WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:04.959 Happy Father's Day, if you're a father, happy Father's Day, just like to say that as well. 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:14.960 We always like to say on a Sunday like this Father's Day can be complicated, just like Mother's Day can be complicated, because uh I what I know to be true about you is your dad was not perfect. 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:18.000 Like maybe you're gonna sit next to your dad and y'all have a talk about that later. 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:20.640 That might be good, but it is true. 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:28.480 And so some of us come from different pasts, different backgrounds, or maybe you lost your dad this year, and so there's a grieving element. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:34.960 Now, a lot of people would just not come to church on a Sunday like Father's Day if that was uh something dominant in your heart. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:38.479 So, congratulations if you showed up and uh Father's Day is difficult. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:42.240 Others of us, Father's Day can be incredible, just just celebration. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:44.880 You have a great dad, and that's that's wonderful. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:50.960 So wherever you're at on that spectrum of how you feel this morning, uh happy Father's Day to you. 00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.960 We're not gonna focus on Father's Day, although I'll speak to Fathers later in the sermon. 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:57.439 We're gonna look at this Jonah 4 passage. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:11.680 So a few months ago, I was driving along this two-lane road, had a little bit of traffic, so it had enough traffic so that if you're driving one way and a car was coming towards you, you were going slow enough that you could see the other person in the car. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:16.799 You could make eye contact and you had enough time there to kind of recognize each other if you knew each other. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:25.040 And so I'm driving along and I'm sort of, you know, I'm looking over who's in those cars as they pass along, as we like to see who's driving what car, and like, oh, of course that's what they're driving. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:37.760 And so I'm coming along, and then sure enough, in a car coming toward me, I see a person that I still hold a lot of bitterness and anger toward. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.000 And I I did not want to make eye contact with this person. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:46.319 Um, I certainly didn't want to wave, I had I had another hand signal uh prepared. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:50.959 So I just tucked my head down toward the radio until we passed. 00:01:54.400 --> 00:02:03.120 And you don't need the backstory on it, because you have a person like this, somebody like this, that if you passed on the road, you would just duck your head. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:14.000 Because they hurt you or they betrayed you or lied to you or hurt your family or hurt your friends or loved ones or something, and then they've never said sorry, and they've moved on. 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:15.759 And you wonder, how could that be? 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:16.560 How could that happen? 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:17.840 How could you do that? 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:32.000 And what what is clear for me, probably for you, is I certainly still want God's grace and mercy for me, like for all of my mistakes. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.039 And I sort of don't want it for that person. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:40.159 And this is where this Jonah story cuts us open. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:47.680 Because here you got this prophet, this religious guy, called to go to this place full of people that he hates. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:53.360 Because they've done horrible things to him and his people. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:55.759 I mean, 2 Kings spells it out for us. 00:02:55.919 --> 00:03:01.120 A lot of horrible torture, Game of Thrones type of torture is what happened. 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:02.319 Go to them. 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:03.759 Like, go to them? 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:07.039 What if they're, God, what if you're gracious to them? 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.800 I don't want you gracious to them. 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:11.919 I just want to hold all that grace and mercy for me. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:16.319 And so Jonah didn't want God's mercy to come to them. 00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:20.319 Jonah wanted just for him and his sins and his people. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:22.080 But finally he relents. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.199 We've been going through that story. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:26.479 Finally, he relents, he gives in, he says, you know, can't run far enough away. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:31.919 You know, so finally, okay, he goes and so he preaches in God's mercy. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:33.759 God is merciful upon these people. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:35.680 These people repent. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:37.199 I mean, what an amazing thing. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:40.080 Horrible people that tortured people. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:41.120 They repented. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:42.800 They said, that was all wrong. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:44.319 We want to live differently. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:48.400 God, we we we say you are you are our saving God, you are our authority. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:49.360 What an amazing thing. 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:59.439 And just when you think this story would be like Jonah and the Nineveh's hugging and their one family finally, and they're gonna have food together and wine together. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:02.240 Uh the story goes a different direction. 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:05.840 Let me reread verses 1 through 4. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:07.840 But it displeased Jonah. 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:09.919 Jonah 4, 1 through 4. 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:13.599 It displeased Jonah exceedingly that this had happened. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:20.720 He was angry, and he prayed to the Lord, said, Oh Lord, is not this what I said when I was in my country? 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:32.079 This is why I made haste to flee to Tarshis, for I knew that you're our gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and relenting from disaster. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:37.920 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live. 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:40.399 And the Lord said, Do you do well? 