How to kill root of bitterness
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
Not sermon on Minimising Hurt | not setting healthy boundaries | Not on accepting Sin, Not on accepting wrong doing,
it’s a sermon on FREEDOM.
**Not Happy Jan Advert**
Today, step on toes | Today, might sting | Today, I am here | Effects everyone.
Hebrews;
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
Address this on large scale & Intimate scale | So we as body find freedom.
Root of Bitterness;
Like Faith of Mustard seed | bitterness starts small seed - offence.
liked all social media, they did not like me | didn’t get invited to party | Every time they visit, never see me |
Our God wants us to Love | Enemy wants to steal Love and intimacy in relationships.
God wants us to grow in trust, enemy wants steal trust.
Our enemy will do ANYTHING POSSIBLE, to plant seed of offence, that will grow into ROOT of bitterness - The problem is, that root of bitterness can spread - And when it creates heard mentality against a certain group = bigotry.
As a Church Body, Known for what we are for not against.
Jonah, faced similar problem | found himself bitter | if you do as well - This message for you.
Title: How to Kill the root of bitterness
My Hope: Today you start the process of hacking away - root of bitterness.
*Prayer*
Been on A JOURNEY through Jonah! If new here - Packing season
1 essential thing;
A heart that is in tune with God’s.
last 2 weeks - Grace that saves / changes.
We know Holy Spirit wants to STYLE US - today, let’s get styling!
Climax, last chapter | Beautiful, ironic, crazy finish to Jonah | and HEAVY.
Ready?
Context; Jonah, Arise - no, Boat, Storm, Fish, Back to Ninevah , REPENT, they did, then what did God do?
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
beautiful
wait, 1 More Chapter - but ends so nicely | Why | Here in Chapter 4 lies reason for book | Ready?
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
Angry = Harah = Hot. What does Jonah do? Respond?
marches out of city | builds himself hut | terrible hut | waits| For God to change mind. not to save but distroy
While sitting here;
Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.
Discomfort = Evil. God, Patiently - Helping - Jonah, went from Exceedingly angry to glad.
what does God do? Appoints worm to eat plant | Gone, then harsh wind - HARAH = Angry/Hot | Jonah, faint, sunstroked, in pain God asks him another question;
But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”
God trying to teach Jonah something here. Jonah, felt sorry for plant, because it was self-serving - couldn’t pity Ninevah.
What is God saying?, I am Lord of the Salvation /harvest.
Whole expereince to get to Jonah’s heart and try get His heart to be in Tune with God’s.
Your Pressure, might be your preperation
Jonah’s Heart was in direct opposition to God’s | God turned his anger at ninevites, Jonah became Angry.
A gulf seperating Jonah and God | entire time God…is trying to close that Gulf. Why? Because God, is patient and so should we be.
Ninevah - He waited 40 days - Ark over 100 years | Even now, The day of Judgement, He is waiting. His desired will is that NONE SHALL PERISH.
Patience is a characteristic of God - You have to understand because same character He is trying to work in you.
What happened to Jonah | A seed was planted, Jonah allowed it to grow.
What Seed? Offence |
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
Pick up seed
You are offered a seed, one from the enemy, and one from God.
Sin Nature wants to take one from Enemy | The Holy Spirit helps you to take seed from God.
Bury Seeds.
This message is not “Get over it” - The message is “There is freedom from it”. We would all be Jonah - Jonah had to sit there and watch his enemies get grace.
Jonah, very much like parable Jesus told - 2 brothers, one went off partied, spent all the money. One stayed, worked hard.
first 2 chapters | Jonah, younger brother - He left, he ran - Last 2 chapters he becomes older brother - Had to watch God give mercy.
Imagine older brother - Slaving away - Had to watch his dad stand on porch waiting - When he came back, Father ran to him - Killed Fattened Calf - Older Brother furious - bitterness, grew over time.
You either Water bitterness, or destroy it - no in between.
Water - And what you water, will grow.
bitterness has a dangerous root.
Why couldn’t older brother see it? Why did Jonah Struggle? Why do we get bitter? Why does it creep in?
Bitterness is hardest sin to see in the mirror - because you feel Justified in it.
