WEBVTT

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 Today's scripture reading is taken from Matthew chapter 5 verses 21 to 26.

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! Please follow along in your own Bibles or on the screen.

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 And if you don't have a Bible, please grab one around the hall.

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 Our passage is on page 760 in this Bible.

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 Starting from verse 21, we read,

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 You have heard that it was said to those of old,

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 You shall not murder.

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 And whoever murders will be liable to judgment.

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 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.

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 Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council.

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 And whoever says, You fool, will be liable to the hell of fire.

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 So, if you are offering your gift at the altar,

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 and there remember that your brother has something against you,

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 leave your gift there before the altar and go.

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 First, be reconciled to your brother,

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 and then come offer your gift.

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 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court.

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 Lest the accuser hand you over to the judge,

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 and the judge to the guard,

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 and you be put in prison.

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 Truly, I say to you,

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 you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Good morning, Watermark.

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 It's wonderful to be here.

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 Wonderful to see you all.

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 Thank you for having us.

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 It really is fantastic to be here in your new venue this morning.

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 And it's a privilege to be sharing with you.

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 We really have a lot of affection for this church.

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 We've had members of Watermark move to Singapore.

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 Ryan and Catherine, some of you may remember them.

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 They're part of our Mandarin church plant.

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 Dorcas also recently moved to Singapore and has been with us.

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 And I know there are many others as well.

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 This morning we actually have Sean and Rachel from RHC who are visiting as well.

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 So some RHC is here too.

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 And that's the nature of Singapore and Hong Kong.

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 There is a lot of movement backwards and forwards.

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 But it really is a wonderful privilege to be speaking to you today.

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 This church,

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 what I always hear about this church,

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 from people from Watermark, from Kevin, from others,

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 two main things that always stand out to me.

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 Firstly, your warmth and your love as a church,

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 the sense of tight community that you have,

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 how you care for one another.

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 And then secondly,

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 I always seem to hear stories of people coming to faith,

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 coming to know Jesus in this church.

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 And I think God has really given you a grace

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 that has enabled you to be very evangelistically fruitful.

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 And those are two very, very beautiful things.

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 And I trust that as you move into this new space,

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 which is absolutely wonderful,

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 that God will continue to see these two things strengthened.

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 And I'm sure that this space is about those two things happening.

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 More and more people coming to know Jesus

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 and be folded into this tight-knit, beautiful community.

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 So it really is a privilege to be here today.

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 I'm going to be speaking this morning on the healing of anger.

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 Some of you may wonder,

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 why on earth am I speaking about this?

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 Did Kevin say to me,

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 hey, if there's one thing you could talk about,

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 could you please speak about this?

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 I would like to let you know that that did not happen at all.

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 But as we'll see a little bit later,

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 this is actually a wonderful text for a couple of reasons.

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 Firstly, I think what Jesus says applies to more of us than we think.

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 Secondly, I think this text does help us think a little bit more

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 about our relationships with one another.

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 It also helps us think more deeply about God

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 and how we view him and his work through Jesus

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 and how that applies to our hearts.

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 So I trust it will be encouraging for us this morning.

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 So let me begin.

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 I don't know how many of you have heard of Alexander the Great.

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 He was a great conqueror.

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 He conquered many, many lands, many nations.

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 But there was one thing that he was unable to conquer,

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 and that was his own anger, his own temper.

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 And in fact, one evening during a banquet,

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 he had had too much to drink,

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 and some of his usual filters were taken down.

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 And he got into an argument with one of his confidants

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 and someone who was a very close friend,

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 someone who had actually saved his life previously.

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 And in his incredible rage, he ended his life

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 and woke up in the morning and lived with a huge sense of regret,

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 which we'll hear a little bit about later.

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 But he was a man who had such power, such control,

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 had so much influence over others,

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 and yet there was something inside of him

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 that he wasn't able to control.

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 And I want to ask you this morning

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 if you are or if you think you are an angry person.

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 The reason I'm asking that this morning

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 is because most angry people or many angry people

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 don't think that they are angry.

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 I never ever thought I had any anger issues.

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 And the reason I thought I didn't have any anger issues

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 was because it's not my habit to shout or scream.

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 I certainly don't or never have, I don't think,

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 thrown things around the house.

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 And I thought, okay, well, I'm clearly not an angry person.

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 But as time went on, I began to realize

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 anger is far more pervasive than just those things.

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 It has many, many forms.

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 Some of us may have mastered the art

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 of the passive-aggressive form of anger.

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 Anybody here?

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 Please do not dig your spouse in their ribs, all right?

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 What about irritability?

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 In fact, what convinced me that I was an angry person

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 was when I read a Desiring God article

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 about 12 years ago on the roots of irritability

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 and how irritability is a form of anger

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 that is just under a certain kind of control.

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 And I realized I actually have a lot of,

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 I can be very irritable.

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 I can be very, very, very, very, very, very,

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 maybe a certain tone of voice

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 or body language to control.

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 Maybe for some people here,

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 it manifests as a kind of bitterness

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 or a deep desire that you never act out on,

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 but you play over and over in your mind

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 this desire for revenge.

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 What about in our culture,

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 how cancel culture is such a huge thing?

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 Isn't that a form of anger?

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 Maybe this morning you recognize

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 you are very easily triggered,

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 like a tightly coiled spring,

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 just waiting to be let loose.

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 Some people, many people that I have had to counsel

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 over the years struggle,

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 it seems like legitimately,

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 with a sense of anger at deep injustice

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 that they have faced.

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 People often, I find in Asia,

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 have experienced deep, deep injustice

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 that has affected them very, very deeply,

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 but they found there's no way for them

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 to resolve it, to engage,

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 to confront,

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 to have proper resolution of those things.

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 And because there's no outlet,

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 it's just grown and grown inside of them.

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 Now, when you and I are prone to,

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 when we are inclined to think about anger,

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 and we think about Jesus speaking about anger,

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 we are probably likely to think about

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 the harm that our anger can do

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 to those around us, loved ones, etc.

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 And Jesus certainly is not unaware of those things.

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 He speaks here about murder and anger.

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 He equates those kinds of things.

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 And so whether it's physical violence,

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 whether it's verbal anger,

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 whether it's emotional abuse,

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 all of these things

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 certainly have a very destructive force

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 upon other people.

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 And this is probably a good time to say

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 that if you are or have been

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 in any kind of an abusive relationship,

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 it really is important

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 for you to get safe and to get help.

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 And nothing I say this morning

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 should be taken as a way

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 to justify you remaining in a situation

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 that you are physically unsafe in.

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 But when we're inclined to think about anger,

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 we probably think about the harm

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 that our anger may do to others.

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 But I want us to notice here

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 in our text today,

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 the way Jesus is motivating us

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 is not by getting us to think about

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 the harm it will do to others,

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 though that's absolutely true.

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 He actually wants us to think

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 about the harm that our anger does

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 not to other people,

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 but does to us.

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 So look at verse 22,

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 verse 25, verse 26.

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 I say to you,

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 everyone who's angry with his brother

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 will be liable to judgment.

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 Whoever insults his brother

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 will be liable to the council.

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 Whoever says you fool

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 will be liable to the hell of fire.

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 Come quickly to terms with your accuser

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 while you're going with him to the court,

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 lest your accuser hand you over to the judge

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 and the judge to the God

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 and you be put in prison.

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 Truly I say,

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 you will never get out

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 until you've paid the last penny.

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 Interestingly here,

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 Jesus is trying to motivate us

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 by getting us to think about

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 anger's effect upon our own hearts,

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 spiritually and relationally.

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 And this means,

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 I think every one of us recognize

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 we probably do need some help

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 in this regard.

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 And years of pastoral ministry

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 have shown me

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 people typically need help

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 in this area

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 in two ways.

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 Number one,

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 dealing with a feeling of anger

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 in our own hearts.

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 How do we let this go?

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 Can we?

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 And secondly,

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 knowing how to constructively engage

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 with those

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 that we have conflicts with.

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 And fortunately,

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 in this passage today,

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 Jesus does mention both of these.

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 So we'll see two things

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 briefly this morning.

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 Firstly,

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 the problem with anger

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 and secondly,

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 a path out of anger.

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 So let's start with

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 the path,

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 the problem of anger.

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 When we think about this text,

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 what Jesus is doing,

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 we don't have time

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 to look at it in detail.

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 Jesus is picking up aspects

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 of the Old Testament law,

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 the Torah,

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 and he is fleshing them out

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 by showing the true heart

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 of the law.

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 And one good way

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 to think about

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 the Old Testament law

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 is that what the law

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 in the Old Testament

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 negatively prohibits,

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 it does so in order

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 to positively encourage

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 the opposite behavior.

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 It's like if

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 Kev or one of the leaders

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 here says,

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 we'd really like to ask you

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 not to be late on Sunday.

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 They're not just asking you

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 not to be late,

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 they're asking you

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 to positively be

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 on time and early, right?

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 And so,

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 when the law speaks about

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 not doing various things,

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 it is urging us

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 to love,

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 to care for God's,

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 to care for those

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 around us.

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 So,

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 let's ask ourselves,

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 what exactly is this anger?

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 In verse 21 and 22,

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 let's read in our text,

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 Jesus says,

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 you've heard it was said

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 to those of old,

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 you shall not murder

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 and whoever murders

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 will be liable to judgment.

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 But I say to you,

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 everyone who's angry

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 with his brother

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 will be liable to judgment.

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 Whoever insults his brother

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 will be liable

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 to the council.

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 Whoever says,

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 you fool,

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 will be liable

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 to the hell of fire.

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 Jesus here is really

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 getting to the spirit

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 of the law.

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 He's trying to show us

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 the heart of it.

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 We think even of

00:10:57.700 --> 00:10:58.360
 the Old Testament,

00:10:58.560 --> 00:10:59.680
 how the Old Testament

00:10:59.680 --> 00:11:00.760
 even had laws

00:11:00.760 --> 00:11:04.560
 about like building parapets

00:11:04.560 --> 00:11:05.460
 or balustrades

00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:06.260
 on top of the roof

00:11:06.260 --> 00:11:06.900
 of your house

00:11:06.900 --> 00:11:08.780
 lest somebody fall off

00:11:08.780 --> 00:11:09.560
 by accident.

00:11:10.280 --> 00:11:11.180
 The heart of that

00:11:11.180 --> 00:11:12.120
 is this care

00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:12.820
 and concern

00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:13.600
 for other people

00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:15.580
 that is so deeply

00:11:15.580 --> 00:11:16.800
 concerned for their well-being

00:11:16.800 --> 00:11:17.520
 that when you're building

00:11:17.520 --> 00:11:17.880
 a house,

00:11:17.940 --> 00:11:18.520
 you're thinking

00:11:18.520 --> 00:11:20.100
 about safety precautions

00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:21.000
 lest somebody

00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:22.780
 accidentally harm themselves.

00:11:23.400 --> 00:11:24.200
 And in that spirit

00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:24.580
 of the law,

00:11:24.680 --> 00:11:25.440
 Jesus is saying

00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:26.420
 the way that we view

00:11:26.419 --> 00:11:27.439
 and treat

00:11:27.439 --> 00:11:28.919
 and feel in our hearts

00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:29.620
 toward other people

00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:30.879
 really, really matters.

00:11:31.579 --> 00:11:32.579
 And I think the three

00:11:32.579 --> 00:11:33.860
 clauses or phrases

00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:35.000
 Jesus uses here

00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:36.120
 help us think

00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:37.139
 a little bit about anger.

00:11:37.459 --> 00:11:38.639
 He speaks about being angry,

00:11:39.099 --> 00:11:40.839
 he speaks about insulting,

00:11:41.139 --> 00:11:42.000
 and he speaks about

00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.120
 calling someone a fool.

00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:44.079
 I think we can think

00:11:44.079 --> 00:11:44.839
 of these as like

00:11:44.839 --> 00:11:46.620
 three kind of facets

00:11:46.620 --> 00:11:48.399
 of the diamond of anger

00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:49.219
 that help us see

00:11:49.219 --> 00:11:50.019
 what he's talking about.

00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:51.480
 The word anger

00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:52.899
 is something which would

00:11:52.899 --> 00:11:53.799
 exist in our heart.

00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:55.819
 the word is kind of

00:11:55.819 --> 00:11:57.459
 like a burning rage

00:11:57.459 --> 00:11:59.139
 that you nurse,

00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:00.919
 like a fire

00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:01.899
 that is continuing

00:12:01.899 --> 00:12:03.519
 to burn inside of you.

00:12:03.959 --> 00:12:05.199
 The word insult,

00:12:06.199 --> 00:12:06.939
 this is when you

00:12:06.939 --> 00:12:07.699
 demean someone.

00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:09.399
 You make a judgment

00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:09.939
 of them.

00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:11.679
 You judge them

00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:13.319
 by defining them

00:12:13.319 --> 00:12:13.979
 in your own heart

00:12:13.979 --> 00:12:14.799
 and your own mind.

00:12:15.339 --> 00:12:16.500
 You say to them,

00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:16.799
 I,

00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:17.279
 I mean,

00:12:17.379 --> 00:12:18.139
 internally in your heart,

00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:19.240
 I declare you

00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:20.299
 to be an idiot.

00:12:21.259 --> 00:12:21.599
 All right?

00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:23.000
 There's this sense

00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:24.099
 that you're summing them up

00:12:24.099 --> 00:12:24.819
 and concluding

00:12:24.819 --> 00:12:25.919
 who they are.

00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:27.240
 And then the last word,

00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:27.659
 fool,

00:12:27.859 --> 00:12:28.319
 interestingly,

00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:30.879
 the Greek word

00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:33.199
 is the root of which

00:12:33.199 --> 00:12:33.740
 is the word

00:12:33.740 --> 00:12:34.359
 that in English

00:12:34.359 --> 00:12:35.120
 we sometimes,

00:12:35.379 --> 00:12:37.139
 the word moron,

00:12:37.699 --> 00:12:38.419
 when you call someone

00:12:38.419 --> 00:12:39.000
 a moron,

00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:39.740
 it's like when you call

00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:40.479
 someone an airhead

00:12:40.479 --> 00:12:41.099
 or a moron.

