Bitterness Stings

Text – Heb. 12:15 -  NKJV

looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled

This verse says much to us: also NIV translation

NIV      

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

A)    Dissecting this verse –

1)    Comparing these two translations the gist seems clear cut.

            Don’s version

·         Make sure no one, I mean no one, misses out on what God, the Master Of The Universe has to give each one of us as a free gift, (Eph. 2:8-9) and so that nothing we do or say causes others to have a bad attitude and a ruined perspective.

B)    We cause bitterness in others most often by things we say – offend = GR – aproskopos – void of offense not to stumble.

1)     bitterness or being offended come in only two ways

a)     what someone says or doesn’t say.

b)     What someone does or doesn’t do

           

James 3:5-8 – (read)

5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  (fire useful in check…unchecked = great disaster)

            Leaven / yeast  (1 Corinthians 5:6)

 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

·         These verses tell us what we already know, that things we say can and do sometimes cause others hurt (intentional or not).

C)   Be careful what we speak

(1)          Why does hell make what we say a stumbling block?

To destroy others

1.     Luke 17:1 

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe [unto him],    through whom they come!

·         Jesus tells His disciples (us) that we will be offended by what people say

·         Offense = Greek “scandalous”  = “trip and fall”

·         The way this sentence or verse constructed  “offenses will come” can be translated “ let it go”

·         He is saying “get a grip on yourself – you can deal with it” – “let it go!” – simple not easy

D)    We know or can guess, when Jesus tells us we have a problem He is also going to tell us how to deal with it.

With an illustration  and teaching. Luke : 1-6 (read)

1.     In these verses or teaching Jesus teaches on 3 things

a)     sin

b)     faith

c)     forgiviness – They were saying increase our faith so we can forgive

A)    In this study only the forgiveness aspect of the teaching will be dealt with

All are very important

1.     Luke 17:6 seen only (by many) as a teaching on faith.

2.     also an illustration of removing the bitterness or offenses that will come.

3.     In this teaching He has already mentioned forgiveness and sin.

B)    He uses sycamine tree as an example in vs. 6.

a)     He uses this example for reason – sycamine tree, like bitterness or offense, has very deep roots, grows in very dry, arid climates – just like bitterness

b)     Wood very hard and tough – just like bitterness. (preferred wood for making caskets)

c)     Only pollinated when it’s fruit stung by a wasp. (specific to that region) – being offended stings!

Jesus tells us, in this teaching, that offense, causing bitterness stings, but they can be removed by forgiveness – HE TELLS US TO LET IT GO!

He tells us we can forgive by faith – for our own sake