WEBVTT

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 Gracious God, as we come to your word tonight,

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 we ask that you would challenge again

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 a sin which we hold so deep within us.

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 Father, we pray that you would expose it,

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 that we would deal with it by taking it to you for confession,

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 and that you would help us to rise to new life,

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 empowered by your spirit through your word,

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 and in step with the Lord Jesus,

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 and we ask it for your sake.

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 Amen.

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 Tuesday the 15th of May, 1894,

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 the Baltimore Orioles baseball team went to Boston

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 to play a routine game of baseball,

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 but it ended up being anything but routine.

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 In the third innings, a fierce fight broke out

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 between Baltimore's John McGraw

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 and Boston's third baseman Tommy Tucker.

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 Within minutes, as you notice on most TV baseball fights,

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 both benches were cleared

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 as the players and the officials from both sides

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 ended up in an all-in rumble.

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 The rumble then moved to the grandstands,

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 and it spread like wildfire.

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 Literally, it spread like wildfire

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 because someone decided to start a fire

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 in amongst all the mayhem.

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 The fire destroyed the ballpark

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 and $70,000 worth of equipment in 1894.

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 And then it spread from the ballpark

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 to other Boston buildings,

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 and by the time it was brought under control,

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 the building had, the fire, sorry,

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 had destroyed and severely damaged 170 buildings.

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 Basically, one half of Boston was wiped out.

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 A simple altercation on third base

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 resulted in half of Boston being wiped out.

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 And I say simple because when it was over,

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 John McGraw, the guy who lost his temper in the first base,

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 said, for the life of me,

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 I don't know what it was about.

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 Proverbs 29 verse 8,

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 mockers stir up a city,

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 but wise men turn away anger.

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 God knows the destructive power of our anger,

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 and his word warns us against it consistently.

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 Proverbs 29,

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 a fool gives full vent to his anger,

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 but a wise man keeps himself under control.

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 If only John McGraw had kept his anger under control,

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 destruction would have been prevented.

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 If only he didn't unleash his anger.

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 If only I didn't unleash my anger,

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 and you unleash your anger on friends and colleagues,

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 people you go to school with,

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 or uni or work.

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 If only we could control our anger.

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 But anger makes us feel so good, doesn't it?

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 I mean, come on.

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 You know, when you really get to blow that valve,

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 don't you feel kind of moved afterwards?

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 It sort of gets the blood rushing.

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 I remember one day,

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 my younger brother was particularly being annoying,

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 and he was trying to pick a fight with me,

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 and I was thinking,

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 I'm not going to retaliate.

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 Wise man keeps his anger under control.

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 I drew a line in the sand in my mind.

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 You know,

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 I can put up with this,

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 I can put up with this,

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 and I decided,

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 when he was coming back,

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 every couple of minutes annoying me,

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 I said,

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 if he does it one more time,

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 that's going to be it.

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 And do you know what?

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 He didn't.

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 And I wasn't going to let him get away with it.

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 And so as he was walking by,

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 and not annoying me,

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 I decided,

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 well,

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 I will retaliate based on all the things you've done to me so far.

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 And so I drew the line back one step.

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 I grabbed him.

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 My parents were away at this particular time,

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 on this weekend.

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 I grabbed him,

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 and I went bang with his head

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 through the plaster wall of the house.

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 Fortunately,

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 in between two sort of,

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 you know,

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 but it just went straight through.

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 It was quite impressive at the time.

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 And then I had to fix the house

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 before mum and dad got home.

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 If only we treated seriously

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 the command from God's word,

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 everyone should be quick to listen,

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 slow to speak,

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 and slow to become angry.

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 For man's anger does not bring

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 about the righteous life that God desires.

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 You see,

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 our ways are not God's ways.

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 And we need to change from being slaves to sin,

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 to being serviced to Christ.

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 We need to die to anger.

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 We need to rise to patience.

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 Patience.

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 And can I say that anger is everyone's issue?

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 Because sin's everyone's issue.

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 Anger's everyone's issue.

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 We all express it in different kinds of ways.

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 There are those who blow the valve,

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 go off their nut,

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 and you can clearly say,

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 oh, there's an angry person.