00:12:41.199 --> 00:12:41.859
 I don't know how you

00:12:41.859 --> 00:12:44.079
 typically use that language.

00:12:44.179 --> 00:12:44.879
 You don't have to tell me

00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:45.539
 about it right now.

00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:47.419
 But typically,

00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:47.979
 if you call someone

00:12:47.979 --> 00:12:48.579
 a moron

00:12:48.579 --> 00:12:49.659
 or an idiot like that,

00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:51.819
 the way that it's often used

00:12:51.819 --> 00:12:53.799
 is in a very dismissive

00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:54.579
 kind of a way.

00:12:54.980 --> 00:12:56.579
 That guy's just a moron.

00:12:56.939 --> 00:12:58.379
 I do not have time for you.

00:12:58.819 --> 00:13:00.620
 Can you just get out of my way

00:13:00.620 --> 00:13:01.379
 and out of my life?

00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:04.679
 And what is being spoken of here

00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:06.039
 is a kind of indifference,

00:13:06.980 --> 00:13:07.759
 a dismissing,

00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:09.199
 not treating someone

00:13:09.199 --> 00:13:10.779
 as they really should be treated.

00:13:11.419 --> 00:13:12.439
 And if we put all these

00:13:12.439 --> 00:13:13.399
 three things together,

00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:14.759
 I think a good definition

00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:15.620
 that we can get

00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:16.480
 of anger

00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:17.439
 that the kind of anger

00:13:17.439 --> 00:13:18.879
 Jesus is referring to here

00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.539
 is an attitude of heart

00:13:20.539 --> 00:13:22.539
 that demeans

00:13:22.539 --> 00:13:23.480
 the other person,

00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:25.659
 setting yourself up

00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:26.360
 as a God

00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:27.220
 over them

00:13:27.220 --> 00:13:28.879
 to define,

00:13:30.059 --> 00:13:30.480
 judge,

00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:31.700
 and then ultimately

00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:32.840
 dismiss them.

00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:34.379
 And

00:13:34.379 --> 00:13:36.059
 I think this

00:13:36.059 --> 00:13:37.279
 captures what Jesus

00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:38.179
 is speaking of here.

00:13:38.860 --> 00:13:40.000
 Sometimes we want to

00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.080
 nurse a kind of bitterness

00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:41.539
 because

00:13:41.539 --> 00:13:43.600
 we may legitimately

00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:44.360
 see things

00:13:44.360 --> 00:13:45.220
 that have happened to us

00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:46.179
 that we think are wrong

00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:47.219
 and may legitimately

00:13:47.219 --> 00:13:48.019
 have been wrong.

00:13:48.539 --> 00:13:49.279
 We legitimately

00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:49.919
 have suffered.

00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:51.939
 We do not believe

00:13:51.939 --> 00:13:52.699
 that there is a God

00:13:52.699 --> 00:13:53.399
 of justice

00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.979
 who will ultimately

00:13:54.979 --> 00:13:55.839
 hold all people

00:13:55.839 --> 00:13:56.359
 to account.

00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:56.979
 And we think

00:13:56.979 --> 00:13:59.000
 if I don't exact

00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:00.179
 my revenge on them,

00:14:00.219 --> 00:14:01.120
 even if that revenge

00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:02.519
 is just my own anger

00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:03.019
 toward them

00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:03.839
 in my own heart,

00:14:03.839 --> 00:14:05.079
 there will be no justice.

00:14:06.859 --> 00:14:07.579
 And therefore,

00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:08.859
 because we don't fear God

00:14:08.859 --> 00:14:09.819
 or we don't believe

00:14:09.819 --> 00:14:10.479
 that he is there

00:14:10.479 --> 00:14:11.459
 to execute justice,

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.479
 we take it upon

00:14:12.479 --> 00:14:13.240
 ourselves to do.

00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:13.919
 We judge,

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:16.120
 we dismiss,

00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:17.940
 we write off,

00:14:18.139 --> 00:14:19.419
 we nurse grudges

00:14:19.419 --> 00:14:20.220
 in this way.

00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:21.840
 Now,

00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:23.100
 there are some

00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:24.360
 who at a point

00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:24.720
 like this

00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.700
 would probably

00:14:25.700 --> 00:14:26.580
 and legitimately

00:14:26.580 --> 00:14:27.240
 be asking,

00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:27.740
 hold on,

00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:28.080
 hold on.

00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:29.379
 What about

00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:30.200
 those people

00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:30.580
 in the world

00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:31.299
 who really,

00:14:31.580 --> 00:14:32.340
 really do commit

00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:33.220
 great acts of evil?

00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:35.440
 How do we think

00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:36.480
 about such people?

00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:38.299
 Friends,

00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:39.259
 the Bible,

00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:40.080
 the Christian Bible

00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:41.000
 certainly gives us

00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.379
 very clear categories

00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:43.639
 in which to understand

00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:43.980
 evil.

00:14:44.659 --> 00:14:45.740
 If we don't have God,

00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:46.340
 if we don't have

00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:46.960
 his righteousness,

00:14:47.139 --> 00:14:47.620
 we don't have

00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:48.580
 proper categories

00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:49.299
 in which to really

00:14:49.299 --> 00:14:50.080
 understand that

00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:51.059
 which is right and wrong.

00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:52.559
 And the scriptures

00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:53.620
 really do affirm

00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.340
 and show us

00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:55.659
 there are actions

00:14:55.659 --> 00:14:56.500
 and ways of treating

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:57.580
 people that are wicked

00:14:57.580 --> 00:14:59.080
 and certainly

00:14:59.080 --> 00:14:59.840
 are worthy

00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:00.939
 of judgment.

00:15:01.899 --> 00:15:02.439
 And the Bible

00:15:02.439 --> 00:15:03.399
 is not saying

00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:04.539
 that we are to act

00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:05.399
 as though everybody's

00:15:05.399 --> 00:15:06.379
 behavior is acceptable

00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:07.179
 and fine.

00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:08.120
 The scriptures

00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:09.100
 themselves give us

00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:09.720
 those categories

00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:10.860
 in which to make

00:15:10.860 --> 00:15:11.679
 right judgments.

00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.500
 So when we see

00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:14.539
 people who legitimately

00:15:14.539 --> 00:15:15.579
 do do evil

00:15:15.579 --> 00:15:16.279
 and wicked things

00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:16.859
 as Christians,

00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:18.099
 I want to tell us

00:15:18.099 --> 00:15:18.459
 this morning,

00:15:18.539 --> 00:15:19.459
 it's entirely possible,

00:15:19.539 --> 00:15:20.399
 it's right actually,

00:15:20.979 --> 00:15:22.459
 for us to hate evil,

00:15:23.620 --> 00:15:24.359
 for us to hate

00:15:24.359 --> 00:15:24.899
 injustice,

00:15:25.459 --> 00:15:27.239
 to legitimately see

00:15:27.239 --> 00:15:28.039
 where we may have

00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:29.019
 been wronged,

00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:30.899
 but we refrain

00:15:30.899 --> 00:15:32.639
 from taking the place

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.599
 of God ourselves.

00:15:35.599 --> 00:15:36.699
 It may be possible

00:15:36.699 --> 00:15:38.039
 in certain situations

00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:39.359
 that we do need

00:15:39.359 --> 00:15:40.199
 to react to

00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:41.240
 somebody else's evil

00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:42.240
 or their sin.

00:15:43.060 --> 00:15:43.960
 It could be possible

00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:44.460
 for Christians

00:15:44.460 --> 00:15:45.300
 and right in some

00:15:45.300 --> 00:15:45.900
 circumstances,

00:15:45.900 --> 00:15:46.920
 if you see someone

00:15:46.920 --> 00:15:47.680
 else being harmed,

00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:49.120
 for you even to step in

00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:50.560
 and forcibly maybe

00:15:50.560 --> 00:15:51.640
 stop somebody from

00:15:51.640 --> 00:15:52.540
 sinning or harming

00:15:52.540 --> 00:15:53.120
 another person,

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.460
 that's absolutely

00:15:54.460 --> 00:15:55.860
 legitimate and that's

00:15:55.860 --> 00:15:56.280
 what the Bible

00:15:56.280 --> 00:15:57.040
 would describe as

00:15:57.040 --> 00:15:57.580
 love.

00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:00.379
 But when in our

00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:01.180
 hearts we don't just

00:16:01.180 --> 00:16:02.340
 want to see what is

00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:03.800
 wrong being stopped,

00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:05.360
 but we want to see

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.160
 the wrongdoer

00:16:06.160 --> 00:16:06.860
 destroyed,

00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:09.379
 when we want to

00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:10.320
 see them pay

00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:11.620
 for their sins,

00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:12.820
 we want them to be

00:16:12.820 --> 00:16:13.200
 destroyed,

00:16:13.300 --> 00:16:14.180
 we dismiss them,

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.820
 we're moving from

00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:16.740
 just enacting

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:18.740
 justice and trying

00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:19.620
 to love other people

00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:21.180
 rightly and we're

00:16:21.180 --> 00:16:22.039
 taking the place of

00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:23.480
 God in our own

00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:23.820
 hearts.

00:16:24.180 --> 00:16:25.460
 We are moving into

00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:26.539
 an unrighteous anger

00:16:26.539 --> 00:16:27.460
 that can be evil

00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:27.919
 itself.

00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:28.740
 And friends,

00:16:28.800 --> 00:16:29.460
 I want us to notice

00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:30.539
 that Jesus says

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:32.240
 this kind of anger

00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:33.159
 is really bad.

00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:34.899
 it's really bad for

00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:35.899
 us both spiritually,

00:16:36.179 --> 00:16:38.399
 it's really bad for

00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:39.519
 us relationally.

00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:41.679
 How is it bad for

00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:42.319
 us spiritually?

00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:42.639
 Well,

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:43.319
 let's just notice

00:16:43.319 --> 00:16:44.019
 what he says.

00:16:44.419 --> 00:16:45.120
 If you go back and

00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:45.659
 look at the text,

00:16:45.740 --> 00:16:45.860
 I mean,

00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:47.000
 think about the

00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:47.799
 words that Jesus

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:48.319
 speaks about.

00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:49.159
 He speaks about the

00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:49.779
 danger of the

00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:50.240
 council.

00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:52.339
 He speaks ultimately

00:16:52.339 --> 00:16:53.439
 about the danger of

00:16:53.439 --> 00:16:53.759
 hell.

00:16:54.500 --> 00:16:55.719
 What is Jesus saying

00:16:55.719 --> 00:16:55.959
 here?

00:16:56.639 --> 00:16:56.839
 I mean,

00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:58.720
 hell in Matthew's

00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.199
 gospel is a place

00:17:00.199 --> 00:17:01.519
 where we are alienated

00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:02.819
 from the presence of

00:17:02.819 --> 00:17:03.100
 God.

00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:05.180
 where we're

00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:06.279
 separated from him

00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:08.480
 and ultimately are

00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:09.019
 destroyed.

00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:11.139
 Jesus is really

00:17:11.139 --> 00:17:11.879
 warning us to say,

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:13.039
 if we nurse this

00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:13.899
 kind of thing where

00:17:13.899 --> 00:17:14.539
 we're taking the

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:15.159
 place of God,

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.460
 dismissing people,

00:17:17.139 --> 00:17:17.559
 wanting them

00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:18.059
 destroyed,

00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:19.180
 setting ourselves as

00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:20.059
 the ultimate judge

00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:20.599
 over them,

00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:22.480
 this is going to

00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:23.159
 have profound

00:17:23.159 --> 00:17:24.099
 spiritual effects

00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:24.920
 upon us.

00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:25.420
 Now,

00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:26.139
 I think this is so

00:17:26.139 --> 00:17:27.279
 bad for at least

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.079
 three reasons.

00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:29.440
 Firstly,

00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:31.399
 unrighteous anger

00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:32.599
 slanders

00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:34.740
 the image of God.

00:17:37.419 --> 00:17:38.219
 Unrighteous anger

00:17:38.219 --> 00:17:39.379
 slanders the image

00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:39.740
 of God.

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:40.859
 It's one of the

00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:41.759
 most beautiful and

00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:42.799
 wonderful teachings

00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:44.579
 of the scriptures that

00:17:44.579 --> 00:17:45.939
 every single human

00:17:45.939 --> 00:17:48.240
 being is made in the

00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:48.939
 image of God.

00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:48.980
 God.

00:17:49.860 --> 00:17:50.700
 And the Bible tells us

00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:51.559
 that sin has

00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:53.120
 marred that image.

00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:54.840
 We do not reflect

00:17:54.840 --> 00:17:56.420
 God's glory perfectly.

00:17:56.580 --> 00:17:56.820
 In fact,

00:17:56.860 --> 00:17:57.840
 many of us reflect it

00:17:57.840 --> 00:17:58.519
 very,

00:17:58.660 --> 00:17:59.700
 very poorly.

00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:01.160
 And yet the

00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:01.660
 scriptures say,

00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:02.660
 even after the

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:02.960
 fall,

00:18:03.600 --> 00:18:04.700
 we still retain

00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:06.279
 the dignity

00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:08.180
 of being God's

00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:08.840
 image bearers,

00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:09.820
 though we reflect it

00:18:09.820 --> 00:18:10.320
 so badly.

00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:11.519
 and we're to

00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:12.220
 treat other

00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:12.700
 Christians,

00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:13.419
 sorry,

00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:13.879
 not just other

00:18:13.879 --> 00:18:14.179
 Christians,

00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:14.799
 other human

00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:15.259
 beings,

00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:16.079
 all human

00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:16.379
 beings,

00:18:16.539 --> 00:18:17.759
 as image

00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:18.639
 bearers of

00:18:18.639 --> 00:18:18.919
 God.

