The Ledger of Grace: Overcoming Wrath with the Love of Christ

• The Nature of Love (Agape) [00:00:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor defines biblical love using 1 Corinthians 13, specifically focusing on the KJV terms 'neither angry nor censorious,' explaining that love is not easily provoked, not resentful, and does not keep a record of wrongs.
• Discipleship and Witness [00:07:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that the primary evidence the world uses to identify true disciples is not doctrinal precision or preaching skill, but the visible love believers have for one another, citing John 13:35.
• Loving Enemies and Forgiveness [00:09:37 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor addresses the difficult command to love enemies, citing Matthew 5 and Romans 12, emphasizing that Christians must not curse, seek revenge, or hold grudges, but rather overcome evil with good, following Christ's example of praying for his persecutors.
• Anger and Sin [00:14:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor begins to nuance the command against anger by referencing Matthew 5:22, questioning whether there is a 'cause' for anger that does not constitute sin, setting up a distinction between righteous indignation and sinful anger.
• Revenge and Vengeance [00:13:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor cites Romans 12 to command believers not to avenge themselves, emphasizing that vengeance belongs to God alone.
• Righteous Anger vs. Sinful Anger [00:14:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explores the paradox of being 'angry and not sinning' (Ephesians 4:26), clarifying that anger is only sinless when directed at sin itself, not at people with malicious intent.
• Malice and Grudges [00:16:39 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor defines malice as wishing ill upon others and explains that unaddressed anger inevitably festers into malice and sin, requiring repentance.
• The Book of Jonah [00:22:39 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses Jonah as a case study of a prophet who harbored sinful anger and refused to forgive, fleeing from God's command to preach to Nineveh.
• Jonah's Anger and Unforgiveness [00:30:48 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor analyzes Jonah's reaction to Nineveh's repentance, identifying it as rooted in pride, selfishness, and a desire for vengeance rather than godly concern.
• The Nature of God's Wrath and Love [00:37:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor corrects the misconception that God is only loving, asserting that God is angry with the wicked daily, but this wrath is satisfied by the ultimate demonstration of love in John 3:16.
• Evidence of Salvation [00:36:18 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that a changed heart resulting in love and forgiveness is the distinguishing mark of a true Christian, contrasting it with the spirit of anger and unforgiveness.
• Salvation by Faith [00:39:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that everlasting life is a present reality for those who believe, available to all people regardless of race or nationality, contrasting it with the wrath awaiting those who refuse.
• God's Wrath and Justice [00:41:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor addresses the tension between God's love and His anger, explaining that God is just and takes account of sins for those not born again, citing Jeremiah and Matthew.
• Redemption through the Cross [00:47:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > The core theological argument that Christ became a curse for us, taking the wrath and judgment we deserved, thereby redeeming us from the law's curse.
• Forgiveness and Joy [00:50:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor describes how God blots out the handwriting of ordinances against us and nails it to the cross, resulting in a call to abide in Christ's love and experience full joy.
• Abiding in Love and Obedience [00:52:06 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects abiding in Jesus' love directly to keeping His commandments, specifically loving one another, framing disobedience as a failure to abide.
• The Nature of Divine Joy [00:53:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explores what brings God joy, identifying it as the salvation of His people and the removal of judgment, culminating in the image of God singing over His children.
• Scriptural Exegesis of Zephaniah and John [00:53:56 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses Zephaniah 3:14-17 and John 15 to illustrate that God's joy is expressed through singing and rejoicing over His redeemed people.

• Sermon Illustration [00:05:53 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a humorous anecdote about a young women's Bible study where he tried to date himself by referencing the year 1900, only to be corrected that he was too old to teach, illustrating the concept of keeping a 'mental ledger' of wrongs.
• Sermon Illustration [00:06:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts a 20-year grudge held by a sister in the church because he once failed to buy her a McDonald's cheeseburger when she had no money, despite offering a better alternative, illustrating the sin of being resentful and keeping a record of wrongs.
• Sermon Illustration [00:11:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references his friend Jimmy's mother, Pearl, who frequently quoted Romans 12:14 ('bless them which persecute you') and Romans 12:21 ('overcome evil with good'), using her as an example of living out the command to love enemies.
• Sermon Illustration [00:18:55 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor quotes Jonathan Edwards describing anger as an 'old sore' that renews pain with the least touch, or a 'smothered fire in the heaps of autumn leaves' that can be kindled into flame by the slightest breeze.
• Sermon Illustration [00:23:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the biblical story of Jonah fleeing to Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh, being swallowed by a fish, and being vomited out, illustrating God's patience and the danger of holding onto anger against enemies.
• Sermon Illustration [00:26:26 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the biblical narrative of Jonah being swallowed by a fish, vomiting onto land, and preaching to Nineveh, which resulted in the entire city (including the king and animals) repenting in sackcloth and ashes. He contrasts this with Jonah's anger over the gourd plant, which God used to illustrate Jonah's misplaced priorities compared to God's concern for 120,000 people.
• Sermon Illustration [00:39:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a rhetorical comparison of material gifts (Lamborghini, mansion, billion dollars) to illustrate the incomparable value of God giving His Son, stating that nothing compares to the blood of God.
• Sermon Illustration [00:49:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a hypothetical scenario where a list of every sin a person has ever committed scrolls during the sermon to illustrate the magnitude of sin, then contrasts this with God's action of blotting out that list and nailing it to the cross.
• Sermon Illustration [00:46:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the story of Jonah, noting that the men of Nineveh repented at a one-sentence sermon, implying that the current generation has rejected a greater prophet, Jesus Christ.
• Sermon Illustration [00:55:56 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a rhetorical question/analogy about someone writing a song about a person to illustrate the profound intimacy of God singing over His children.

• Pastoral Charge [00:12:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > To bless persecutors, empathize with others, avoid pride, repay no evil, act honestly, and live peaceably with everyone.
• Pastoral Charge [00:13:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > To actively feed and give drink to enemies, thereby overcoming evil with good.
• Pastoral Charge [00:17:23 ▶️ 📄]
  > Repent of sinful anger and grudges.
• Pastoral Charge [00:20:55 ▶️ 📄]
  > Examine one's own spirit and behavior regarding anger and forgiveness.
• Pastoral Charge [00:37:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > To get saved, bow the knee, humble oneself to ask for forgiveness, forgive others, and walk in love.
• Pastoral Charge [00:40:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > To say amen in agreement with the truth of having everlasting life right now if born again.
• Pastoral Charge [00:51:32 ▶️ 📄]
  > Repent and align oneself with God.
• Pastoral Charge [00:52:06 ▶️ 📄]
  > Continue and abide in Christ's love.
• Pastoral Charge [00:56:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > Prayer for the unsaved to recognize the plan of salvation.
