Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ. Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church, located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Let's talk about the prison of resentment. And I appreciate, yeah, I know.
And Brother Brandon does a fantastic job teaching one of our adult classes, and we appreciate them. I'm glad that they're here. We want to talk tonight just simply about things to remember when dealing with resentment. We've talked a lot about resentment, but I want to give you some thoughts, some things that you need to remember when you're dealing with it, maybe to help you get out of this mode, okay? And just some really good verses.
This isn't taking one passage. I just want to show you a number of passages that speak to this particular subject tonight. I hope it'll be a blessing to you. And so let's pray, ask God to bless it, and then we're going to jump right into it. I know you're warm.
We'll get through it pretty quick. And I just appreciate you being faithful. This will be literally, this is our eighth sermon. on the subject of resentment. And you've received it so well.
I hope it's been a help. I've had a lot of people say it has.
So let's pray tonight, it'll be a help too. Let's pray, Lord, we love you. Lord, we pray for our country tonight, and over these next months, Lord, I really pray that you would bring grace and give mercy to this country. And we continue to ask that our country would turn to you. but it has to start with us.
And so, Lord, I pray that you would bless. I pray you'd bless our sermon tonight, our message tonight. Thank you for faithful and thankful people tonight. Thank you for testimonies. Speaking about your goodness, your healing, your grace.
Lord, it would be sad to serve such a wonderful God. To be so blessed in life and to be bogged down with resentment.
So, Lord, I pray you'd help us tonight once again with this subject. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Number one, tonight, these are some things you need to remember when you're dealing with resentment. Number one, you need to remember that God is in control.
Now, this is not just generic things. Let's just come up with some good biblical things to throw out there, just a good slogan, and we'll just come up. I want you to look at Luke chapter 12, verse 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, therefore, and listen, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Now, you need to understand something, whatever you go through in your life. You need to understand that ultimately God is in control.
Now, and let me tell you how important you are to God. In this passage, why are we even selling sparrows? You know, I don't know if you've ever asked this question when you read this, okay, we know that, and by the way, earlier in Luke, it was two sparrows for the same price, and then now we're at five sparrows for the same price. And why is anybody buying sparrows? What's the deal with that?
And for temple worship and temple sacrifice, sparrows were the smallest and cheapest. Sacrifice that you could purchase. Many times they would sell, of course, different animals that you could spend as much as you want for sacrifice. But literally, for poor people and people that were somewhat forgotten, they could come in and they could buy some sparrows. It was the cheapest thing they could find.
It was literally the smallest thing allowed as a sacrifice, and they would purchase these sparrows for that.
So let's think about this. Five sparrows are sold. God knows exactly how much they were sold for. God said, these five sparrows were sold for two farthings. Why does anybody even care?
And yet, God took notice exactly how many sparrows there were, exactly how much they were sold for. God knows exactly how much they were sold for. It might just be that after they were sold, they were used for different things or different purposes. They could have been used for sacrifice, they could have been used for supper. You say, what do you mean?
Well, in Bible days, sparrows were the cheapest meat. that you can find. I didn't know all this until I researched it. And that literally that sparrows was actually, people would buy sparrows to eat. Because they couldn't afford any other kind of meat or whatever, so they would get.
So we don't know if these sparrows were bought to be sacrificed. We don't know if they were bought for supper. Either way, they were done for. All right. But God took notice of everything about that.
That means this: God is not just aware that they were there, God was aware that they were alive, and not just aware what they were sold for, but He was aware of every second of the life of these five sparrows that are so meaningless and insignificant, and yet God knew every detail about it. And in the middle of all that, God says, And I know everything about you, even the very hairs on your head. God knows every little detail about you, and He says, I know all this about the sparrows, you're very much more important than the sparrows. What does this mean? It means: listen, don't go through things and go through hurt and people wound you and different things, and you begin to think maybe God doesn't care, God's not aware.
Are you kidding me? God is more aware of things in your life than you are. You and I need to remember that God is in control. Don't ever think that anything is ever out of God's control. It's not.
God is always in control. And you need to know that, or you're going to be eaten up with resentment. Because resentment means you think that the other person is in control. And when you develop resentment at somebody, they still have control over you. And we need to know that God is in control, not them.
Notice number two: remember, trust God to repay this. Trust God to repay this. Many times, resentment enters because you don't think that the person ever paid for what they did. The person never truly suffered for what they did. Look at this verse, 2 Timothy 4:14.
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil. Let's just stop right there. That's not a very good testimony about somebody. But notice what it says: the Lord reward him according to his works. You and I like to reward them according to their works.
We want to make them pay. But what he says here is this: this guy did me wrong, but I really have nothing to do with it after that. He did me wrong. I need to rest in the fact that God is going to take care of this, God will reward him for the things that he did to me. When you get resentment, you begin to think that literally, if you let it go, that they're going to get all free.