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 And there are those who quietly simmer away

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 with unresolved anger,

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 quietly simmer away,

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 and then maybe blow,

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 but maybe not.

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 There was a married couple

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 who a friend of mine was talking about recently.

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 They spent four months

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 not speaking to each other.

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 Four months of anger.

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 Four months of anger.

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 So it's not just those who blow the valve

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 and go off their nut

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 and their face turns red.

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 It's those who use the silent treatment,

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 those who we draw from the relationship.

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 So how do we die to anger?

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 Do we count to ten?

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 Hold our breath?

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 Bite our tongue?

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 Well, that might help a little bit,

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 but we actually need to go deeper than that.

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 We need to let God's word do radical surgery

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 in our lives

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 as we seek to live new lives

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 with Jesus the boss.

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 So where does it come from?

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 We looked at last week

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 at Genesis chapter three.

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 And so where does it come from?

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 We see the birth of anger in Genesis four.

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 So if you've got Bibles there,

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 you need to be up.

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 This is pretty simple.

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 I think it's page four in your Bibles,

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 roughly.

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 But if it's not,

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 you'll find it around there.

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 Genesis chapter four.

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 Sin is born,

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 as we saw last week

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 in Genesis chapter three,

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 where Adam and Eve

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 decide to reject God.

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 They decide to put themselves

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 at the center of the world.

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 They decide to grab God's crown

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 for themselves.

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 They want to become their own bosses.

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 And now we see that anger

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 was being born in chapter four.

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 If pride comes before a fall,

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 then anger is right hot on its heels.

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 As surely as Eve gives birth to Cain,

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 pride gives birth to anger.

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 But in some ways,

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 this is kind of a surprise.

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 Because in Genesis chapter three,

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 it ends with the promise

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 of a good birth.

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 With the birth of sin

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 came a promise of a wonderful birth.

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 And it's there in chapter three,

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 verse 15,

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 that somewhere that Eve will give birth

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 to a son who will crush the serpent.

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 It's a promise of reversal.

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 Eve's offspring will defeat Satan

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 and put right everything

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 that has gone wrong in this world.

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 And so as we move into Genesis chapter four,

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 what do you think's in the back of your mind?

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 In the back of your mind

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 is the question,

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 is this son that Eve

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 has just given birth to,

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 is this the one?

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 Is this the one that's going to crush

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 the head of the serpent?

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 Could he be the one

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 who will defeat Satan

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 and make it all right

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 and reverse everything

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 that's gone wrong?

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 But if our hope rises

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 with the birth of Cain,

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 they are soon dashed.

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 Instead, Cain crushing the serpent,

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 he is taken captive

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 by sin himself.

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 God favours Abel's offering

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 over Cain's.

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 We actually don't know why,

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 but I actually think

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 that's the point of it.

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 We don't need to know why.

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 God is God.

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 We're not.

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 He's got all the answers.

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 We don't.

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 Cain's anger towards Abel

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 stems from his defiance

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 against God.

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 He wants to be at the centre.

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 He wants things to go his way.

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 He wants to be the one

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 who calls the shots.

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 He wants to be the judge.

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 He wants to play God.

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 And in Cain,

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 we see the sinful,

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 angry heart inside all of us.

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 Eve was visited by Satan

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 to talk her into sin

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 and now not even a visit from God

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 will actually talk Cain out of sin.

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 Have a look at verse 6.

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 Then the Lord said to Cain,

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 why are you angry?

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 Why is your face downcast?

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 If you do what is right,

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 will you not be accepted?

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 But if you do not do what is right,

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 sin is crouching at your door.

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 It desires to have you,

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 but you must master it.

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 Eve actually had to be coaxed into sin,

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 but Cain won't be turned away from it.

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 Adam and Eve tremble with a fear

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 after their sin,

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 but there is no hiding in the bushes

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 or trembling for Cain.

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 Confronted by God,

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 God with his brother's blood on his hands,

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 he literally fobs God off.

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 He rejected God's way,

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 he rejected God's word,

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 and now he even rejects God's reason

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 or God's right to even question him on it.