• Pastoral Charge [00:56:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > Prayer for salvation to occur in the congregation that day.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:00:00] Amen. 1 Corinthians 13. Are we still in 1 Corinthians 13? Yes, we are. Are we still preaching on love? Yes, we are. How many sermons is he going to preach on love? Like the pastor said one time, had you preached this before? He said, yes. Why did you preach it again? He said, I'll keep preaching it until you all get it. Well, actually there's quite a bit in 1 Corinthians 13, and so we're going to preach at least
[00:00:33] a couple more messages on this chapter.
[00:00:37] And so don't look at it as just another message on love, although it is, but we're going to be focusing primarily on 13, 5, and 6.
[00:00:49] Love or charity in the King James is neither angry nor censorious.
[00:00:56] Now why use such a difficult word?
[00:00:59] Censorious means overly critical.
[00:01:01] Always criticizing.
[00:01:03] Always nitpicky, okay?
[00:01:05] Love, if we're Christians, we've been filled with this love.
[00:01:09] This should not describe us.
[00:01:12] If we are angry, if we're easily provoked, and if we are censorious, very critical, that does not speak well of our salvation, of knowing Christ.
[00:01:23] And that's part of what this message is today.
[00:01:27] Now, we'll read the whole chapter.
[00:01:28] It's not long, but we're going to be focusing again, as I mentioned on verses 5, the second half of 5 and 6.
[00:01:37] So, let's read now 1 Corinthians chapter 13.
[00:01:43] Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
[00:01:51] Remember, charity here is love.
[00:01:54] And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, And though I have all faith so that I can remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing.
[00:02:06] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
[00:02:16] Charity suffereth long and is kind.
[00:02:19] Charity envieth not.
[00:02:21] Charity vaunteth not itself.
[00:02:22] It's not puffed up.
[00:02:24] It doth not behave itself unseemly.
[00:02:27] seeketh not her own, that's what we preached last week, not selfish, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
[00:02:45] Charity or love never fails, but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail. Whether there be tongues, they shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part
[00:03:01] shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass or a mirror
[00:03:15] darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.
[00:03:26] and thou abideth faith, hope, and charity these three but the greatest of these is charity or love let's pray Heavenly Father help us now as we come to this word once again Lord to love you
[00:03:42] with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength to love our neighbors as ourselves sums up the entire law so Lord may we not rush through this may we not grow weary of hearing about it
[00:03:51] but may your love manifest in us even this day as we hear about your love for us and what you've done for us and how you would have us live that life of love towards you and to others
[00:04:05] for your glory, honor, and praise.
[00:04:06] Now we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
[00:04:10] So, first of all, we want to ask some questions because the King James language is usually rather easy, quite frankly.
[00:04:18] But there are some places, admittedly, that it's difficult.
[00:04:21] And this is kind of one of those places.
[00:04:23] Here in 1 Corinthians 13, verse 5, we mention, does not behave itself unseemly.
[00:04:31] We've already talked about that, not in a perverted way.
[00:04:34] Seeks not her own.
[00:04:35] Love does not seek its own.
[00:04:37] It's not selfish.
[00:04:38] We talked about that last time.
[00:04:40] And then today, it is not easily provoked, and it thinketh no evil.
[00:04:47] What does that mean?
[00:04:47] Well, first of all, it's not easily provoked.
[00:04:51] The word there in the Greek, parazenete, I know that helps, means angry, angered, irritable, annoyed, irritated.
[00:05:06] Are you easily annoyed, easily irritated, quickly angry, soon angry?
[00:05:11] This is not a picture of true love, the love of God.
[00:05:14] We should not be that way.
[00:05:15] And then the second of that is thinketh no evil.
[00:05:20] Now this one is a little more challenging.
[00:05:23] Thinketh no evil, logizete ta kakon, thinketh no evil in the Greek, is not resentful, listen, or does not keep a record of others' wrongs, does not keep a mental ledger for retaliation.
[00:05:47] Yeah, but remember what you did to me?
[00:05:48] Remember what you did to me?
[00:05:49] Remember back in whatever, 1900 and something?
[00:05:53] The young women's Bible study was a problem.
[00:05:57] I was trying to give an illustration.
[00:05:59] And I said, well, back in 1900, they said, oh, you're dating yourself now.
[00:06:04] I said, I'm too old to teach this, you know.
[00:06:09] But it does not keep a record of wrongs.
[00:06:14] It thinketh no evil.
[00:06:16] Or it could be translated to, It does not impute iniquity.
[00:06:20] So in other words, when people are doing something, it doesn't automatically say, oh yeah, they're hypocritical, or oh yeah, they're wicked, or oh yeah, they're just going to sin again in whatever kind of way.
[00:06:30] It does not.
[00:06:31] That is love.
[00:06:32] Now, the opposite of that is to be overly critical and to be resentful and to constantly bring stuff up.
[00:06:43] My dear sister, God bless her.
[00:06:44] It took about 20 years for her to forget that I didn't buy her a McDonald's cheeseburger one time when she didn't have any money.
[00:06:53] I offered to take her to the hotel and get her a much better cheeseburger, and she wouldn't do it.
[00:06:57] But anyways, after about 20 years, she finally gave it up.
[00:07:01] So do you hold things over other people's hands?
[00:07:08] Well, if you do, that's not godly, not Christ-like, and it's not a picture of the love that God is calling us to.
[00:07:15] And that's what we're talking about here.
[00:07:17] Now, the question is, how are we doing?
[00:07:22] How are we doing?
[00:07:24] Jesus says that there is one particular and specific mark that the world, the unbelieving world, should know us by.
[00:07:34] And Angelo said last time, rightly, that people will know us by our fruits.
[00:07:42] But Jesus selects specifically one at a point in time to say, this is what others will know.
[00:07:48] This is how they'll know you're my disciple.
[00:07:51] And do you remember what they said?
[00:07:53] What Jesus said?
[00:07:57] By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
[00:08:04] By your love one to another.
[00:08:06] Isn't that something?
[00:08:06] When people go by cornerstone, who knows what they do?
[00:08:10] but they have a good preaching or good teaching or oh, that's the mean church or I have no idea.
[00:08:18] But do they say, do we find that people say, ah, that's the church where they love one another just in a beautiful way.
[00:08:25] Everyone who comes in the door, they can feel the love.
[00:08:28] Well, that should be part of our testimony.
[00:08:31] That's what Jesus says.
[00:08:32] He doesn't say, they will know you're my disciples by how good you preach or by how good you teach or by how well you are at Bible study questions.
[00:08:43] If that's the case, Brother Steve's a great disciple this morning.
[00:08:46] He did a great job in Sunday school.
[00:08:48] But the idea is love is so central.
[00:08:52] Can it be any more central?