World programmed to hang on | I feel the way because of what they have done | Jonah v ninevites | They did it | It was them |
Other reason Bitterness creeps in is because we Compare. Remember; Sin is missing the mark.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Look at how they missed the mark by a mile, I only miss it by a MM.
Why? : World measures Sin differently to Heaven.
Forest walking through (Picture). God, looks down from above. (Picture)
What are effects of Bitterness? How does effect mission of christ?
Bitterness produces dangerous fruit.
As you water, it grows, and it gets out of control. (Grab it from outsie)
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
Not only does bitternerness hurt you, it hurts those around you - Especially it receives herd mentality.
Bitterness entangles everyone around you.
Older brother in Prodigal Son Story- Father dealt with him OUTSIDE.
But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
Perhaps this why God took Jonah to Tarsish, Because he knew. that root of bitterness was going to defile many.
See you thought mission trip for Nineveh, and it was, but as much as it was for nineveh, for Jonah | God wanted to deal with him.
Bitterness leads to Bigotry.
When we don’t seperate sin, from Sinner = we categorise people by their sin, it leads to “Those people”.
You know, those people = too far gone from Saving | If I look down, on anyone because of their sin or any reason, what ever that is, or I elevate myself - That is bigotry - no one is exempt - Enemy trying to feed it.
“Ah these people” when watching TV
Paul tells us: At war with sin | should HATE IT | HS in you hates it | Hates what it does | but HS Loves person.
Need to seperate SIN from PERSON or we get offended.
The result of NOT Doing this, is tolerating Sin because we are too afraid to confront it, or being overly judgemental.
We need to learn to Love Sinner, Hate Sin and know that the TRUTH will SET YOU FREE.
God does not call you by your Sin | So why do we?
Chasing a heart that is in tune with Gods.
As a Church - We will be known, for what we are FOR and not against but we will be known for the TRUTH, because the TRUTH will set you free.
What do we do?
Are you willin to ask God for help to let it go?
1. Have to be willing to DIG.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
starts between you and Jesus | Pour it out - Wrestle -
Jesus: “Why o why have you forsaken me” -
HOWEVER - Don’t forget to LISTEN. Jonah, wasn’t Listening.
We are good listeners | We listen to ourselves | People | Enemy “You should be mad” “You better not forgive her” “I’m on your side forever”.
Father to angry brother: “My Son, My Son, I love you, I know your mad, You’ve always been with me, and everything I have is yours”
2nd thing - Seperate the Sin, from the Sinner.
Just like child | Love daughter, dislike behaviour - Doesn’t change my love for her | I love her, I believe in her, I will cherish her -
Sin destroys lives and hurts the heart of God | We should want to eraticate it because it gives GOD GLORY | Do you know how you give truth in love? Believing it leads to life and not because it offends you.
3. Stop obsessing what happened to us, an start obsessing what has been done FOR US.
Story about when my kids fight - I just trying to tell them - LOOK AT ME - LOOK AT ME.
Look to JESUS, the Founder and PERFECTOR of FAITH. Be OBSESSED over salvation - OUR CROSS - Thank Him every day - Revelation says, don’t forget first love!!
4. Don’t play the Ace of Spades
Are you holding onto something? You have a Right -
Background Story - Mum -
5. It’s a Process
more you don’t play it |more you pray | more you learn | more you Prune.
Prune tree
I am pruning - root of biterness, and I’m watering, the fruit of the Spirit - No in between | One needs to be watered.
6. Start with Compassion
The law, written on your heart - is different to our human nature.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
(Move plant back outside, remove it from your life) - Dig up seed of offence
Water what the Spirit is doing - Tenderhearted - Forgiving - God - Good fruit.
Inspo and Close
Inspo and Close
so what happened to Jonah?
And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
Don’t Know | Why? Because we are Jonah, and older brother |
and today - presented with choice. Dig up Root of Bitterness or Plant seed of Compassion.
However, you can’t do it alone - I’m asking you, no I’m begging you, lean into the one who can.
Jesus Christ, Our perfect Jonah - Defeated the Giant of bitterness on the cross. God witheld Bitterness, showed Love.
The enemy has been defeated, I’m asking you to give him the watering can of biterness, Ask Him to cut the branches of Bitterness - to dig up the Root, stop watering, start digging and produce good fruit for your good, your healing and for His Glory.
**Prayer**