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 But the contrast between Cain and his parents

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 goes even deeper.

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 Adam and Eve didn't question the judgment

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 that God handed down to them,

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 but Cain grumbles that God's judgment is not fair.

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 Not only does he reject God's way,

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 but when God calls him to account

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 and passes judgment on him

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 because of his sin,

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 he sort of turns around

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 and files for unfair dismissal.

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 Who do you think you are, God?

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 So self-centered,

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 so convinced that he was right.

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 This is the person who was a slave to sin.

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 And friends, without Jesus,

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 that's us.

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 That's us.

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 Consumed by sinful pride,

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 convinced that we are the center of the universe,

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 that I am the most important person in the world,

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 and the world revolves around me,

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 and with me at the top of the pile,

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 I will unleash destruction on anyone

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 who gets in my way

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 or challenges my right to the top of the pile.

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 I used to see this in goats.

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 We used to have this on our farm,

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 a bulldozer,

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 and the goats have an amazing ability

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 to climb most things.

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 You put a wheelbarrow in the paddock,

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 and they'll be sitting in it

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 for too much longer.

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 But this bulldozer in the paddock,

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 and we used to have goats sitting

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 all over the tracks and on the engine bay,

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 and the prized position

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 was the top of the canopy,

00:10:56.820 --> 00:10:58.180
 right up there, the top.

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 And naturally,

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 the big guy is up on the top.

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 And whenever a little guy

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 wanted to try and get on the top

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 with the big guy,

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 because there's plenty of room up there

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 for us all to sit and play,

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 he would be there standing on the top,

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 and as a little goat would jump

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 from the engine bay

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 to try and get up on top of the canopy,

00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:19.000
 he'd be there with his big horns

00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:19.300
 and go,

00:11:19.660 --> 00:11:20.020
 whack!

00:11:20.780 --> 00:11:21.460
 With his horns,

00:11:21.520 --> 00:11:22.140
 and this thing would go,

00:11:22.220 --> 00:11:23.600
 tumble, tumble, tumble, tumble, tumble.

00:11:24.520 --> 00:11:25.420
 And then come back

00:11:25.420 --> 00:11:26.260
 and try and do it again.

00:11:26.259 --> 00:11:29.179
 It wanted to be on top of the pile.

00:11:29.720 --> 00:11:30.220
 And friends,

00:11:30.299 --> 00:11:31.639
 we are exactly the same.

00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:34.220
 We've got to be up there.

00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:39.759
 So where is this son

00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:40.940
 who will crush the serpent?

00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:42.740
 Where's the offspring

00:11:42.740 --> 00:11:44.420
 who will reverse evil

00:11:44.420 --> 00:11:46.240
 and fix this world?

00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.420
 Who reverses pride?

00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:50.460
 Who reverses self-righteous anger?

00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:53.340
 It clearly is not Cain.

00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:55.240
 And Abel's dead.

00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:57.100
 So who will it be?

00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:00.120
 Well, the answer, of course, is Jesus.

00:12:00.840 --> 00:12:02.660
 And the reversal is illustrated perfectly

00:12:02.660 --> 00:12:04.120
 in Luke chapter 23.

00:12:05.560 --> 00:12:07.620
 This great reversal that Jesus brings,

00:12:07.740 --> 00:12:09.340
 they plied him with questions.

00:12:09.920 --> 00:12:12.580
 They hammer nails into his hands.

00:12:13.300 --> 00:12:14.900
 But Jesus doesn't answer.

00:12:14.899 --> 00:12:18.799
 He doesn't take matters into his own hands.

00:12:18.939 --> 00:12:22.039
 Even Pilate knows that Jesus is innocent.

00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:24.720
 And so in Luke 23, verse 14,

00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:25.879
 this is Pilate speaking.

00:12:26.059 --> 00:12:26.279
 He says,

00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:27.720
 You brought me this man

00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:30.379
 as one who was inciting the people to rebellion.

00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:32.279
 I've examined him in your presence

00:12:32.279 --> 00:12:33.459
 and have found no basis

00:12:33.459 --> 00:12:35.039
 for your charges against him.