[00:08:54] Jesus says the first and great commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:08:59] The second is likened to it, to love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:09:02] and this is the key mark that should be known of unbelievers about the church is how we love not God because yes we are supposed to love him first but how we love one another
[00:09:15] how are we doing how are we doing or better how are you doing or you can say to yourself how am I doing now who are we supposed to love according to the bible everyone right maybe not the devil
[00:09:34] But other than that, everybody.
[00:09:37] Are we supposed to love our enemies?
[00:09:39] That's what it says, isn't it?
[00:09:41] In Matthew chapter 5, beginning in verse 43, it says, You have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thy enemy.
[00:09:52] Jesus says, But I say unto you, love your enemies.
[00:09:56] Bless them that curse you.
[00:09:57] Do good to them that hate you.
[00:09:59] And pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.
[00:10:02] How are we doing?
[00:10:05] And we continue reading on that.
[00:10:08] And it's tough.
[00:10:09] I understand.
[00:10:10] Sometimes there's complications that make it almost impossible.
[00:10:13] But that should not affect our heart.
[00:10:15] Our heart should still be in a posture of love, even if we're unable to do some of these things to people who are enemies.
[00:10:24] Like, you know, some people who are your enemies, if you go and try to shake their hand, they'll cut your head off.
[00:10:28] Be careful, you know.
[00:10:30] Use wisdom.
[00:10:31] But that's still, we can't hate them.
[00:10:34] We can't.
[00:10:34] We have to love them.
[00:10:35] Love them and see how pitiful they are and they need Christ.
[00:10:40] Yeah, even it says, but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them who hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.
[00:10:52] What a beautiful picture that Christ gave us on the cross.
[00:10:57] Remember, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
[00:11:02] When people hate us, it could be that we deserve some of it.
[00:11:08] It could be, theoretical, right?
[00:11:11] But with Christ, he deserved none of it.
[00:11:14] And yet, Father, forgive them.
[00:11:16] When people say, you just don't know what so-and-so's done to me.
[00:11:19] You just don't know how hard it's been for me, for you to tell me to forgive.
[00:11:25] I don't, but Christ does.
[00:11:28] and he suffered more than you could ever think or imagine and he said Father forgive them for they know not and that know not what they do that's our example that's our command and further
[00:11:45] we find in Romans 12 this wonderful passage I remember Jimmy's sweet mother who used to come to our church you know where I'm going Jimmy right?
[00:11:54] Romans chapter 12 we're getting ready to read her favorite verse or the one that she would always quote to us Romans 12, verse 14 and following, bless them which persecute you and curse not.
[00:12:08] So remember, it says love is not easily provoked.
[00:12:12] If you're blessing those that curse you, you're not easily provoked.
[00:12:15] Because when they're cursing you, easily provoked is to curse them back.
[00:12:20] By the way, should a Christian ever curse anyone?
[00:12:23] Ever?
[00:12:26] Should a Christian ever use curse words?
[00:12:32] There's a different answer.
[00:12:34] The first answer was a definite no.
[00:12:38] The second answer, oh, I'm not so sure.
[00:12:47] Sounds to me like somebody might need to repent.
[00:12:51] And I won't say somebody, I'll say all of us maybe.
[00:12:55] Lord have mercy.
[00:12:57] Okay, verse 14 again in Romans 12.
[00:13:00] Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not.
[00:13:03] Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
[00:13:07] Be of the same mind one toward another.
[00:13:08] The mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
[00:13:13] Be not wise in your own conceits.
[00:13:15] Recompense to no man evil for evil.
[00:13:18] Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
[00:13:21] And here it is.
[00:13:22] If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
[00:13:28] Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath.
[00:13:33] For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
[00:13:36] Don't seek to take revenge.
[00:13:38] Don't take it.
[00:13:39] That goes back to the idea of keeping wrongs, right?
[00:13:42] Ah, well, I'll get him.
[00:13:44] Just wait.
[00:13:44] I won't get him now, but I'll get him sooner or later.
[00:13:46] You'll see.
[00:13:47] Why?
[00:13:47] No.
[00:13:48] Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.
[00:13:50] I will repay.
[00:13:52] Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him.
[00:13:54] If he thirst, give him drink.
[00:13:56] In so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
[00:14:00] And now, Jimmy's mother, Pearl, the verse she would always quote, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. What a great verse, praise the Lord, to be known by. Now, in Matthew 5.22, we find that Jesus tells us not to be angry. However,
[00:14:21] he leaves the door open to the point that we could be angry and still not sin. Is that possible?
[00:14:28] Is it possible for us to be angry but not sin?
[00:14:33] Matthew 5, verse 22, Jesus says, But I say unto you, whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.
[00:14:46] So then is there a cause?
[00:14:47] You say, oh yeah, Pastor, let me tell you all the causes I'm angry with this person.
[00:14:51] No, no.
[00:14:52] Let's listen to what Jesus says.
[00:14:54] Now, his spirit speaking through Paul makes it a little bit clearer if we continue on.
[00:15:02] Look to the book of Ephesians now about being angry.
[00:15:05] Can we be angry and not sin?
[00:15:07] Did Jesus ever sin?
[00:15:10] Was Jesus ever angry?
[00:15:12] So then it's possible to be angry and not sin.
[00:15:17] Ephesians chapter 4, let's look at verse 26 and 27.
[00:15:23] Be ye angry and sin not.
[00:15:28] Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil.
[00:15:34] There is a place for anger.
[00:15:36] The only thing that we can be angry at and not sin is sin itself.
[00:15:42] Did you catch that?
[00:15:43] The only thing we can be angry at and not be in sin is to be angry at sin itself.
[00:15:50] And so we can be angry, but notice it says, be angry and sin not, and do not let the sun go down upon your anger.
[00:15:59] Interesting.
[00:16:00] Now keep that in mind.
[00:16:01] If you read a few verses later, still in Ephesians chapter 4, look what it says in verse 31 and 32.
[00:16:08] Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.
[00:16:16] Well, which one is it?
[00:16:18] The skeptic might say, ah, the Bible is contradiction.
[00:16:22] Paul's confused.
[00:16:24] I don't think so.
[00:16:25] Here it says in verse 26, be angry and sin not.
[00:16:30] In verse 31, put all anger away.
[00:16:33] How do we understand that?
[00:16:35] Notice, be put away from you with all malice.
[00:16:39] Any anger with malice.
[00:16:40] Malice is always a sin.
[00:16:42] What's malice?
[00:16:43] I want ill against you.
[00:16:45] I want ill to happen to you.
[00:16:47] That's always a sin.
[00:16:49] And when anger involves malice, I'm going to get you back.
[00:16:53] That's always a sin.
[00:16:55] Okay?
[00:16:56] So you can be angry at sin and not sin.
[00:17:00] But if you are angry and you have malicious desires against others, that's always sin, okay?
[00:17:08] And if you're angry and you stay angry and don't deal with it and let it fester more and more and more, you know what that's called?
[00:17:20] Sin.
[00:17:23] And you need to repent.
