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Anger and Mercy

Anger and Mercy. Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, May 17, 2015. 1 Samuel 24:1-7.

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Anger and Mercy

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  1. Anger and Mercy Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, May 17, 2015

  2. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 1 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

  3. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 3 He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. 4 The men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’”

  4. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. 5 It came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand

  5. against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7 David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.

  6. Quite a bit about anger . . . He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city (Proverbs 16:32) Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:26-27)

  7. Good anger and bad anger • Good motivates you to do something! • Bad churns you up inside . . . Like swallowing poison in the hope that you can spew it out on the ones who hurt you

  8. Responding in the opposite spirit • Saul and 3000 men come aggressively after David and his rag-tag crew • David is not passive • He hides • He keeps everyone silent • He takes a piece of Saul’s garment • He speaks up (taking a huge risk)

  9. He introduces Mercy • It’s like a new spirit fills the scene • The maddened king comes to his senses • He can see things as they are • He can see a better future

  10. How do you get it? • David remembered that Saul was “the Lord’s anointed” • We can remember that the ones who have hurt us are also “the Lord’s anointed” • We have all been anointed with life, with love, with hopes and dreams • Even if we have been living in a tragedy, we are not loved any less by God

  11. People deserve something better than revenge . . . • Bad anger makes things worse—it always exacerbates a situation • It’s like pouring gasoline on a slow-smoldering fire • It builds walls and keeps people in prisons of bitterness or separation

  12. Mercy • Is the introduction of a new spirit • Can only be done by love • Grows out of remembering that everyone involved is loved by God and has infinite worth • Involves risk, but can lead to a big win

  13. Zoe’s thesis • The opposite of violence is not passivity; it is creativity • Making a way for a better spirit to enter the situation and the relationships

  14. Apple a Day • The story • The gift • The request and the help • Someone else’s story “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

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