00:12:35.459 --> 00:12:36.439
 Neither is Herod,

00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:38.100
 for he sent him back to us.

00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:39.759
 As you can see,

00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.139
 he has done nothing to deserve death.

00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:44.319
 Therefore, I will punish him

00:12:44.319 --> 00:12:45.199
 and I will release him.

00:12:46.620 --> 00:12:48.799
 Pilate can see that Jesus is innocent.

00:12:49.639 --> 00:12:52.340
 But they hated this innocent one.

00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:54.519
 And so what did the crowd cry out?

00:12:54.620 --> 00:12:55.899
 Away with this man.

00:12:56.240 --> 00:12:57.919
 Release to us Barabbas instead,

00:12:58.059 --> 00:13:00.480
 but crucify him, crucify him.

00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.500
 It's the hatred and anger of Cain

00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:07.860
 that leads the crowd to want to crucify Jesus.

00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:11.120
 But Jesus still doesn't take matters

00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:12.139
 into his own hands.

00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.000
 You would think he had every right to be angry.

00:13:16.539 --> 00:13:18.399
 But Jesus isn't like us.

00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:21.460
 Unlike us,

00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:23.720
 Jesus didn't push himself

00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:25.240
 to the centre of the universe,

00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:27.639
 even though it was his right to be there.

00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:31.240
 Instead of taking matters into his own hands,

00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:32.659
 Jesus allows his hands

00:13:32.659 --> 00:13:34.740
 to be nailed to planks of wood.

00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:37.600
 He submits to his heavenly Father's will,

00:13:37.700 --> 00:13:39.100
 even to death on the cross.

00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:40.759
 As we often sing,

00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.700
 hands that flung stars into space

00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:44.060
 to cruel nails surrendered.

00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:47.519
 Not grasping, but giving.

00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:49.399
 Not angry, but forgiving.

00:13:49.560 --> 00:13:50.940
 Not murdering, but murdered.

00:13:51.560 --> 00:13:53.840
 Jesus is the total opposite of Cain

00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:55.659
 and friends of us too.

00:13:55.659 --> 00:14:02.799
 And Jesus' prayer in verse 34 of chapter 23 of Luke

00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:05.819
 is the reversal in its totality.

00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:09.519
 Father, forgive them,

00:14:10.059 --> 00:14:11.980
 for they don't know what they're doing.

00:14:13.299 --> 00:14:14.519
 Father, forgive them.

00:14:15.699 --> 00:14:16.439
 Forgive them.

00:14:16.839 --> 00:14:17.899
 Instead of anger,

00:14:18.339 --> 00:14:20.720
 there is the most extraordinary patience.

00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:23.120
 Even though he has the right to be the centre,

00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.560
 he doesn't put himself there.

00:14:24.680 --> 00:14:25.920
 He turns to his Father

00:14:25.920 --> 00:14:28.000
 and trusts in his Father

00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:29.300
 and prays to his Father.

00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:31.820
 He cops our anger towards him

00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:33.379
 and he does not retaliate.

00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:35.300
 And yet,

00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:37.560
 he would be well within his rights too.

00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:39.360
 He could have in fact demonstrated

00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.480
 a righteous anger towards us.

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:46.620
 He could have so easily have crushed

00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:48.639
 Cain and Pilate

00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:49.740
 and the chief priests

00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:50.759
 and the soldiers

00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.740
 and the mockers

00:14:51.740 --> 00:14:53.980
 and us.

00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:57.680
 The Son of God being nailed up by

00:14:57.680 --> 00:15:00.620
 little pipsqueaks.

00:15:04.060 --> 00:15:05.940
 He could so easily have crushed them

00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:10.120
 and it would have been his right.

00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.759
 But he wasn't there to crush us.

00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:17.060
 He was there to crush Satan.

00:15:19.019 --> 00:15:21.279
 Jesus is the son of Eve

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:23.340
 that the world has been waiting for

00:15:23.340 --> 00:15:25.200
 to defeat Satan in his work.

00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:27.180
 He came to reverse sin,

00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:28.759
 the sin of Adam and Eve

00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:30.420
 and Cain and our sin as well.

