Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful
that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either
by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray
for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?
The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really,
I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,
they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will
do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a
non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't
hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the
types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.
Father, we confess before you, because we're sort of in a bit of a good space, we confess before you,
Father, that we are prone to sometimes see specks in other people's eyes and not notice the log in our
own eyes, that we are sometimes not at all self-aware of who we are. We thank you, Father,
that your Word is both a mirror that helps us to see ourselves, a light that helps us to see ourselves,
and it's also a window, and that by your light we can look out that window and learn more of you
and more of ourselves. So Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would gently bring your Word
deeply into our hearts this morning, and we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated.
So some of you know that I was a priest, a presbyter, in the Anglican Church of Canada for over 22 years,
and one of the things that you did as a presbyter is you'd have a meeting once a month called
Clericus. It was where all of the clergy in a certain region would get together. You'd do that
like you wouldn't meet in July and August and maybe not meet in December or something like that. So
you know, it'd be eight, nine, ten times a year. And when I was in Ottawa Centre, that was where I was
last, you might wonder what did we do when we all got together once a month? Well, what we did
or what happened is they mainly talked about politics, and namely at the time about how bad
the government was or how bad this policy was or whatever. And they probably would have said,
I didn't join in very much. I was usually in a minority position when it came to what they thought
was terrible or what they thought was spectacularly good. They would have seen it as being, of course,
prophetic and biblical and, you know, blah, blah, woof, woof. But that's what we talked about.
We didn't talk about the Bible, or if we did, it would quickly veer into political issues of the day.
I mention this because the text that we're going to be looking at this morning, if I'm not careful
with myself, I could talk a lot about politics. This would be one of those texts that could be used
as a springboard to talk about all sorts of political things. And given that a lot of the
people in this room have political opinions, it might very well be that in coffee time afterwards,
you can talk about some of these political things, but you can pray that I don't, that we'll look at
some other things in the text which are very important. But by the way, let's look at the text.
So if you have your Bibles, it's Acts chapter 5, verses 17 and following. Acts chapter 5, verses 17 and
following. And what's just happened, you know, there was a, we spent several weeks, a story of God uses,
you know, Peter and John have a man healed in the name of Jesus who's never been able to walk. It draws a
crowd. They do a sermon. They go and they get thrown in jail. They get let out. They, you know, and then after
they get let out, they tell everybody about what happened in the congregation, rather than being
frightened, is encouraged, the people. And then last week we looked at the terrifying story of God
striking Ananias and Sapphira dead. But despite that, that the church grew. And now this is the next
story. Now, the book of Acts is an eyewitness-based history of the first 30-some-odd years of the
Christmas, the Christmas, the Christmas movement, the Jesus movement. And we don't know how long after
the last event, this event happened. It might have just been a couple of weeks. It might have been a
couple of months. Most scholars think that the person that we now know of as Paul, but at the time
was called Saul, and we're going to meet him in a couple of weeks, that he probably became a Christian
probably in the year 34. It might be 35, might even be the end of 33. It depends a little bit on when
the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus happened, whether it was the year 30 or 33.
But if Jesus died on the cross and was raised from the dead in the year 33,
then, you know, maybe within about a year of that, Paul becomes a Christian. And so this, we know that
this isn't like two or three or four or five years after, because Paul is still not in the picture.