00:18:19.179 --> 00:18:19.519
 Now,

00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:21.279
 I am from

00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:21.559
 Singapore,

00:18:21.779 --> 00:18:22.279
 and you would

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:22.879
 know in this

00:18:22.879 --> 00:18:23.220
 part of the

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:23.599
 world there are

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:24.220
 many temples

00:18:24.220 --> 00:18:25.779
 that are on

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:26.379
 just about every

00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:26.700
 corner.

00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:28.779
 Can you imagine

00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:30.000
 how people would

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:30.179
 feel,

00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:31.599
 worshippers in a

00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:32.240
 temple around the

00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:32.859
 corner would feel

00:18:32.859 --> 00:18:33.619
 if somebody walked

00:18:33.619 --> 00:18:34.539
 in with a

00:18:34.539 --> 00:18:35.399
 massive axe

00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:37.680
 and began to

00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:39.800
 swing at some

00:18:39.800 --> 00:18:40.380
 of the idols

00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:41.120
 and gods that

00:18:41.120 --> 00:18:41.660
 are set up in

00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:42.120
 that temple.

00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:43.700
 It would be

00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:44.259
 outrageous.

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:46.680
 And the

00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:47.440
 scriptures show us

00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.240
 that this entire

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.700
 creation,

00:18:48.840 --> 00:18:49.500
 this world that

00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:50.240
 we live in,

00:18:50.759 --> 00:18:51.700
 is a temple to

00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:52.540
 the glory of God

00:18:52.540 --> 00:18:53.480
 with every human

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:53.660
 being,

00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:53.860
 what,

00:18:53.940 --> 00:18:54.160
 seven,

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:54.840
 eight billion of

00:18:54.840 --> 00:18:55.340
 them on the

00:18:55.340 --> 00:18:55.880
 planet at the

00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:56.180
 moment,

00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:57.980
 image bearers of

00:18:57.980 --> 00:18:58.280
 God.

00:18:59.019 --> 00:18:59.440
 And the way

00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:00.300
 that we treat

00:19:00.300 --> 00:19:01.400
 those image

00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:03.100
 bearers and view

00:19:03.100 --> 00:19:04.480
 them is a

00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:05.380
 reflection of

00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:06.620
 our view toward

00:19:06.620 --> 00:19:07.740
 God at some

00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:08.040
 level.

00:19:08.940 --> 00:19:09.560
 So unrighteous

00:19:09.560 --> 00:19:10.160
 anger is

00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:10.900
 particularly bad

00:19:10.900 --> 00:19:12.740
 because we are

00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.580
 slandering the

00:19:13.580 --> 00:19:14.140
 image of God

00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:14.620
 which speaks

00:19:14.620 --> 00:19:15.480
 something to

00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:16.280
 how we're

00:19:16.280 --> 00:19:16.920
 treating God

00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:17.519
 himself.

00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:18.580
 Secondly,

00:19:18.700 --> 00:19:19.600
 unrighteous anger,

00:19:19.840 --> 00:19:20.820
 I think even more

00:19:20.820 --> 00:19:21.220
 seriously,

00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:22.880
 sets us up in

00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:23.620
 our own hearts

00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:24.980
 to take the

00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:25.759
 place of God.

00:19:27.280 --> 00:19:29.019
 When we decide

00:19:29.019 --> 00:19:29.920
 that we will be

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:30.420
 the ultimate

00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:30.880
 judge,

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:32.700
 we will make

00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:34.400
 permanent

00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:35.160
 decisions about

00:19:35.160 --> 00:19:35.519
 someone,

00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:36.519
 dismiss them

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:37.840
 in a certain

00:19:37.840 --> 00:19:38.200
 way,

00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:38.860
 we are setting

00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.380
 ourselves up

00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:39.860
 in the place

00:19:39.860 --> 00:19:40.180
 of God.

00:19:40.300 --> 00:19:40.620
 And friends,

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:41.340
 the scriptures

00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:42.100
 show us we

00:19:42.100 --> 00:19:42.960
 cannot do this

00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:43.440
 without this

00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:44.300
 having a profound

00:19:44.300 --> 00:19:45.340
 effect upon our

00:19:45.340 --> 00:19:45.880
 own hearts.

00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:47.920
 The Bible shows

00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:48.759
 us so clearly

00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:49.380
 over and over

00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:50.259
 whenever we

00:19:50.259 --> 00:19:51.620
 displace God,

00:19:51.860 --> 00:19:54.120
 we end up

00:19:54.120 --> 00:19:54.860
 idolizing

00:19:54.860 --> 00:19:55.920
 something or

00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.100
 someone else.

00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:58.980
 In fact,

00:19:59.080 --> 00:19:59.880
 I've seen so

00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:00.840
 often how people

00:20:00.840 --> 00:20:02.420
 who trust in

00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:04.060
 people above

00:20:04.060 --> 00:20:04.420
 God,

00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.019
 then when those

00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:05.660
 people let

00:20:05.660 --> 00:20:06.240
 them down and

00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:06.860
 disappoint them,

00:20:06.940 --> 00:20:07.860
 there's a deep

00:20:07.860 --> 00:20:09.140
 anger that begins

00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:09.620
 to grow.

00:20:10.560 --> 00:20:11.279
 But more than

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:11.460
 that,

00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:13.480
 our hearts do

00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:14.600
 become profoundly

00:20:14.600 --> 00:20:16.980
 disordered when

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:17.440
 we take the

00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:17.880
 place of God.

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:18.700
 Romans 1 shows

00:20:18.700 --> 00:20:20.100
 us that when

00:20:20.100 --> 00:20:21.539
 we replace God

00:20:21.539 --> 00:20:22.120
 and we set

00:20:22.120 --> 00:20:23.019
 ourselves up as

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:23.460
 gods,

00:20:24.060 --> 00:20:24.539
 one of the

00:20:24.539 --> 00:20:25.340
 effects of that

00:20:25.340 --> 00:20:26.160
 is a kind of

00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:27.640
 spiritual blindness

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.420
 in our lives.

00:20:28.840 --> 00:20:29.180
 I think the

00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:29.640
 language that

00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:30.519
 Romans 1 uses

00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:31.200
 is we become

00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:33.119
 futile in our

00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:33.500
 thinking.

00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:34.359
 I don't know

00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:34.700
 how many of

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:35.079
 you have ever

00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:36.160
 seen this play

00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.720
 out in your

00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:38.859
 own life.

00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:40.859
 This means that

00:20:40.859 --> 00:20:41.920
 when other

00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:42.420
 people sin

00:20:42.420 --> 00:20:43.139
 against us,

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:44.379
 and we become

00:20:44.379 --> 00:20:45.139
 angry with

00:20:45.139 --> 00:20:45.359
 them,

00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:47.039
 we become

00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.160
 blind to our

00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.039
 own sinful

00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:49.900
 response to

00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:50.359
 their sin.

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:51.940
 I don't know

00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:52.220
 if this has

00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:52.599
 ever happened

00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:52.920
 to you.

00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:55.099
 Someone sins

00:20:55.099 --> 00:20:55.779
 against us,

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.160
 and we feel

00:20:57.160 --> 00:20:57.839
 we're just

00:20:57.839 --> 00:20:58.359
 filled with a

00:20:58.359 --> 00:20:58.940
 huge sense of

00:20:58.940 --> 00:20:59.279
 rage.

00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:00.160
 But instead

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:00.460
 of being

00:21:00.460 --> 00:21:01.000
 aware of

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:02.000
 how wrong

00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:02.860
 our anger

00:21:02.860 --> 00:21:03.200
 is,

00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:04.060
 and how

00:21:04.060 --> 00:21:04.600
 we're now

00:21:04.600 --> 00:21:05.320
 treating them

00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:05.700
 in a very

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.500
 unfair way,

00:21:06.580 --> 00:21:07.060
 or judging

00:21:07.060 --> 00:21:07.240
 them,

00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:07.840
 or misunderstanding

00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:09.680
 their motives,

00:21:09.840 --> 00:21:10.940
 we're just

00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:11.640
 locked in and

00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:12.160
 focused on

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:12.560
 their own

00:21:12.560 --> 00:21:12.900
 errors.

00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:14.019
 And so

00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:14.380
 often,

00:21:14.800 --> 00:21:15.500
 I find for

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:15.779
 myself,

00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:16.400
 I'm tempted

00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:16.980
 into sin

00:21:16.980 --> 00:21:17.540
 because someone

00:21:17.540 --> 00:21:18.040
 sinned against

00:21:18.040 --> 00:21:18.340
 me.

00:21:19.180 --> 00:21:19.500
 And just

00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:19.880
 because someone

00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:20.400
 sinned against

00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:20.840
 me doesn't

00:21:20.840 --> 00:21:21.460
 justify me

00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:22.000
 sinning against

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:22.300
 them,

00:21:22.779 --> 00:21:23.259
 but in my

00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:23.540
 anger,

00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:24.220
 I get blind

00:21:24.220 --> 00:21:24.820
 to my own

00:21:24.820 --> 00:21:25.800
 sinful response

00:21:25.800 --> 00:21:26.779
 to them.

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:27.980
 And if

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.259
 you're like

00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:28.460
 me,

00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:28.700
 then you

00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:29.160
 probably start

00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:29.400
 to feel

00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:29.940
 justified.

00:21:30.600 --> 00:21:31.000
 You think

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:31.660
 certain things,

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:32.340
 you act in

00:21:32.340 --> 00:21:32.660
 a certain

00:21:32.660 --> 00:21:33.080
 way,

00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:34.400
 maybe indulge

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:34.820
 in more

00:21:34.820 --> 00:21:35.420
 gossip about

00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:35.559
 them,

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:35.880
 you say

00:21:35.880 --> 00:21:36.340
 things about

00:21:36.340 --> 00:21:36.480
 them,

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.180
 scripture clearly

00:21:37.180 --> 00:21:37.640
 says that we

00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:38.080
 shouldn't do,

00:21:38.539 --> 00:21:38.860
 but you're

00:21:38.860 --> 00:21:39.460
 entirely blind

00:21:39.460 --> 00:21:39.880
 to it because

00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:40.220
 it feels

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:41.000
 entirely justified

00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:41.460
 because of

00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.220
 how bad

00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:42.620
 they are.

00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:43.360
 In other

00:21:43.360 --> 00:21:43.559
 words,

00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.259
 when we set

00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:44.799
 ourselves up

00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:45.080
 in this

00:21:45.080 --> 00:21:45.279
 way,

00:21:45.360 --> 00:21:45.960
 we can see

00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:46.320
 even in

00:21:46.320 --> 00:21:46.620
 our own

00:21:46.620 --> 00:21:46.940
 hearts,

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:47.580
 there's a

00:21:47.580 --> 00:21:47.880
 blindness

00:21:47.880 --> 00:21:48.519
 that creeps

00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:48.720
 in,

00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:49.799
 that affects

00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:50.160
 us.

00:21:51.120 --> 00:21:51.559
 And finally,

00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:52.080
 unrighteous

00:21:52.080 --> 00:21:52.920
 anger shows,

00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:53.980
 I think most

00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:54.440
 seriously,

00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:55.480
 Matthew 6 will

00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:56.000
 show us in

00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:56.279
 the next

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:56.600
 chapter,

00:21:57.340 --> 00:21:57.940
 that we have

00:21:57.940 --> 00:21:58.580
 not properly

00:21:58.580 --> 00:21:59.380
 received God's

00:21:59.380 --> 00:21:59.680
 mercy.

00:22:00.820 --> 00:22:01.680
 There's something

00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:02.200
 in our own

00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:02.779
 hearts that

00:22:02.779 --> 00:22:03.580
 have not

00:22:03.580 --> 00:22:04.360
 truly understood

00:22:04.360 --> 00:22:04.940
 the nature

00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:05.620
 of who God

00:22:05.620 --> 00:22:05.880
 is.

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.420
 What about

00:22:07.420 --> 00:22:08.100
 relationally?

00:22:09.100 --> 00:22:09.380
 And this,

00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.000
 I don't need to

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:10.519
 spend as much

00:22:10.519 --> 00:22:11.480
 time on this

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:11.759
 morning,

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:12.360
 the passage

00:22:12.360 --> 00:22:13.880
 shows relationally

00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:14.580
 even in terms

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.480
 of just your

00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:16.000
 own self.

00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:16.339
 There's an

00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:17.039
 accuser,

00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.359
 there's the

00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:18.939
 threat of

00:22:18.939 --> 00:22:19.419
 court,

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:20.699
 of jail,

00:22:20.879 --> 00:22:21.399
 not getting

00:22:21.399 --> 00:22:21.720
 out until

00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:22.099
 you've paid

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:22.500
 the last

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:22.799
 penny.

00:22:22.939 --> 00:22:23.119
 I mean,

00:22:23.679 --> 00:22:25.220
 this text is

00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:25.559
 saying there

00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:26.419
 can be real

00:22:26.419 --> 00:22:27.779
 social and

00:22:27.779 --> 00:22:28.720
 relational and

00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:29.199
 practical

00:22:29.199 --> 00:22:30.759
 implications to

00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:31.539
 not managing

00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:32.319
 our anger

00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:33.039
 properly.

00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.039
 And I don't

00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:35.399
 know how many

00:22:35.399 --> 00:22:35.720
 of you,

00:22:35.939 --> 00:22:36.759
 maybe it's

00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:37.179
 true of you

00:22:37.179 --> 00:22:37.659
 this morning,

00:22:37.779 --> 00:22:38.159
 maybe you

00:22:38.159 --> 00:22:38.799
 know others,

00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:39.919
 who find

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:40.759
 themselves trapped

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.779
 in relational

00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:44.299
 prisons because

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:45.039
 of unforgiveness,

00:22:45.419 --> 00:22:46.200
 because of

00:22:46.200 --> 00:22:46.519
 bitterness,

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:48.220
 because of

00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:48.680
 anger.

