(Note to pastor's, a link for the video I used is included at the end of the message. Handout notes available on request.)
Then His Training Kicked In
PPT 1 Series title
We are in a series of messages on matters of the heart, or things that affect us emotionally. Last week we talked about loneliness and this week and next we are going to talk about conflict.
PPT 2 Conflict
I know I have a picture of a couple fighting up there, but conflict can be with almost anyone, including yourself. It is such a large subject I am going to give several weeks to it.
Jacob near death spoke prophetically over his 12 sons and this is the word he gave over two of them:
PPT 3 text
Genesis 49:5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers; Their swords are implements of violence.
Genesis 49:6 "Let my soul not enter into their council; Let not my glory be united with their assembly; Because in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they lamed oxen.
Jacob is lamenting that 2 of his 12 sons are prone to fits of violence. They punch walls, slam doors, kick dogs and lash out at people. God have mercy on anyone or anything that is around them when that happens. There may be some of you here this morning that live in that type of home. I pray not, but odds are it impacts several families in this and every church. If we apply simple mathematics to Jacob's family it would imply almost 20% of us are way too angry. The number is probably even higher than that.
I want to show you an amazing video this morning of a police officers response to an explosion. I want to use it as a launch pad to teach on how we should respond to situations where there have been or could be explosions of anger.
PPT 4 Video
I edited the tape, but you need to know it took the officer much longer to get that man out of the burning car than the clip you saw seems to show. He really put his life in danger. In watching that video it reminds me of the rigorous training Secret Service agents have to run to gunfire and not run from it. Running to danger instead of rom danger takes serious training. In the same way to respond with gentleness often requires that we slow down take a deep breath and let our spiritual training kick in. To make things better and safer, Secret Service personnel may be called upon to make themselves vulnerable to harm and death. They have to stop defending their own selves and protect that which is greater, in their case it is the president or whoever.
In our case we have to stop defending ourselves to protect our marriage, or our Christian testimony.
Every conflict gives you an opportunity to display your anger/temper or your Christian graces.
(I'll show you just how angry I am, how loud I can get, how big a tantrum I can throw.)
Let's break the video down, and learn some things.
The state police superintendent states four things about the hero cop.
1. He starts out as a civilian
2. He becomes a victim
3. His training kicks in
4. He saves a persons life
1. He starts out as a civilian. That may be a strange phrase for some of you, but anyone who has served as a police officer, fireman, or in the military understands it perfectly. A civilian is euphemism for an ordinary person. A person when they are in a different role than their role as a soldier or a public servant.
Wearing civvies is when a police or military person mentally disengages from their other role in life.
When a soldier/sailor is in his civvies the military is usually the farthest things from their minds.
Likewise, when we are out of our spiritual clothes our actions and attitudes change. I am not talking about being a hypocrite, I am talking about the fact that some times we unconsciously step out of our role as believers and start acting from our carnal nature. Keeping the flesh in line requires constant vigilance. But sometimes we wear our spiritual clothes in church, and when we change our physical clothes at home there is also a change in who is in the drivers seat of our personality. Here I am pastor, but when I get home I am dad, and Maurice. In church everyone values my opinion, at home, well that could be a different story. (ha ha)
The police officer starts out in his role as a civilian and that is why he runs from the explosion and fire.
When we step out of our role as Christians we can act in ways that are like throwing gasoline on the fire. Instead of peacemaker we can be trouble maker. That won't end well. We start acting in ways that are incongruous with our Christian faith, and are more in line with fallen human nature.
2. The next thing he does is he becomes a victim.
This morning I am defining a victim as a person who is under the influence and actions of another in a negative way.
When you are in your civvies is when you become a victim. When you are living in your role as a child of God you will always be an overcomer and the influencer rather than the influenced. Some of you were here when I did the illustration about boiling water. Boiling water affects things, it can harden an egg or soften a carrot. In both cases it is the boiling water that is affecting things, but when you put a tea bag in the water it becomes the dominant influence. In spiritual civvies you are influence, in your spiritual uniform and attitude you become the dominant influence.