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:42.959 Do you do well to be angry? 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:54.879 Point number one is this we have the capability, we, humanity, you and me, we have the capability to be heartless right after we're obedient. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:58.160 We have the capability to be heartless right after we're kind. 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:05.920 Two weeks ago, Sam and I and our families, we went to Blue Skies Camp, which is a camp for families with a child with cancer. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:16.879 And so we went down there and we lead devotionals in the morning for all the volunteers, and we lead chapel services for every volunteers and the guest families, and so we we do that as well. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:28.959 Christy and I will sit in group counseling sessions, we sit in a circle with these parents, parents who have a kid with cancer, and we sit in these small circles with these parents. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:31.040 And at first we just ask questions. 00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.160 At first, the questions are pretty objective. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:37.680 When was your child diagnosed? 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:40.000 What is your child's diagnosis? 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:41.839 Where is your child treated? 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:43.680 What is the treatment for your child, right? 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:44.959 Very objective. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:50.399 And slowly over the course of the sessions, the questions get a little deeper. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:55.199 How do you feel about your child having cancer? 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:57.279 How do you feel right now? 00:05:58.160 --> 00:05:59.839 How do you feel toward God? 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:05.920 Now, the parents slowly open up, and as they open up, they don't hide anything. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:07.120 It's amazing. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:11.839 It's probably what church confession should be like because they're not concerned about, they're broken. 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:13.040 They're at the end, right? 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:14.879 They don't have anything left to prove. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:16.000 Their child's cancer. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:19.439 They're just whatever they feel, they just let it out, let it rip. 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:31.519 And I get to sit there, and we sit there, Christian and I sit there and nod and reassure them that the feelings they have are legitimate. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:32.399 They're real. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:33.759 Speak them out. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:39.759 Whatever word you need to put on it, doesn't matter what you're not gonna offend me with your words, whatever it is, speak it out. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:42.240 God can handle it, right? 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:43.600 That's what the book of Psalms is. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.639 People just speaking out their feelings, just writing them out. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:48.000 God can handle it. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:51.439 And you may not always be righteous, but God is righteous for you. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:53.759 It's part of the healing process. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:07:01.839 And most of the time, maybe 90% of the time, I am I am in the ministerial gracious zone. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:12.720 I am eye contact, I am nodding, I am, you know, mmm, yes, mm-hmm, yes, you know, I'm I'm I am in it, I'm in it, I'm doing the Lord's work, I am empathetic. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:22.000 And then every once in a while, somebody will say something and I'll think that is ridiculous. 00:07:23.360 --> 00:07:24.639 So that's the first thought, right? 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:30.240 The first thought is you're ridiculous for thinking that. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.680 And then the second thought comes, you know the second thought. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:39.600 I would never do that. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:44.079 I would never think that way, I would never react that way. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.399 Isn't that interesting? 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:51.519 How close together kindness and judgment can be. 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:56.480 I mean, the diagnosis is just true about us. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:02.160 We are created beautiful in God's image, but we are sinners. 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:08.480 The diagnosis, at first, it sounds kind of depressing, but it's actually quite relieving to go, oh, that's what I am. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:10.879 That's why it's like this. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:19.759 That's why at times I am unbelievably kind, and in the next moment I'm holding judgment upon a parent who has a child with cancer. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:23.120 That's so ridiculous. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:28.720 Now we begin to see a little theological problem with Jonah. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:35.360 He has a problem with how he thinks about God and ultimately what's the most valuable in his life. 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.879 And this is point number two. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:44.799 We can have a relationship with God while holding on to something we deem even more valuable than God. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:51.360 We can have a relationship with God even while we're also holding on to something we deem even more valuable to God. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:53.840 That's what verses two and three are about, right? 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:58.240 He says, Oh, this happened, and because this happened, I might as well die. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:03.440 So if I don't have X happen in my life, I might as well die. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:05.279 I might as well not even live. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:06.480 If I don't have X. 00:09:06.559 --> 00:09:10.960 And now all of a sudden we realize what we ultimately love. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:12.080 We love X. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:14.080 X is what we love. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:22.879 And what Jonah wants is Jonah wants God to love him and his people, but not those people. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:26.320 It's the sin of tribalism. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:29.600 Today it's hidden in the word nationalism. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:31.679 It's not patriotism. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:32.639 Don't get me wrong. