We continue our sermon series entitled “Overcoming Distance”. Preaching from Nathan Gordon. Service led by Brian Dickson.

Sermon Notes

When was the last time you felt angry?

What was the cause of your anger?

Anger can be triggered by internal or external factors, causing annoyance and displeasure. From a biblical perspective, anger is seen as a normal human emotion that can arise occasionally, but believers are encouraged not to let their anger lead to sinful behaviour.

Ephesians 4:26 – In your anger, do not sin; do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

Every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.

R W Emerson

Question – It’s one thing to be angry with yourself or others, but can you ever recall a moment where your anger was directed to God Himself?

God is to blame? – When things go wrong, loved ones are taken away, sickness and disease come knocking, relationships are broken, or calamity occurs in the world, sometimes God is held responsible for the perceived negative events in life.

The Situation
– The Anger of Jeremiah towards God – Jer 15:14-21

Chapter 15 of Jeremiah is interesting because God and Jeremiah display anger and dissatisfaction for different reasons.

God = (v14) For my ANGER will kindle a fire that will burn against you –
The nation of Judah for their backslidden condition, sin and disobedience towards God.

Jeremiah = (v18) You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails – Jeremiahfelt abandoned by God and left to shoulder the judgment on behalf of his people despite not generally being his fault.

Life Application ~ God was angry with the nation for their sin, and Jeremiah was angry with God because he felt abandoned. Search your heart and be open and honest with God about how you feel. Remember that being angry is not sinful; it’s how we handle the emotion of anger.

The Complication
– Words spoken in anger can result in misguided claims (v18)

• Jeremiah’s emotional state was understandable, considering the circumstances.
• Jeremiah endured and would continue to experience difficult circumstances in his life simply for obeying a prophet’s call.
• However, his words about God’s character were lacking in truth and substance. Although it may have felt that God was a spring that failed, this was not the full picture of truth.

Life Application ~ God never fails, despite what may appear wrong in our lives or the world around us. God is perfect in every way and has never failed at anything, nor will he ever fail. (See Joshua 21:45)

The Resolution & Celebration
– Don’t allow anger to become permanent; a new day is ahead. V18-21

• Jeremiah believed that his emotional pain would last forever.
• However, God encouraged Jeremiah, assuring him that if he turned back to God, restoration was near.
• God promised to use Jeremiah for his glory and purpose and to rescue and lead him to safety despite the impending judgment for the people of Judah.

Life Application ~ Remaining in a constant state of anger and dissatisfaction with past decisions and events not only affects our mental health but also leads to an unproductive relationship with God. Take a lesson from Jeremiah and refrain from speaking words of permanent, incurable pain when God promises the opposite – “I will rescue you, I will save you.”

Discussion Questions

1. Read Jer 15:18, do you think Jeremiah’s words were justified considering all that he endured?
2. John the Baptist similarly felt disappointed with life when Herod imprisoned him, and he questioned whether Jesus was indeed the Messiah. See Matt 11:2-6 discuss the similarities between Jeremiah and John and how disappointments can lead us to doubt God.
3. Read Jonah 4:1-11 – When do we have the right, or do we have any right to feel angry towards God? How should we deal with our anger towards Him?
4. How does Jeremiah’s situation challenge our understanding of suffering in the Christian life?
5. Based on Jeremiah’s experiences in this chapter, how can we approach situations where we feel our faith is being tested?
6. How does this chapter speak to the concept of repentance and its importance