00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:32.840
 And so he doesn't pray down

00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:34.360
 the fire of God's wrath

00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:36.639
 but that of his forgiveness instead.

00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:37.860
 In fact,

00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:39.539
 this is the irony of your all.

00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:41.000
 The fire of God's wrath

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:42.419
 gets rained down on him

00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:44.600
 so that his prayer for us

00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:45.720
 might be fulfilled.

00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:47.500
 Father, forgive them

00:15:47.500 --> 00:15:49.039
 for they don't know

00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:49.700
 what they're doing.

00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:53.539
 Jesus, the son of Eve

00:15:53.539 --> 00:15:55.299
 who conquers sin,

00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:56.539
 who masters sin

00:15:56.539 --> 00:15:58.580
 when Cain couldn't do it,

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:00.440
 who at the cross

00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:01.919
 paid for our sin,

00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:02.639
 who at the cross

00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:04.000
 was bitten by the serpent

00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:04.779
 and died

00:16:04.779 --> 00:16:06.779
 but who became the antidote

00:16:06.779 --> 00:16:08.039
 for the serpent's bite

00:16:08.039 --> 00:16:09.600
 and crushed him

00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.539
 so that the end sin's power

00:16:12.539 --> 00:16:14.079
 is no more.

00:16:16.079 --> 00:16:17.059
 Jesus is the one

00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:18.039
 who doesn't take things

00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:19.120
 into his own hands

00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:20.860
 but puts them into God's hands.

00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:23.019
 Even Jesus didn't consider himself

00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:23.740
 to be at the centre

00:16:23.740 --> 00:16:25.519
 but his heavenly father instead.

00:16:25.659 --> 00:16:26.779
 1 Peter chapter 2.

00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:27.699
 Have a look at it.

00:16:27.699 --> 00:16:28.519
 It was read out to us

00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:29.299
 a moment ago.

00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:30.839
 Verse 21.

00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:32.379
 To this you were called

00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:34.000
 because Christ suffered for you

00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.200
 leaving you an example

00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:36.420
 that you should follow

00:16:36.420 --> 00:16:37.180
 in his steps.

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.780
 He committed no sin

00:16:38.780 --> 00:16:39.600
 and no deceit

00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:40.740
 was found in his mouth.

00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:42.519
 When they hurled insults at him

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.840
 he did not retaliate.

00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:44.759
 When he suffered

00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:45.800
 he made no threats.

00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:47.120
 Instead he entrusted himself

00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:49.800
 to him who judges justly.

00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:52.840
 That's the example for us.

00:16:54.160 --> 00:16:56.540
 To turn away from all anger and sin.

00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:59.420
 But Jesus is much more

00:16:59.420 --> 00:17:00.440
 than just a role model.

00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:02.580
 He didn't just show us

00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:03.980
 how to turn away from sin

00:17:03.980 --> 00:17:05.900
 but he turned God's anger

00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:07.579
 away from our sin as well.

00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:08.940
 Verse 24.

00:17:09.100 --> 00:17:10.279
 He himself bore our sins

00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:11.360
 in his body on the tree

00:17:11.360 --> 00:17:13.380
 so that we might die to sin

00:17:13.380 --> 00:17:15.500
 and live for righteousness.

00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:17.140
 By his wounds

00:17:17.140 --> 00:17:18.559
 you have been healed.

00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:20.900
 He bore your sin.

00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:22.460
 He paid the penalty

00:17:22.460 --> 00:17:23.319
 for your sin.

00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:24.720
 And so yes,

00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.100
 marvel at his example

00:17:26.100 --> 00:17:27.100
 but be grateful

00:17:27.100 --> 00:17:28.259
 he paid the price

00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.380
 for your sin

00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:30.620
 and for your anger.

00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:34.500
 It's important you understand

00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:35.119
 what happened for you

00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:35.720
 at the cross.

00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:38.740
 Jesus died

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:40.099
 for you

00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:41.419
 at the cross.

00:17:41.420 --> 00:17:44.980
 he died for your anger.

00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:47.060
 He died for the way

00:17:47.060 --> 00:17:47.980
 that you have run

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:49.160
 other people down.

