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Taking Hatred Head-on – 1
– The Origins of Hatred & How to Avoid the Trap
Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt!
Excited! New Series in October!
Scariest Season – Election Season.
Hatred Head On
Hatred is widespread.
- Political – Elephants and donkeys
- Yard signs and bumper stickers
- Assassination attempts
- Racial hatred, still a thing, but oddly difficult to discuss. BLM, all, blue…
- Immigrant issues – Political – Asylum seekers, refugees, through a legal port or not – unwelcome.
- Antisemitism – Jewish Hate
- Islamophobia – Muslim hate
- Asian Hate during covid-19
- Different lifestyle hate – LGBTQ+
- Cancel Culture – We disagree but I hate you so much… destroy you.
- Doxxing – Publicly revealing personal information about someone.
It is only getting worse! You agree?
Let’s take it head-on!
Series outline
Week 2
The High Cost of Hatred & a Better Option
What is it costing us?
Big-Gov does not have the best options..
People lost in hate need rescue
Week 3
Taking Hatred Head-on as a Peacemaker
Jesus teaches us how to fight like lambs. To be harmless as a dove, but wise as a serpent. How do we do this?
Week 4
Restoring What Hate Broke
Lot of wreckage – how can we heal?
I PROMISE
- Not political – Biblical
- Not hurt – help
- Not VOTE – heart
Today
The origins of Hatred & how to avoid the trap
Pray – Lord help us… Show us… Call us…
rorschach test
Scene from some movie…
“I hate you mom and dad!”
Where did that come from?
Imagine:
Driving – Road rage.
- Where is a policeman?
- I must beat them! Revenge!
- Yell – hits steering wheel.
Scrolling social media – All people who believe “A” are hypocrite scumbags.
- I’ll show them! *TYPES FEVERISHLY*
- Unfriend them – block them
- I’ll make my own passive aggressive post
On the job, or at school – your rival says something… or you see their weakness
- You undermine them – perhaps lie
- You spread hurtful information
- Re-enact conversations where you hurt them with your clever comebacks.
Someone expresses a different view
- One of THOSE people
A family member…
- You erupt.
Have you ever caught yourself feeling a surge of anger towards someone and wondered, “Where did that come from?”
We don’t want to admit…
The issue of hatred is not just “those people,” but US.
One sentence sermon
Hatred doesn’t just appear out of nowhere. It grows from seeds we often plant ourselves.
I have 3 points to make
#1 The Origin of Hatred
Where does this hatred come from?
Does it come from…
- The fact they are stupid jerks?
- The wrong thing they did?
- I am right they are wrong?
- Skin color, lifestyle choice?
Leviticus 19:17 (NET) You must not hate your brother in your heart…
It doesn’t say “in your actions.”
“In your words.”
It says “in your heart.”
WHY? What a strange choice, because isn’t hatred an outward thing you can see?
God’s Word teaches differently!
Hatred starts internally, long before it manifests externally.
The Bible does more than curb some hateful actions.
The Bible takes aim at the source of hate IN YOUR HEART.
Yeah but that is Old Testament…
Jesus says it this way…
Matthew 15:11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
The problem does not originate externally – what goes inside the mouth.
The problem originates internally – what comes out of the mouth.
Say it plain…
It is not those people. IT IS ME.
The biggest HATE problem is the one inside me!
God’s answer for hatred is not to come up with a bunch of rules to stop hateful actions.
God’s answer for hatred is to stop hatred at its origin – our heart!
A small seed of hate, planted in your heart, can bring forth a lot of destruction.
#1 The Origin of Hatred
#2 Extreme & Radical Hatred
Radicalization and extremism is not just the terrorists that live in another country…
Seed…
Someone hurt me…
I seek support… find it online.
“Those people deserve to die.”
“They are all the same.”
“They are animals.”
What should I do…? Find it online.
“You should do something big!”
This is how a school shooting starts…
This is how a racial supremacy march starts…
This is how hatred is seeded… grows… spreads…
Radicalization timeline
2005 – 18 months
2016 – 13 months
2024 – N/A
Hatred is seeded and grows at a quicker rate than ever.
Online, social media + a lack of TRUE COMMUNITY is the underlying factor.
You could be radicalized…
Someone you know could be radicalized…
#1 The Origin of Hatred
#2 Extreme & Radical Hatred
#3 Extreme & Radical Community
Our world needs community.
-We need small groups.
-We need to serve together.
-We need to grab coffee and talk.
-We need to have unity even when we disagree.
-We need fun outside party’s where we watch silly movies and play games together.
We need common unity.
Your work – needs community.
Your school – needs community.
- The weird kid!! (They are all weird kids)
Your neighborhood – needs community.
WE ARE ISOLATED!
HATRED GROWS IN THE HEART OF ISOLATED PEOPLE.
Daryl Davis
A NPR article by Dwane Brown reads…
“Daryl Davis is a blues musician, but he also has what some might call an interesting hobby. For the past 30 years, Davis, a black man, has spent time befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan.
He says once the friendship blossoms, the Klansmen realize that their hate may be misguided. Since Davis started talking with these members, he says 200 Klansmen have given up their robes. When that happens, Davis collects the robes and keeps them in his home as a reminder of the dent he has made in racism by simply sitting down and having dinner with people.”
(https://www.mprnews.org/story/2017/08/21/npr-how-one-man-convinced-200-kkk-members-give-up-robes)
Daryl Davis shows us what EXTREME RADICAL COMMUNITY looks like.
So does Jesus…
Luke 6:27-28 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Jesus had extreme radical community…
Was accused of being a drunkard… why?
He hung out with people who had drinking addictions.
Jesus was accused of being demon possessed… why?
He radically embraced people who were demon possessed.
Jesus was accused of being a sinner…
…a liar…
…he was hung between two thieves.
…He loved his enemies.
If someone can be radicalized for hatred…
We can be radicalized for love…
What if… over the next weeks we became extreme in loving others?
What would that look like?
What change could that bring?
What would it look like to love your enemy?
If hatred is internal… in the heart… what would it look like to have a new heart.
This isn’t just about being nice.
Choose love over hate, even when – especially when – it’s difficult.
The Challenge
Weeks from now…
- Be extreme & radical in community.
- Take constant steps in LOVE over hate.
Days from now…
- That surprising anger – STOP and pray for your enemy.
- Might feel awkward/insincere at first, but stick with it. It changes your heart.
Now…
- Do something Spiritual
- Confess/repent – Not doing enough.
- Ask for a new heart.