But a couple of months later, it's not specific, this particular event happens, and here's how it
goes. Verse 17. But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him, that is the party of the
Sadducees, and filled with jealousy, they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
Now, just a couple of things here. I read a lot of novels with cops and all of that, and one of the
things they talk about in those American novels, I don't know how many of you are familiar with it,
is this idea of the perp walk. And if you don't know what a perp walk is, there's two different
versions of it. But what happens is, if the police want to embarrass you, or somebody in the police,
you know, community wants to embarrass you, it would be as if they were going to arrest me for some
reason. And they don't want to just arrest me, they don't want to pull up to my house at 10 o'clock
at night and arrest me, just privately. They'd come into the service. And not only would they come
into the service to arrest me, they'd make sure that Global News and CTV and CFRA and other groups
like that knew that I was going to be arrested, and the reporters would be all there. Or after I'd
been charged, as I'm leaving the court, after having been charged, the police would have leaked to
people that I'm being, when I'm leaving, so that the press could take pictures of me. And it's a way
to further embarrass the people who've been charged, type of a power play. And that's what's going on
here. It's more obvious in the original language that it's not just that they arrest the apostles
and put them in jail, but they do it in a very public way to show their power. Now, a couple of
things that are going on here in the text, and it's one of the reasons that Canadians have a hard
time with understanding books like Acts and what's just happened, is, well, I think if you were to
look, I bet that Gaza, under Hamas, has laws. I bet they're all written down. I bet if you went to
Syria, and you looked, they have laws. How many people think that Hamas cares what the laws say?
Or in Syria, that they care what the laws say? Or in China? I could keep naming countries.
The fact of the matter is that there might be laws, but the real law is that the powerful do
whatever they want. And if you piss off the powerful, they'll arrest you. That's, in fact,
how it is for the majority of the people who live on this planet today, and it's how most people
throughout history have lived, where basically if you upset the powerful, they'll arrest you.
It doesn't matter what the laws are, and that's what's going on here. They're powerful people.
The apostles representing the Christians are massively, massively, massively bothering them.
In fact, it's even more than that in a moment. And so they just go ahead and arrest them.
And one of the things that we have problems with when we look at it, we think, okay, well,
what law did they break? In fact, even when I read commentaries, they talk about whether they've
broken law. No, no, you guys don't understand it. They didn't break any laws. They just said,
you're not allowed to do this. Why? Well, you're not allowed to do this. The why is because I'm the
boss. That's why. And because I'm the boss, you're not allowed to do it. Like, it's as simple as that.
It doesn't matter what the laws say. Now, what this says here in this particular text,
so here, that's the world they're living in. So it's very likely that, for instance, we might have
a bit of a problem with it. And if we have commentators writing from our perspective,
they try to look at what laws might or might not have been broken. And I'm reading them and think,
you guys don't know anything. You know, I can be opinionated when I'm reading commentaries.
I just think to myself, I bet a commentator in China wouldn't ask that question,
because they just know how the world works. But here's the other part, and it's really important
for the rest of the story. You'll notice again in verse 17, they were filled with jealousy. Now,
that word in the original language is sort of a, it includes three or a couple of different areas,
and there's no really proper English word for it. It's a sort of a rare word. It only occurs one
other place in the New Testament. What it's talking about is religiously or ideologically motivated rage.
Religiously or ideologically motivated rage. They're not just jealous. They are consumed
with rage. And the rage is driven by religious and or ideological purposes. Another way to understand
it is that they are filled with a punitive zeal. They are filled with zeal to punish.
Another way to understand it is they have been consumed with fierceness of indignation.
Another way to understand it is they are filled with envy. An envy that wants to punish.
And that's what's all being captured with this simple word, jealousy, but what's there in the
original language. Now, this is very, very, this is a profound human problem.
And it's made worse when you have power. It doesn't matter whether it's political power, social power,
religious power, cultural power, family power, maybe a power of a husband over a wife, or in some cases a
wife over a husband. And so what is envy? Envy is,
envy is one of those sins that we don't often recognize that we have, and it's not talked about very much in our culture.
It's sort of a perversion of good ambition.
So good ambition would be,
you know, one of you is a lawyer.
And you look at some other lawyer, and you just marvel at how skilled she is.
And you think to yourself, I'd love, like that, she's such a good lawyer.
Like the way she handles questions, her knowledge of the case law, that her knowledge of the law,
the way she handles things, the way she handles things in court.
Or, I'd love to be a lawyer like that someday.
Or maybe somebody in the civil service, and you, you know, you see your boss's boss's boss,
and you see how they handle meetings, and how they handle conflict, and how they handle staff.
And you say to yourself, you know, I'd really like to be like that.
I'd really like to be like him someday.
You know, maybe even, you know, could I call them or talk to them and maybe get some pointers.
