April 12, 2024

“Do You Have A Right to be Angry?”

Jonah 4:1-11

Anger is an interesting thing.

On May 15, 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play a routine baseball game against the Red Sox.  In the third inning, a fight broke out between Baltimore’s John McGraw and Boston’s Tommy Tucker.  Within minutes, all the players from both teams had joined the brawl.  The ruckus spread throughout the stadium and into the grandstand.  Fans began fighting one another which led to a fan igniting a fire in the right field bleachers.  The fire quickly spread, damaging $70,000 worth of equipment in the park, consuming the entire ballpark, spreading to adjacent blocks, and eventually destroying 107 buildings and severely damaging another 63.

Reading a story like this often leaves me scratching my head wondering, “How in the world does a baseball game result in such a tragic story?”  But then the Lord is faithful to prompt me to stop, think back to moments when I have been angry in my life and asking another question, “Brandon, has there ever been a point in your life when acting out of anger has ended well for you?”

Ironically, anger can be a lot like fire.  Fire is often a good thing – it heats, it cleanses, it cooks, it lights.  But used in the wrong way, fire will destroy everything in its path.  Anger is the same way – it is not in and of itself sinful, but when one acts out of anger, it often leaves a wake of destruction damaging anything and anyone in its path. 

I pray that you will join us on Sunday as we look at Jonah 4.  God asks Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry?”  I am looking forward to investigating this passage together so that we can learn Jonah’s answer to that question.  In doing so, if we will allow the Word of God to work on our hearts, it will help us answer the same question.

Looking forward to worshipping with you,

Pastor Brandon