That if I stop resenting them, they're never going to pay for this. It makes no sense, but that's what we grab onto in our minds because they're off living their life, even though it's still controlling you. But you and I need to understand that God will repay this.
Some way, sometime, one way or another. And can I tell you what's probably not going to happen? The person that might have done you wrong and you resent them, let me tell you what's not going to happen. Later on in life, God arranges circumstances and they pay for what they've done and God rewards them according to their works. They're not going to pick up the phone and call you.
Hey, by the way, listen, I really did you wrong years ago. Just wanted to let you know God finally Made me pay for that. Just wanted to let you know you'll feel better about it. They're never going to call you. You're never going to know, and guess what?
You don't need to know. All you need to know is scripture. And the scripture says that God will reward them according to their works. Number three, remember that you want God to forgive you. You want God to forgive you, and I hope tonight you want God to forgive you.
Look at this verse, Mark 11:25. And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any, that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive. Your trespasses. See, the preacher, I'm confused about this because I thought when I'm saved, I'm forgiven.
And now you're saying if I don't forgive, I'm not forgiven.
Well, remember, we have to understand there is a judgment of condemnation, there's a judgment of evaluation. Listen, just because you and I will not have. condemnation. Because we're saved, we're forgiven. But at the same point, we will give account and we will reap what we sow.
In our life. Everybody understand that.
So, literally, here, what it's saying is this: you want God to forgive you. You need to make sure you're willing to forgive others. Resentment is me choosing not to forgive. And that's dangerous ground to walk on with God. Notice number four.
Very important. Remember, focus on God. Not the offender. Focus on God, not the offender.
Now you know this passage, but look at it, Colossians 3:1. If ye then be risen with Christ, good question. If you're saved. What does it mean risen with Christ?
Well, to those of us who have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we were dead in trespasses in sin. But when you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you're resurrected in Christ. We are risen with Christ. He's the first fruits of that. Everybody understand that.
So we're talking about somebody that's saved here. Notice this. If ye then be risen, if you're saved, If you're a believer, Seek those things which are above. Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Why are you supposed to seek things above?
Because Christ is there. Do you understand the whole principle here? You're supposed to focus on heavenly things. Why? Because that's where Jesus is.
Your focus is supposed to be on Christ. But notice what it says here: set your affection on things above. Not on things on the earth. I'm going to tell you, resentment happens because we just can't get our mind off of the offense. or the offender.
And you and I need to understand you've got to get your focus, you've got to set your affection on things above. You literally got to get, you got to seek those things which are above. It's a choice that you and I have to make. Number five. Remember, you cannot hurt a dead man.
Yeah, let's see it. When you've been saved, for ye are dead. And your life is hid where? Your life is hid where? With Christ.
in God.
So that means this: that the moment I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior. I am now risen with Christ, which means I'm alive. But that means at the same moment I should now be dead. to self. And guess what?
You can't do to a dead man? You can't hurt him. You can kick 'em. Don't know why you'd want to. Unless it's a Rambo movie, it's not enough they're dead.
They gotta keep going at them or something like that. Listen, you can kick a dead man, but you can't hurt him anymore. He's dead. And you and I need to understand something with resentment when we're saved. We are dead.
Our life is no longer about us. It is hid. with Christ. It's no longer our life now.
So we really don't have the right to go around getting our feelings hurt all the time. Because we are supposed to be dead. Supposed to be not about us anymore. Does that make sense to you say amen, if it does? I didn't mean it's easy, but if it makes sense, it's what the Bible teaches.
Notice number six. Remember, get busy serving the Lord. These are things you need to remember when you're dealing with resentment. One of the best things to fix resentment is to get busy serving God. One of the worst things when dealing with resentment is to sit and do nothing.
One of the worst things, resentment will grow if you're not busy serving others. Because you're going to sit, you're going to fester, you're going to replay it, you're going to focus on the offense, you're going to focus on the offender, you're going to get hurt all over again. It's as if they did it to you every day of your life. Notice this passage, Hebrews 6.10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name.
Not towards people. But to his name. We get busy serving God, not for people. But for God, notice this, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, notice this, to the full assurance of hope.
Unto the end. Do you understand what the passage is saying? That if you get busy serving and ministering to people, it literally leads to hope. It leads to a total different outlook on life when you do that. The most miserable person is a Christian who's not serving.
I'm just being honest with you. A Christian that's just sitting, taking everything in, never giving anything out, turns critical. All they do is find fault and everything else, and they'll just fester, and it's all about them, and they become narcissistic, and they don't even realize it. One of the best things you can do is start serving. Start serving.
And literally, it leads to hope unto the end. Notice that ye be not slothful.
