Text: EPHESIANS 4:31 – 32
By: Sunday Eyanrin
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Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.NKJV
WHAT IS BITTERNESS?
BITTERNESS – Is a negative state of a person’s mind and emotions following any unwanted severe life event that embraces:
- HUMILIATION
- LOSS
- THE PERCEPTION OF UNFAIRNESS
FORGIVENESS:
Is simply the act of the willingness of the mind to forgive.
ANOTHER WORD I WILL LOVE TO USE IN THIS SERMON SIDE BY SIDE WITH BITTERNESS IS “RESENTMENT”
WHAT IS RESENTMENT?
RESENTMENT – Is that deep feeling or displeasure or anger that one have towards someone, because of a past offense or unpleasant event.
THE DANGER OF RESENTMENT
Resentment – destroys friendships and turns friends in to enemies. But the most damaging effect of Resentment is the destruction of the one who Holds it.
MY BROTHER, MY SISTER, HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS MOOD OF BITTERNESS OR RESENTMENT?
Have you ever said to someone, even a fellow Christian Brother, or Sister, after my dead body will I forgive you.
WHY DO CHRISTIANS HOLD RESENTMENT AGAINST ONE ANOTHER?
Of all the evil, destructive things that can happen to a man, Resentment is one of the worst. It is like a deadly germ, working constantly to gain power over a man’s body to destroy him. Brethren, No right – thinking person would harbour and nourish a deadly germ in his body, knowing that this germ would eventually kill him or her, yet many Christians hold on to this deadly SIN of “RESENTMENT” which is far more destructive than any germ. Brethren, why do we hold on to resentment against one another?
LET US CONSIDER SOME REASONS WHY PEOPLE HOLD ON TO RESENTMENT
SELF – JUSTIFICATION
One of the primary reasons why it is difficult for people to recognize the poisonous nature of resentment is because, we feel that we are justified in our actions of resentment. To justify our actions, we push aside the good relationship we share, and hold up to his or her present offense against us.
UNWILLINGNESS TO RESOLVE ISSUES
Another reason why people hold on to resentment is the act of unwillingness to resolve Issues affecting them and the other person. Often, they see such persons as an enemy thereby prolonging the matter. As Brethren, Matt.18.15 – 17, declare the way out.
Matt 18:15-17
Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. NKJV
ANGER
One of the greatest weapons used by Satan to destroy humanity is “Anger”, Anger is a deadly poison, triggered by bitterness, and originates from Satan .It is a deadly weapon that comes into the heart of man when we feel we have been treated unfairly. This is where anger takes his root and begins to eat into the fabric of the man’s heart, destroying the mind, emotions, and eventually leads the person holding resentment to hell. Example. Is the case study of Cain and Abel in Gen. 4:3 – 8
3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” 8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. NKJV
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION TO RESENTMENT AND BITTERNESS?
The only thing that can set Christians free from Resentment and bitterness is “FORGIVENESS”. Brethren, many people do not understand what forgiveness is. Forgiveness is not trying to overlook SIN or pretending that what happened never happened. It is necessary to note that forgiveness is not trying to forget what really went wrong, but we must understand that forgetting comes after “FORGIVENESS” not before.
LOOKING AT FORGIVENESS WHAT DO YOU SEE?
Brethren, we must see forgiveness as one great attribute from God that reconcile us back to God. Forgiveness is bearing the wrong or injury yourself and choosing to remember it no more. Forgiveness means that you give the person who wronged you a clean slate of reunion back to God.
BRETHREN, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT IT IS COSTLY TO FORGIVE, BUT IT IS MORE COSTLY NOT TO FORGIVE
HOW CAN WE TURN FROM BITTERNESS TO FORGIVENESS?
Brethren, the following steps if followed judiciously will help us turn from bitterness to forgiveness.
- RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS THE JUDGE
Brethren, it is a fact that people need to be judged for their wrong deeds, but you and I are not the ones to Judge. For Judgment belongs to God, as declared in Rom.12:19. Brethren, when we forgive those who wrong us, we are turning that person over to God, recognizing that it is He alone that has the right to judge and punish people for their wrongdoing.
- CONFESS YOUR SINS TO GOD
Brethren, if your Brother or your Sister have done you a grievous injury, if so, he or she is responsible to God for his or her actions, but if you are holding bitterness, you are sinning, and you are responsible to God for your SIN of bitterness. To deal with this SIN, you must confess it to God and ask Him to forgive you.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. NKJV
- FORGIVE EVEN AS CHRIST HAS FORGIVEN YOU
Brethren, it is interesting to note that Forgiveness involves a choice on our part. We may choose to forgive or not to forgive, but God deals with our choices, not our feelings. You may say, but suppose the person doesn’t ask for forgiveness or even admit that he or she was wrong? How can I forgive him? Remember, LK. 23:34.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” NKJV
Beloved, we must realize the fact that, those who crucified our Lord on the cross did not ask for forgiveness, yet He prayed for them. Brethren, it is the same thing that apply to you and I. While we are still Sinners, Christ died for our Sins. Rom.3:8
Rom 5:8-9 – 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. NKJV
Conclusion
Brethren, we are concluding this sermon with the story of Joseph the last born of Jacob. Gen. 37:3–10, Sold by his brothers in Gen. 37:11–36, In Gen. 39:1-23, Joseph became slave in Potipher’s house and went to prison. Joseph Interprets dreams in prison. Gen. 40 & 41. Joseph became second in command in Egypt. Gen. 41:33–57. Pls, read for us. Brethren, the story of Joseph and his brother teaches us a great lesson on how to turn from bitterness to forgiveness.
My friend, are you a visitor worshipping with the CHURCH OF CHRIST FOR THE FIRST TIME? Jesus is calling you to repentance. All you need is to take these steps, and you are saved.
- Hear God’s word – the gospel
- Believe the gospel
- Repent of your sins
- Confess Christ as the Lord
- Be baptized, and be added into God’s kingdom, the church of Christ, and you are saved. Acts 2:41 & 47.
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