00:22:49.879 --> 00:22:50.480
 You refuse to

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:50.819
 forgive,

00:22:51.019 --> 00:22:53.119
 you refuse to

00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:54.159
 let something

00:22:54.159 --> 00:22:54.539
 go,

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.019
 and you find

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.740
 yourself more

00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:56.980
 and more

00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:57.779
 estranged,

00:22:58.899 --> 00:22:59.319
 withdrawn.

00:22:59.440 --> 00:22:59.960
 It begins to

00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:00.940
 affect you more

00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:01.399
 and more.

00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:03.379
 Alexander the

00:23:03.379 --> 00:23:03.599
 Great,

00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:04.419
 when he woke

00:23:04.419 --> 00:23:05.299
 up the next

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:05.919
 morning and

00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:06.500
 realized what

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.019
 he had done,

00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:07.819
 it affected

00:23:07.819 --> 00:23:08.460
 his life

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.259
 profoundly,

00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:11.419
 plunged into

00:23:11.419 --> 00:23:12.000
 a deep

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:12.639
 depression,

00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:15.120
 and he

00:23:15.120 --> 00:23:15.580
 could hardly

00:23:15.580 --> 00:23:16.200
 recover from

00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:16.440
 it.

00:23:17.500 --> 00:23:17.920
 What about

00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:18.380
 ending his

00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:18.920
 life on

00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:19.220
 multiple

00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:19.700
 times?

00:23:20.580 --> 00:23:20.820
 It was

00:23:20.820 --> 00:23:21.100
 deep

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:21.940
 self-loathing.

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:23.500
 Friends,

00:23:23.560 --> 00:23:23.940
 I'm sure we

00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:24.560
 can think of

00:23:24.560 --> 00:23:25.460
 multiple ways

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:26.520
 these kinds

00:23:26.520 --> 00:23:27.020
 of things

00:23:27.020 --> 00:23:27.640
 affect us.

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:27.940
 In other

00:23:27.940 --> 00:23:28.100
 words,

00:23:28.420 --> 00:23:28.759
 the effect

00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:29.040
 is not

00:23:29.040 --> 00:23:29.580
 even just

00:23:29.580 --> 00:23:30.060
 on those

00:23:30.060 --> 00:23:30.400
 that we

00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:30.840
 are angry

00:23:30.840 --> 00:23:31.180
 with,

00:23:31.280 --> 00:23:32.340
 and that

00:23:32.340 --> 00:23:32.640
 would take

00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:32.860
 another

00:23:32.860 --> 00:23:33.240
 entire

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:33.520
 sermon

00:23:33.520 --> 00:23:34.020
 to unpack

00:23:34.020 --> 00:23:34.320
 those

00:23:34.320 --> 00:23:34.620
 things.

00:23:35.420 --> 00:23:35.680
 But let's

00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.180
 remember here,

00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:36.740
 Jesus is

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:37.120
 actually

00:23:37.120 --> 00:23:37.880
 motivating us

00:23:37.880 --> 00:23:38.480
 by asking,

00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:38.920
 what does this

00:23:38.920 --> 00:23:39.340
 do to our

00:23:39.340 --> 00:23:39.900
 own hearts?

00:23:39.900 --> 00:23:41.180
 spiritually,

00:23:42.060 --> 00:23:43.040
 our relationship

00:23:43.040 --> 00:23:43.460
 with God,

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:43.900
 our view

00:23:43.900 --> 00:23:44.300
 of him,

00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:45.560
 our understanding

00:23:45.560 --> 00:23:46.259
 of his mercy,

00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:47.300
 our sense

00:23:47.300 --> 00:23:47.800
 of self,

00:23:48.540 --> 00:23:49.100
 and all of

00:23:49.100 --> 00:23:49.500
 this means,

00:23:49.600 --> 00:23:49.800
 friends,

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:52.080
 that these

00:23:52.080 --> 00:23:52.700
 anger issues

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:53.140
 that Jesus

00:23:53.140 --> 00:23:53.600
 is talking

00:23:53.600 --> 00:23:54.060
 about here

00:23:54.060 --> 00:23:54.740
 are really

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:55.380
 not minor.

00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:56.820
 They are

00:23:56.820 --> 00:23:57.519
 significant,

00:23:58.380 --> 00:23:58.700
 and they're

00:23:58.700 --> 00:23:59.460
 things we need

00:23:59.460 --> 00:23:59.940
 to pay

00:23:59.940 --> 00:24:01.440
 close attention

00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.019
 to.

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.380
 It may be

00:24:03.380 --> 00:24:04.100
 a good idea,

00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:04.640
 don't do it

00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:04.840
 now,

00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.620
 but to ask

00:24:05.620 --> 00:24:06.019
 a friend

00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:07.160
 if you feel

00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:07.320
 like,

00:24:07.380 --> 00:24:07.540
 I don't

00:24:07.540 --> 00:24:07.900
 have any

00:24:07.900 --> 00:24:08.440
 anger issues

00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:08.740
 at all.

00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:10.540
 Maybe you

00:24:10.540 --> 00:24:10.840
 can ask

00:24:10.840 --> 00:24:11.140
 a friend,

00:24:11.220 --> 00:24:11.440
 a close

00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:11.640
 friend,

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.040
 ask a

00:24:12.040 --> 00:24:12.420
 spouse,

00:24:12.800 --> 00:24:13.500
 pick your

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:13.700
 moment

00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:14.100
 carefully,

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.800
 wait till

00:24:15.800 --> 00:24:16.200
 there's time

00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:16.519
 for a

00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:16.840
 longish

00:24:16.840 --> 00:24:17.380
 conversation.

00:24:18.780 --> 00:24:19.920
 I see

00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:20.220
 some of

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:20.900
 you jabbing

00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:21.340
 one another

00:24:21.340 --> 00:24:21.800
 here and

00:24:21.800 --> 00:24:21.980
 there,

00:24:22.340 --> 00:24:23.759
 but we

00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.120
 really should

00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:24.420
 take this

00:24:24.420 --> 00:24:24.740
 seriously.

00:24:25.560 --> 00:24:25.920
 So what

00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:26.560
 exactly is

00:24:26.560 --> 00:24:27.019
 the path

00:24:27.019 --> 00:24:27.320
 out of

00:24:27.320 --> 00:24:27.580
 anger?

00:24:28.380 --> 00:24:28.960
 And I

00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:29.640
 think as I

00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:30.060
 mentioned

00:24:30.060 --> 00:24:30.400
 earlier,

00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:31.800
 we really

00:24:31.800 --> 00:24:32.240
 need help

00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:32.519
 with this

00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:33.080
 command in

00:24:33.080 --> 00:24:33.519
 two ways.

00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:33.800
 I think

00:24:33.800 --> 00:24:34.060
 we need

00:24:34.060 --> 00:24:35.040
 help with

00:24:35.040 --> 00:24:35.580
 both dealing

00:24:35.580 --> 00:24:35.900
 with the

00:24:35.900 --> 00:24:36.220
 negative

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:37.019
 emotions and

00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:37.600
 feelings that

00:24:37.600 --> 00:24:38.160
 we feel

00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:38.500
 in our

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:38.680
 own

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.019
 hearts,

00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:40.059
 and then

00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:40.400
 secondly,

00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:41.259
 knowing just

00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:42.440
 some tips

00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:42.900
 or some

00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:43.639
 help and

00:24:43.639 --> 00:24:44.039
 how do we

00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:44.839
 practically reach

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.220
 out to

00:24:45.220 --> 00:24:45.480
 others?

00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:46.440
 And fortunately,

00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:47.359
 Jesus does

00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:48.079
 mention both

00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:48.460
 of these.

00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.660
 So let's

00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:50.480
 look firstly

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:50.960
 at the

00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.839
 vertical path,

00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.440
 our own

00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:52.839
 hearts.

00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:54.859
 Jesus in

00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:55.199
 the Sermon

00:24:55.199 --> 00:24:55.419
 on the

00:24:55.419 --> 00:24:55.879
 Mount has

00:24:55.879 --> 00:24:56.559
 been speaking

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:57.299
 to his

00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:57.899
 people over

00:24:57.899 --> 00:24:58.339
 and over

00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.000
 about their

00:24:59.000 --> 00:24:59.720
 need for a

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:00.279
 deeper

00:25:00.279 --> 00:25:00.959
 righteousness,

00:25:01.899 --> 00:25:02.619
 a righteousness

00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:03.679
 that is rooted

00:25:03.679 --> 00:25:04.819
 in a correct

00:25:04.819 --> 00:25:05.859
 view of God,

00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:07.679
 not a dismissing

00:25:07.679 --> 00:25:08.039
 of God,

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:08.679
 not a forgetting

00:25:08.679 --> 00:25:09.079
 of him,

00:25:09.179 --> 00:25:09.759
 not a taking

00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:10.279
 the place

00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:10.619
 of him,

00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:11.799
 not fearing

00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:12.220
 that God

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:12.659
 won't do

00:25:12.659 --> 00:25:13.159
 anything in

00:25:13.159 --> 00:25:13.539
 the future

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.319
 and therefore

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:15.079
 we step

00:25:15.079 --> 00:25:15.599
 in and say

00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:16.359
 no one's

00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:16.859
 going to

00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:17.679
 stand up

00:25:17.679 --> 00:25:17.919
 for me,

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:18.279
 I will

00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:18.559
 have to

00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:19.119
 take action,

00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:19.979
 but a

00:25:19.979 --> 00:25:21.419
 right trust,

00:25:22.439 --> 00:25:22.979
 reverence,

00:25:23.199 --> 00:25:25.019
 awe of the

00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.419
 God of the

00:25:25.419 --> 00:25:25.939
 Bible as

00:25:25.939 --> 00:25:26.339
 he shows

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:27.239
 himself to

00:25:27.239 --> 00:25:27.419
 be.

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:27.899
 We need

00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:28.299
 a right

00:25:28.299 --> 00:25:28.819
 view,

00:25:28.979 --> 00:25:29.199
 a right

00:25:29.199 --> 00:25:29.599
 fear,

00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:30.519
 a right

00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:30.879
 healthy

00:25:30.879 --> 00:25:31.299
 Christian

00:25:31.299 --> 00:25:32.179
 fear of

00:25:32.179 --> 00:25:32.479
 the Lord.

00:25:32.979 --> 00:25:33.619
 And this

00:25:33.619 --> 00:25:34.239
 right fear

00:25:34.239 --> 00:25:34.739
 needs to

00:25:34.739 --> 00:25:35.239
 change our

00:25:35.239 --> 00:25:35.659
 hearts,

00:25:36.479 --> 00:25:37.159
 Jesus needs

00:25:37.159 --> 00:25:37.519
 to change

00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:37.939
 our hearts

00:25:37.939 --> 00:25:38.399
 at a deep

00:25:38.399 --> 00:25:39.000
 level so we

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:39.559
 can worship

00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:40.259
 and trust

00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:41.539
 him with a

00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:41.959
 pure heart,

00:25:42.139 --> 00:25:42.739
 seeing right

00:25:42.739 --> 00:25:43.179
 and wrong,

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.239
 not becoming

00:25:44.239 --> 00:25:44.719
 those who

00:25:44.719 --> 00:25:46.000
 dismiss wickedness

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.459
 and say it

00:25:46.459 --> 00:25:47.039
 doesn't matter,

00:25:47.659 --> 00:25:48.139
 you can see

00:25:48.139 --> 00:25:48.659
 clearly,

00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:49.699
 but who

00:25:49.699 --> 00:25:50.419
 respond from

00:25:50.419 --> 00:25:50.939
 a pure

00:25:50.939 --> 00:25:51.399
 heart that's

00:25:51.399 --> 00:25:52.039
 not marked

00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:53.319
 by taking

00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:53.739
 the place

00:25:53.739 --> 00:25:54.179
 of God

00:25:54.179 --> 00:25:54.699
 or being

00:25:54.699 --> 00:25:55.039
 bitter.

00:25:56.019 --> 00:25:56.699
 How exactly

00:25:56.699 --> 00:25:57.059
 do we do

00:25:57.059 --> 00:25:57.299
 this?

00:25:58.179 --> 00:25:58.619
 And I think

00:25:58.619 --> 00:25:59.059
 the scriptures

00:25:59.059 --> 00:25:59.879
 show us that

00:25:59.879 --> 00:26:01.019
 when we are

00:26:01.019 --> 00:26:01.719
 sinned against,

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:03.219
 we are supposed

00:26:03.219 --> 00:26:04.039
 to come to

00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:04.879
 our God,

00:26:04.939 --> 00:26:05.599
 our God of

00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:06.119
 justice,

00:26:06.759 --> 00:26:07.679
 and to

00:26:07.679 --> 00:26:08.639
 entrust our

00:26:08.639 --> 00:26:10.339
 justice to

00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:10.659
 him.

00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:11.879
 Friends,

00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.439
 the scriptures

00:26:12.439 --> 00:26:12.959
 show us that

00:26:12.959 --> 00:26:13.859
 our God is

00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:15.000
 indeed a God

00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:16.599
 who believes

00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.199
 in justice,

00:26:17.459 --> 00:26:18.379
 is profoundly

00:26:18.379 --> 00:26:19.099
 committed to

00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:19.659
 our justice,

00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:20.639
 and we

00:26:20.639 --> 00:26:21.419
 can entrust

00:26:21.419 --> 00:26:22.299
 the wrongs

00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:22.519
 that are

00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:23.459
 done to

00:26:23.459 --> 00:26:24.779
 us into

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.679
 his hands,

00:26:25.899 --> 00:26:26.699
 and we

00:26:26.699 --> 00:26:27.319
 can trust

00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:27.579
 him.