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:36.960 Patriotism is to be for your country and for your people. 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:46.240 But when love of your country is in direct exploitation of other people, you've gone past patriotism. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:49.039 You've gone into idolatry. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.440 And that's what's going on here with Jonah. 00:09:51.919 --> 00:10:01.440 He wants God's grace, God's love, God's favor for his people, even at the removal of love and care for another group of people. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.879 That is racial nationalistic arrogance. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:08.480 That's his sin that's going on here. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:11.200 So Jonah preaches. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:15.840 These people repent and it angers him. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.200 So he leaves the city, he goes and he sits up outside the hill. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:20.960 Now he doesn't have to do that, he could stay in the city. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:22.159 These people repented. 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:24.879 He could stay there, he could be comfortable with them. 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:26.399 They don't want that. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:34.320 With these people, because he's he still has all this in him, all this racial, nationalistic arrogance. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:36.960 So God appoints a plant to grow up over Jonah. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:40.879 He has shade, he's comfortable, he's so happy, he doesn't have to be with those people. 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:44.240 Plus, now he has comfort, he is so happy about this. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:49.919 And then the next morning, God appoints a worm, the worm eats the plant, the plant goes away, and he's burning up. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.399 That's where we read back in verses 8 through 10. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:58.720 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:00.639 And he asked that he might die. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:05.759 Second time he asked this, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:10.559 But God said to Jonah, Do you do well to be angry for the plant? 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.480 And he said, Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.279 And the Lord said, You pity the plant. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:19.919 Now that word pity could also be compassion. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:31.120 You have compassion, heart, for the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in night and perished in the night. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:33.600 So here are what we see over these verses. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:36.320 Verses five and six, Jonah went and got appointed. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:39.279 Verses six and seven, Jonah was glad and got appointed. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:41.679 Verses eight and nine, Jonah said and God said. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:43.919 Verses nine and ten, Jonah said and God said. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:52.399 And what we see repeatedly through this is point number three, God is relentless, relentless in relationship toward you. 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:58.720 And if you go back through and look at all these God saids and God appointed, they are not all rainbows and lollipops. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:05.200 God cares for you too much to not pursue you by all means. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:08.720 Even if it's by means we don't understand. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:12.240 Now Jonah's furious. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.840 His idol of country has been taken from him. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.279 Now his idol of comfort is taken from him. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:20.960 He'd rather die. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:25.120 And then that verses 10 and 11, God says, You had compassion for a plant. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:27.440 Like that's what your heart was for. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:29.279 Your heart was for a plant? 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:31.120 For your comfort? 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:35.360 And then God says, My compassion is for people. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:40.559 All people, every tribe, every tongue. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:45.600 And now we get to know this love in Christ, in the work of Christ. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:54.240 And the good news for us is even though we fall short of our heart being for all people, all of our sin is put upon the cross. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:56.080 And his righteousness is given to us. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:04.159 So even in all of our shortcomings and failings and our just messed up thinking and doing all of that, we're still beloved in Jesus. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:11.519 On the way back from Florida last week, on the way back from Blue Skies, we stopped at a new Chick-fil-A in Noonan. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:13.120 This brand new one. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:20.960 And we show up into the parking lot, we pull in, there's like you know, 17 drive-throughs, 75 people in the parking lot routing you, right? 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:21.919 I mean, it's unbelievable. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:25.039 We go in and we get in line, we get to the counter. 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:29.600 The kid at the counter called, I'm not kidding, he called me sir eight times. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:30.639 It was amazing. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.000 I I ordered something else. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:35.120 I went back through just to feel respected that highly. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:43.039 There's a poster in there about how Chick Flace started, and you're going, oh man, they're like they're for family. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.960 There's another poster about their cans. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.039 You're like, oh, they love my kids. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:54.399 There's another poster about just the employees there at that restaurant, like where they've graduated and they're going to different colleges. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:57.759 You're like, oh, they're like they love their people and they're for education. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:59.919 I go to use the restroom, right? 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:03.840 And you get in the restroom, and you know what happens when you get in the restroom. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:09.120 You are serenaded by sweet, instrumental Christian praise music. 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:10.639 I wanted to stay in there. