8/4/13 KINGDOM LIVING

Anger and retaliation.  How do you treat your enemies?

    It is very easy to get extremely angry at someone and have a strong desire to retaliate.  It would feel great to rearrange their face.  We need to be honest that we have all felt these desires and emotions from time to time.
    In His sermon expressing the foundation of His Kingdom, the constitution of the church, Jesus taught about something we all deal with - anger and retaliation, revenge.  We know that from time to time we will be treated poorly and unfairly in life.  What do we do with it?
    Let me share a true story about the destruction and insanity of holding on to anger.  This is what can happen when we ignore Jesus’ advice we will read about today.
    In June of 2012, Carl Ericsson, a 73-year-old South Dakota man, was sentenced to life in prison after admitting to the murder of a former high school classmate. Friends and family members were shocked that the once-successful insurance salesman seemed to snap. Ericsson had been married to his wife for over 44 years.
    But after the murder, Ericsson’s secret finally came out. For over 50 years he had simmered with a grudge: He was still mad at a classmate who had once pulled a high school prank. Norman Johnson, the classmate and murder victim, was a star athlete. Ericsson was a student sports manager. According to Ericsson’s confession, on one occasion Johnson pulled a prank, humiliating him and planting the seed of resentment that would continue to grow for over half a century. Throughout their lives, Norman Johnson continued to outshine Ericsson. Johnson had played college football, earned a degree, and then taught and coached at his alma mater for more than three decades.
    After holding a grudge for over 50 years, Carl Ericsson rang Johnson’s doorbell and shot him dead. Ericsson told a judge, “I guess it was from something that happened over 50 years ago. It was apparently in my subconscious.” During his sentencing, Ericsson turned to Johnson’s widow and apologized, saying, “I just wish I could turn the calendar back.”
Cameron Smith, Bizarre S.D. murder caused by resentment over 50-year-old locker room jockstrap prank," Yahoo Sports Prep Rally blog (6-18-12)
    Can you imagine living your whole life consumed by anger and resentment over one silly thing done in high school?  I wonder how many times this caused Carl Ericsson to seethe with anger and resentment.  I wonder how many times he dreamed with delight at the thought of getting revenge and making Norman Johnson shrink in humiliation and suffering.
    Jesus knew the controlling destruction of anger, which is why we have His teaching we will look at today.
    Let’s read some of Jesus’ teachings on this topic.
Matthew 5:21-26 NKJV
21 You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
    Having read these verses, let me back up to read a foundational verse.
Matthew 5:17 NKJV
17 Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
    There were people who thought that believing and applying the Law God gave through Moses was no longer necessary.  But, Jesus was taking spiritual things to a higher level.  He wasn’t only calling for obedience to the letter of the law because you have to, but obedience that comes from the heart.  Don’t just go through religious motions, but really love God.
    There is a teaching called antinomianism.  This says that faith and grace releases a Christian from the obligation of following any moral law.  Jesus was dealing with this.
    This is a belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey.  Biblically, we are not required to observe the law as a means of salvation.  On the cross, Jesus fulfilled the law.  Antinomianism comes to the unbiblical conclusion that because of God’s grace and Jesus death on the cross, there is no moral law God expects Christians to obey.  We can do whatever we want.
    Paul settled this in:
Romans 6:1-2 NKJV
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
    People can say, “If I am saved by grace and my sin is forgiven, why not sin all I want?”  However, someone really saved has a strong desire to obey God out of love for Him.  We are not looking for excuses or permission to sin.  We want to get close to Jesus.
    Again:
22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
    Jesus is not speaking of a justified, righteous anger at those who are wicked and cruel.  Instead, He is condemning the vindictive anger that desires to harm or kill another person. “Raca” is a term of hatred and contempt, calling a person an “empty-headed fool.”  Jesus spoke against these kinds of insults.
    Murder starts with anger.  If anger is not dealt with, it will lead the violence, murder and destructive acts.  Often anger starts with insults.  Jesus said that these insults will lead to judgement, and many problems.
    The citizens of an early settlement in a place known as Qumran (the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found), had a strong expectation of Godly behavior.  Blasphemous speech could result in having one’s food ration reduced for a year.  The extreme punishment could be banishment from the settlement.
    Jesus said these kinds of offenses can lead to punishment in hell.
    The principle Jesus taught was to get things settled quickly so that strife doesn’t continue to escalate.  Even if you have to leave your sacrifice at the altar to go and get it settled, do it right away.
    Settle things. Forgive.  Give up the need for revenge.  This does not imply that people can sin and get away with it.  God is the ultimate judge.  But, get things settled.  Recognize the destructive force of anger.  Don’t let it ruin your life.  Make an active effort at reconciliation.