But I'm just going to be like that person someday.
Or maybe you know, I'd really like to be like that person someday.
You know, for me, it would be like, I'd really like to be able to preach like that man,
or lead like that man, or counsel like that person.
But instead, I'd look at that person, and I say,
I'm just as good as him.
I'm just as good as her
and the fact that I think I'm just as good as them
and they're getting those things that I don't have
fills me with envy
and at the heart of envy
I want to bring them down
I want to knock them down
not just one peg or two peg
I'd love to see them humiliated
I can get to the point where I'd like to see them lose everything
you see it's not even a zero something
that I could take their position and they could be down
it wouldn't matter if I get any type of position
or get any better as long as they get destroyed
as long as they get completely and utterly gone
and those are very powerful things
and obviously those are extreme things
but it's what envy can grow into
and so what we see here
it's in a sense a combination of envy and anger
and anger is the same type of thing
and one of the things about both envy and anger
is that one of the reasons there's such profound human problems
is we often don't recognize them in ourselves
I've had talks with people who have been angry
and gosh
I mean you don't have to be a rocket scientist
to figure out that they're angry
their face is red
they're gripping the seat or whatever
or maybe their hands are shaking
and you say you know I think you're angry
they say no I'm not
in a really angry way
I yell it right back at you
no I'm not angry
you know
by the way I always recognize my envy and my anger
and I'm just joking
I'm you know
here's the thing about this text
which is so powerful
and it's
if you remember this
especially for the book of Acts
but all the way through narratives
is that the book of Acts
every text in the book of Acts
is both a mirror
and a window
it's a mirror and a window
it's a way to see ourselves
but it's also a way to see hope
to see who God is
and it's always both at the same time
and what we need to understand
and one of the reasons that the Bible
and the biblical
one of the reasons I love Christianity
it's so beautiful
and it's so powerful
is that the Bible doesn't other
other people
so it's not here
the way to interpret this text
is not to say
oh yeah
look at those bad people
we're the good people
look at those bad people
that's what happens when you have power
that you know
look at those
you know whatever
look at those Jewish people
or look at those millionaires
or there were billionaires
or those deputy ministers
no
the fact of the matter is
is that when we're reading the text of the story
we're not just to say
how bad these people in power are
we are to ask ourselves
is it me Lord
like do I have an anger problem
do I have an envy problem
I might think that I'm concerned with justice
I'm concerned with
I'm concerned with the good running of the organization
but is it in fact that
that's not really the case
that what really is going on
is that I have envy
and I would be just as happy
if things didn't work very well
as long as that person gets kicked out of their position
is that me
and the text doesn't just dump on you
you see that's what was so wonderful
that when you read the biblical narratives
and you read them in light of the gospel
then you see because on one hand
I am sometimes these people
I am sometimes angry and envious
and I am sometimes blind to it
but I'm also sometimes like the apostles
you see and that's why the thing
which is so powerful about these biblical narratives
is that they
when you understand them as a mirror and a window
and when as you read them in light of the gospel
the comfort that the gospel gives you
you can look at those different aspects of yourself
and not just get caught in othering people
or just patting yourself on the back
as if you're just unbelievably brilliant all of the time
and that's just the way it has to be
or both
but what's going on here
is a very powerful case
of anger and envy
and we'll see that as the text goes on
and we'll see how it works as the text goes on
so
and so actually
what's going to happen next is
you can ask me about it over coffee
or if you're watching this online
you can send me an email
maybe I could have a chat with you
I'm not going to defend it
I believe the next bit happened
I don't think there's anything problematic
with the next thing happening
