Sneaky: Anger

You cannot see what you can’t see looking for it.

Genesis 4:1-12 – New International Version
Cain and Abel
4 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later, she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.

Abel (Shepard)

Gave His

Cain (Farmer)

Gave His

Genesis 4:1-12 – New International Version (cont.)
The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

This is the first time appears in scripture.

Did you know? Researchers say we have 34,000 emotions.

Primary Emotions:

“Emotions are more contagious than the flu. This dynamic is so powerful that in one study, three volunteers sat silently in a circle for two minutes, and at the end of the time, the most emotionally expressive person transmitted his or her mood to the other two without saying a word. In every such session, the mood the most expressive person had going in was also the mood the other two felt coming out — whether it was happy, bored, anxious or angry.”

-Dr. Daniel Goldman

Your emotions are !

Genesis 4:1-12 – New International Version (cont.)
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Why do you feel this way?

Why do I feel this way?

Ephesians 4:26 (Amplified Bible)
26 Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down.

and Anger

• When people take advantage of other people.
• When people say one thing but act another way.

and Anger

• When we are treated unjustly
• When we don’t get our way.
• When someone hurts us.
• When someone says something untrue about us.

How did Jesus handle accusations?

Anger is

What do you do when anger is toward me for no reason?

Anger directed at Abel

Genesis 4:1-12 – New International Version (cont.)
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

God says, “Do what is right!”

Isn’t it easier to my anger toward others than to deal with ourselves?

Is God trying to get your ?

What is the real reason for our anger?

James 4:1-3 (New Living Translation)
4 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

It’s not about is making you angry as much as is making you angry.

I have become an angry person because of…

If they would just…

Justification comes in the of a finger!

Cain wants what his brother has…

• Respect
• Noticed
• Accepted
• Desire
• His Way

We what we !

James 1:19-20 (New International Version)

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

What is your anger ?

Genesis 4:8
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

We do it differently…

• We start yelling.
• We use sarcasm
• We get passive aggressive
• We use the good ole silent treatment
• We withdraw

Every one of those reactions are dangerous!

Remember, God warned him!

God is warning you! Is sin waiting to have you?

Genesis 4:1-12 – New International Version (cont.)

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Your anger not only hurts others but you as well.

The Answer:

John 13:34-35 (New International Version)
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

When you are loved, you can be…

• Quick to  
• To Speak
• to Become Angry

Exodus 34:6-7a (NLT)

“Yahweh! The Lord!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.