00:26:27.919 --> 00:26:28.359
 We serve

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:28.639
 a God,

00:26:28.719 --> 00:26:29.019
 friends,

00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:29.779
 who

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:31.379
 mercifully

00:26:31.379 --> 00:26:32.099
 treats you

00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:32.579
 and I

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:34.399
 far better

00:26:34.399 --> 00:26:35.919
 than,

00:26:35.919 --> 00:26:37.079
 he treats

00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:37.500
 us far

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.480
 better than

00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:39.740
 those we

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.259
 treat who

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:40.879
 sinned against

00:26:40.879 --> 00:26:41.199
 us.

00:26:41.719 --> 00:26:42.000
 The scriptures

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:43.059
 show us just

00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:44.000
 the depth of

00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:44.559
 our own sins

00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:45.179
 against God.

00:26:45.180 --> 00:26:45.200
 God,

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:45.539
 if we

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.080
 just think

00:26:46.080 --> 00:26:46.500
 this morning

00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:46.880
 about our

00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:47.380
 own anger,

00:26:47.860 --> 00:26:48.400
 we just

00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:48.779
 think about

00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.480
 the enormity

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.019
 of that

00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:50.580
 sin against

00:26:50.580 --> 00:26:50.860
 God,

00:26:50.940 --> 00:26:51.360
 and yet,

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:52.320
 how does

00:26:52.320 --> 00:26:53.360
 God respond

00:26:53.360 --> 00:26:54.200
 and treat

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:55.840
 us when

00:26:55.840 --> 00:26:56.299
 we sin

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:56.840
 against him

00:26:56.840 --> 00:26:57.799
 and legitimately

00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:58.539
 grieve him?

00:26:59.340 --> 00:26:59.640
 Friends,

00:26:59.720 --> 00:26:59.980
 the Bible

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.539
 tells us that

00:27:00.539 --> 00:27:02.320
 rather than

00:27:02.320 --> 00:27:03.100
 destroying

00:27:03.100 --> 00:27:04.620
 those who've

00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:05.080
 sinned against

00:27:05.080 --> 00:27:05.340
 God,

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.140
 whom he has

00:27:06.140 --> 00:27:07.120
 every right to

00:27:07.120 --> 00:27:07.240
 do,

00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:08.200
 he has every

00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:08.620
 right to do

00:27:08.620 --> 00:27:08.820
 so,

00:27:09.500 --> 00:27:10.120
 rather than

00:27:10.120 --> 00:27:10.759
 dismissing

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:11.079
 us,

00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:12.759
 saying,

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:12.940
 I don't

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.339
 have time

00:27:13.339 --> 00:27:13.799
 for you,

00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:15.319
 the scriptures

00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:16.779
 show us in

00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:17.379
 the deep

00:27:17.379 --> 00:27:17.839
 heart of

00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:18.339
 our God,

00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:19.480
 it is a

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:20.220
 love and

00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:21.059
 a compassion

00:27:21.059 --> 00:27:22.420
 and a

00:27:22.420 --> 00:27:23.220
 care even

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.799
 for those

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:24.099
 who've

00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:24.420
 wronged

00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:24.680
 him,

00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:26.660
 that sins

00:27:26.660 --> 00:27:27.319
 Jesus,

00:27:28.099 --> 00:27:28.660
 he will

00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:29.220
 leave the

00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:29.680
 comforts of

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.140
 heaven to

00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:30.900
 pursue us,

00:27:31.400 --> 00:27:32.920
 to love

00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:33.259
 us,

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:34.700
 to take on

00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:35.500
 the consequences

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:36.259
 of our sin

00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:37.279
 himself in

00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:37.660
 mercy,

00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:39.240
 so that

00:27:39.240 --> 00:27:39.980
 ultimately our

00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:40.460
 hearts can

00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:40.920
 be healed.

00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:42.100
 Though we

00:27:42.100 --> 00:27:42.640
 had wronged

00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:42.819
 him,

00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:43.940
 how does

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.720
 God deal

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:45.160
 with us?

00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:46.019
 Does he

00:27:46.019 --> 00:27:47.380
 pout in

00:27:47.380 --> 00:27:47.660
 heaven?

00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:49.880
 Do we see

00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.319
 him passive

00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:51.620
 aggressive in

00:27:51.620 --> 00:27:52.039
 the scriptures?

00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:53.680
 Is that how

00:27:53.680 --> 00:27:54.340
 God responds?

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:54.660
 No,

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.319
 he pursues

00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:58.140
 us with a

00:27:58.140 --> 00:27:58.980
 soft and a

00:27:58.980 --> 00:27:59.759
 tender heart

00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:00.340
 full of

00:28:00.340 --> 00:28:00.680
 mercy.

00:28:01.880 --> 00:28:02.079
 God,

00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:02.380
 friends,

00:28:02.519 --> 00:28:04.240
 truly treats

00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.019
 you and I

00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:06.519
 as his

00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.299
 image bearers,

00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:09.440
 as profoundly

00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:10.279
 precious to

00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:10.519
 him,

00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:12.420
 not dismissing

00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:12.720
 us.

00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:14.019
 And in

00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:14.259
 fact,

00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:14.920
 when there

00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:15.559
 is and

00:28:15.559 --> 00:28:16.139
 was a

00:28:16.139 --> 00:28:16.700
 profound

00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:17.680
 debt to

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:18.200
 be paid

00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:19.899
 because of

00:28:19.899 --> 00:28:20.339
 the wrong

00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:20.700
 of our

00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.200
 sins and

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:21.559
 what we've

00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:22.119
 done wrong,

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:23.500
 the Bible

00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:24.059
 says Jesus

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:24.720
 comes to

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.299
 pay that

00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:25.559
 debt.

00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:27.619
 And he

00:28:27.619 --> 00:28:28.039
 paid it

00:28:28.039 --> 00:28:28.379
 down to

00:28:28.379 --> 00:28:28.759
 the last

00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:29.019
 penny.

00:28:30.899 --> 00:28:31.539
 He was

00:28:31.539 --> 00:28:32.000
 thrown into

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:32.779
 the jail of

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.759
 death and

00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:34.519
 hell for us.

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:36.799
 he didn't

00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:37.099
 get out

00:28:37.099 --> 00:28:37.440
 until he

00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:37.839
 paid the

00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:38.299
 last penny

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:38.619
 for you

00:28:38.619 --> 00:28:38.940
 and I,

00:28:39.400 --> 00:28:39.660
 the debt

00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:39.879
 of our

00:28:39.879 --> 00:28:40.279
 injustice.

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:41.200
 Friends,

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:41.500
 you know what

00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:41.859
 this shows

00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:42.339
 us, just

00:28:42.339 --> 00:28:42.980
 as a quick

00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:43.920
 aside, when

00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:44.359
 you and I

00:28:44.359 --> 00:28:45.220
 try to take

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:45.599
 the place

00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:46.619
 of God and

00:28:46.619 --> 00:28:47.200
 enact justice

00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:47.480
 on other

00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:48.420
 people, we're

00:28:48.420 --> 00:28:48.839
 playing God

00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:49.359
 very badly.

00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:50.099
 We're not

00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:50.519
 even acting

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:50.799
 like the

00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:51.220
 true God.

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.420
 We can

00:28:55.420 --> 00:28:56.059
 praise God

00:28:56.059 --> 00:28:56.599
 this morning

00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:58.460
 that he is

00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.480
 far, far

00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.019
 better than

00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:00.500
 you and I.

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:02.000
 And the

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.460
 question is,

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:02.859
 how does

00:29:02.859 --> 00:29:03.400
 the way God

00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:03.980
 treats us

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:05.059
 then heal

00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:05.980
 our hearts?

00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:07.519
 Two ways

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:07.880
 for us to

00:29:07.880 --> 00:29:08.339
 reflect on.

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:08.720
 Firstly,

00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:10.619
 what Jesus

00:29:10.619 --> 00:29:11.480
 does for us

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.539
 and how God

00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:13.160
 loves his

00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:13.640
 people who

00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:14.339
 have wronged

00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:14.779
 him so

00:29:14.779 --> 00:29:15.220
 deeply.

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.619
 This firstly

00:29:16.619 --> 00:29:17.660
 reconnects our

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.220
 hearts to

00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:20.299
 God so that

00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:21.200
 we now have a

00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:21.920
 relationship with

00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:22.539
 him and can

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.319
 trust our

00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:24.079
 heavenly father

00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.799
 to fulfill

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.640
 all justice

00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:28.380
 on our behalf.

00:29:28.660 --> 00:29:29.220
 What does this

00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:29.740
 look like and

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.160
 what does this

00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:30.380
 mean?

00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:32.480
 Because Jesus

00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.480
 has reconciled

00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:33.960
 us to God,

00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:34.619
 our relationship

00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:35.240
 with God is

00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:35.960
 restored.

00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:38.200
 We now love

00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:38.799
 God above

00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:39.619
 everything else.

00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:40.839
 We don't need

00:29:40.839 --> 00:29:41.779
 to idolize other

00:29:41.779 --> 00:29:42.700
 people and get

00:29:42.700 --> 00:29:43.839
 their approval or

00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:44.759
 something from

00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:45.839
 them, which

00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:46.440
 when we don't

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.119
 get makes us

00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:48.859
 angry because

00:29:48.859 --> 00:29:49.720
 we worship and

00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:50.559
 trust and love

00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:51.400
 and find everything

00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:51.960
 we need from

00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:52.519
 our father

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.079
 above.

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.079
 This also

00:29:56.079 --> 00:29:56.779
 means that we

00:29:56.779 --> 00:29:57.579
 are far quicker

00:29:57.579 --> 00:29:58.839
 to see our

00:29:58.839 --> 00:29:59.759
 own sins of

00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.579
 anger in

00:30:00.579 --> 00:30:01.180
 reaction to

00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:01.740
 other people's

00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:02.099
 sins.

00:30:03.420 --> 00:30:04.379
 To trust God

00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:04.660
 in those

00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:05.079
 areas.

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.660
 But maybe even

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:07.480
 more significantly,

00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:09.059
 because of what

00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:09.819
 Jesus has done at

00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:10.160
 the cross,

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:11.200
 because Christ has

00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:11.900
 come to suffer

00:30:11.900 --> 00:30:12.759
 and die for all

00:30:12.759 --> 00:30:13.339
 of our sins,

00:30:14.099 --> 00:30:15.039
 this in one

00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:16.319
 level elevates

00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:18.240
 God's justice

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.079
 in our view.

00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:20.640
 God,

00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:21.059
 friends,

00:30:21.180 --> 00:30:21.779
 surely,

00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:22.420
 the scriptures

00:30:22.420 --> 00:30:22.680
 say,

00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:23.779
 will deal with

00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:25.079
 everything that is

00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:26.000
 wrong in this

00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.819
 world one day.

00:30:26.819 --> 00:30:29.119
 the cross is

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.059
 not a dismissing

00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:30.500
 of God's

00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:31.460
 justice and

00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:31.859
 God saying

00:30:31.859 --> 00:30:32.639
 justice doesn't

00:30:32.639 --> 00:30:33.000
 matter.

00:30:33.899 --> 00:30:35.559
 The cross is

00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:36.200
 God saying

00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:38.119
 justice does

00:30:38.119 --> 00:30:38.559
 matter.

00:30:39.639 --> 00:30:40.139
 Everything

00:30:40.139 --> 00:30:42.220
 wrong must be

00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:43.480
 exposed and

00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:44.480
 revealed and

00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:45.039
 dealt with.

00:30:45.939 --> 00:30:46.200
 And friends,

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:46.919
 the cross shows

00:30:46.919 --> 00:30:48.759
 us that every

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.980
 wickedness done

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:50.759
 to you,

00:30:51.399 --> 00:30:52.039
 every bit of

00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:52.659
 evil that you

00:30:52.659 --> 00:30:53.259
 have faced at

00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:53.679
 the hands of

00:30:53.679 --> 00:30:54.200
 other people,

00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.579
 will one day

00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:56.419
 certainly be

00:30:56.419 --> 00:30:56.879
 dealt with.

00:30:57.619 --> 00:30:58.339
 Either those

00:30:58.339 --> 00:30:58.859
 people who

00:30:58.859 --> 00:30:59.699
 have committed

00:30:59.699 --> 00:31:00.339
 sin against

00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:01.599
 you will

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.659
 confess their

00:31:02.659 --> 00:31:03.119
 sins to

00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:03.659
 Jesus and

00:31:03.659 --> 00:31:04.279
 have Jesus

00:31:04.279 --> 00:31:04.960
 carry them

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:05.519
 at the cross

00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:07.399
 where justice

00:31:07.399 --> 00:31:08.119
 is done and

00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:08.679
 those sins are

00:31:08.679 --> 00:31:09.279
 fully dealt

00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:09.500
 with,

00:31:09.679 --> 00:31:11.199
 or if they

00:31:11.199 --> 00:31:11.939
 refuse to do

00:31:11.939 --> 00:31:12.199
 that,

00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.359
 they will have

00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:13.899
 to stand

00:31:13.899 --> 00:31:15.099
 themselves before

00:31:15.099 --> 00:31:16.099
 God one day

00:31:16.099 --> 00:31:16.720
 and give an

00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:17.279
 account for

00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:17.699
 their own

00:31:17.699 --> 00:31:18.779
 sins where

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:19.299
 justice will

00:31:19.299 --> 00:31:19.659
 be done.

00:31:20.159 --> 00:31:20.419
 Friends,

00:31:20.819 --> 00:31:21.720
 the cross is

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:22.779
 the instrument,

00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:24.759
 the means by

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:25.359
 which we see

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:26.039
 God's love,

00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:26.579
 but at the

00:31:26.579 --> 00:31:27.240
 same time,

00:31:27.319 --> 00:31:27.720
 it's the

00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:28.200
 place where

00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:28.980
 we are

00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:29.619
 guaranteed,

00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:31.480
 it underlines

00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:32.920
 the commitment

00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:33.660
 God himself

00:31:33.660 --> 00:31:34.240
 has to

00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:34.700
 justice.

