Do not be angry...

Yesterday I preached on Matthew 5:21-24.
"Do not be angry" pretty much sums it up.

This is the beginning of 6 statements Jesus makes, each beginning,
"You have heard it said..."
Most come right from the Old Testament.

The logical flow of the 6 statements has come to AMAZE me after a week of reflection.
These are not a random assortment of platitudes.
The follow a progressive breakdown in relationships.
Anger and lust lead to the most fundamental breakdowns- murder and divorce.
This is the breaking of an oath.
Which leads to the desire for payback.
Which leads to war.

That's way simplified, but it's the basic flow.

It's starts with "Don't be angry..."
Jesus could have just stopped there and it would have been enough.

Don't be an angry person- filled withe rage, malice, wrath and venom.
Does that mean you can't get angry?
Of course not.
Anger is often the right response to things that are wrong.
Anger can lead to good.

But being an angry person is no way to live.
And it only leads to you down a deadly path.

This week I'll hit each of Jesus "You have heard it said..." statements.
We'll go down a path that lead to some deep stuff, and some deep change.