but what happens next
let's look
verse 19
so the apostles are arrested
they're put in public prison
verse 19
but during the night
an angel of the Lord
opened the prison doors
and brought them out
the angels obviously also
made the guards fall asleep
or whatever
and said
the angel says to the apostles
go and stand in the temple
and speak to the people
all the words of this life
this life
and that's really interesting
because it shows
that one of the ways
that the early Christians
understood themselves
is that they were followers
of the life
and it's really important
to understand
that that's what Christianity offers us
it offers us life
it offers us a perspective
to be thankful
for the gift of life
for ourselves
the gift of life
for others
it's a way for us
to understand
that when Jesus
comes into our lives
that what he offers us
is life
that we begin to get
his life
eternal life
life of the future
in our lives right now
and that when we die
it is not the end of us
but that we walk
into greater life
in a sense
a greater life
overwhelms
and swallows us
from the world's point of view
death has swallowed us
but when we are in Christ
life has swallowed us
and we enter into
greater life
and
and that's
that's what the message is
now
what happens
as a result
now
this whole bit
by the way
is filled
the whole story
is filled with irony
and sort of sarcasm
in fact
Monty Python
would be the perfect people
to act this out
they would probably
nail it perfectly
in terms of getting
how the different
the soldiers
and others
are reacting
to everything
that happens
and just see
what happens next
so the angels
let them out
verse 21
and when they heard this
that's the apostles
they entered the temple
at daybreak
and began to teach
now when the high priest
came
and those who were with him
they called together
the council
all the senate
of the people of Israel
and sent to the prison
to have them brought
but when the officers
came
they did not find
the apostles
in the prison
so they returned
and reported
we found the prison
securely locked
and the guards
standing at the doors
but when
we opened
the doors
we found no one inside
now when the captain
of the temple
and the chief priest
heard these words
they were greatly
perplexed about them
wondering what
this would come to
and someone came
and told them
look
the men
whom you put in prison
are standing
in the temple
and teaching
the people
are teaching
the people
and the captain
with the officers
went and brought them
that's the apostles
but not by force
for they were afraid
of being stoned
by the people
and when they had
brought them
they set them
before the council
and the high priest
questioned them
now
you know
as I said
I'm not
well
here's the
here's the impact
of envy
and anger
in our lives
when you are
filled with
envy and anger
when I am
filled with
envy or anger
I am not
interested in the
truth
and I'm not
interested in
justice
now I would
deny it
when I'm
caught with
envy
and I would
deny it
when I'm
caught up
with anger
but the fact
of the matter
is
we can see
it in
others
when they're
filled with
envy
or when
they're
filled with
anger
that their
interest
in the
truth
vanishes
as envy
goes up
anger
goes up
a concern
for truth
goes down
it goes
down
and down
you'd think
that what
the high priest
is going to
ask the
guys is
how did
you get
out
now they
said
well an
angel got
us out
I mean
these guys
are in
the religious
business
they should
say like
really an
angel
like gosh
like maybe
I should
reconsider
my anger
or or
maybe they
could say
wow I
mean that's
a bit of a
justification
that maybe
God's on
your side
and I
we should
maybe not
have arrested
you
maybe we
should
reconsider
that whole
resurrection
thing
could we
go back
I'd just
like to
ask you
some
questions
like I'm
just really
stuck now
with the
fact that you
got out in
such a
fashion
and
we haven't
been able to
find the
body
Peter
and all
and so
did you
really see
Jesus
like you
really didn't
steal the
body
did you
really see
Jesus
alive
did you
really see
him ascend
into
heaven
like and
what about
that thing
with Pentecost
did that
really happen
we've heard
rumors that
like there
was something
that looked
like fire
and there's
the wind
and like
did that
really happen
and
you know
we
we want
to
obviously
we want
to have
people
worship
the God
of Israel
and you
keep saying
that the
God of
Israel
is the
one doing
all of
these
things
and
and you
preach
with a
type of
power
that we
just
don't
have
and you
have
an
attractiveness