[00:17:26] Because anger that is not dealt with, even if it doesn't have malice, will turn into malice.
[00:17:34] It will become a grudge after a while.
[00:17:38] And that is sin.
[00:17:40] And that leads to keeping account of others' wrongs, not being able to forgive, always holding it over their head.
[00:17:49] You see?
[00:17:51] We have to be careful.
[00:17:53] Now with that, why is he taking so long on love?
[00:17:58] Well, I read this book from Jonathan Edwards on love, and I'm not done yet.
[00:18:01] So you got to hang in there.
[00:18:03] So it's a wonderful book, Charity and Its Fruits.
[00:18:08] The whole book, 300 pages, is about 1 Corinthians 13.
[00:18:10] So I want you to hear this quote about this subject of the danger of holding on to anger against others.
[00:18:19] Here's what he says.
[00:18:21] Has not the sun more than once gone down upon your wrath or anger while God and your neighbor knew it?
[00:18:31] Nay, more, has it not gone down again and again through month after month or even year after year while winter's cold hath not chilled the heat of your wrath and the summer's sun hath not melted you to kindness?
[00:18:47] And are there not some here present that are sitting before God with anger laid up in their hearts and burning there?
[00:18:55] Or if their anger is for a time concealed from human eyes, is it not like an old sore, not thoroughly healed, but so that the least touch renews the smart?
[00:19:08] Or like a smothered fire in the heaps of autumn leaves, which the least breeze will kindle into a flame?
[00:19:16] And how is it in your families?
[00:19:20] Families are societies the most closely united of all, and their members are in the nearest relation and under the greatest obligation to peace and harmony and love.
[00:19:34] And yet what has been your spirit in the family?
[00:19:38] Many a time have you not been fretful and angry and impatient and peevish and unkind to those whom God has made in so great a measure dependent on you and who are so easily made happy or unhappy by what you do or say,
[00:20:01] by your kindness or unkindness?
[00:20:04] And what kind of anger have you indulged in the family?
[00:20:08] Has it not often been unreasonable and sinful, not only in its nature but its occasions, where those with whom you were angry were not in fault or when the fault was trifling or unintended ended, or where perhaps you were yourself in part to blame for it, and even where there
[00:20:29] might have been just cause, has not your wrath been continued and led you to be sullen or severe to an extent that your own conscience has disapproved of it?
[00:20:44] And have you not been angry with your neighbors who live by you and with whom you have to do daily and on trifling occasions and for little things?
[00:20:53] Have you not allowed yourself an anger towards them?
[00:20:55] In all these points, it becomes us to examine ourselves and know what manner of spirit we are of and wherein we come short of the spirit of Christ.
[00:21:09] What manner of spirit are we of?
[00:21:12] Remember James and John?
[00:21:14] Pastor Andy's going to preach in a new church, new town.
[00:21:18] No, it's Jesus, of course.
[00:21:20] And, oh, they don't want Pastor Andy and Joseph to preach.
[00:21:24] But, you know, we've got to do something to these people, you know.
[00:21:27] So they say, oh, they don't want Jesus to preach.
[00:21:31] Jesus, I know what to do.
[00:21:33] Let's call down fire and burn them up.
[00:21:37] There's an idea.
[00:21:41] Jesus says, you know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
[00:21:47] Folks, if we're Christians, that's not the answer.
[00:21:50] Burn them up and they go straight to a fire that'll never be quenched.
[00:21:56] No, have love, patience, mercy, that they might hear the truth another time.
[00:22:02] Perhaps they'll be willing.
[00:22:03] You know not what manner of spirit you are.
[00:22:06] So, what I just read from Jonathan Edwards, how does that touch our hearts?
[00:22:12] How do we find ourselves today, brothers and sisters?
[00:22:14] Well, we're running out of time, so let's move on here.
[00:22:18] Beware of anger long held, as I said.
[00:22:21] Now, there's a great example of these two sins of anger and keeping a ledger of wrongs and refusal to forgive in a book.
[00:22:32] There's a whole book about it, really.
[00:22:35] Anyone guess what book that is in the Bible?
[00:22:39] How about the book of Jonah?
[00:22:41] Let's take a quick look.
[00:22:42] Jonah.
[00:22:43] You all know about Jonah, right?
[00:22:46] The one got swallowed by the big fish.
[00:22:49] Jonah is in the Old Testament.
[00:22:52] We're going to read just a bit to give you the story.
[00:22:55] Hopefully you know a lot of the story, but let's just read a few selected passages to give you the overview of how this is a picture of what not to be as a Christian.
[00:23:05] Was Jonah a true prophet of God?
[00:23:07] He was.
[00:23:08] Was Jonah a great, godly, righteous example as a prophet?
[00:23:12] He was not.
[00:23:13] Let's take a look.
[00:23:15] Verse 1 of the book of Jonah in the Old Testament, chapter 1.
[00:23:19] Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh.
[00:23:24] Where's Nineveh?
[00:23:26] In Iraq, Mosul, Iraq.
[00:23:29] So from Israel, go east and go to Iraq, to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.
[00:23:39] Now remember, as an Israelite, the Assyrians and the Ninevites are horrible people.
[00:23:45] They're wicked people.
[00:23:46] They're terrible.
[00:23:47] You know, it's kind of like today.
[00:23:48] well, we're not as bad as Hitler. It's like the Nazis. It's like whatever is the worst you can think of. That's the Assyrians. They hate us. They want to kill us. They're terrible. They deserve
[00:23:57] to die. That was kind of the popular sentiment. And Jonah is right in there with it. So God's telling Jonah, go and preach to them because they're wicked and essentially share the gospel with them. This should be good news, right? And look at what Jonah does. But Jonah rose up to
[00:24:16] flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa. And he found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare thereof, and went down to it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the
[00:24:27] presence of the Lord. Nineveh is way over there. And Jonah goes to get, God says, go to Nineveh.
[00:24:34] Yeah, and Jonah goes and gets in a ship. And where does he go? Way over here. Tarshish is as far west as anyone knew, maybe in Spain, in Gibraltar, okay, in the end of the Mediterranean by the
[00:24:49] Atlantic, and Nineveh's way over here, almost to Iran. And so he doesn't not only not go, he runs the opposite way. Has God ever told you to do something, and you find you're running the
[00:25:03] opposite way? You're not alone. Well, you know what happens, of course. God's not going to stand for this all of a sudden a storm just happens to come up and the the sailors can't keep the boats
[00:25:17] about to be uh destroyed and and it's terrible tempest and all this and and they cast lots who sinned what's who what's why is god or the gods they don't know the lord doing this and finally
[00:25:29] jonah he's asleep down in the in the in the ship and some of you can relate right wake up what meanest thou, O sleeper? I couldn't resist. That's what it says in the passage.
[00:25:40] It actually says that in Jonah. What meanest thou, O sleeper?
