1. Anger and Mercy Peter Fitch, St. Croix Vineyard Sunday, May 17, 2015

2. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 1 Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, saying, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.

7. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 3 He came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. 4 The men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold; I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.’”

8. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly. 5 It came about afterward that David’s conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s robe. 6 So he said to his men, “Far be it from me because of the Lord that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand

9. against him, since he is the Lord’s anointed.” 7 David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave, and went on his way.

10. Quite a bit about anger... He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city (Proverbs 16:32) Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:26-27)

11. Good anger and bad anger Good motivates you to do something! Bad churns you up inside... Like swallowing poison in the hope that you can spew it out on the ones who hurt you

12. Responding in the opposite spirit Saul and 3000 men come aggressively after David and his rag-tag crew David is not passive – He hides – He keeps everyone silent – He takes a piece of Saul’s garment – He speaks up (taking a huge risk)

13. He introduces Mercy It’s like a new spirit fills the scene The maddened king comes to his senses He can see things as they are He can see a better future

14. How do you get it? David remembered that Saul was “the Lord’s anointed” We can remember that the ones who have hurt us are also “the Lord’s anointed” We have all been anointed with life, with love, with hopes and dreams Even if we have been living in a tragedy, we are not loved any less by God

15. People deserve something better than revenge... Bad anger makes things worse—it always exacerbates a situation It’s like pouring gasoline on a slow-smoldering fire It builds walls and keeps people in prisons of bitterness or separation

16. Mercy Is the introduction of a new spirit Can only be done by love Grows out of remembering that everyone involved is loved by God and has infinite worth Involves risk, but can lead to a big win

17. Zoe’s thesis The opposite of violence is not passivity; it is creativity Making a way for a better spirit to enter the situation and the relationships

18. Apple a Day The story The gift The request and the help Someone else’s story “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).