that we
don't
have
like could
you tell
us a little
bit more
about
that
well no
they could
have done
all of
those things
but they
are filled
with envy
they are
filled
with anger
they would
be happier
to have
the apostles
destroyed
and people
be less
observant
Jews
than for
them to
thrive
they'd be
happy
to see
these
Christians
destroyed
even if
it means
less people
come to
the temple
than before
because
they're filled
with envy
and envy
wants to
tear the
other down
anger
wants to
tear the
other down
and envy
and anger
aren't
concerned
with the
truth
and you
see this
perfectly
modeled
in the
story
look at
the question
that he
asks
in verse
28
we strictly
charge you
not to
teach in
this name
yet here
you have
filled
Jerusalem
with your
teaching
and you
intend
to bring
this man's
blood
upon us
well there's
no law
that says
you can't
do these
things
the only
law
is
I'm
the boss
I have
the hold
of power
you
guys are
nobodies
do what
I say
and you
see
here's the
other thing
about the
power of
this story
what did
they say
again
you're trying
to make
it look
like we
had this
person
killed
well actually
they did
have this
person
killed
like that's
the truth
you see
once again
this is
not a
story
where we
other
people
I bet
every one
of us
would have
a friend
or a
husband
or a
wife
who would
say to
us
that there
had been
times in
our lives
when we've
been wrong
or done
something
and we've
denied it
refused to
acknowledge it
was true
it's a
human
problem
some of
us are
maybe far
more prone
to it
than others
and we're
definitely
far more
prone to
others
to do
this
when we're
filled with
envy or
anger
and we get
completely and
utterly blind
to what we've
in fact
actually done
and you see
this is also
going to be
one of the
things which
helps to
show the
real beauty
and the
wonder of
the gospel
because you
see if
you being
made right
with God
or if you
trying to
reach your
ideal self
or if you
trying to
reach these
types of
you know
we want to
have the
applause and
the acclaim
and the
well doing
of people
thinking certain
things about
us
and if
that's our
goal
then to
have people
point out
the things
in our
lives which
are wrong
it's sort
of an
unbearable
type of
thing
because we
need to
achieve
and we
need to
maintain
these
things
and it's
only when
the gospel
helps us
to understand
that God
knows every
bad thing
we've done
and still
he loves
us and he
loves us
we're going to
see this in a
moment and that
starts to begin
as the gospel
becomes more
true and real
to our heart
a place for me
to actually say
actually it is me
oh Lord who did
that
it's still going
against our
human nature
our fallen
human nature
but there begins
to be a
place
that we
can stand
and see
ourselves
as God
has seen
us and
both see
the grace
that he's
offered to
us in
Christ
which is
so deep
and so
broad and
extensive
that everything
has been
forgiven
every sin
has been
forgiven
and then
maybe to be
able to say
well actually
I did
kill
I was
responsible
for killing
Jesus
I was
and see
one of the
things which
is so
wonderful
about the
gospel
look what
happens
here we
see what's
so wonderful
about the
many of the
things that
are so
wonderful
about the
gospel
how does
Peter respond
verse 29
he says
but Peter
and the
apostles
answered
we must
obey God
rather than
men
the God
of our
fathers
no other
thing
you guys
who
you're
Jewish
people
like us
Abraham
Isaac
Jacob
the God
of Abraham
and Isaac
and Jacob
your God
and my
God
he raised
Jesus
he raised
Jesus
whom you
killed
by hanging
him on a
tree
God
exalted
him
verse 31
at his
right hand
as leader
or prince
and savior
and here's
this wonderful
thing
he's saying
this to the
men who
literally
were responsible
for the
killing of
Jesus
now
one of the
things every
well instructed
Christian has
to understand
is that it
could have
been my
hands that
nailed
Jesus'
hands to
the cross
it could
have been
me who
put the
crown of
thorns
on his
brow
that I
am complicit
that was
me
doing it
but even
these men
who literally
were responsible
for his
death
Peter says
God
God exalted
him at his
right hand
as leader
and savior
to give
repentance
to Israel
and forgiveness
of sins
he's saying
it to the
man who
actually killed
Jesus
you meant
this for
great harm
but actually
God vindicated
Jesus
and he
rose Jesus
and he
brought
Jesus
made Jesus
resurrected
and all of this
was done so
you could have
repentance
forgiveness
and the
forgiveness
of sins
this is a
very powerful
thing
and in fact
as well as that
here there's another
thing look at verse
