MY HOPE IS IN YOU: The Heart Broken by Hatred 6-12-22
INTRODUCTION
”Friends
may come and go, but enemies accumulate.”
Thomas
Jones
One
of the worst cases of hatred I have ever come across is found in a will written
in 1935 by a Mr. Donohoe. It says, "Unto my two daughters, Frances Marie
and Denise Victoria, by reason of their unfilial attitude toward a doting
father...I leave the sum of $1.00 to each and a father's curse. May their lives
be fraught with misery, unhappiness, and poignant sorrow. May their deaths be soon
and of a lingering malignant and torturous nature."
The
last line of the will is so vicious I shudder to quote it. It reads, "May
their souls rest in hell and suffer the torments of the condemned for
eternity."
Our
Daily Bread, February 18, 1994
“Be merciful
to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their
attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are
attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I
praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? All
day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. They conspire,
they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life. Because of their
wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll— are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that
God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to
you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered
me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the
light of life.”
Psalms 56:1-13 NIV
I. THE CONTEXT OF HATRED
After
a tough and discouraging day at work, Melvin plopped himself on the couch and
began wallowing in self-pity. He moaned to his wife, "Nobody cares about
me. In fact, the whole world hates me."
Without
even looking up from her work, Melvin’s wife replied, "That’s not true,
honey. The whole world couldn’t possibly hate you, because most of them don’t
even know you."
(Source: Houston Chronicle, 11/29/6, p.E2.
From a sermon by Stephen Collins, "Part 3: Our Biggest Challenge"
1/14/2009)
“Be
merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they
press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many
are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I
praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Psalms 56:1-4 NIV
A. The story behind the story
“That
day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath. But the servants of
Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David, the king of the land? Isn’t he the one
they sing about in their dances: “ ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his
tens of thousands’?” David took these words to heart and was very much afraid
of Achish king of Gath. So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and
while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors
of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard. Achish said to his servants,
“Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen
that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me?
Must this man come into my house? David left Gath and escaped to the cave of
Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went
down to him there.”
1
Samuel 21:10-22:1 NIV
B. Running into hate
C. The cave of despair
II. THE WAY OF HATRED
A. The actions of his enemies
“Be
merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they
press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long”
Psalms 56:1-2a NIV
1. Pursuit - “trampled on me”
2. Press their attack - “oppressed”
3. Pursue - “trample”
B. The attitudes of his enemies
“In
their pride many are attacking me.”
Psalms 56:2b NIV
C. The attacks of his enemies
“All
day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. They conspire,
they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life. Because of their
wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down.”
Psalms 56:5-7 NIV
1. Misrepresent
2. Plot
3. Wish evil
III. THE COMPLEX RESPONSE OF GOD
A. God knows
“Record
my misery; list my tears on your scroll— are they not in your record? Then my
enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is
for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise— in God I
trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
Psalms 56:8-13 NIV
B. God allows
“During
the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with
fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was
heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned
obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of
eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high
priest in the order of Melchizedek.”
Hebrews 5:7-10 NIV
“No
discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it
produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained
by it.”
Hebrews 12:11 NIV
B. God overcomes
“Then
my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is
for me.”
Psalms 56:9 NIV
CONCLUSION
The
context of hatred, the way of hatred, the complex response of God
“I
am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you
have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before
God in the light of life.”
Psalms 56:12-13 NIV
Our
response - a. A thankful heart, b. A
faithful life
Story
taken from Dr. David Jeremiah:
The
Ortiz family ministers to a small congregation in Ariel, about 40 miles north
of Jerusalem. On the Feast of Purim, gifts of food and drink are sent to
friends. As if in celebration of the holiday, a gift basket was delivered to
the Ortiz home. 15 year old Ami was home alone, and he tore into the package
with the anticipation of some candy and some other sweet treat. He certainly
did not anticipate the explosion that ripped into his young body. Hundreds of
shards, including pieces of metal, safety pins, and screws, pierced him and
left him in critical condition. He was blinded by the shrapnel imbedded in his
eyes, and both eardrums were punctured, leaving him with a significant loss of
hearing. Ami spent 5 months in the hospital, lost some toes through amputation,
and endured nearly a year in a pressure suit to assist in his healing from his
severe burns.
When
Ami was questioned by the reporter about his attitude toward those who did this
evil to him, he replied: "I don’t feel hate. I don’t see a reason for it.
It’s just not there. It wasn’t there from the beginning. I don’t even know how
to explain it, but it’s just not there. No hate at all."
How
can Ami have no hate in his heart? Only through the cross of Christ.
“But
to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate
you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone
slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your
coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and
if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you
would have them do to you.”
Luke 6:27-31 NIV
VIDEO -
“Be a Light” - Thomas Rhett
CHALLENGE
What
will you do with what you have just heard?
How will you respond to the Holy Spirit working within you? The Challenge is intended to give us an
opportunity to contemplate what God is calling us to do in our lives. Consider these questions and write down your
answers.
1. Have you endured hatred?
2. Who has/does hate you?
3. How have you experienced hatred?
4. Have you forgiven those who hate you?
5. What good can you do to those who hate
you?
INVITATION
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