Understanding God's Patience and Purposeful Anger
Summary
In our gathering today, we focused on the profound nature of God, particularly His attribute of being "slow to anger." This characteristic is not just a comforting thought but a foundational truth about God's nature, as revealed in Scripture. We began by acknowledging that God is not quick to anger, unlike human tendencies. His anger is purposeful, aimed at redemption and restoration rather than destruction. This divine patience is a reflection of His deep love and desire for a right relationship with us.
We explored the mission of the Church of the Nazarene, which is to make Christ-like disciples in the nations. This mission is rooted in three defining characteristics: being rooted in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love. These principles guide us in our spiritual journey, helping us to reflect God's nature more accurately to the world. As we delve deeper into understanding God's nature, we are called to be the light to others, encouraging them to join in God's mission.
The sermon also addressed the misconception of God as an angry deity, a distortion that has persisted in human thought. Instead, we are reminded that God's anger is directed towards sin and injustice, not towards individuals. His anger is a response to actions that break fellowship and cause harm. We are encouraged to reflect on our own anger, ensuring it aligns with God's redemptive purposes.
Finally, we discussed the importance of repentance as the appropriate response to God's anger. Repentance involves accepting responsibility, believing in Jesus as our hope, confessing our sins, and committing to a life of discipleship. This process is essential for aligning ourselves with God's will and experiencing His grace and mercy.
Key Takeaways:
1. God's Patience and Purposeful Anger: God's anger is not impulsive or destructive but is slow and purposeful, aimed at redemption and restoration. This divine patience reflects His deep love and desire for a right relationship with us. Understanding this helps us to trust in His timing and purpose. [24:54]
2. Mission of the Church: The Church of the Nazarene's mission to make Christ-like disciples is rooted in being grounded in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love. These principles guide us in reflecting God's nature to the world, encouraging others to join in His mission. [28:13]
3. Misconceptions of God's Anger: The idea of God as an angry deity is a distortion. God's anger is directed towards sin and injustice, not individuals. It is a response to actions that break fellowship and cause harm, reminding us to align our anger with God's redemptive purposes. [40:45]
4. Repentance as a Response: Repentance is the appropriate response to God's anger. It involves accepting responsibility, believing in Jesus, confessing sins, and committing to discipleship. This process aligns us with God's will and opens us to His grace and mercy. [51:41]
5. Reflecting God's Nature: As we grow in our understanding of God's nature, we are called to reflect His light to others. This involves being rooted in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love, helping others to see and experience God's fullness. [31:40]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [22:10] - Offertory and Fellowship
- [23:04] - The Concept of Time
- [24:12] - God's Patience
- [24:54] - Slow to Anger
- [27:06] - Review of God's Nature
- [28:13] - Church Mission
- [28:48] - Rooted in Christ
- [30:18] - Growing in Grace
- [31:40] - Serving in Love
- [32:51] - Reflecting God's Light
- [35:54] - Understanding God's Anger
- [37:59] - Exodus 34:5-7
- [39:01] - Purposeful Anger
- [40:45] - Misconceptions of God's Anger
- [41:13] - God's Compassion
- [42:06] - Jonah's Story
- [43:02] - What Angers God
- [46:06] - Righteous Anger
- [49:06] - Discipleship and Anger
- [51:41] - Steps to Repentance
- [55:10] - Closing and Reflection
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Exodus 34:5-7 - "And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.'"
2. Ephesians 3:16-19 - "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Exodus 34:5-7 reveal about God's character, particularly in terms of His anger and compassion?
2. According to the sermon, what is the mission of the Church of the Nazarene, and how is it connected to God's nature? [28:13]
3. How does the sermon describe the difference between human anger and God's anger? [39:01]
4. What are the steps of repentance mentioned in the sermon, and why are they important? [51:41]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does understanding God's attribute of being "slow to anger" change the way believers perceive His actions throughout the Bible? [40:45]
2. In what ways does the mission of the Church of the Nazarene reflect the characteristics of being rooted in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love? [28:13]
3. How can believers ensure their anger aligns with God's redemptive purposes rather than personal grievances? [46:06]
4. What role does repentance play in restoring a right relationship with God, according to the sermon? [51:41]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt anger. How can you ensure your response aligns with God's redemptive purposes rather than personal frustration? [46:06]
2. The sermon emphasizes being rooted in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love. Which of these areas do you feel most challenged in, and what steps can you take to grow in that area? [28:13]
3. Consider the misconceptions about God's anger discussed in the sermon. How can you help others understand the true nature of God's anger as purposeful and redemptive? [40:45]
4. Repentance involves several steps, including accepting responsibility and confessing sins. Which step do you find most challenging, and how can you seek support in this area? [51:41]
5. How can you actively participate in the Church of the Nazarene's mission to make Christ-like disciples in your community? What practical actions can you take this week? [28:13]
6. Think of a person in your life who may have a distorted view of God as an angry deity. How can you share the message of God's patience and love with them? [40:45]
7. Identify a specific way you can reflect God's nature to others this week, particularly in being slow to anger and abounding in love. What steps will you take to make this a reality? [39:01]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Anger is Redemptive, Not Destructive
God's anger is not impulsive or destructive but is slow and purposeful, aimed at redemption and restoration. This divine patience reflects His deep love and desire for a right relationship with us. Understanding this helps us to trust in His timing and purpose. God's anger is directed towards sin and injustice, not individuals. It is a response to actions that break fellowship and cause harm. By recognizing this, we can align our own anger with God's redemptive purposes, ensuring that our responses to injustice and wrongdoing are constructive and aimed at healing and restoration. [24:54]
Nahum 1:3 (ESV): "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet."
