time I get angry God would NOT want me to _________________.
Later this week
Did you know that even Jesus felt anger? Read the story of Jesus turning the tables over in the temple in Matthew 21:12-17. There are two examples of anger in this text: Jesus and the religious leaders both got angry but for very different reasons. Jesus is angry (or so it seems since he’s flipping over tables) because the temple, a place that was supposed to welcome everyone for worship and prayer, has been turned into a place where cheating people out of their money was common practice. Jesus gets angry when people prevent other people from worshipping, praying and coming to God. The religious leaders are angry because Jesus is healing people and allowing children to praise him.
Discuss how we can be angry for right reasons like Jesus (injustice, people being prevented from coming to God, someone who hurts another person) and how sometimes we can be angry for wrong reasons (selfishness, jealousy, etc). Why is it important to stop and determine why we are angry?