[PASTOR MICHAEL NOVOTNY]
Do you have grudges and
resentments that you're
holding on to?
Pastor Jeske shows us how
you can let that anger go.
[MUSIC]
[PASTOR MARK JESKE]
Why do we hang onto
old anger as though
they're gold krugerrands
or something?
It's both disappointing to
me but I guess somewhat
understandable because
see, when you're angry, it
releases adrenaline.
You feel sort of more
alive.
It kind of wakes you up.
You're not - when you're
angry, you're not sort of
drifting along; it has a
weird effect of energizing
you, doesn't it?
Have you noticed that?
And you might think you
can get more done when
you've got this edge, an
anger edge.
When you go to work and
you're really angry at
your boss, in the short
run it can be a motivator:
"I'm going to show that
jerk!
I'm going to show her what
a witch she is," to pick a
word.
"I'm going to show her."
So it can be a bit of a
motivator but, man, if you
carry that around day
after day, anger -
negative emotion - is like
acid in your insides.
It will eat out your
stomach and it will eat
out your soul and your
spirit.
I think I know why we're
reluctant to let go of it
because it gives you a
feeling of moral
superiority.
I'm in the right and she,
that witch, is in the
wrong.
So I'm looking downhill; I
can judge her.
Who doesn't want to judge?
Judging is fun, isn't it?
Because you can pick out
other people's flaws and
as long as you don't
resolve the anger, if
you're still holding it,
you can look downhill at
people.
I'm up here on my holiness
hill and you are down
there in the pit of sin
and hell and death.
It's much easier to sit in
your judgment tower, look
downhill, point fingers
because then you don't
have to listen to anybody
else straightening you
out.
But what happens is you
get in a loop like this
and it reinforces itself.
It's an echo chamber and
you freeze in like that.
It ruins relationships, it
can wreck marriages, and
it can cause estrangement
between you and your kids
or you and your parents
that never gets bridged
and this coolness sets in,
which becomes a coldness,
and then you just think,
"Well, I don't speak to
her anymore."
And you go, "What?
You're flesh and blood!"
"Yeah, we don't talk."
"What?"
It's because you've
allowed yourself to get
locked into an anger loop
and you think you're in
the right because you made
up your mind long ago that
this person is a hopeless
jerk.
Well, that's the way of
Satan.
I know how we get into
that because every
negative feature I just
described, I'm describing
them with great clarity
and passion because I've
felt them all myself so I
know what I'm talking
about.
But there's a better way
and I'd like to dig into
that better with our Bible
study from Romans 12.
Would you take your Bible
out and look it up with
me?
Mobile devices are
allowed; no emails please.
And turn to Romans 12 -
I'd like to kind of taste
and savor with you the
last two paragraphs of
Romans 12.
This is in the applied
Christianity section of
Romans.
The first eight chapters -
maybe more eloquently than
anywhere else in all of
Scripture - describe how
sinners like you and me
get saved; how we are
justified by the
incredible choice of the
Father from all eternity
who decided to go after
you.
So you've been mercied and
graced, even before you
were born.
When you were still an
idea, God decided to have
mercy on you from all
eternity.
The wonderful blood of
Jesus shed on the cross
justified you.
Your faith in Christ
through the power of
washing and the word, your
faith brings you
justification.
That's how you become a
believer.
The back half of the book
talks about how to live
now that you are a
Christian.
And see, here's the funny
thing: Living the
Christian life seems to go
exactly opposite of the
way our normal business
life would play out; the
normal instincts that
people have.
Anger solves nothing;
fixes nothing, helps
nothing.
But we do it because our
instincts are along those
lines.
Here's a better way.
The first paragraph I'd
like to read with you
gives examples of the
upside down nature of life
in God's kingdom.
These are kingdom
principles; it's how God
wants things to work.
And they sure seem
backwards.
Verse 14 says, "Bless
those who persecute you."
Man, it's hard for me even
to say that because I know
I've fallen so short of
it.
Bless those who persecute
you?
So when somebody whacks
you, do you say, "Thank
you, sir.
May I have another?"
What?
[Audience: Laughter] Bless
those who persecute you?
I would - I kind of wish
verse 14 said, "Smash
those who persecute you
and teach them never to do
that again."