00:31:36.059 --> 00:31:36.420
 And so when

00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:37.119
 we stare at

00:31:37.119 --> 00:31:37.359
 that, when

00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:37.839
 we look at

00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:38.140
 that this

00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:38.599
 morning, it

00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:39.299
 strengthens our

00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:40.000
 sense that

00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:40.619
 God we serve

00:31:40.619 --> 00:31:41.259
 is a God of

00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:41.759
 justice who

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:42.000
 will make

00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:42.460
 things right.

00:31:43.200 --> 00:31:43.720
 It's possible

00:31:43.720 --> 00:31:44.059
 those who

00:31:44.059 --> 00:31:44.319
 have sinned

00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:44.819
 against us

00:31:44.819 --> 00:31:45.279
 will be

00:31:45.279 --> 00:31:46.140
 forgiven just

00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:46.480
 as we've

00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:46.879
 been forgiven

00:31:46.879 --> 00:31:47.379
 of our sins.

00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:49.599
 But if not,

00:31:50.039 --> 00:31:50.519
 it will be

00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:50.779
 done.

00:31:51.420 --> 00:31:52.680
 Justice will

00:31:52.680 --> 00:31:53.879
 be seen

00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:54.720
 one day.

00:31:55.840 --> 00:31:56.160
 And this

00:31:56.160 --> 00:31:57.360
 means, secondly,

00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:58.200
 friends, if you

00:31:58.200 --> 00:31:58.540
 hear this

00:31:58.540 --> 00:31:59.260
 morning struggling

00:31:59.260 --> 00:32:01.120
 with wickedness

00:32:01.120 --> 00:32:01.580
 done to you,

00:32:01.600 --> 00:32:02.780
 you can go to

00:32:02.780 --> 00:32:04.660
 Jesus who

00:32:04.660 --> 00:32:05.320
 has literally

00:32:05.320 --> 00:32:06.460
 himself carried

00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.260
 on the cross

00:32:07.260 --> 00:32:08.680
 the weight,

00:32:09.620 --> 00:32:11.200
 the guilt of

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:11.980
 many wicked

00:32:11.980 --> 00:32:13.420
 peoples, the

00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:14.080
 evil that they've

00:32:14.080 --> 00:32:14.360
 committed.

00:32:14.500 --> 00:32:15.420
 Jesus understands

00:32:15.420 --> 00:32:15.700
 that.

00:32:17.340 --> 00:32:18.300
 You can go to

00:32:18.300 --> 00:32:19.380
 him today.

00:32:20.320 --> 00:32:21.760
 This trust that

00:32:21.760 --> 00:32:22.440
 we can have now

00:32:22.440 --> 00:32:23.160
 in Jesus, that

00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:23.660
 he will make

00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:24.200
 this right,

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:25.680
 means you

00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:26.100
 and I this

00:32:26.100 --> 00:32:27.420
 morning can

00:32:27.420 --> 00:32:28.700
 set aside our

00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:30.420
 role of

00:32:30.420 --> 00:32:32.040
 demanding justice

00:32:32.040 --> 00:32:32.740
 on our own

00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:34.460
 terms right

00:32:34.460 --> 00:32:34.840
 here and

00:32:34.840 --> 00:32:35.080
 now.

00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:37.040
 Now, this

00:32:37.040 --> 00:32:37.640
 is a short

00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:37.920
 sermon.

00:32:38.040 --> 00:32:38.500
 I only have

00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:39.019
 another seven

00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:39.240
 or eight

00:32:39.240 --> 00:32:39.560
 minutes to

00:32:39.560 --> 00:32:39.700
 go.

00:32:40.100 --> 00:32:40.740
 We can't

00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.100
 deal with

00:32:41.100 --> 00:32:41.620
 all the

00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:42.340
 nuances and

00:32:42.340 --> 00:32:42.759
 complexities.

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.300
 Sometimes the

00:32:44.300 --> 00:32:44.700
 most loving

00:32:44.700 --> 00:32:45.180
 thing to do

00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:45.920
 for someone is

00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:46.420
 to go to

00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:46.900
 the police

00:32:46.900 --> 00:32:48.600
 and they

00:32:48.600 --> 00:32:49.080
 will need

00:32:49.080 --> 00:32:49.560
 to really

00:32:49.560 --> 00:32:49.900
 pay the

00:32:49.900 --> 00:32:50.400
 consequences.

00:32:50.600 --> 00:32:50.880
 That is

00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:51.279
 often the

00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:51.620
 way that you

00:32:51.620 --> 00:32:51.980
 love your

00:32:51.980 --> 00:32:52.240
 neighbor.

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.039
 If someone's

00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:53.680
 committing crimes,

00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:54.079
 it's going to

00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:54.440
 affect other

00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:54.779
 people.

00:32:55.099 --> 00:32:55.579
 You lodge a

00:32:55.579 --> 00:32:56.460
 complaint, you

00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:56.740
 go to the

00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:57.819
 police, and

00:32:57.819 --> 00:32:58.620
 that is one

00:32:58.620 --> 00:32:59.420
 way that justice

00:32:59.420 --> 00:33:00.120
 gets done.

00:33:00.180 --> 00:33:00.640
 I'm speaking

00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:01.660
 here about our

00:33:01.660 --> 00:33:02.359
 own sense of

00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:03.579
 wanting, our

00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.420
 own vindication

00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:05.559
 and revenge

00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:06.400
 upon someone

00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.420
 where we are

00:33:07.420 --> 00:33:08.120
 taking the place

00:33:08.120 --> 00:33:08.579
 of God in

00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:08.980
 their life.

00:33:09.819 --> 00:33:10.759
 And only when

00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:12.000
 we trust God

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:12.740
 as our true

00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:14.759
 judge can we

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.940
 release this

00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:16.700
 bitterness and

00:33:16.700 --> 00:33:18.920
 this anger and

00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:19.859
 entrust it into

00:33:19.859 --> 00:33:20.500
 his hands.

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:21.259
 And the

00:33:21.259 --> 00:33:21.680
 cross shows

00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:22.119
 us we can

00:33:22.119 --> 00:33:22.640
 do that

00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:23.180
 knowing it

00:33:23.180 --> 00:33:23.900
 will certainly

00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.980
 be dealt

00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:25.720
 with one

00:33:25.720 --> 00:33:25.980
 day.

00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:27.579
 So let me

00:33:27.579 --> 00:33:28.099
 just pause for

00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:28.740
 a moment and

00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:29.539
 just ask this

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:31.160
 morning, what

00:33:31.160 --> 00:33:32.099
 maybe are some

00:33:32.099 --> 00:33:33.059
 of the seeds

00:33:33.059 --> 00:33:35.579
 of bitterness

00:33:35.579 --> 00:33:37.700
 or maybe

00:33:37.700 --> 00:33:39.619
 indifference or

00:33:39.619 --> 00:33:40.680
 dismissing others

00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:42.480
 that you're

00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:43.220
 watering in your

00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:43.660
 heart this

00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:43.920
 morning?

00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:45.980
 Friends, every

00:33:45.980 --> 00:33:47.839
 one of us can

00:33:47.839 --> 00:33:49.940
 lay an axe

00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:51.740
 to the root of

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:52.240
 that bitterness

00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:53.019
 in our hearts

00:33:53.019 --> 00:33:53.539
 this morning.

00:33:54.380 --> 00:33:55.380
 And we do it

00:33:55.380 --> 00:33:56.799
 by laying the

00:33:56.799 --> 00:33:57.700
 axe of the

00:33:57.700 --> 00:33:58.400
 gospel to our

00:33:58.400 --> 00:33:58.700
 hearts.

00:34:00.900 --> 00:34:01.920
 God's mercy to

00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:03.660
 us, the

00:34:03.660 --> 00:34:04.420
 certainty that

00:34:04.420 --> 00:34:05.140
 God will deal

00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:05.559
 with these

00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:06.840
 things and we

00:34:06.840 --> 00:34:08.200
 entrust our

00:34:08.200 --> 00:34:08.900
 lives and even

00:34:08.900 --> 00:34:09.480
 the grievances

00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:10.260
 we have into

00:34:10.260 --> 00:34:11.019
 his hands

00:34:11.019 --> 00:34:12.119
 knowing that he

00:34:12.119 --> 00:34:12.679
 will do so.

00:34:13.079 --> 00:34:13.720
 And we ask

00:34:13.720 --> 00:34:15.380
 him to make

00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:16.320
 us to be like

00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:16.760
 himself.

00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:18.300
 ask his

00:34:18.300 --> 00:34:18.960
 spirit to be

00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:19.880
 at work in

00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:20.160
 us.

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:21.660
 And secondly,

00:34:22.560 --> 00:34:23.000
 the way the

00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:23.780
 gospel affects

00:34:23.780 --> 00:34:24.220
 and heals

00:34:24.220 --> 00:34:25.360
 our hearts is

00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:26.300
 it reconnects

00:34:26.300 --> 00:34:27.000
 our hearts to

00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:28.520
 God, not

00:34:28.520 --> 00:34:28.920
 just so that

00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:29.840
 we know that

00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:30.440
 justice will

00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:31.000
 one day be

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:32.520
 done, but it

00:34:32.520 --> 00:34:33.220
 reconnects our

00:34:33.220 --> 00:34:33.780
 hearts to God

00:34:33.780 --> 00:34:34.600
 so that deep

00:34:34.600 --> 00:34:35.220
 in our hearts

00:34:35.220 --> 00:34:36.540
 we begin to

00:34:36.540 --> 00:34:38.340
 feel a sense

00:34:38.340 --> 00:34:39.520
 of mercy

00:34:39.520 --> 00:34:40.920
 toward others

00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:41.880
 just as you

00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.360
 and I have

00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:42.940
 received the

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:43.960
 mercy of

00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:44.360
 Jesus.

00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:45.659
 Friends, God's

00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:46.820
 mercy toward

00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:47.320
 us, his

00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:48.220
 forgiveness of

00:34:48.220 --> 00:34:48.720
 our sins

00:34:48.720 --> 00:34:49.300
 against him

00:34:49.300 --> 00:34:50.220
 turns our

00:34:50.220 --> 00:34:50.820
 hearts toward

00:34:50.820 --> 00:34:52.240
 God in a

00:34:52.240 --> 00:34:52.840
 deep way

00:34:52.840 --> 00:34:54.079
 which then

00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:54.840
 begins to

00:34:54.840 --> 00:34:55.720
 soften our

00:34:55.720 --> 00:34:56.380
 hearts toward

00:34:56.380 --> 00:34:57.460
 others as

00:34:57.460 --> 00:34:57.699
 well.

00:34:58.699 --> 00:34:59.760
 We can now

00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:00.599
 see other

00:35:00.599 --> 00:35:01.320
 people's sins

00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:02.900
 without being

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:03.860
 self-righteous

00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:05.300
 and just judging

00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:05.960
 and dismissing

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:06.380
 them because we

00:35:06.380 --> 00:35:07.460
 recognize, yep,

00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:08.179
 they may really

00:35:08.179 --> 00:35:08.760
 have sinned,

00:35:09.400 --> 00:35:09.840
 I'm a sinner

00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:10.579
 too in need of

00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:11.139
 God's grace.

00:35:12.039 --> 00:35:12.579
 And we realize

00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:13.360
 we've received

00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:14.420
 such profound

00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:16.880
 mercy at the

00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:17.660
 hands of God

00:35:17.660 --> 00:35:19.120
 as well.

00:35:19.640 --> 00:35:20.240
 Friends, Jesus

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:22.640
 helps us see

00:35:22.640 --> 00:35:23.700
 the value of

00:35:23.700 --> 00:35:24.480
 every person,

00:35:25.019 --> 00:35:26.460
 even those who

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:26.920
 are our enemies

00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:27.400
 which he's going

00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:27.900
 to go on later

00:35:27.900 --> 00:35:29.059
 on in Matthew

00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:29.980
 chapter 5 and

00:35:29.980 --> 00:35:30.460
 speak to us

00:35:30.460 --> 00:35:30.680
 about.

00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:32.519
 And so when we

00:35:32.519 --> 00:35:33.400
 see Jesus and

00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:33.900
 who he is and

00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:34.380
 what he's done,

00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:35.559
 it both deals

00:35:35.559 --> 00:35:36.700
 with our desire

00:35:36.700 --> 00:35:37.840
 for revenge

00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:38.559
 ourselves and

00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:39.180
 taking the place

00:35:39.180 --> 00:35:39.780
 of God and

00:35:39.780 --> 00:35:40.599
 executing that

00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:41.280
 ourselves, we

00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:41.760
 can entrust

00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.240
 that to him

00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:43.079
 and it

00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:43.679
 softens our

00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:44.319
 hearts toward

00:35:44.319 --> 00:35:44.959
 our enemies.

00:35:46.699 --> 00:35:47.500
 Now, as I

00:35:47.500 --> 00:35:48.059
 mentioned earlier,

00:35:48.279 --> 00:35:49.159
 there are some

00:35:49.159 --> 00:35:50.859
 crimes or sins

00:35:50.859 --> 00:35:51.159
 that have been

00:35:51.159 --> 00:35:51.799
 committed that

00:35:51.799 --> 00:35:52.979
 really require

00:35:52.979 --> 00:35:53.759
 authorities and

00:35:53.759 --> 00:35:54.259
 others to be

00:35:54.259 --> 00:35:54.639
 involved.

00:35:56.139 --> 00:35:56.899
 And I think

00:35:56.899 --> 00:35:57.619
 the heart of a

00:35:57.619 --> 00:35:59.199
 Christian is that

00:35:59.199 --> 00:36:00.219
 even if you need

00:36:00.219 --> 00:36:00.839
 to do that,

00:36:00.939 --> 00:36:01.779
 and in our

00:36:01.779 --> 00:36:02.379
 church we will

00:36:02.379 --> 00:36:04.019
 definitely counsel

00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:04.779
 people to do so

00:36:04.779 --> 00:36:05.179
 in certain

00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:05.699
 situations,

00:36:06.299 --> 00:36:08.159
 we recognize

00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:09.439
 sometimes people's

00:36:09.439 --> 00:36:10.299
 actions require

00:36:10.300 --> 00:36:11.800
 real justice

00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:12.480
 this side of

00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:12.920
 eternity.

