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Under the Surface

Unoffendable?

Tom LundeenOctober 9, 2022All Church Spiritual Journey

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Passage: Hebrews 12:14-15

We are navigating a different kind of pandemic - one of bitterness and anger. Left unchecked, the resentment we experience can turn into bitterness. What can we do to stop bitterness from taking root in our lives?

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Under the Surface

 

Pastor Tom Lundeen

 

  • In 2020 the average # of investigated incidents of unruly airline passengers = .
  • In 2021,  unruly airline passenger reports. 
  • So far in 2022, better, but still  unruly airline passenger reports (as of October 4, 2022).

We're navigating a different kind of  = bitterness and anger. 

Is it actually possible to live an unoffendable ? 

Today we're going to focus on something that is so much a part of the struggle in experiencing a more unoffendable life = . 

 

1. Bitterness is a Concealed  (note Hebrews 12:14-15)

 

Wild fig tree in South Africa = taproot  feet deep!

Scriptures make it clear that what is beneath the surface of our soul that gets left unchecked is not going to either go away or remain , but it will slowly keep growing and eventually starts causing . 

 

All bitterness starts out as . And your emotional pain may well relate to viewing whoever (or whatever) provoked this hurt as having malicious intent: As committing a grave injustice toward you; as gratuitously wronging you and causing you .  - and resentment - is what we're all likely to experience whenever we conclude that another has seriously abused us. Left to fester, that righteous anger eventually becomes the corrosive  that is bitterness. (Seltzer, Psychology Today)

 

  • Bitterness is like a slow-growing  that can cause so many problems before it becomes evident. 
  • Bitterness is a  that robs you of the life Jesus died for you to experience. 
  • Bitterness always  us first and the most. 
  • But it also will  others (corrupting...defiling...pollute...contaminates...causing trouble... many...)
  • Bitterness is something people almost celebrate and usually ...
  • We let our lives be  by bitterness, and then we invite as many people to join us in our misery as possible. 
  • Note Hebrews 12:14 = hatred and holiness cannot  in the same heart. 
  • When we invite others into our bitterness, we become a ...

So what can kill a root of bitterness? 

 

2. Bring it Into the  

 

Note Ephesians 5:8-11

 them...

Have you been willing to name what has emotionally/mentally/spiritually  you?

 

The problem is you cannot  from that which you're unwilling to admit. 

Note Ephesians 5:13-14a, 15-16

 

 

CAN I LIVE AN UNOFFENDABLE LIFE?:

 

  • The time has come to ask the Holy Spirit to turn His searchlight into the deepest region of our  and name any bitterness that's there. 
  • This is the pathway toward freedom from the  of bitterness.  Begin to experience Jesus' promise of peace, hope, and joy.
  • Note Psalm 36:9; 43:3a; 56:13; 119:105; Ephesians 4:31-32

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Messages in Unoffendable?