30 again
the God of our
fathers raised
Jesus whom you
killed by
hanging him
on a tree
now those of you
who know the
Bible a little bit
well know that
what happened
is that the
death that
these people
conspired with
the Romans to
do was a
death that
by the
Tanakh
what we call
the Old
Testament
was a
cursed
death
and this is
profound good
news
I don't know
probably some of
you even here
today
and if not
right at this
moment
at times in
your life
and if not
us right now
or times in
our life
there are
people we
know
who walk
around feeling
as if
they're
cursed
their failure
in marriage
their failures
maybe in
singleness
or in
parenting
or in
their
economic
life
maybe because
of the
color of
your skin
your educational
level
your caste
life
if you're
in
India
things that
you've
done
wrong
ways
that
you've
been
shamed
or
embarrassed
by
others
you feel
like you're
under a
curse
there's
something
cursed
about you
and it's a
very powerful
human
experience
and I
don't wish
it upon
any of
you
and anybody
I have
lived under
that feeling
and this
is profoundly
profoundly
good news
for those
of us
who feel
or have
gone through
a season
or are
going through
a season
of feeling
cursed
because the
message of
the cross
is
you know
whether the
curses
are
it's
whether that's
actually true
or it's just
something imaginary
but the curse
that was on
you
when Jesus
dies on the
cross
he didn't do
anything
so it's
he's taking
your curse
upon himself
and as
he takes
your curse
upon himself
he's
extending
to you
blessedness
he's
extending
to you
life
undeserved
blessedness
undeserved
life
is offered
to you
so if
you here
or you there
are watching
this and you
feel under
a curse
I want to
tell you
that
that curse
if you put
your hands
in the hands
of Jesus
or if you
have done
that in the
past
and you
just haven't
realized it
that curse
is on him
he took
that curse
because he
loves you
he loves
you
and he
offers you
blessedness
undeserved
blessedness
and so here
it says
when God
in verse 31
that God
exalted him
in his right
hand
his leader
and savior
to give
repentance
to Israel
and forgiveness
of sins
this is a
very very
powerful image
like how can
he give
repentance
well all of
us have had
experiences
similar to
feeling cursed
and this
sometimes be
part of the
reason why
we feel
cursed
is that
when we
have wronged
somebody
and this
goes the
other way
too by the
way but
I'm going to
use the
example of
us we
have wronged
somebody
and the
other person
shuts us
out
shuts us
out
shuts us
out forever
forever
there's
no amount
of amendment
of life
no amount
of saying
you're sorry
no amount
of reparations
no amount
of counseling
will make that
other person
forgive you
or make them
interested in having
anything to do
with you again
for the rest of
their lives
you've been
completely and
utterly
shut out
and if we
love them
we wish
we could
repent
we wish
we could
repent
I mean we
can repent
but repent
is actually
going to work
because the
other person
will say
you know
I'm open
to that
I'm offering
that as an
option to
you
and so
what we
see here
is
this phrase
repentance
and the
forgiveness
of sins
because they
go together
there's no
point to say
yeah yeah
I'll allow
you to repent
and then once
you repent
they say
I'm joking
I'm never
going to
forgive you
you worm
no there's
this dual
promise
and it's so
powerful
and so
beautiful
it's so
emotionally
beautiful
and powerful
that's what
I wish
that people
outside the
faith would
understand
that as you
begin to
understand the
gospel and
text like this
it's so
beautiful
it's so
beautiful
and so one
of the ways
that we can
understand what
the gospel
is it's the
gospel is
the Jesus
comes to
George
he comes
to you
and he
says I'm
going to
offer you
a coin
of
uncompare
unfathomable
value
and it
means you'll
be reconciled
to me
it means
you have
life
it means
you're
forgiven
it means
you have
the Holy
Spirit
I'm offering
you this
thing
and when
it says
that you
have to
obey
just means
that God
is making
this offer
to you
I'm going
to give
you this
coin of
unbelievable
value
I just
hope you
take it
I want
you to
take it
you know
and so
so we
do and
when we
get the
coin
we look
at the
coin
and on
one side
of the
coin
it says
repent
and believe
and trust
into Jesus
the Messiah
that's what it
says on one
side of the
coin
repent and
believe
and trust
into Jesus
the Messiah
and then we
look at the
other side
of the
coin
and the
other side
of the
coin
says your
sins
are forgiven
and life
is given
to you
in Jesus
the Messiah