[00:25:45] Arise and call upon thy God. And then he tells them.
[00:25:48] He says, look, essentially, this is a paraphrase. Go read it for yourself. Look, this is because of me. I have sinned. I worship the one true God and the only way that you're going to get out of this is if you take me and
[00:26:00] throw me in the ocean and then you'll be safe.
[00:26:03] And they're like, oh, we're not going to do that.
[00:26:04] if you worship the one true God, we're not going to touch you.
[00:26:06] So they keep trying, they keep trying.
[00:26:08] Then finally they pray, they ask for forgiveness of God before they throw him in the sea.
[00:26:12] They throw him in the sea, and then automatically, crystal clear.
[00:26:17] Does that remind you of something, by the way?
[00:26:19] It's like Jesus, remember, filling the stone?
[00:26:25] And so Jonah's saved, right?
[00:26:26] Well, then the very next thing, here comes this fish and swallows Jonah.
[00:26:31] And I guess those guys on the boat, what's that about?
[00:26:34] Well, God knows, and so God takes, this fish does some traveling, I think, and probably goes back to where he got on the boat or wherever, and Jonah's in the fish, a huge fish.
[00:26:46] It is possible, by the way.
[00:26:47] There are fishes, fish that have a belly big enough cavity.
[00:26:51] Anyways, he prays, and this fish has indigestion and vomits him out on the earth, and now, boy, that wasn't fun.
[00:27:02] and so what's next and uh god the word of the lord comes to jonah the second time chapter three verse one uh verse two arise go to nineveh the great city and preach to it the preaching that
[00:27:18] i've been to isn't that interesting god does not come and say you have just you're pitiful you're worthless you have messed up i'm finished with you god doesn't do that does he what does he do? Starts right back up where you left off in disobedience. Told you to go. Now, I'm going to
[00:27:36] tell you again. Arise. Go to Nineveh and preach. Well, guess what? This time he's a little bit more likely to go. And he does. And so he goes and he preaches. And the message, the best we can tell,
[00:27:52] is not much. Because he just says, this is the whole message, verse 4 of chapter 3.
[00:28:00] And Jonah began to enter into the city, a day's journey, and he cried and said, this is your best life now.
[00:28:08] You know, believe in God and you'll have wealth and health and everything will be wonderful.
[00:28:14] Is that what he preached?
[00:28:15] He preached, he cried and said, yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
[00:28:21] That's kind of like fire and brimstone, right?
[00:28:26] Well, what happened?
[00:28:27] Well, they went and found another church?
[00:28:28] No.
[00:28:28] So the people of Nineveh believed God.
[00:28:32] And they proclaimed a fast.
[00:28:34] These are Iraqis getting saved.
[00:28:36] I'm a little excited.
[00:28:37] And put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
[00:28:42] For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe off of him, covered himself with sackcloth and ashes.
[00:28:53] He caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and the nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything.
[00:29:02] let them not feed nor drink water but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turn everyone from his evil way and from the violence that is in
[00:29:15] their hands who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not wow wow you say why are you preaching so long Jonah just had one sentence look at the
[00:29:28] results. Well, I'll do that if it'll have that kind of result. But that tells you God had prepared their hearts, right? He was sending him, but he also has sent his spirit to prepare their hearts
[00:29:42] to receive it. And look at God, what God does, the next verse 10, and God saw their works that they turned from their evil way. God repented of the evil that he said that he would do it unto them,
[00:29:54] and he did it not.
[00:29:55] So, in other words, he accepted their repentance and did not destroy them.
[00:30:02] And really, in a way here, probably there were people there that got saved.
[00:30:08] I know the Old Testament's a little different, but they cry unto God and they cry unto Him in faith.
[00:30:15] They cry unto Him in repentance.
[00:30:17] They ask for forgiveness.
[00:30:19] So there's salvation.
[00:30:21] Jonah should be ecstatic.
[00:30:23] What's better than that?
[00:30:24] You only have to preach one sentence and everybody, a whole nation gets saved.
[00:30:29] The king humbles himself in sackcloth and even the animals are fasting.
[00:30:34] Wow, nothing should make him happier.
[00:30:37] Verse 1 of chapter 4, but it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry.
[00:30:48] Jonah is easily provoked to anger by what all the Assyrians have done over the years and he's written down every one of them.
[00:30:58] And he's not happy that they've repented.
[00:31:00] He's not at all happy that they've repented or be saved.
[00:31:03] As a matter of fact, he's angry about it.
[00:31:07] Brothers and sisters, this is not God.
[00:31:10] This is not love.
[00:31:12] This is easily provoked to anger.
[00:31:15] This is keeping account of people's wrongs.
[00:31:20] And notice what he says.
[00:31:23] He actually admits why he fled from God.
[00:31:26] Listen to this.
[00:31:26] Talk about hatred.
[00:31:28] He says, Jonah said, And he prayed unto the Lord and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country?
[00:31:36] Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish, for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, and slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
[00:31:47] Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me.
[00:31:51] It's better for me to die than to live.
[00:31:54] He says, I left because I knew that if I preached, they might repent, and they might get saved.
[00:32:00] and I didn't want them to get saved.
[00:32:01] I didn't want them to repent.
[00:32:03] I want them to feel the pain.
[00:32:05] I want them to suffer.
[00:32:06] I want them to go to hell.
[00:32:08] That's what Jonah's saying.
[00:32:09] And I ran so that they couldn't be saved.
[00:32:12] And now that you frustrated my purposes, I'm just ready to die.
[00:32:19] Lord have mercy.
[00:32:22] And he does.
[00:32:24] And he speaks to Jonah and he says, Jonah, verse 4, Doest thou well to be angry?
[00:32:34] So Jonah goes out and sits up on a cliff overlooking the city, waiting, hoping it's going to be destroyed.
[00:32:43] And guess what?
[00:32:44] He waits and waits.
[00:32:45] It doesn't happen.
[00:32:46] And then there's this thing about the gourd and this gourd that comes up overnight and he was hot and he's thankful for the shade.
[00:32:53] Then God sent a worm.
[00:32:54] It kills the gourd.
[00:32:55] And now the wind comes and the heat is on him and he's having a rough day.
[00:33:00] He doesn't have any air condition.
[00:33:01] He's upset again at the Lord.
[00:33:03] and he's so mad.
[00:33:06] It says in verse 8 of chapter 4, And it came to pass when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted and wished in himself to die,
[00:33:18] and said, It's better for me to die than to live.
[00:33:21] And listen, here it is.
[00:33:22] God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?
[00:33:26] He said, I do well, even unto death, to be, notice, to be angry, even unto death.
[00:33:32] I have a right to be angry.
[00:33:34] You need to listen.
[00:33:37] What right do you have to be angry?
[00:33:44] Angry at sin?
[00:33:45] Yes.