00:36:14.120 --> 00:36:14.740
 There may

00:36:14.740 --> 00:36:15.180
 need to be

00:36:15.180 --> 00:36:15.900
 police reports,

00:36:16.160 --> 00:36:16.940
 they may need

00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:17.260
 to go to

00:36:17.260 --> 00:36:17.680
 jail for a

00:36:17.680 --> 00:36:18.200
 long time,

00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:19.140
 and a

00:36:19.140 --> 00:36:19.560
 Christian will

00:36:19.560 --> 00:36:21.280
 do so if

00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:22.019
 doing so is

00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:22.800
 truly loving

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:23.140
 for that

00:36:23.140 --> 00:36:23.600
 person, is

00:36:23.600 --> 00:36:24.039
 truly the

00:36:24.039 --> 00:36:24.680
 best thing for

00:36:24.680 --> 00:36:25.180
 that person

00:36:25.180 --> 00:36:25.860
 and society,

00:36:26.140 --> 00:36:27.220
 but will do

00:36:27.220 --> 00:36:27.740
 so with the

00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:28.420
 heart of such

00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:29.300
 tenderness and

00:36:29.300 --> 00:36:30.780
 compassion that

00:36:30.780 --> 00:36:31.980
 is not gloating

00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:33.220
 or glad or

00:36:33.220 --> 00:36:34.480
 pleased that

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:34.780
 they'll be

00:36:34.780 --> 00:36:36.100
 destroyed, but

00:36:36.100 --> 00:36:37.320
 if they could,

00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:38.920
 would wish that

00:36:38.920 --> 00:36:39.460
 they could even

00:36:39.460 --> 00:36:39.920
 take their

00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:41.420
 place, if

00:36:41.420 --> 00:36:41.960
 taking their

00:36:41.960 --> 00:36:42.480
 place would

00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:43.519
 truly be in

00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:44.119
 the best interest

00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:44.820
 of that person.

00:36:45.659 --> 00:36:46.079
 Friends, when

00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:47.119
 this heart starts

00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:47.900
 to get into us,

00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:49.659
 we start to see

00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:50.500
 our hearts now

00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:51.340
 have been shaped

00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:52.920
 by our great

00:36:52.920 --> 00:36:53.559
 and glorious

00:36:53.559 --> 00:36:54.880
 God who has

00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:55.880
 loved us in

00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:56.599
 such a deep

00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:57.800
 and profound

00:36:57.800 --> 00:36:58.240
 way.

00:36:58.940 --> 00:36:59.340
 So this

00:36:59.340 --> 00:36:59.840
 morning, who

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:00.740
 is it that you

00:37:00.740 --> 00:37:02.539
 could begin to

00:37:02.539 --> 00:37:03.260
 pray for,

00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:05.039
 maybe begin to

00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:05.740
 show mercy

00:37:05.740 --> 00:37:07.340
 toward as

00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:08.320
 you've received

00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:08.860
 it from

00:37:08.860 --> 00:37:09.220
 Jesus.

00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:10.100
 And then

00:37:10.100 --> 00:37:10.559
 finally, our

00:37:10.559 --> 00:37:11.140
 last couple

00:37:11.140 --> 00:37:11.519
 of moments,

00:37:11.620 --> 00:37:12.460
 Jesus wonderfully

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:14.019
 does talk about

00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:14.640
 a horizontal

00:37:14.640 --> 00:37:15.640
 path as well.

00:37:16.080 --> 00:37:16.340
 One of the

00:37:16.340 --> 00:37:17.300
 commentators,

00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:18.220
 Frederick Bruner,

00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:19.080
 speaks of

00:37:19.080 --> 00:37:19.780
 verse 23 to

00:37:19.780 --> 00:37:20.700
 26, saying

00:37:20.700 --> 00:37:21.440
 these are,

00:37:21.880 --> 00:37:22.300
 once we've

00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:22.780
 dealt with our

00:37:22.780 --> 00:37:23.320
 hearts, the

00:37:23.320 --> 00:37:24.539
 little steps of

00:37:24.539 --> 00:37:25.280
 obedience that

00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:25.740
 you and I

00:37:25.740 --> 00:37:26.340
 can take.

00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:27.500
 And let's

00:37:27.500 --> 00:37:27.840
 read verse

00:37:27.840 --> 00:37:28.660
 23 and 26.

00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:29.160
 He says,

00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:30.480
 so then,

00:37:30.820 --> 00:37:31.280
 if you're

00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:31.760
 offering your

00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.240
 gift at the

00:37:32.240 --> 00:37:32.960
 altar and

00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:33.260
 there,

00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:33.660
 remember,

00:37:33.720 --> 00:37:34.059
 your brother

00:37:34.059 --> 00:37:34.539
 has something

00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:35.019
 against you,

00:37:35.160 --> 00:37:35.519
 leave your

00:37:35.519 --> 00:37:36.059
 gift before

00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:36.420
 the altar

00:37:36.420 --> 00:37:36.860
 and go.

00:37:36.860 --> 00:37:37.840
 first be

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.460
 reconciled,

00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:39.039
 then come

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:39.280
 and offer

00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:39.760
 your gift,

00:37:40.360 --> 00:37:40.720
 come to

00:37:40.720 --> 00:37:41.500
 terms quickly

00:37:41.500 --> 00:37:41.860
 with your

00:37:41.860 --> 00:37:42.500
 accuser while

00:37:42.500 --> 00:37:42.820
 you're going

00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:43.240
 with him to

00:37:43.240 --> 00:37:43.500
 court,

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:44.240
 lest your

00:37:44.240 --> 00:37:45.039
 accuser hand

00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:45.400
 you over to

00:37:45.400 --> 00:37:45.860
 the judge,

00:37:46.180 --> 00:37:46.780
 the judge to

00:37:46.780 --> 00:37:47.200
 the God,

00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:47.579
 and you be

00:37:47.579 --> 00:37:47.940
 put in

00:37:47.940 --> 00:37:48.240
 prison.

00:37:48.920 --> 00:37:49.440
 And what

00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:51.519
 this, I

00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:51.780
 should have

00:37:51.780 --> 00:37:52.140
 mentioned this

00:37:52.140 --> 00:37:52.460
 a little bit

00:37:52.460 --> 00:37:53.280
 earlier, but

00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:53.680
 one of the

00:37:53.680 --> 00:37:54.039
 reasons we

00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:54.460
 know this is

00:37:54.460 --> 00:37:54.940
 so bad for

00:37:54.940 --> 00:37:55.420
 us spiritually

00:37:55.420 --> 00:37:56.140
 is because

00:37:56.140 --> 00:37:57.400
 anger, Jesus

00:37:57.400 --> 00:37:58.039
 literally says,

00:37:58.160 --> 00:37:58.559
 if this is

00:37:58.559 --> 00:38:00.900
 living inside

00:38:00.900 --> 00:38:01.360
 your heart,

00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:03.500
 it cannot be

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:04.220
 done while

00:38:04.220 --> 00:38:04.420
 you're

00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:04.960
 worshipping God

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:05.360
 at the same

00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:05.679
 time.

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:06.579
 But Jesus

00:38:06.579 --> 00:38:07.139
 here does

00:38:07.139 --> 00:38:07.500
 give us

00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:08.539
 practical steps

00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:09.019
 to do.

00:38:09.480 --> 00:38:09.960
 And very

00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:11.019
 simply, the

00:38:11.019 --> 00:38:11.599
 two things

00:38:11.599 --> 00:38:11.960
 that he

00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:12.659
 urges us

00:38:12.659 --> 00:38:13.300
 to consider

00:38:13.300 --> 00:38:14.179
 as we

00:38:14.179 --> 00:38:14.559
 want to

00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:15.019
 walk this

00:38:15.019 --> 00:38:15.280
 out with

00:38:15.280 --> 00:38:15.840
 other people

00:38:15.840 --> 00:38:16.840
 is to

00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:17.179
 act

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:18.079
 proactively

00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:19.539
 and to

00:38:19.539 --> 00:38:19.900
 act

00:38:19.900 --> 00:38:20.720
 quickly.

00:38:21.159 --> 00:38:22.260
 Now, I

00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:22.900
 am very

00:38:22.900 --> 00:38:23.579
 conscious, this

00:38:23.579 --> 00:38:24.059
 is another

00:38:24.059 --> 00:38:24.860
 disclaimer, again,

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:25.500
 a tough topic

00:38:25.500 --> 00:38:25.980
 this morning,

00:38:26.179 --> 00:38:26.740
 but another

00:38:26.740 --> 00:38:27.320
 disclaimer.

00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:28.320
 There are

00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:29.240
 many places

00:38:29.240 --> 00:38:29.780
 and churches

00:38:29.780 --> 00:38:30.840
 where some

00:38:30.840 --> 00:38:31.139
 of these

00:38:31.139 --> 00:38:32.300
 commands that

00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:32.940
 Jesus gives

00:38:32.940 --> 00:38:33.400
 have been

00:38:33.400 --> 00:38:34.539
 used to

00:38:34.539 --> 00:38:34.960
 manipulate

00:38:34.960 --> 00:38:36.500
 people, to

00:38:36.500 --> 00:38:37.100
 act in a

00:38:37.100 --> 00:38:37.340
 way that

00:38:37.340 --> 00:38:37.780
 their hearts

00:38:37.780 --> 00:38:38.220
 aren't ready

00:38:38.220 --> 00:38:39.160
 to do, or

00:38:39.160 --> 00:38:39.700
 to maybe even

00:38:39.700 --> 00:38:40.340
 keep people

00:38:40.340 --> 00:38:40.900
 in abusive

00:38:40.900 --> 00:38:41.720
 or wrong

00:38:41.720 --> 00:38:42.220
 relationships.

00:38:42.460 --> 00:38:42.980
 And that's

00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:43.400
 not Jesus'

00:38:43.580 --> 00:38:44.160
 intention here

00:38:44.160 --> 00:38:44.620
 at all.

00:38:45.220 --> 00:38:45.680
 But I do

00:38:45.680 --> 00:38:46.060
 want us to

00:38:46.060 --> 00:38:46.539
 see the

00:38:46.539 --> 00:38:47.120
 wisdom that

00:38:47.120 --> 00:38:47.740
 Jesus gives

00:38:47.740 --> 00:38:48.800
 here, that

00:38:48.800 --> 00:38:49.160
 when there

00:38:49.160 --> 00:38:49.760
 are relational

00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:51.160
 issues, he's

00:38:51.160 --> 00:38:51.820
 urging us to

00:38:51.820 --> 00:38:52.360
 act both

00:38:52.360 --> 00:38:53.519
 proactively and

00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:53.820
 quickly.

00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:54.580
 So, proactively.

00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:55.600
 Verse 23 to

00:38:55.600 --> 00:38:56.700
 24, if you're

00:38:56.700 --> 00:38:57.080
 offering your

00:38:57.080 --> 00:38:57.980
 gift, then you

00:38:57.980 --> 00:38:58.500
 remember your

00:38:58.500 --> 00:38:59.620
 brother, leave

00:38:59.620 --> 00:39:00.539
 your gift before

00:39:00.539 --> 00:39:01.599
 the altar and

00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:01.860
 go.

00:39:02.119 --> 00:39:02.880
 First be

00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:03.559
 reconciled.

00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:04.259
 Now, what's

00:39:04.259 --> 00:39:04.779
 amazing about

00:39:04.779 --> 00:39:06.279
 this is Jesus

00:39:06.279 --> 00:39:06.840
 is not even

00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:07.420
 talking here

00:39:07.420 --> 00:39:08.679
 about you in

00:39:08.679 --> 00:39:09.360
 this situation

00:39:09.360 --> 00:39:10.539
 necessarily having

00:39:10.539 --> 00:39:11.059
 anger toward

00:39:11.059 --> 00:39:11.659
 another person.

00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:12.619
 He says if

00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:13.239
 you're worshiping

00:39:13.239 --> 00:39:13.779
 God and you

00:39:13.779 --> 00:39:14.460
 realize there's

00:39:14.460 --> 00:39:15.019
 a conflict

00:39:15.019 --> 00:39:15.840
 between you and

00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:16.900
 someone else and

00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:17.360
 they have

00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:17.980
 something against

00:39:17.980 --> 00:39:19.139
 you, rather

00:39:19.139 --> 00:39:20.940
 seek to repair

00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:22.639
 this before you

00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:23.179
 worship God.

00:39:23.259 --> 00:39:25.000
 He is urging a

00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:26.380
 proactive initiative

00:39:26.380 --> 00:39:27.860
 toward dealing

00:39:27.860 --> 00:39:28.980
 with any kind of

00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:30.139
 relational breakdowns.

00:39:30.539 --> 00:39:31.639
 fascinatingly, later

00:39:31.639 --> 00:39:32.099
 on in Matthew

00:39:32.099 --> 00:39:33.079
 chapter 18, Jesus

00:39:33.079 --> 00:39:33.659
 says if your

00:39:33.659 --> 00:39:34.300
 brother does sin

00:39:34.300 --> 00:39:35.000
 against you, go

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:35.779
 to him privately

00:39:35.779 --> 00:39:36.380
 and show him

00:39:36.380 --> 00:39:36.739
 his fault.

00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:37.820
 In other words, if

00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:38.279
 someone sins

00:39:38.279 --> 00:39:39.420
 against you, or

00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:40.079
 if you just know

00:39:40.079 --> 00:39:40.940
 someone's upset

00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:42.039
 with you, whether

00:39:42.039 --> 00:39:42.480
 or not you think

00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:43.000
 you did anything

00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:44.360
 wrong, Jesus

00:39:44.360 --> 00:39:44.860
 is saying the

00:39:44.860 --> 00:39:46.139
 initiative is always

00:39:46.139 --> 00:39:46.840
 on the Christian

00:39:46.840 --> 00:39:48.920
 to go and try to

00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:49.679
 make those things

00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:50.119
 right.