But no, God says, "Bless
those who persecute you."
Does that make Christians
look like spineless wimps
who just become doormats
for the rest of the world?
What?
And, "Don't curse either."
Not only absorb it but
don't cuss them out.
And you might give a
little bit of thought to
our Lord Jesus - his
teaching and his personal
example and his actual
work of saving us - was
exemplified by his
behaviors on the cross.
What's the first thing out
of Jesus' mouth as he was
being crucified?
What did he say?
"Father, [Audience:
forgive them] for they
[Audience: know not what
they do]."
He was showing mercy to
his tormentors.
He could have spoken a
word and incinerated them.
He could have done to them
what was done to the Nazi
guys in Raiders of the
Lost Ark when they lifted
the ark off and their
faces all just melted.
Jesus just could have
given a puff of his super
hot breath and simply
melted their flesh right
off their bones and a
bunch of skeletons
standing there would have
simply crumpled to the
ground because there was
no flesh left.
He could have done that!
But instead, he said,
"Father, show them mercy."
Ironically, the centurion
who was supervising that
crucifixion detail came to
the realization that they
had just crucified the Son
of God.
Maybe he became a
believer!
Maybe we're going to
celebrate in heaven the
very first fruits of mercy
instead of retaliative
justice.
I used "justice" like this
because you and I are not
very good at it.
"Rejoice with those who
rejoice; mourn with those
who mourn."
That seems like a bit of a
puzzling statement but I
think I've got it figured
out.
What I think this means is
don't think you're so
doggone important and get
involved in the lives of
the people around you and
show them some interest.
Don't just pretend you're
interested in them.
Don't just use it to sort
of manipulate them but
honestly put your own brag
stories aside and clap and
cheer for somebody else
for a change.
Make some other poor
shpeel feel important.
Our world beats people
down and makes them feel
like trash.
One of the ways you can
show your faith is by
making somebody else feel
important.
Rejoice with them!
If something happened,
don't just say, "Dang, why
do you always have good
stuff happening and I
always pick the wrong line
to be in?
When I'm standing in line
for those gifts, I got
nothing.
I got nothing; you got
everything."
You just there like, you
know, your lower lip comes
out a little bit farther
as you sulk.
No, no, no, no.
Rejoice with people who've
got something going on!
Clap and cheer for them.
That doesn't diminish you.
In fact, it will make
people love you more than
ever.
Make them celebrate what's
going on and when they're
hurt and grieving, don't
run like crazy.
A friend in need is a
friend to avoid, right?
[Audience: Laughter] Run
like the wind when you see
somebody with some broken
mess coming towards you.
No, no, no, no, no.
Grieve with people who are
grieving.
Don't say, "Man, you think
I don't have enough
problems myself?
I'm not going to drag your
problems, too.
Then my life - then my
load's going to be twice
as heavy."
In fact, the reverse
happens.
What you will find is
gospel magic happens.
When you rejoice with
somebody, the joy gets
twice as good.
When you grieve with
somebody, the pain somehow
becomes only half as
heavy.
And you're going to
inspire that person also
to be there for you.
Because when you've got a
heavy load and you're
staggering around, it's
too heavy to carry all by
yourself.
But when you have a
relationship with somebody
with whom you have
rejoiced and grieved for
them, they will be there
for you.
Making other people feel
important is the work of
Jesus Christ.
"Live in harmony with one
another."
Boy, that's harder than it
sounds, isn't it, because
the easy thing to do is to
fight all the time because
other people are so stupid
and sinful, aren't they
when you think about it?
It's hard living with so
many fools and jerks in
the world.
Live in harmony.
That's - see, you know I
don't really mean that;
I'm just saying that.
"Live in harmony with one
another."
Being a peacemaker is hard
work.
It means you're absorbing
sometimes other people's
anger and you choose not
to get upset over it.
You choose not to remember
it.
You choose not to throw
that back in their face as
soon as you can.
Being a peacemaker means
you listen twice before
acting.
Usually, we want to go in
and straighten the other
idiots out in the world
around us and this says,
no, listen twice.
Listen three times, first,
and allow other people a
chance to express what's
so upsetting to them.
And look for a way to
bring people together.