[00:33:49] Angry because of our pride, selfishness, or we're not getting what we believe we deserve?
[00:33:55] No.
[00:33:56] Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd for that which thou hast not labored, neither made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.
[00:34:05] And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city wherein there are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand and also much cattle.
[00:34:19] Jonah's so angry.
[00:34:21] Jonah is so unforgiving.
[00:34:23] He wants God to wipe him out.
[00:34:25] Everybody, even the kids.
[00:34:27] And God says, you're more concerned about this gourd that gave you shade than 120,000 human beings that just repented and cried out to me.
[00:34:39] What's going on?
[00:34:40] That takes us back to selfishness.
[00:34:42] That takes us back to pride.
[00:34:43] And by the way, those are the key foundations of anger.
[00:34:50] Provoked, easily provoked, irritable, keeping a ledger of wrongs.
[00:34:54] You owe me, you owe me, and I'm not going to let you off until you get old, right?
[00:34:58] Until I get paid.
[00:34:59] When do you get paid?
[00:35:00] When I decide.
[00:35:04] Does God owe us anything?
[00:35:07] Yes, as a matter of fact, he does.
[00:35:09] Eternal death.
[00:35:10] The wages of sin is death.
[00:35:14] All of us have sinned.
[00:35:16] Guess what?
[00:35:16] Payday is coming.
[00:35:17] When you get your paycheck, it'll be what?
[00:35:22] Death.
[00:35:25] But praise God, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[00:35:28] Amen?
[00:35:30] Now, was Jonah saved even?
[00:35:34] I don't know.
[00:35:36] That's a tough one.
[00:35:37] He does believe God is God, but that's about it.
[00:35:41] God knows.
[00:35:43] I'm not going to judge him.
[00:35:45] God has to judge him.
[00:35:48] But the question is, we say, well, is this person saved?
[00:35:51] Is that person saved?
[00:35:53] Go home and look in the mirror and ask yourself, am I absolutely certain that I'm saved?
[00:36:01] Because on Judgment Day, you're not going to be asked about him or her.
[00:36:05] Now, if you're the head of your house, there will be some accountability there, but ultimately, even your children, we can't ultimately change their hearts.
[00:36:13] Only God can.
[00:36:15] So let's be certain that our hearts are changed.
[00:36:18] And if our hearts are changed, the Bible is clear, it will result in our actions and our life changing.
[00:36:26] If we're constantly cursing people, constantly angry, constantly unforgiving, easily annoyed and irritable, there's a good chance that we are not saved.
[00:36:37] I didn't say you absolutely weren't, but the Bible says that we have received the spirit of love.
[00:36:43] By this, my love, will all men know you.
[00:36:47] Well, if your life doesn't look at all like the love that's pictured in the Bible, and that's the spirit that we're supposed to receive when we're born again, And it's the first commandment, love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
[00:36:58] The second commandment, love your neighbor as yourself.
[00:37:00] The distinguishing element by which you are known as a Christian.
[00:37:03] How do you call yourself a Christian?
[00:37:06] And I hope that that doesn't say, oh, what am I going to do?
[00:37:10] Well, if you're not sure, get saved.
[00:37:13] Bow the knee.
[00:37:14] Don't be like Job.
[00:37:15] I do well to die.
[00:37:16] Go ahead and just kill me.
[00:37:18] Can you believe that?
[00:37:19] I'd rather die angry.
[00:37:20] Lord, have mercy.
[00:37:22] And he does, and he will.
[00:37:23] But you have to ask him.
[00:37:24] You have to humble yourself and ask Him.
[00:37:28] And you have to forgive others.
[00:37:30] And you have to walk in love towards others.
[00:37:33] And in a sense, you have to humble yourself and seek that forgiveness that we need that Christ alone can give.
[00:37:45] In Psalm 7, verse 11, it says, God is angry with the wicked every day.
[00:37:51] I don't believe in a God like that, Pastor Joseph.
[00:37:55] Well, you don't believe in the God of the Bible.
[00:37:57] Because God is angry with the wicked.
[00:38:00] Not just, I'll be angry on the last day.
[00:38:03] If there's someone here who is wicked, God is angry with you right now.
[00:38:10] That doesn't make me want to come back, Pastor George.
[00:38:12] Well, I understand.
[00:38:15] But that wickedness has a cure.
[00:38:17] It has a solution.
[00:38:19] Also in John chapter 3, some people mistakenly think that our God is no longer a God of wrath.
[00:38:27] That is a lie of the devil, brothers and sisters.
[00:38:30] God is love, but God is also wrath.
[00:38:35] Notice in John chapter 3, it's very simple, just one verse.
[00:38:39] The same chapter that says anyone in the world can be saved.
[00:38:43] For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.
[00:38:47] What is that engine which puts in motion the whole Christian faith and the whole gospel and means by which we are saved?
[00:38:55] Love.
[00:38:55] for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son the greatest possible demonstration of love you can imagine.
[00:39:05] What could He have given you to impress you more?
[00:39:08] Oh, I'd take a Lamborghini.
[00:39:09] I'd take a mansion.
[00:39:11] I'd take a billion dollars.
[00:39:12] Nothing compared to the blood of God, the eternal life of Christ.
[00:39:19] And so He gave you, when we were enemies, God has demonstrated His love to us.
[00:39:25] what manner of love that while we were still enemies against Him, refusing to bow the knee of our wills in pride and demanding our own, He puts His Son to death for you and for me and who all would believe.
[00:39:42] That's love, brothers and sisters.
[00:39:43] Why? Because it's the only way we can be saved.
[00:39:45] How, Pastor Joseph?
[00:39:47] John 3, verse 36 tells us, For while God so loved the world, 16, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, anyone here, anyone in the world, whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have
[00:40:00] everlasting life. Praise God. It doesn't say black people, white people, polka-dotted people, men, women, Iraqis, or Americans, or Chinese, or Japanese, or the Russian. It doesn't make any difference. It's for every person on the face of this earth who will simply believe. But if you
[00:40:20] refuse? John chapter 3, verse 36. He that believeth on the Son, Jesus, hath, that means you have it right now. Right now, everlasting life. Are you born again? Do you have to wait till you get to
[00:40:33] heaven to have everlasting life? No, if you're born again, you got it right now. Do you believe that? Then say amen. But he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
[00:40:46] God abideth on him when? Right now. If you are not born again, if you are not a child of God, the Bible tells you that your state is very dire, that he's angry with you, that you are under his
[00:41:05] wrath and not his love. And yet he doesn't leave you in that place if you will come to him.
[00:41:12] The Bible tells us that, but wait a minute, Pastor Joseph, isn't God love and love is not angry?
[00:41:22] But remember I said, there is one exception.
[00:41:25] You can be angry, there's one way you can be angry and not sin, and that is to be angry at.
[00:41:32] And what is God angry at?
[00:41:39] What about taking account of wrongs?