just one coin
we take that coin in our hands
of unfathomable value
and that's what the coin says on both sides
you see
the teaching of envy
and the teacher of anger
to play with a modern slogan
there's a modern slogan that you do you
but the bible says
you blind you
through your envy and your anger
and refusal to repent
and one of the things which is so wonderful about the gospel
you see you have here the picture of the opposite of envy and anger
envy wants to pull down
Jesus comes down to lift you up
envy wants you to
what leads you to pull down others
Jesus calls you to look up to him
and by looking up to him
to see goodness and beauty and excellence in others
that anger
makes you want to hurt and kill
but Jesus takes
that proper anger that God has
towards the wrongdoing you've done
and that we have towards wrongdoing it's done
and he has that
he has that anger fall on him
so that we might know life and love
and our anger begins to see that
that allows us to look at why other people might be angry at ourselves
and why we're even angry at ourselves
and to understand that Jesus has dealt with all that's
really properly anger causing
by having all that sin fall on himself
and we begin to have a place
where we can so hear the scriptures in light of Jesus
that rather than having you blind you
we can see that the scriptures bring light
they bring a mirror
for me to see myself
and I can start to see myself
and I can only do that in the comfort
that anything I see in myself
which is so ugly
and so terrible
and so deserving of shame
and anger
that Jesus knew that about me
when he died for me on the cross
that there's nothing in my past
and nothing in my future
that Jesus didn't know about
when he died on the cross for me
and still he loved me
and loves me
and died for me
and so it's not just that I have a story
that changes how I can understand myself
and begin to see myself
but I have Jesus with me
I have the Holy Spirit with me
to bring their light and their truth
into my life
and I can begin to look
and acknowledge these things
and begin to accept
that I don't have to be ashamed
and I'm not cursed
that that fell on him
my shame fell on him
that I might have honor in life
and that's the beauty
and the power of the gospel
that's the beauty
and the power
of the gospel
there's a text in the book of Hebrews
chapter 12
verses 1 and 2
it's not going to be on your screen
because I didn't think of it
early enough to send it
and it goes like this
therefore since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses
that's partially by the witnesses
we learn in the Bible
let us also lay aside
every weight and sin
which clings so closely
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us
looking to Jesus
the founder and perfecter
of our faith
who for the joy
that was set before him
endured the cross
despising the shame
and is seated
at the right hand
of the throne of God
and in Christ
our destiny
is to be before
the throne of God
above
without shame
without cursedness
without sin
made righteous in him
and nothing
nothing
can shake us
from his hand
when we put our trust
in him
invite you to stand
please
bow our heads in prayer
father we thank you
that your word
is a mirror
and a window
we thank you father
that it's not just
that the Bible
says there were always
exactly like these
people caught up
with envy
and anger
and untruths
that sometimes
father as well
we are able to speak
the truth
we are able to bear witness
and we give you
thanks and praise
father that when we
bear witness to Jesus
it's not just us
bearing witness
but the Holy Spirit
bearing witness as well
that it's not just
up to our ability
to persuade
or the power
of our eloquence
or the lack of it
and we thank
and praise you
father for Jesus
and what he did
and for his mighty
death upon the cross
and mighty resurrection
and his great love
for us
and we ask father
that you would make
these truths
more and more real
to us
so that we might
begin to see us
as we really are
that your word
would be that mirror
into our lives
but not just a mirror
that it would also
be that window
by which we might
understand how just
beautiful and loving
you are
and how beautiful
and loving Christ is
and how beautiful
and powerful
the gospel is
and that we might
father live out
of that beauty
that we might walk
in the beauty
of holiness
after we have put
our hands
in the hands
of Jesus
our Savior
and Lord
and we ask this
father in the name
of Jesus
your son
and our Savior
Amen
and we ask
you