Reflection: Think of a situation where you have felt anger recently. How can you channel that anger towards a redemptive and restorative purpose, rather than letting it lead to destruction or division?
Day 2: Rooted in Christ, Growing in Grace, Serving in Love
The Church of the Nazarene's mission to make Christ-like disciples is rooted in being grounded in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love. These principles guide us in reflecting God's nature to the world, encouraging others to join in His mission. Being rooted in Christ means establishing a firm foundation in His teachings and character. Growing in grace involves continually seeking spiritual maturity and understanding, while serving in love calls us to act selflessly for the benefit of others. Together, these elements form a holistic approach to discipleship that mirrors the life and mission of Jesus. [28:13]
Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV): "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."
Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your roots in Christ this week? Consider one specific action you can take to grow in grace or serve others in love.
Day 3: God's Anger is Against Sin, Not People
The idea of God as an angry deity is a distortion. God's anger is directed towards sin and injustice, not individuals. It is a response to actions that break fellowship and cause harm, reminding us to align our anger with God's redemptive purposes. This understanding challenges us to view God's anger as a protective force against the things that damage our relationship with Him and with each other. By focusing on the root causes of God's anger, we can better understand His desire for justice and righteousness in the world. [40:45]
Ezekiel 18:30-31 (ESV): "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?"
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's anger was directed at you personally. How does understanding that His anger is against sin and injustice change your perspective on that experience?
Day 4: Repentance Aligns Us with God's Will
Repentance is the appropriate response to God's anger. It involves accepting responsibility, believing in Jesus, confessing sins, and committing to discipleship. This process aligns us with God's will and opens us to His grace and mercy. Repentance is not merely an acknowledgment of wrongdoing but a transformative journey that leads to spiritual renewal and growth. By turning away from sin and towards God, we embrace the fullness of His love and the promise of a restored relationship with Him. [51:41]
Acts 3:19-20 (ESV): "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to repent and turn back to God? How can you take a concrete step towards repentance today?
Day 5: Reflecting God's Nature to the World
As we grow in our understanding of God's nature, we are called to reflect His light to others. This involves being rooted in Christ, growing in grace, and serving in love, helping others to see and experience God's fullness. By embodying these principles, we become living testimonies of God's character and His transformative power. Our lives should be a beacon of hope and love, drawing others to the truth of the Gospel and the beauty of a life lived in communion with God. [31:40]
Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Reflection: How can you intentionally reflect God's nature in your interactions with others today? Identify one specific way you can be a light in your community or workplace.
Quotes
He is slow to anger. And the only reason that God becomes angry is when people are doing stuff that separates them from him. Because God wants our attention all the time. And he wants us to do what we see him doing. So he's slow. He's slow to anger. He doesn't get mad at us, but he does teach us. And that is a very good thing. [00:25:37]
And then we're serving in love. What we do as a church is serving God and serving others as a loving response to who God is and to what God has done for us. And, I might say, to what God is doing for us every day. [00:29:04]
And while the work is up to, Jesus, the behaviors are up to us. And we cooperate with God in order to accomplish God's mission. See how that works and fits together? Does it make sense to you? Is it logical? Is it natural? [00:31:00]
And we do that with a purpose. And the purpose is that we might, after seeing his light, be the light to others who will also want to be Christ-like disciples because of what they've seen. And they will want to join in God's mission. [00:32:32]
And instead of reflecting the true nature of God, god they reflect a distorted image they call it christian sometimes in a very public way and galatians chapter 6 tells us do not be deceived god is not mocked whatever a person sows that also will they reap and so we are laser focused this year on seeing the light of god getting deeper into the nature of god so that we can be the light and reflect the light in god's fullness not perfectly but with growing accuracy we could say know him more show him more but maybe we'll save that for next year [00:34:30]
because god does experience anger and just as compassion leads god to acts of mercy god's anger leads to acts of wrath there i've said it god sometimes acts in wrath but don't make that the headline because god didn't make it the headline line when god described his character to moses god claimed the trait slow to anger he didn't claim the trait of being an angry god or a vengeful god and god [00:36:22]
God's anger purposes to redeem and to restore and to result in a right relationship with the people God loves. And who is that? Those folks around the nations. You, me, and all the rest of us. Now, for those who are looking for the angry God, that's maybe a real disappointment. [00:39:26]
The God who stands with a lightning bolt directed at the head of the helpless sinner is a cartoon character based on the Greek god Zeus and not on the God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of the Bible is not someone who holds a lightning bolt over our heads. [00:40:27]
Look at the captivity in Babylon. Look at hell for heaven's sake. And I would say, look at the chances and the warnings and the patience of our slow to anger God. The Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God. Slow to anger. Abounding in love and faithfulness. [00:41:13]
now I've said it from the pulpit before that anger is not a sin but what we do with anger can be and the acid test for whether anger is sinful or righteous is whether you can turn it and use it for redemptive and restorative purposes can you use your anger to mend up or does it tear down and destroy? [00:46:30]
You could write that on the back of your bulletin. God is redemptive, restorative, and relationship building. He is compassionate and merciful towards our human frailties and our illnesses. And when God is moved to take action in wrath, it's because he's exhausted the influence of our free will outside consequences. [00:49:59]
For more information, visit vårdstomher .org. Now, let me also be clear. There is only one right response to God's anger. And that is repentance. Not regret, not sacrifice, not hiding, not lying to ourselves, not making excuses, not drawing people around us who agree with us to form a stronger coalition. [00:51:05]
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