Well, preacher, I've been hurt. Yes, you may have been hurt, and I've been hurt, but that gives us no excuse to be slothful. We're to be serving. Yeah, but I just don't think I can deal with people right now. That's no excuse that ye be not slothful, notice, but followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.
Get busy serving the Lord. Number seven. I want you to notice this, and this is a Passage that is just chock full. You notice I'm going pretty good right through this, right? Right?
Hey, we're already through six of them. Amen?
Well, how many of them are there, preacher? Don't you worry about that right now. We've already made it through six, so we're doing pretty good. There's only ten. There's only ten.
Some of you were thinking maybe there's only seven. There's 10, okay, but there's not 20, so that's good. Number seven, remember, be thankful. Be thankful.
Now look at this passage. 1 Thessalonians 5. You're aware of it, you've seen it, but look at it in light of context. Of this thing with resentment. Look at verse 15.
See that none render evil for evil unto who? Any man. That's resentment. To the fact that now I want bad that he said no no no no Don't you render evil for evil. Notice this, but ever follow that which is good both among yourselves.
believers and to all men. Wow, now notice what he says, rejoice evermore.
Well, that's the opposite of resentment. I tell you, I have resentment towards somebody, and I want them to go through what I've been through or worse. I'm not rejoicing. He says, listen, if you're going to rejoice evermore, you've got to decide right now. I'm not going to render evil for evil.
Notice this, look at verse 17. Pray without ceasing. There you go. Listen, I'm dealing with this resentment. Get with God about this.
Get with God. Rejoice evermore. Notice this, in everything. Here's the key. Give thanks.
Now, you've seen this before, I've taught it to you, but it doesn't say for everything, give thanks. There's just some things we don't need to be thankful for.
Somebody comes and hurts one of my family, I'm not thankful for that. But what he is saying here, he says, in everything. Even if it's something bad, in everything. There is still reason to be thankful. To God.
Notice this: In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. What is not God's will for you is to harbor resentment. What is not God's will is for you to render evil for evil. What is not God's will is for you to be mad and bitter that this has happened to you. In everything, give thanks.
That's the will of God. for you.
Now notice what he says in verse 23. Notice how this whole passage works together with it. and the very God of peace. Do you hear that? That's what resentment robs you of.
Peace. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. I pray, God, you're whole. Listen to this, Spirit. And soul And body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Your spirit, soul, body. What is resentment attack? All three.
Well, no, preacher resentment attacks my spirit. Yeah, it does. You're saying it retail Listen, I believe that people sometimes are physically sick because of bitterness and resentment in their life. I can give you passages about it. I'm sitting here telling you the God of peace wants you to have peace, but our resentment is going to attack our body, soul, and spirit.
And God wants us to have peace in our body, soul, and spirit. Amen. Remember, be thankful.
Well, preacher, I'm having trouble with that. Figure it out. Get in your Bible, find something to be thankful for. Notice number eight. Remember, rest in God's grace.
And listen, this is of utmost importance. Everything we're talking about here, it's going to have to be the grace of God. It's just God's grace. Look at Hebrews 12:28. Let us have grace.
whereby we may serve God acceptably. with reverence. and godly fear. Let us have. Grace.
Grace is the key. What is grace? We all, okay, God riches at Christ's expense, yes. But what is grace? Grace is everything God has that you don't have.
And for you to get over this is going to take everything God has. because you don't have it. Let us have grace. And here's the good news. God's grace is sufficient.
It's available and it's enough. Number nine. Remember, you have a calling on your life.
Now this is big. 1 Peter 5.10. But the God of all, what did we just talk about? Grace. But the God of all grace.
who hath called us Unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. After that ye have suffered a while. Resentment. Struggling, anger, bitterness. After you've suffered a while, the God of all grace, notice this, this is what He does.
Make you perfect.
Now listen. Establish Strengthen And don't you love these last two words? Settle you. Nothing could describe how you feel when you have resentment in your life. That God can settle you.
Resentment brings turmoil, agitation, constant stuff, constant going on. and the God of all grace. Listen, the God of all grace. has called you God has a calling on your life. He has a purpose for you.
He has something. What he doesn't have for you is for us to sit. And sulk and mourn and grieve because of what He has a calling for us to serve Him. And the God of all grace can literally work in you to make you established, to give you strength. What does resentment do?
It robs you of your strength, robs you of your joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. But notice this: it'll settle you.
Some of you just, some people dealing with are so unsettled. They're just constantly up and down and mad and angry and Whoa, whoa, whoa. The God of all grace. has called you. And he will establish you.
He will strengthen you. But get this, he'll settle you. Calm you. Give you victory. Over this.
Amen. Number ten. You say this is the last one? Yes. Last one.