When it comes to conflict you are either under it's influence, causing it, or overcoming it. His initial reaction to the explosion was one of fear and being overcome.
3. The atmosphere of chaos and destruction began to change when the police officers training began to kick in.
This causes his actions and response to change.
The question for us is, "when you are in situations that involve conflict are you in uniform or are you in your civvies?
In life we learn how to handle and respond to conflict from 3 main sources:
Family
Culture
The Scriptures
By nature we tend to follow family and culture, by training and getting into our spiritual uniform we follow the scriptures.
Earlier this week I was frustrated by some things that were going on and I snapped at my wife on the phone. A little later I realized what I had done and my training kicked in, I called her back and apologized.
God didn't even have to use His trump card, "why are you treating My daughter that way?"
Talking about our training kicking in, isn't that exactly what Jesus was describing when he said:
PPT 5 text
Mt 5:22 "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty [enough to go] into the fiery hell.
Mt 5:23 "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
Mt 5:24 leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
v.23 if your training kicks in and you remember something wrong you did, take care of it.
A difference between the spiritual man and the carnal man is the spiritual man remembers what he did wrong, carnal man remembers what others did wrong.
Let's go to Galations 5 and I want you to notice something about what Paul calls the works of the flesh. In this chapter Pal lists fruits of the Spirit and works of the flesh.
PPT 6,7 text
Ga 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Ga 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
Ga 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Ga 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
Ga 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Ga 5:23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Stay in uniform and you won't act in the flesh. That takes constant vigilance, I have found that in less that a second I can get out of uniform.
PPT 8 text
We read from the NAS and other versions translate some of the words slightly differently, but they all say essentially the same things. If we analyze, the NAS lists some 15 different works of the flesh. Of those 6 have to do with conflict and anger. Enmties, strife, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, and factions. That is 40% of the total listed for those of you who are analytical. In other words the most predominant sins have to do with the way we deal with our anger. Puts a whole new spin on be angry and sin not, doesn't it? (Next week) Paul then goes on to say that those who practice such things shall not: inherit the kingdom of God.
Seems extreme doesn't it? No he is just echoing Jesus who said:
"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty [enough to go] into the fiery hell.
We don't see it because of the cultural lense we put on the scriptures, but Jesus is talking about an increase of wrongdoing and punishment.
All imply actions. Feelings, actions, permanent separation and cutting off.
Those who practice such things who perpetuate in their anger, who permanently cut off shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Why? if you are not willing to offer forgiveness like God does your own forgiveness is in jeopardy.
I have much more to say on the subject but lets wrap up for this week.
Often in life we slip out of our spiritual role and when that happens we can become victim to currents and the atmosphere around us. That is when we need to have our training kick in and we can become heroes. That is how our story ended isn't it. Which is better hero or victim? Hero or perpetrator?
By the way this doesn't just apply to anger. There are a lot of areas we need to let our training kick.
Fears arise.
Troubling news.
Temptation.
In 1st Samuel 30 David and his men were very discouraged, and they even spoke of stoning him. Then his training kicked in, he encouraged himself in the Lord and the whole situation got turned around and God worked a miracle and David was a hero.
This week I'm praying you will stay in uniform, but when and if you get out, I pray the Holy Spirit will bring this message back to your mind: "Get back in uniform!" Act like the Christian you claim to be.
4. He becomes a hero
When his training kicked in he went from zero to hero in a matter of seconds. In mere moments we can turn ugly situations around and become a hero in heaven's eyes. That is much better than civilian, and victim isn't it. Be the hero, let your training kick in.
Prayer: I've blown it and acted in the flesh, God has dealt with me and I need grace to get back in uniform.
Link for video: http://7online.com/traffic/hero-rescues-man-from-fire-off-hutchinson-river-parkway/91195/