[00:41:42] Do you think God takes account of our wrongs?
[00:41:46] Some people say no, some people say yes.
[00:41:48] You're both right.
[00:41:50] It depends whether or not you're born again.
[00:41:53] If you're not born again, he does take account of every single wrong you do.
[00:41:58] Where is that in the Bible, Pastor Joe?
[00:42:00] Many places.
[00:42:01] I'll just give you two.
[00:42:02] Jeremiah chapter 14, verse 10.
[00:42:07] Jeremiah 14, 10 says that God is going to keep account, if you will.
[00:42:17] Depends on your translation.
[00:42:19] But here in chapter 14, verse 10, in the King James, Thus saith the Lord unto the people, Thus have they loved to wander.
[00:42:26] They have not refrained their feet.
[00:42:28] In other words, from wandering off the right path into the paths of sin.
[00:42:32] Therefore, the Lord does not accept them.
[00:42:35] He will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins.
[00:42:40] He remembers their sins.
[00:42:41] He will visit.
[00:42:42] He will repay.
[00:42:43] He is taking account and he's going to repay.
[00:42:46] The wages of sin is, and this is for everyone.
[00:42:51] It doesn't matter who you are if you don't know Christ.
[00:42:53] This, you say, well, isn't he being mean?
[00:42:56] He's saying this to his own people, the Jews, who he chose.
[00:43:00] How much more should it go for those who are not?
[00:43:04] And then again, in Matthew chapter 12, Jesus says, and you know about it, every idle word.
[00:43:12] Have you ever spoken an idle word?
[00:43:14] Oh, Lord, have mercy.
[00:43:16] I don't know how many millions of idle words I've probably spoken in my life.
[00:43:20] Jesus says you'll be judged for every one of them.
[00:43:23] That'll take a long time, not for Jesus.
[00:43:27] Matthew chapter 12, verse 33.
[00:43:30] Either make the tree good and his fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by its fruit.
[00:43:38] If you're a Christian, act like one.
[00:43:40] This picture of love should be your picture if you're born again.
[00:43:44] If not, it says there's something wrong with the tree if it bears bad fruits.
[00:43:48] Oh, generation of vipers, Jesus says.
[00:43:51] How can you, being evil, speak good things?
[00:43:54] For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
[00:43:57] When we curse, when we are vulgar, when we are hateful, when we are malicious, when we attack people verbally, that's in the heart, and that should not be there if you are a Christian.
[00:44:08] If it's constantly manifesting, it's a good idea that you're probably not a Christian.
[00:44:15] He goes on to say, verse 36, But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
[00:44:25] You mean God takes account of our sins?
[00:44:27] He does.
[00:44:28] Doesn't it say that love doesn't take account of our sins?
[00:44:31] That's correct.
[00:44:32] Doesn't take account and hold over other people their sins?
[00:44:37] That's correct.
[00:44:40] Because we don't have that right.
[00:44:41] Why?
[00:44:42] Because all of us have sinned the same way.
[00:44:45] If we're honest, every last one of us deserves the same penalty.
[00:44:49] All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
[00:44:51] So to hold sins over other people's head, Romans chapter 2, O you wicked man who judge one another, don't you know that with the judgment that you judge and mete out, you will be judged with?
[00:45:06] Why do you behold the speck in your neighbor's eye, but first you don't get the beam out of your own eye?
[00:45:14] And so Jesus, in this same context, says something interesting about, guess who, before we end?
[00:45:20] Jonah.
[00:45:22] Notice, they ask him for a sign.
[00:45:26] He says in verse 39, An evil adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.
[00:45:30] There shall be no sign given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonah.
[00:45:34] Wow.
[00:45:35] What sign is that?
[00:45:37] I thought it was already...
[00:45:38] He says, for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
[00:45:47] When he died and was in the grave and then came out on the third day.
[00:45:52] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it because they repented.
[00:46:00] He doesn't say this, but in a one-sentence sermon.
[00:46:03] They repented at a one-sentence sermon at the preaching of Jonah and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
[00:46:10] And who's that?
[00:46:11] Jesus Christ.
[00:46:16] So before we end, how can we escape?
[00:46:21] Well, there's only one way.
[00:46:23] Do we deserve the anger of God?
[00:46:26] Have we not earned it?
[00:46:27] all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
[00:46:30] The righteousness of God is perfect, perfection.
[00:46:34] Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden and removed from His presence by how many sins?
[00:46:39] Have we sinned at least once?
[00:46:43] And so what's the solution?
[00:46:44] Well, here it is before we end.
[00:46:45] This is the end.
[00:46:47] How do we escape?
[00:46:49] Galatians chapter 3.
[00:46:51] Galatians chapter 3, we find that that anger is going to be poured out.
[00:46:57] But unlike the judges today that try to help their guilty people out the door before they, you know, get put in jail, God is a just judge.
[00:47:10] He will give us what we deserve.
[00:47:14] Unless, Galatians chapter 3, verse 13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law that we deserve.
[00:47:23] The wrath of God is what we deserve, brothers and sisters.
[00:47:25] The anger of God.
[00:47:27] How did he redeem us?
[00:47:28] because he was made a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone that hangeth upon the tree the anger of God and the wrath of God that you and I deserve and every human for our sin
[00:47:37] Christ took it upon himself that's love why?
[00:47:47] it says he was cursed it's written cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them it says Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law
[00:47:58] being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.
[00:48:01] That's from the Old Testament.
[00:48:02] That the blessing of Abraham, which is what?
[00:48:05] Salvation by faith.
[00:48:06] That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, by faith.
[00:48:15] Hallelujah.
[00:48:16] He took the anger of God in our place.
[00:48:19] If you reject Christ, then you try taking the anger of God.
[00:48:25] And for all eternity, you won't be able to handle it.
[00:48:28] But Christ's free gift is to take it for you.
[00:48:31] But what about all the account that God has taken of each and every one of our sins, Pastor Joseph?
[00:48:38] There's an answer for that.
[00:48:40] Turn to Colossians chapter 2, beginning in verse 8.
[00:48:47] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
[00:48:55] For in Christ, in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
[00:48:59] you are complete in him which is the head of principality and power in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ
[00:49:13] buried with him in baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead and you being dead in your sins and uncircumcision of your flesh
[00:49:24] hath he made alive together with him having forgiven you your trespasses He's forgiven you your sins if you've believed in Christ.
[00:49:31] How did he do it?
[00:49:32] I thought he had a big list, Pastor Joseph, of all of my sins.
[00:49:35] How long would your list be?
[00:49:38] I'm sure just very small, right?
[00:49:41] What if somehow, magically, miraculously, we had a list of all your sins in your life, and as I was preaching, they would scroll?
[00:49:51] How long would it take for yours?
[00:49:53] Oh, I wouldn't even have a slide, Pastor Joseph.