This is work; it's totally
worth it.
It's also your work;
you're being commissioned
to this by our Lord.
"Don't be proud."
Obviously, we naturally
are kind of full of
ourselves.
"Be willing to associate
with people of low
position."
It's the natural thing to
always look up and to envy
people up and to hang out
with them hoping that some
of the crumbs from their
bigger spread at their
table will fall to you.
You know, hanging out with
people who've got nicer
houses or that will give
you rides in their cool
cars or you just kind of -
we kind of aspire upward.
But this is a mark of your
faith that you pay as much
attention to people down
market as up market and
make people who have less
than you - and who are
very aware of it - that
you make them feel
important and that you're
on their level, as well.
We're all - we all equally
need grace and mercy from
our God.
I'm no better than you.
"Don't be conceited," Paul
writes.
You know, conceit is one
of those sins that nobody
ever confesses.
I have heard a lot of
people's messes over my
pastor years but nobody
ever once has confessed,
"You know, Pastor Mark, I
really am conceited."
Nobody ever says that.
And in fact, those words
have never come out of my
mouth either.
In my own personal
prayers, I've never said,
"Lord, I'm such a
conceited jerk."
See, other people are
conceited.
It's like being a
Pharisee.
How many times have you
ever personally confessed
to being a Pharisee?
Probably zero; I wouldn't
be surprised if just about
all of you said zero;
"I've never actually said,
'Lord, forgive me for
being such a Pharisee.'"
We can sure see it in
other people.
My conceit-meter is great
working on you!
I can smell it and hear it
when I see you acting
jerky.
But I don't see it in
myself so if you're
wondering, "Am I
conceited?"
don't do your own
self-evaluation.
You know what to do?
Ask the person next to you
in the pew.
Ask somebody from your
family and give them
permission to tell you
when you are just a little
too full of yourself and
allow them to have that
freedom to say it so that
you know when to dial it
down.
Now it gets intense: "Do
not repay anyone evil for
evil."
Vengeance and retaliation
are God's business, not
yours and mine.
"Be careful to do what's
right in the eyes of
everybody."
So do not settle for
burning up relationships
and moving on.
Don't wreck relationships
and just walk away.
Seek to do whatever you
can to bring about a
restoration.
"If it's possible" - as
far as it depends on you;
you can't control other
people's behavior - but
you sure can control
yours.
"Live at peace with
everyone."
Don't enjoy fighting.
The adrenaline rush of
fighting wears off soon
and you can do such
terrible damage.
"Don't take revenge, my
friends.
Leave room for God's
wrath."
Do you know why?
Because you and I do such
a crummy job at it.
First of all, a judging
spirit is not the right
kind of spirit when we
have received so much
amazing grace, love,
mercy, and forgiveness
from our Savior.
How can we cheat other
people out of it and
shortchange other people?
For we were given mercy
not to come to us, but to
come to us and through us
and flow on, like we are
its - we are just a pass
through; it comes to us so
that we can show mercy to
other people.
Another reason why God
doesn't want us to do any
judging is we do such a
crummy job of it.
We misunderstand and
misinterpret where blame
really lies, usually
giving ourselves a free
pass and being very dialed
in to other people's
failings.
And we totally cannot be
trusted with what's the
right punishment that
ought to be dished out?
Let God take care of that.
He will.
He promises you.
You are not letting evil
skate when you let go of
your personal anger.
You just choose to let it
go, just like when my dear
wife and I see - go to a
rummage sale or see
something and we think,
"Hey, this would look cool
in our house."
We've got to say to each
other, "Let it go."
In fact, we should be
making donations to every
rummage sale we see
instead of accumulating
more junk.
Don't tell her I said
that, okay?
[Audience: Laughter] It's
my fault as much as hers;
we've got to do better at
that.
Let it go because God will
do a much better job and
he will take care of it.
You don't have to worry
that you're enabling bad
behavior because you are
not acting as the
attorney, prosecuting
attorney, for other
people's flaws.
"Don't take revenge."
Sorry, gangster movies.
Bad ideas.
Don't take revenge.
God says, "It's mine to
avenge.
I will repay,' says the
Lord.
On the contrary: If your
enemy's hungry, feed him."
Shock them.