No, it's a long one, but it's the last one, okay? And it's a big one. Remember to pray for the person you resent. Shouldn't I just go ahead and close here, not explain it, not give the verse enough's enough, right? Enough's enough, preacher.
Let's not go too far. 1 Timothy 2.1. I exhort, therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for who? Ouch. We're supposed to pray for all men.
Even those that have hurt us. Amen. We're supposed to not just pray for him, we're supposed to be, it says, giving him thanks. Anybody else convicted? Just me?
Let me read you another one. Luke 6, 27. But I say unto you which hear, love your enemies. Do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you.
And pray for them which despitefully. Use You. Anybody want to argue with God? Anybody want to say I've taken it out of context? I don't know how much clearer it can be made.
I'm not saying it's easy. Lord knows, and I'm not saying I'm there or I've always even been there. I'm telling you, this is not Daniel Hawtrey's standard. This is God's standard. Daniel Hotry doesn't always make it to God's standard.
being honest. But it is still God's standard. Just because it's difficult, just because it's hard to get there, just because we struggle with it, doesn't mean it's still not God's standard. 1 Peter 3.9. Not rendering evil for evil.
or railing for railing. but instead, contrary wise. Instead of that. Blessing. Knowing that ye are thereunto called.
Listen. That ye should inherit. A blessing. Preacher, why do I got to pray for my Enemy, why do I have to pray for the one that I resent? Simple question.
Do you want God to bless you or not?
Now, if you're content to live without God's blessing, I can't do anything about that. But this verse says, This is what you've been called to, so that you. can inherit A blessing. You praying for those that you resent. ends up bringing blessing.
On you. Can I tell you why I've always struggled with that? I'm afraid that that's the one prayer God's going to answer. Been praying to be a millionaire for years. That's never worked.
Been praying for a lot of things that never happened, but I feel like my luck is the one time I pray for my enemy that God will bless him, that's the one God's going to answer. Great. You know, we struggle with it because we're afraid. Why am I praying that God would bless their life? I'll tell you why.
Because God said, first off, that's what I've called you to do. But secondly, In praying for you. and praying for God to bless them. God Blesses you. Everybody receive it simply tonight.
This is like a little bit of a break instead of real deep study. This is just verses that teach us principles about resentment. And you and I need to remember this. And I ended with number 10 because that's a tough one.
So here's what we're going to do tonight. in our invitation. I'm going to ask Ms. Salter to go to the piano. We're going to bow in a minute and Some of you might say, you know, preacher, I don't know that I really have resentment.
But I'm still a little bit bothered by something.
Some of you might would say, hey, preacher. Listen, I've been listening to all these things, but I admit I struggle with resentment. Whatever the case may be, here's what we're going to do: we're going to close the service. And we're going to bow our heads tonight. And I'm going to give just a couple.
Just a couple brief moments. And I want to ask you, you don't need to let me know who, it's none of our business. And I want to ask you to pray. for the person you struggle with.
Some of you are like, well, she's sitting right next to me. I don't need to know. She doesn't need to know. He doesn't need to know My son Hudson must have just said something to his mom. He's sitting right by mom.
I'm like, yeah, she is sitting right next to me the one I'm struggling with. No, I'm asking you tonight. Whoever it is. They might not be here. They might be here.
I don't know. But tonight You're like, I don't know about this. No, I mean listen, tap into this. We all like to think we're more spiritual than we are, but tonight Just for a few brief moments. Let's bow our heads right now.
Let's close our eyes. Yeah. I'll close here in just a minute, but can we start with Praying. For those that we resent. those that we're struggling with, those that have really pushed our buttons.
Let's pray for God's blessing on their life. Lord, we cannot do this in our own strength, but We can do it in your strength. Let us have grace. Because we just don't have it. We don't possess it.
We don't have that kind of strength, that kind of ability. But you do and Your grace does.
So we need your grace tonight. Thank you for our people and And thank you for their kindness and faithfulness to be here on a Sunday evening and Pray that you would bless them. And Lord, I just pray over these different times we've dealt with this subject.
Sometimes it takes more than one or two or three or four or five or six. But Lord, somehow I pray it'll get dealt with. Help me in my own life. to try to be clear and open and right before you. We love you.
And thank you for these precious people. Bless. Chloe Rochester right now, dear God, touch her. Give us a miracle. Lord, bless Eileen.
I pray you'd help her not just with tomorrow, but with the sickness she's feeling. Bless Eddie on Tuesday with his back surgery. Bless Pat. Lord, as she's dealing with some health issues. We appreciate the Lomiers.
We love them. We miss them. And I pray. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast.
The Kirwood Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192. or via the web. at Kerwin Baptist Church.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app.
Thank you for listening to the Kerwin Broadcast today. God bless you.
