Grow Up

RECAP: Grow Small, G uses insign. to do big things! Be obed.!

Series about growing in godliness & fellowship (like X)

GROW UP! Snarky title; appeal to cultural idea - putting “big boy/girl pants on”, etc. Machismo

Forgive me for that indulgence - thematic reasons. lol (Not very empathetic)

Teach a very real truth today about being offended.

Offense very popular today!

Stance on abortion, gun control, sex ethics, gender/pron, immigration, party affil (political)

Style parent’g, type media consume/fandom or hobbies, alchohol (personal)

Color carpet, lenght of prayer, types of events, new picture, change (church)

All of which can quickly lead to dissolving relat’ps, bitter strife, ad hominem atks, angry comments, *gasp* defriending…

Trending reaction to hearing something don’t like! Offended, angry. Spout nonsesne (media)

Easily Angered… Hard 2 admit! Think some like being angry! Not like what made us angry; Like feeling angry!

James 1:19 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”

Quick listen—Slow speak—Slow angry!… How ya doing (SM, drive thru, family, job)?

Anecdote - i’m terrible at slow to speak. Apologize. Run over B’s feelings w words.

Stop to listen/observe/take in situation with slow cashier… snappy retort from sibling/etc…

We are often too quick to judge and get steamed up about something we know little about. Get all in tizzy bc of one detail - come up with sol; how we’re going to deal.

Find ourself furious at person/sitch/stance/view we hardly know why!

How effective is your anger? (Spoiler)

Is it working? Making you more like Jesus? Point others?

James 1:19-20 …Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Your anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

(But)… My anger is a Righteous Anger! Angry over sin!

Notice [Almost always] someone else’s sin! Righteously angry at your own sin??

Not really “Righteous” Anger, “Self-Righteous” Anger.

Criticize their—Foul Language—Ignore our own Spiritual Pride; Judge their sexual Sin—Ignore our Gluttony.

Jesus didn’t call us to be RIGHT—He called us to be LOVING.

“Gotta be angry to fight against injustices in world!” // MMA: Best fighters aren’t angry; Police; Soldiers!

So… how do we grow up and deal with offensive ppl??

Handling Offense like Jesus

Jesus was directly asked 183 questions... answered 3! He asked 307.

Listen first. Respond second.

Great wisdom in His life & teachings - came to preach/live a life that was ‘beyond’ our own.

Jesus Loved

Woman at the Well

Married 5X, shacking up w. current beau. “Whoa! Tell Peter & John! [Not gossip, prayer!]”

Didn’t shame or despise her: for woman, nor Samar'n!

Didn’t make up a catchy headline/nickname to further debase her moral choices… offended at her sin, berate her.

Looked on her w. love; saw depressed, frightened little girl behind curcum’s.

Offered to satisfy a desire that had gone unfulfilled all her life. w/Living water!

John 4:26 “Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.””

** First one to whom He made his Messiahship known. **

Jesus Forgave

Exhibit A, Peter :

Bragged, Boasted!… Lied, betrayed, denied! Stabbed in back, abandoned Jesus.

Jesus didn’t quit LG; “Get 12 new guys!”, didn’t FB rant: "You know who you are… Ppl suck! Dealing w, lot rn...”, didn’t remove the proph. promises made to Peter

X gave him opp. to re-commit, Forgave, & kept loving Peter.

John 21:15 “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.””

Exhibit B, Soldiers at the Cross

Men who beat, scarred, whipped, & pierced him. Mocked, jeered, spat, plucked beard hairs…

Jesus: “Father forgive them...”

Set aside grief, disappointment, sorrow, anger?! and instead uttered words of grace.

Jesus Lead with Grace

Woman Caught in Adultury

Could have shamed her, stoned her!

Had moral auth (in eyes of men & God, accord. to law) to snuff her life out & lead the charge. Legal, reas’ble cause, witnesses

Right to be angry, offended… canceled (perm!)

Instead, Jesus gave grace!

John 8:7 “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.””

His challenge to the crowd—look INside. As offended at ur own sin?? Set down your stone; off ur high horse.

John 8:9 “At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.”

X stll commissioned change: “Go & sin no more!”

But lent a hand before he threw a stone. Lead w Grace. Offered help before corrected behavior!

Easy to get backwards, right???

Do you want to make a point; Or a difference?

Standing up for what is right can be honorable—but we often do it at the expense of another; Against the OTHER team.

How do we get passionate or angry… and not sin.

Drop Your Stone!

(Hold Stone) Don’t want to minimize a hurt you may be enduring. Stayed in shallow so far. Molested your child? Spouse lied & cheated? Horrible things!

Be careful not to feed the anger! Fuel to fire of injustice.

“I’m right! They’re wrong!”

Your anger will justify your right to hold the stone.

Jesus: “Drop the Stone!”

LOVE, give GRACE, FORGIVE!

Start TODAY!

Lay down that self-righteous indignation. Find ways to love others.

Perhaps that person you are praying against has had a reason for being so bold. Give them grace today.

To those who have wronged you: ask God to begin changing your heart so you can forgive again.

Drop your stone!