[00:49:57] Let's be honest, right?
[00:49:58] So how does God deal with this?
[00:50:00] we're almost done listen this is beautiful i saw it this morning afresh and anew in a way i've never seen it before and it's a beautiful thing how does god doesn't he have all of our sins taken
[00:50:11] into account yes but if we believe christ what does what does he do oh it's beautiful he blots out erases blots it out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us he blots it out
[00:50:26] And then what does he do with the sheet?
[00:50:27] And he took it out of the way and he nailed it to the cross.
[00:50:32] Praise God.
[00:50:35] And all of your sins that were on that list however long were nailed to the one who bore every one of them for you and for me on the old rugged tree 2,000 years ago.
[00:50:48] And the wrath, every last dreg that you deserve for sin and I, he took upon himself so that you might have salvation.
[00:50:58] and peace, and joy, and love.
[00:51:02] And how did He do it?
[00:51:03] He spoiled principalities.
[00:51:05] Satan and the demons and all of those powers that were trying to destroy Him and you and keep you from salvation.
[00:51:14] And He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it, in this glorious salvation.
[00:51:19] Now I have to end with this.
[00:51:21] You have to hear this.
[00:51:22] You want to go out joyful, and you've got to hear this.
[00:51:24] Jesus says in John 15 that He wants you to be filled with joy.
[00:51:28] Boy, this message really hit me, Pastor Joseph.
[00:51:31] I feel wicked.
[00:51:32] Well, good.
[00:51:33] The idea is to repent and get right.
[00:51:37] Because God, He wants us to understand how far we fall short, but He doesn't want us to stay there.
[00:51:43] He wants us to repent and to receive the forgiveness, be filled with salvation, be filled with love, be filled with gratitude, be filled with the power of the Spirit of God, and be filled with His joy.
[00:51:56] And this is what he says in chapter 15, verse 9 of John.
[00:52:02] As the Father has loved me, Jesus, so have I loved you.
[00:52:06] Continue ye in my love.
[00:52:08] Abide in my love.
[00:52:09] If we're not abiding in his love, we're disobedient.
[00:52:12] If ye keep my commandment, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments and I abide in his love.
[00:52:20] These things, listen, have I spoken unto you.
[00:52:22] Why?
[00:52:23] That your joy, it says that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full.
[00:52:30] Praise God.
[00:52:32] This is my commandment, that you love one another even as I have loved you.
[00:52:37] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
[00:52:42] Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.
[00:52:46] And what does he command us?
[00:52:47] Verse 17.
[00:52:48] These things I command you that ye love one another.
[00:53:01] This is the last passage.
[00:53:05] He says, I'm giving you my joy.
[00:53:08] And it's going to be full.
[00:53:11] This is my final question and our final passage in Zephaniah.
[00:53:15] Yes, it's in the Bible.
[00:53:16] It's in the Old Testament.
[00:53:18] He's giving you his joy.
[00:53:21] What is his joy?
[00:53:23] What does he get joyful about?
[00:53:27] Jesus.
[00:53:28] Well, I'm going to give you a picture.
[00:53:30] Zephaniah chapter 3.
[00:53:34] Where's Zephaniah, Pastor?
[00:53:35] Turn to Malachi, Malachi.
[00:53:37] Last book in the Old Testament.
[00:53:39] Turn left through Zechariah.
[00:53:42] Turn left through Haggai.
[00:53:45] And then you'll see Zephaniah chapter 3, verse 14 to 17.
[00:53:52] This is the last passage of our message.
[00:53:56] Sing, O daughter of Zion.
[00:53:59] Shout, O Israel.
[00:54:00] Be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
[00:54:05] The Lord hath taken away thy judgments.
[00:54:10] You mean Jesus was joyful when he was on the cross suffering for you and taking all?
[00:54:16] Yes.
[00:54:19] Rejoice, for the Lord has taken away thy judgments.
[00:54:22] He's cast out thine enemy.
[00:54:23] How about the devil?
[00:54:24] The king of Israel, even the Lord is in the midst of thee.
[00:54:27] You've been born again.
[00:54:28] The Holy Spirit is inside you.
[00:54:30] He's moving in the midst of you.
[00:54:32] And you shall not see evil anymore in that day.
[00:54:36] It shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not.
[00:54:39] And to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
[00:54:43] Why?
[00:54:44] Because the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty.
[00:54:49] He will save.
[00:54:51] And he, who?
[00:54:52] God.
[00:54:53] Who?
[00:54:53] Jesus.
[00:54:54] Will do what?
[00:54:55] Rejoice.
[00:54:56] He will rejoice.
[00:54:57] We just asked, What kind of joy does he have?
[00:54:58] He will rejoice.
[00:55:00] Why is Jesus rejoicing?
[00:55:01] He will rejoice over you with joy.
[00:55:06] Why?
[00:55:08] He will rest in his love.
[00:55:10] He will joy over thee with singing.
[00:55:16] Why?
[00:55:16] Because he's taken away, verse 15, your judgments.
[00:55:20] The handwriting of ordinance is against us.
[00:55:23] He's cast out the enemy, the devil himself.
[00:55:26] He's brought forth salvation to Zion, to the true believers.
[00:55:32] His joy that He gives us is the joy that He had in suffering and dying on the cross for your sin.
[00:55:42] Now, God is so joyful over you, His children, He actually sings.
[00:55:48] He sings over us.
[00:55:50] He rejoices over us.
[00:55:52] You ever had somebody write a song about you?
[00:55:56] Pastor Joseph, you mean God sings over me?
[00:56:00] Well, if so, can we sing to Him?
[00:56:04] In just a minute, we'll sing Marching to Zion.
[00:56:06] Before, let's pray.
[00:56:07] Dear Heavenly Father, help us, Lord.
[00:56:10] Help us, Lord.
[00:56:12] We all fall, fall, fall short.
[00:56:16] Lord, we are not walking in perfection.
[00:56:20] And we know that we can't.
[00:56:21] But Lord, for a lot of us, including myself, much improvement can be made if we will bow the knee of our hearts to your sovereign will.
[00:56:32] Lord, enter in.
[00:56:34] If there be anyone here who is not yet saved, help them to see this wonderful plan of the ages.
[00:56:41] It is for them specifically that when you were on the cross, you were able to think of their face, to think of them suffering in hell, and yet you loved them and died for them.
[00:56:57] those who will bow the knee to you and now in heaven you rejoice with singing over each one who comes to you Lord may we see salvation in this place this very day for your glory
[00:57:09] and may you get the praise as we walk in the joy you've given us we are filled with the love by which you bought us and that we love you with all of our heart
[00:57:22] soul, mind and strength we're not easily provoked to anger we thinketh no evil we rejoice not in iniquity but we rejoice in truth your son Jesus Christ in whose name we pray and we praise you and thank you Lord
[00:57:39] Amen and Amen