00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.039
 He died for those

00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.360
 little snappy

00:17:52.360 --> 00:17:53.740
 bitey comments.

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:55.620
 He died for the manipulation.

00:17:56.360 --> 00:17:57.620
 He died for the gossip.

00:17:58.080 --> 00:17:58.800
 The way that you have

00:17:58.800 --> 00:17:59.660
 plotted revenge

00:17:59.660 --> 00:18:00.420
 against people

00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:01.360
 in your heart.

00:18:02.060 --> 00:18:03.300
 For all the ways

00:18:03.300 --> 00:18:04.160
 that you put yourself

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:05.380
 at the centre of the universe

00:18:05.380 --> 00:18:06.940
 and played it being God

00:18:06.940 --> 00:18:09.440
 Jesus died for it.

00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.140
 They're the very things

00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:14.200
 that murdered Jesus.

00:18:14.940 --> 00:18:15.680
 They're the very things

00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:17.100
 that shed innocent blood.

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.740
 He died for your pride,

00:18:18.860 --> 00:18:19.380
 for your anger,

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:20.040
 for your lust,

00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:20.680
 for your impurity,

00:18:20.800 --> 00:18:21.420
 for your greed.

00:18:21.980 --> 00:18:23.020
 That's what drove

00:18:23.020 --> 00:18:23.920
 those nails

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.360
 into his hands.

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:29.119
 But now he's fixed it all.

00:18:31.859 --> 00:18:33.359
 And now that God

00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:34.740
 has fixed it for us,

00:18:35.939 --> 00:18:37.219
 we can fix it

00:18:37.219 --> 00:18:38.319
 with each other as well.

00:18:40.199 --> 00:18:41.159
 We can fix it

00:18:41.159 --> 00:18:42.139
 with each other as well.

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:43.459
 We don't need to relate

00:18:43.459 --> 00:18:44.019
 in pride.

00:18:44.959 --> 00:18:45.599
 We don't need to

00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:46.439
 fester with anger.

00:18:48.159 --> 00:18:49.119
 But we love

00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:50.000
 one another deeply.

00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:51.619
 That's what we're to do.

00:18:52.299 --> 00:18:53.639
 Love one another deeply.

00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:57.919
 Now I can say this

00:18:57.919 --> 00:18:59.219
 because I'm a newcomer here.

00:19:00.539 --> 00:19:01.979
 But I've actually noticed

00:19:01.979 --> 00:19:03.699
 at various ports of call

00:19:03.699 --> 00:19:04.339
 as I've been moving

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:05.019
 around St Paul's,

00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:05.859
 it's not unsurprised,

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:06.959
 I'm not surprised by it

00:19:06.959 --> 00:19:07.539
 because it happens

00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:08.139
 in every church

00:19:08.139 --> 00:19:08.959
 because people are here.

00:19:09.699 --> 00:19:10.799
 There's unresolved anger

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.479
 in this place.

00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:14.359
 There's unresolved anger

00:19:14.359 --> 00:19:15.539
 from things in the past.

00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:16.719
 There's unresolved anger

00:19:16.719 --> 00:19:17.859
 in relationships here.

00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.059
 Simmering away,

00:19:20.699 --> 00:19:21.979
 never brought to the surface.

00:19:22.719 --> 00:19:23.399
 It's only brought

00:19:23.399 --> 00:19:23.979
 to the surface

00:19:23.979 --> 00:19:24.599
 when there's just

00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:26.079
 little bites that happen,

00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.559
 little snarly comments

00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.019
 that happen between people

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:33.099
 whenever my position

00:19:33.099 --> 00:19:34.079
 at the top of the pile

00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:34.819
 is challenged.

00:19:36.779 --> 00:19:38.059
 God wants to deal with that.

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.879
 He wants to deal with it

00:19:39.879 --> 00:19:40.579
 in your heart.

00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:41.879
 And I want to say,

00:19:41.959 --> 00:19:42.139
 friends,

00:19:42.179 --> 00:19:43.379
 if there is someone here tonight

00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:45.259
 that you've got anger issues with,

00:19:45.579 --> 00:19:46.959
 you've got unresolved anger,

00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:48.079
 unresolved tension with,

00:19:48.139 --> 00:19:49.379
 then please,

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:51.199
 in the name of Christ,

00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:53.340
 go and deal with it.