"If she's thirsty, give
her something to drink.
In doing this, you will
heap burning coals on her
head."
Shock people by being kind
when they have been jerky
to you.
And do you know what will
happen?
They'll be ashamed and
embarrassed of their harsh
words and you might just
restore a relationship.
Why?
Because you had the nerve
and the grace to go first.
Any idiot can run away and
say, "Well, when she
changes, then we can talk
again.
But, you now, she's got to
make the first move."
And that person's
thinking, "What a jerk she
is; when she makes the
first move."
So two people angrily
drifting apart, stewing in
their own vile juices, are
waiting for each other and
that day never happens
because they're too dang
proud and too angry to
take the first step.
So you know the messes
that you've got and
possibly, some of them are
because you're too caught
up in your own emotions to
take that first step of
reconciliation.
You can't change other
people nor can you live
other people's lives for
them or do other people's
words and actions for them
but you can control
yourself.
And here's the big finale
and what I want to get to:
Anger is a choice and you
have power over it!
You are not a slave of
your anger.
Your anger must obey you.
You are not captive to
your emotions.
Redeemed by Christ, you
are now also empowered by
Christ.
You can choose to let your
anger go.
Even if you're right, you
can let it go and let God
take care of doing
whatever he needs to do to
change the other person or
to condemn the other
person.
You let God do the
condemning; you can let it
go.
It's okay.
And second, forgiving
someone else, even if it's
just in your heart, is a
choice not a feeling.
You don't have to feel
lovey-dovey but you can
choose to let go of your
anger and you can choose
in your heart to forget
someone who has hurt you -
forgive someone - even,
and actually, not forget.
You can forgive someone
while not forgetting,
while remembering, and
that's the real way to
show Christ, is by
forgiving while you're
remembering.
Because forgiving and
forgetting is probably
impossible.
You can't - you don't have
selective control over all
the files in your head as
you do on your computer.
But to forgive while
remembering means you will
let God take care of the
judging and you're going
to let go of your anger
and move on.
And as much as you can, as
much as within you, by
showing acts of kindness
to the person, you may
just inspire that person
to repent and to show
kindness also to you.
You might be able to save
a relationship.
So if somebody at work has
been really mean to you,
bake her a loaf of bread
and shock them.
When somebody has said
something mean to you,
send that person a card, a
Jesus card: "I'm praying
for you today."
[Pastor: Laughter] You
don't have to say what
you're praying about,
just, "I'm praying for you
today."
[Audience: Laughter] Shock
them and let them know
that you are retaliating
not with more anger and
violence but you're giving
back mercy.
Why?
Because God has done that
same thing for you.
He's only asking you to
treat other people the way
he has chosen to forgive
you.
He chose to let go of his
anger through the blood of
Jesus at you, though you
richly deserve it.
He chooses to announce
forgiveness to you though
he didn't have to.
In the same way, he
invites you to flex your
brain muscles now and your
heart muscles and your
faith muscles.
He invites you to choose
to let go of your anger
and to choose to forgive
and let God.
You can choose to let God
do his job and let him
take care of the other
sinners in his way.
"Do not be overcome by
evil but overcome evil
with good."
This is hard to do and I'm
just saying, this is hard.
But who are you going to
trust?
The Bible or your lying
eyes?
It may seem by what you've
observed that you're just
rolling over and going to
become a doormat but in
fact, God says your life
will get so much better
when you empty out all the
battery acid in your
stomach.
Let it go, as though
you're just draining the
tank.
Let it out.
In fact, I invite you to
just drop it here in
church today and go home
without it.
You're going to like your
life a whole lot better
and just drop on God the
responsibility to tune up
the person who has hurt
you.
And ask for forgiveness
for hurts that you have
dealt to other people and
also, though, you can't
see it, trust that you
will have forgiveness
through Christ for the
harm you have done to
other people.
And you can go home
lighter without that guilt
dogging you down either.
"Don't be overcome by
evil.
Overcome evil with good."
Christ Jesus has shown us
by his personal example.
Christ Jesus has won us
that mercy by his
wonderful work in life and
death and resurrection.
And now, he invites and
even commands you to do
nothing less than the path
that he has laid forward.
Our Father has given us
clarity.