Again:
Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
    Jesus is not teaching about letting evil people get away with sinful acts or resisting proper justice to those who are wicked.  Jesus is concerned about loving and expressing kindness to our enemies.  When someone does something against us, we are not to respond in hatred.  Instead, show a Christlike character. Our responses toward unkind people can cause them to consider what Jesus is like.  This example can lead them to receive Jesus as their Savior.
    The concept of hating your enemies: some people wrongly believe that they SHOULD hate their enemies.  But, the Law never used the words hate your enemy.  Rather, it taught kindness even toward an enemy’s animals. The law commanded love not only for one’s neighbor but also for strangers.
    Loving an enemy really throws him into confusion.  It is a tool to reach him for Jesus.  He doesn’t understand why you don’t want revenge, for that is what he would want.
Romans 12:18-21 NKJV
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
    Coals of fire - that sounds painful.  The concept is not attempting to call down Divine judgement, but it speaks of the natural result of showing kindness to someone who we think doesn’t deserve it.  The effect of being kind to an enemy will produce pain resulting from shame and remorse.  The goal is that it will lead to repentance.
    How unreasonable, absurd and nonsensical anger can be.  It grabs hold of a person and controls them.  An observer can often see the folly of it, but the person consumed by anger can’t. Anger can even control a person when the issue isn’t real.
Woman Lays Down a 30-Year Grudge
    From 1974-1981 the actress Alison Arngrim played Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie. Nellie, as fans of the show will remember, was a horrible child who continually tortured Laura Ingalls. Alison is still acting, but Nellie Oleson is never too far in the background.
    Alison was at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds a few years ago, signing autographs with other former child stars. In the midst of a long day of meeting and greeting, a woman in her forties made it to the front of Alison’s line. Alison looked up, smiled, and reached for something to sign. The woman had nothing to sign. She merely stood in front of the table and turned different shades of red and purple. She was shaking, closing her eyes, and swallowing as she tried to compose herself.
    Allison and her husband grew increasingly uncomfortable, and were close to calling for security, when the angry woman broke the silence with three labored words: “I … forgive … you.” And, just like that, she exhaled, turned, and exited the tent.
    Alison says that this kind of thing happens fairly often. She had never met this woman. They had never exchanged a single word before meeting at the fair that day. But this angry stranger at the LA County Fair had carried a seething, consuming grudge against a character on a TV show that had not aired in 30 years. Nellie had never bullied her and never lived in her neighborhood. Nellie never even existed. But after 30 long years of carrying the burden of this hatred, she needed to lay it down and walk away.
Alison Arngrim, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch (HarperCollins Publishing, 2010), pp. ix-x
    This is amazing. A woman was upset for 30 years over something that wasn’t even real.  This is a good illustration of the destruction of anger and the importance of dealing with it.
    One of the most important events in my life came in a family camp service at Spencer Lake.  The teaching was on getting along.  Then the teaching went to forgiveness.  The question was: why is it so hard to forgive?
Four thoughts:
Often, the offender isn’t sorry.
We feel our rights have been violated.
We are left with a loss.
We feel the offender is getting by free.

Question:
Is it easy to forgive?
Why would God ask us to do something so hard?
Personal reflection:
Is there someone you need to forgive?
Is there someone you need to contact and restore a relationship?
Do you have any grudges you need to release?