00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.279
 Deal with it.

00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:01.819
 Now that you have purified yourselves

00:20:01.819 --> 00:20:02.740
 by obeying the truth

00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:04.059
 so that you have sincere love

00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:04.680
 for your brothers,

00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:07.480
 love one another deeply

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:09.100
 from the heart.

00:20:10.600 --> 00:20:11.660
 Purified hearts

00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:12.580
 are loving hearts,

00:20:12.700 --> 00:20:14.120
 hearts willing to forgive

00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:15.559
 as they have been forgiven.

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:17.599
 Now that Jesus

00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:19.019
 is your saviour,

00:20:19.980 --> 00:20:21.079
 make him your character.

00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:23.519
 Make him your character.

00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:25.679
 He's forgiven your sin.

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:27.220
 Now he wants to kill it.

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:29.179
 He died for your anger

00:20:29.179 --> 00:20:31.539
 so that you can rise in patience.

00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:35.259
 And so deal with the anger.

00:20:36.639 --> 00:20:37.379
 Too often,

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.720
 we just want to be back there

00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.420
 with Cain.

00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:43.059
 When you're doing,

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.579
 when there's that person

00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:47.500
 driving 40 kilometres an hour

00:20:47.500 --> 00:20:48.759
 in the 60k zone,

00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:50.779
 that's when,

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:51.680
 for me,

00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:55.079
 Cain starts to whirl up within me.

00:20:56.759 --> 00:20:57.659
 Holding me up

00:20:57.659 --> 00:20:58.559
 when I don't have anywhere

00:20:58.559 --> 00:20:59.279
 important to go

00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.559
 but I need to get there quickly.

00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:03.759
 What's that?

00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.779
 That's me putting myself

00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:08.039
 at the centre of the universe.

00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:11.259
 Anger comes up

00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.079
 when I put myself

00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:12.619
 at the centre,

00:21:13.399 --> 00:21:14.720
 when I haven't been served,

00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:16.539
 when I've been gossiped about

00:21:16.539 --> 00:21:17.920
 and I want justice.

00:21:18.700 --> 00:21:19.279
 But if friends,

00:21:19.619 --> 00:21:21.839
 if I stay at the centre,

00:21:22.700 --> 00:21:24.220
 if I stay at the centre

00:21:24.220 --> 00:21:25.000
 of the universe,

00:21:25.159 --> 00:21:26.579
 I die with Cain.

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:29.480
 I die with Cain

00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:31.740
 and not only die with Cain,

00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:32.980
 but I murder

00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:34.339
 other people around me.

00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:35.900
 Do you know what Jesus says?

00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:36.799
 If you have anger

00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:38.539
 towards your brother,

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.620
 you have murdered them.

00:21:40.680 --> 00:21:41.440
 You have murdered them.

00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.380
 You've killed them.

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:44.400
 You've killed something

00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:45.039
 within them.

00:21:46.620 --> 00:21:47.720
 Whenever I stay

00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:48.960
 at the centre of the universe,

00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:50.279
 I am killing people

00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.799
 around me all the time.

00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:52.759
 I'm taking something

00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:54.000
 of their life

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:55.359
 and robbing them of it.

00:21:59.019 --> 00:22:00.019
 And so I need to put

00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:00.819
 Jesus at the centre

00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:02.919
 and I need to rise with him.

00:22:05.339 --> 00:22:05.779
 Friends,

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:07.059
 we need to die to anger

00:22:07.059 --> 00:22:08.339
 and rise to patience.

00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:10.259
 Anger

00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:11.299
 kills

00:22:11.299 --> 00:22:12.559
 relationships.

00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:14.200
 It kills

00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:14.879
 relationships.

00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:16.160
 It kills

00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:16.820
 our fellowship

00:22:16.820 --> 00:22:18.080
 with each other.

00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:21.200
 So how different

00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.360
 are we prepared to be?

00:22:23.360 --> 00:22:23.840
 Amen.