00:39:50.820 --> 00:39:51.759
 And I think as we

00:39:51.759 --> 00:39:52.360
 think through these

00:39:52.360 --> 00:39:53.239
 things, as we

00:39:53.239 --> 00:39:53.619
 think through our

00:39:53.619 --> 00:39:54.920
 own hearts, we

00:39:54.920 --> 00:39:56.360
 can respond by

00:39:56.360 --> 00:39:57.840
 asking God to

00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.579
 fill us with a

00:39:58.579 --> 00:39:59.619
 sense of mercy to

00:39:59.619 --> 00:40:00.360
 enable us,

00:40:00.539 --> 00:40:01.539
 to proactively

00:40:01.539 --> 00:40:02.920
 reach out to

00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:03.239
 others.

00:40:03.579 --> 00:40:03.900
 And then the

00:40:03.900 --> 00:40:04.400
 second thing he

00:40:04.400 --> 00:40:05.519
 says is settle

00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:06.360
 quickly.

00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:07.059
 So he speaks

00:40:07.059 --> 00:40:07.840
 about being

00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:09.119
 proactive, and

00:40:09.119 --> 00:40:09.759
 then he speaks

00:40:09.759 --> 00:40:10.500
 about setting

00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:11.159
 things quickly.

00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:13.639
 In verse 25, he

00:40:13.639 --> 00:40:14.500
 says, come to

00:40:14.500 --> 00:40:16.000
 terms quickly with

00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:16.900
 your accuser while

00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:17.639
 you're going with

00:40:17.639 --> 00:40:19.059
 him to court, lest

00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:19.960
 your accuser hand

00:40:19.960 --> 00:40:21.000
 you to the judge, the

00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:22.480
 judge to the God, and

00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:23.900
 you be put in

00:40:23.900 --> 00:40:24.219
 prison.

00:40:24.880 --> 00:40:25.599
 And I want to

00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:26.360
 encourage us this

00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:27.279
 morning that there

00:40:27.279 --> 00:40:28.880
 is real wisdom in

00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:30.000
 us following Jesus'

00:40:30.280 --> 00:40:31.579
 advice here to

00:40:31.579 --> 00:40:33.900
 deal quickly with

00:40:33.900 --> 00:40:35.539
 offenses that we

00:40:35.539 --> 00:40:36.119
 have.

00:40:37.059 --> 00:40:37.860
 I've been married

00:40:37.860 --> 00:40:38.800
 for 22 years.

00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:39.539
 I know that

00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:40.579
 sometimes when you

00:40:40.579 --> 00:40:41.519
 are in an argument

00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:43.039
 or you're in a

00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:43.880
 difficult moment, it

00:40:43.880 --> 00:40:45.300
 can really be wise to

00:40:45.300 --> 00:40:46.400
 just say, let's take

00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:47.800
 an hour and let's

00:40:47.800 --> 00:40:49.200
 just gather our

00:40:49.200 --> 00:40:49.980
 thoughts and think

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:50.940
 how we can engage in

00:40:50.940 --> 00:40:52.039
 this in a wise way.

00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:53.880
 That's certainly a

00:40:54.740 --> 00:40:55.420
 moment to kind of

00:40:55.420 --> 00:40:56.400
 cool off, gather your

00:40:56.400 --> 00:40:57.039
 thoughts, pray through

00:40:57.039 --> 00:40:58.320
 things, very, very

00:40:58.320 --> 00:40:59.700
 healthy in

00:40:59.700 --> 00:41:00.200
 relationships.

00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:02.420
 But what can be

00:41:02.420 --> 00:41:03.740
 really unhelpful is

00:41:03.740 --> 00:41:04.559
 when we just put a

00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:06.240
 long distance between

00:41:06.240 --> 00:41:07.920
 people that we are in

00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:08.760
 conflict with.

00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:11.059
 Jesus is urging us

00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:11.840
 here to deal with

00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:12.760
 these things quickly.

00:41:12.940 --> 00:41:14.000
 And I think the

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:15.660
 reason for this, as

00:41:15.660 --> 00:41:16.579
 we all know, when

00:41:16.579 --> 00:41:17.519
 you're estranged from

00:41:17.519 --> 00:41:18.480
 someone over a long

00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:20.000
 period of time, and

00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:21.039
 there's a deep sense of

00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:22.079
 anger in your heart,

00:41:22.360 --> 00:41:23.440
 what has to happen

00:41:23.440 --> 00:41:24.240
 over time is,

00:41:24.380 --> 00:41:25.780
 firstly, you don't end

00:41:25.780 --> 00:41:26.760
 up humanizing and

00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:27.560
 personalizing that

00:41:27.560 --> 00:41:28.200
 person anymore.

00:41:28.940 --> 00:41:29.580
 And you need to

00:41:29.580 --> 00:41:30.780
 justify that anger.

00:41:31.340 --> 00:41:32.080
 And so what happens

00:41:32.080 --> 00:41:33.080
 with the distance is

00:41:33.080 --> 00:41:35.200
 you act, maybe you're

00:41:35.200 --> 00:41:35.920
 not like me, but I

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:37.480
 act like a very good

00:41:37.480 --> 00:41:38.460
 defense attorney.

00:41:39.260 --> 00:41:40.640
 And I can think of

00:41:40.640 --> 00:41:41.860
 all the reasons of

00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:42.400
 all the things that

00:41:42.400 --> 00:41:43.920
 they've done wrong, and

00:41:43.920 --> 00:41:44.820
 then I start attributing

00:41:44.820 --> 00:41:45.800
 motives to them.

00:41:46.380 --> 00:41:46.900
 And instead of

00:41:46.900 --> 00:41:48.560
 humanizing them and

00:41:48.560 --> 00:41:49.420
 standing in their

00:41:49.420 --> 00:41:51.220
 shoes, I just build my

00:41:51.220 --> 00:41:52.840
 case in a stronger and

00:41:52.840 --> 00:41:53.540
 stronger way.

00:41:53.539 --> 00:41:54.800
 And what ends up

00:41:54.800 --> 00:41:55.360
 happening is that

00:41:55.360 --> 00:41:56.599
 rift and that

00:41:56.599 --> 00:41:57.380
 divide just gets

00:41:57.380 --> 00:41:59.380
 larger and larger and

00:41:59.380 --> 00:41:59.739
 larger.

00:42:00.279 --> 00:42:00.900
 And I've seen some

00:42:00.900 --> 00:42:02.320
 people who refuse to

00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:02.880
 deal with things

00:42:02.880 --> 00:42:04.980
 quickly, and then

00:42:04.980 --> 00:42:06.059
 suddenly it's years and

00:42:06.059 --> 00:42:07.119
 years, and you think

00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:08.179
 this will never, ever be

00:42:08.179 --> 00:42:08.519
 resolved.

00:42:08.659 --> 00:42:10.219
 Jesus is urging us as

00:42:10.219 --> 00:42:12.739
 his people, who see

00:42:12.739 --> 00:42:14.659
 every human being, all

00:42:14.659 --> 00:42:15.679
 human beings as image

00:42:15.679 --> 00:42:17.860
 bearers, to reach out

00:42:17.860 --> 00:42:19.679
 proactively, to try and

00:42:19.679 --> 00:42:20.619
 deal with things quickly,

00:42:20.619 --> 00:42:21.779
 to humanize them, to

00:42:21.779 --> 00:42:23.799
 listen, to see, and

00:42:23.799 --> 00:42:25.019
 ultimately to extend the

00:42:25.019 --> 00:42:26.460
 kind of mercy that God's

00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:27.119
 given to us.

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:29.480
 And we can do so knowing

00:42:29.480 --> 00:42:30.759
 that ultimately everything

00:42:30.759 --> 00:42:31.839
 wrong in this world is

00:42:31.839 --> 00:42:32.880
 one day going to be made

00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:33.179
 right.

00:42:33.719 --> 00:42:34.579
 Jesus' death and

00:42:34.579 --> 00:42:36.019
 resurrection confirms

00:42:36.019 --> 00:42:36.219
 that.

00:42:36.279 --> 00:42:37.980
 It shows us God is full of

00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:39.019
 mercy toward us who've

00:42:39.019 --> 00:42:40.759
 sinned against him, but

00:42:40.759 --> 00:42:42.779
 God is so merciful that he

00:42:42.779 --> 00:42:45.380
 will absorb in himself the

00:42:45.380 --> 00:42:46.739
 consequences of our sin to

00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:46.980
 him.

00:42:47.460 --> 00:42:48.960
 And he is now inviting

00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:50.340
 all of us as his people,

00:42:50.940 --> 00:42:52.220
 to be a people who are

00:42:52.220 --> 00:42:53.019
 not just learning some

00:42:53.019 --> 00:42:54.119
 practical steps about how

00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:55.300
 can we try and serve

00:42:55.300 --> 00:42:56.840
 people better, but who

00:42:56.840 --> 00:42:58.460
 really see and wrestle

00:42:58.460 --> 00:42:59.760
 with our God and his

00:42:59.760 --> 00:43:01.220
 character and the work

00:43:01.220 --> 00:43:02.260
 he's done on the cross in

00:43:02.260 --> 00:43:03.539
 a deep way in our hearts

00:43:03.539 --> 00:43:05.460
 and then slowly learn to

00:43:05.460 --> 00:43:05.960
 live this out.

00:43:06.220 --> 00:43:07.000
 I've been a Christian for

00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:07.679
 many, many years.

00:43:08.340 --> 00:43:09.360
 These things take me a

00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:09.800
 long time.

00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:11.139
 They do not come naturally

00:43:11.139 --> 00:43:13.400
 or easily, but this is

00:43:13.400 --> 00:43:14.059
 what it means to be a

00:43:14.059 --> 00:43:15.699
 Christian, to receive God's

00:43:15.699 --> 00:43:17.440
 incredible grace and then

00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:18.820
 ask him to work that out

00:43:18.820 --> 00:43:19.640
 in us slowly.

00:43:20.260 --> 00:43:21.559
 I've been so encouraged by

00:43:21.559 --> 00:43:22.480
 just meeting so many of

00:43:22.480 --> 00:43:23.660
 you over the last couple

00:43:23.660 --> 00:43:24.920
 of days and over the

00:43:24.920 --> 00:43:25.700
 years that we've known

00:43:25.700 --> 00:43:26.400
 many of you.

00:43:26.840 --> 00:43:28.000
 This, friends, is a

00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:29.400
 church where people, I

00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:30.460
 believe, love each other

00:43:30.460 --> 00:43:31.080
 deeply.

00:43:31.840 --> 00:43:33.039
 And as you continue to

00:43:33.039 --> 00:43:34.200
 love each other deeply

00:43:34.200 --> 00:43:35.620
 and richly, this is the

00:43:35.620 --> 00:43:37.180
 kind of community God is

00:43:37.180 --> 00:43:39.180
 so eager to add people to

00:43:39.180 --> 00:43:40.360
 where they'll be folded

00:43:40.360 --> 00:43:41.840
 in and together as God's

00:43:41.840 --> 00:43:42.960
 people we learn to live

00:43:42.960 --> 00:43:44.400
 together like him,

00:43:44.800 --> 00:43:46.220
 displaying his character

00:43:46.220 --> 00:43:47.200
 to our watching world.

00:43:47.199 --> 00:43:48.399
 Can we close our eyes

00:43:48.399 --> 00:43:49.879
 and let me pray for us

00:43:49.879 --> 00:43:50.359
 this morning?

00:43:53.099 --> 00:43:54.799
 Father, we ask you this

00:43:54.799 --> 00:43:55.759
 morning that you would,

00:43:56.779 --> 00:43:58.019
 by your spirit, you would

00:43:58.019 --> 00:44:00.379
 peel away some of the

00:44:00.379 --> 00:44:01.419
 layers of our hearts,

00:44:02.219 --> 00:44:03.139
 maybe where we've

00:44:03.139 --> 00:44:04.480
 justified some of our

00:44:04.480 --> 00:44:06.379
 own responses or anger.

00:44:07.079 --> 00:44:08.759
 Father, even where those

00:44:08.759 --> 00:44:09.980
 of us have been deeply

00:44:09.980 --> 00:44:11.739
 wounded and hurt in a way

00:44:11.739 --> 00:44:12.519
 that grieves you

00:44:12.519 --> 00:44:13.219
 profoundly.

00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:17.880
 Father, I ask that by your

00:44:17.880 --> 00:44:21.099
 spirit this morning, you,

00:44:21.179 --> 00:44:22.340
 by your mercy, would peel

00:44:22.340 --> 00:44:23.739
 away some of those layers

00:44:23.739 --> 00:44:24.900
 of hardness that have

00:44:24.900 --> 00:44:26.059
 grown in our hearts and you

00:44:26.059 --> 00:44:27.159
 would enable us to bring

00:44:27.159 --> 00:44:30.119
 our wounds, our sufferings,

00:44:30.199 --> 00:44:33.719
 the injustice to you, to

00:44:33.719 --> 00:44:35.119
 entrust it into your hands,

00:44:35.119 --> 00:44:39.420
 to ask you to carry it,

00:44:40.420 --> 00:44:41.940
 and then to ask you to

00:44:41.940 --> 00:44:43.219
 soften our own hearts,

00:44:43.739 --> 00:44:46.859
 to make us more human,

00:44:47.859 --> 00:44:50.019
 to make us more like you.

00:44:51.380 --> 00:44:52.539
 Won't you heal us?

00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:55.359
 And as you heal us, Lord God,

00:44:55.480 --> 00:44:57.259
 won't you, I want you to

00:44:57.259 --> 00:44:58.119
 heal our relationships,

00:44:59.199 --> 00:45:00.559
 and won't you heal our world?

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:02.619
 We ask this in Jesus' name.

00:45:02.619 --> 00:45:03.699
 Amen.