Our Lord Jesus has given
us forgiveness for our own
mountains of personal
sins.
And now, the Holy Spirit
gives us the wisdom and
the power to make these
choices; the choice to let
go and the choice to
forgive.
Does that make sense?
[Audience: Yes] Okay.
Easier to understand, hard
to do.
But we've got some work to
do this week so let's do
it.
Amen.
[MUSIC]
[PASTOR MICHAEL
NOVOTNY] Where do we go
with our anger?
We go to Jesus.
Don't you love that
beautiful line from Romans
12 that we can overcome
evil with good?
I know that's hard for us
to do when someone wrongs
us and anger stirs up in
our hearts but isn't that
exactly the way Jesus has
treated us first?
At the cross, Jesus
overcame all of your evil
and my evil with good;
with the selflessness and
sacrifice and his mercy
and his grace.
So before you have a
conversation with that
person who makes you
angry, before you call out
to God with your
bitterness and frustration
over what happened, take a
good long look at Jesus.
Remember how instead of
being angry at you and at
me, God chose to deal with
his anger at the cross.
Jesus is the perfect
answer to the anger that
we feel in our hearts.
I'll be back with you in a
moment to pray.
[PROMOTION - PASTOR MARK
JESKE] As believers, we're
called to go and make
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[PASTOR MICHAEL NOVOTNY]
One of the best ways to
deal with our anger is
through the power of
prayer.
That's why we're so
grateful here at Time of
Grace that we don't have
to pray alone but you join
us day after day and week
after week, asking God to
give us a spirit of
forgiveness as we remember
how much Jesus has first
forgiven us.
On that note, would you
please join me and pray?
Dear God, It's so hard for
us to be sinned against
and not give into sinful
anger.
When we feel injustice,
when we've been wronged,
when someone has used
their words, their
choices, and those choices
and sins damage us deeply
in our hearts, we're so
close to the edge of sin.
And so, we pray for your
heart, God.
We pray that we can
remember the massive
amount that you've
forgiven us; that instead
of being angry with us
despite all of our sin,
you've chosen to love us
and accept us because of
what Jesus did.
I pray, God, that you
plant the gospel as a seed
deep in our heart that one
day we can bear the fruit
of true forgiveness and
love as we've first been
loved.
God, we pray for our
hurting brothers and
sisters; those who are
angry, those who are
dealing with sin in their
lives.
Not just their own sin,
but the sins committed
against them.
Help us to wrap our arms
around them and know that
they're loved.
Help us to walk with them
through the fields of
bitterness until we get to
this beautiful place where
we can let things go
because we know that
you're God and that you're
good.
We pray that you would
answer these prayers and
if it is your will, answer
them quickly as we come to
you in Jesus' name.
Amen.
With Time of Grace, I'm
Pastor Mike Novotny and it
all starts now.
[PASTOR MARK JESKE]
I am very thankful for all
of the love, prayers, and
support you have given to
this ministry.
We are blessed beyond
measure to have you along
on this amazing journey.
You know, if you asked me
17 years ago what I
thought Time of Grace
would look like in 2018, I
would never have guessed that
we would be where we are today.
Advancements in technology
and generous gifts from
people just like you have
allowed us to spread God's
Word into every television
market in the U.S.
as well as markets
overseas.
I am proud and thankful
for what God has helped us
achieve over the years,
but I feel strongly that
Time of Grace must
continue to change.
That's why I have decided
that after Easter Sunday of
2019 I will transition out
of the role as lead
speaker on this television
program.
But I'm not leaving Time
of Grace!
In fact, I'm excited to
announce that I will be
assisting in the
transition of Pastor Mike
Novotny to lead speaker of
this television program.
Pastor Mike is going to
bring new energy and
excitement for proclaiming
God's Word.
Our prayer is that you and
a new generation of
viewers will experience
the same spiritual growth
and renewal that you've
already experienced in
God's grace.
These are very exciting
times, and I have never
been more confident in our
mission and in our future.
I am counting on you to
provide support, guidance,
and prayers as we continue
to share the timeless
truths of God's Word with
people around the world.
[MUSIC}
[ANNOUNCER] The
preceding program was
brought to you by
the friends and partners
of Time of Grace.
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