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:12.960 It was so clean, it was amazing. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:19.519 And we leave, people help us leave, help us throw our trash away. 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:22.320 We have a lot of trash, what time all of us eat. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.240 And you leave there and you have been wooed. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.360 You have been wooed by a song. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:31.919 We care for you. 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:34.720 And we want you to be a part of our family. 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:40.799 Now I'm being a bit dramatic and hoping for some Chick-fil-a coupons, obviously. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:49.279 But the point is, is we are being wooed by a constant, constant love and care by God. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:51.360 I mean, look, think of the story. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.080 Think how obnoxious Jonah is. 00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:56.559 And we're a lot like Jonah. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:59.120 God never walks out. 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:04.399 God appointed, God said, got appointed, God said, got appointed, God said. 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:06.799 Keeps questioning him. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:09.279 Does it do you well to be angry? 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.240 Like you, does it do you well? 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.639 Does it do you well to be bitter? 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.720 Does it do you well to be racist? 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.559 Here's what I think this means. 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:27.039 Two things. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:30.399 First, fathers, happy father's day, or background Father's Day. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:48.080 If you know you're constantly being wooed and cared for by a perfect love that's big enough for all your mistakes and insecurity, perhaps you don't need your career to do that for you. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:51.600 Perhaps you don't need your spouse to do that for you. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.799 Maybe you don't even need your children to do that for you. 00:15:55.519 --> 00:16:04.240 But now, all of a sudden, you become free in the love of Christ to be present with your children. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:09.200 A non-anxious present love and care for your children. 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:10.720 Now, all of us. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:20.159 Like, oh I mean, there's just so much judgment in him toward these people. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:24.480 And we say, uh, we understand it, right? 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:25.600 Like we get the judgment. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:29.039 These were horrible, these people have done horrible things, but still it's there. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:32.320 He hasn't released it, he hasn't let go of it. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:38.080 And because he holds judgment towards an enemy, he also holds judgment toward himself. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.200 He wants to die. 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:43.039 His judgment toward them is not putting him in a good position. 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:55.840 Now, priest and author Henry Nowen, he writes, he breaks this down, he says, if we remain addicted to judgment on others, we will also forever be held captive by judgment within ourselves. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:02.240 Because judgment towards somebody else is always rooted in self-righteousness and comparison. 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:07.359 As soon as you put judgment upon somebody else, you automatically are enslaved. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.720 And you've created judgment within yourself. 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:23.920 That's why Jesus says in Matthew 7, 1, judge not that you be not judged, for with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.759 Now that's powerful. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:34.960 That's powerful because chances are use it in judgment upon someone. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:37.359 Or you will. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.640 Soon. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.519 A person from your past. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.160 From like, oh yeah, that long, long time ago. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:46.160 Oh yeah, the thing I boxed up and I shoved way down. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:48.079 Either that thing, or recently. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.519 A difficult person. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:18:00.000 And you can find profound freedom in your heart by releasing that judgment of what they do and don't deserve. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:08.880 And in releasing that judgment, you're also releasing yourself of that comparison and self-righteousness. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.960 And this would be a deliverance for us. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:17.519 This would be a deliverance from judgment and pride by the work of the Spirit and the love of Christ. 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:24.559 So, my brothers and sisters, all your sins, all your sins have already been judged in Christ Jesus. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:30.400 May you know and live in this radical love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:31.920 Let's pray together. 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:36.160 God, thank you for your grace and mercy that is sufficient for us. 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:41.519 That while we're created beautiful in your image, we are sinners. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.920 We hurt people and we have been hurt. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:48.000 And as we are hurt, we love to hold bitterness, resentment, anger. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:59.519 God, while you teach us about healthy boundaries, you also call us to release judgment, to let go of anger. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:06.880 You ask this question to us this morning: do you do well to be angry? 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:12.559 God, we confess that we do not. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:21.200 And yet for that person, and we know who it is, for that per for that person we hold anger. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:24.160 And would you help us? 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:30.319 Would you help us in faith in Jesus, in the great work of Jesus, that we are forgiven of all of our sin? 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.440 Would you help us? 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:39.440 Have mercy on us that we might let go of judgment upon them, and that we might live in a newfound freedom in Christ. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:40.799 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:41.519 Amen.