Rev. David Holwick L
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
March 28, 2004
James 4:1-3
THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE
I. The Passion of the People.
A. Endless cycle of violence in Palestine.
1) Israeli assassination of crippled Hamas founder.
2) Palestinian child bombers (twice).
B. Cultures of revenge.
1) 1972 Munich Olympic massacre - each of 11 terrorists were
hunted down and killed by the Israeli secret police.
2) Hamas vows revenge for assassination.
a) Israel will respond to revenge attacks... (off. policy)
C. Jesus is different.
1) "Love your enemies."
2) "Turn other cheek."
3) "Father, forgive them..." - even while they crucified him.
D. Where do you stand?
1) Christians are often torn between peace and violence.
2) It is not an international problem - it is a human one.
II. The roots of violence.
A. Genetic programming?
1) Violence among apes. (mostly due to males)
As early as 1974, researchers in Gombe National Park in Tanzania
had been startled to observe chimpanzee males launching lethal
raids into the territory of neighboring chimps.
These were clearly not food-gathering expeditions.
The chimps did not stop to eat, and they did not make any of
their normal calls and shouts.
Instead, they crept silently into the territory of a neighboring
group and hid until they saw a lone chimp.
Screaming with excitement, they would ambush the victim, hold him
immobile and beat him to death.
In one well-documented case in Tanzania, a group of male chimps
used such ambushes to eliminate a whole band of neighbors.
Further research found that such violence was not limited to
chimpanzees.
Male gorillas, for example, were observed ripping infants out of
their mothers' arms and killing them, which made the male more
desirable to the mother.
Violence is present in every human culture, from New York City to
the primitive Waorani people of the Andean foothills.
The Waorani conduct frequent raids on each other that cause a
startling violent-death rate of 60 percent, according to
anthropologists.
#27454
2) One exception: bonobos.
a) Groups get along and males are docile.
b) If they are not, the females beat the snot out of them.
B. Spiritual deficit.
1) Cain and Abel. Genesis 4:6-10
a) His heart wasn't right, so he snuffed his brother.
b) Immediately he feared retribution, so God marks him.
1> (Yes, they must have married their siblings.)
2) Violence is present in every human culture.
From modern New York City to the primitive Waorani people
of the Andean foothills.
The Waorani conduct frequent raids on each other that cause
a startling violent-death rate of 60 percent, according
to anthropologists. #27454
C. It doesn't have to reach murder.
1) Conflict, even in churches.
2) Anger and abuse, even in our own families.
3) The seed of violence is in all of us.
In 1960, Israeli undercover agents orchestrated the daring
kidnapping of one of the worst of the Holocaust's masterminds,
Adolf Eichmann.
After capturing him in his South American hideout, they
transported him to Israel to stand trial.
There, prosecutors called a string of former concentration camp
prisoners as witnesses.
One was a small man named Yehiel Dinur, who had miraculously
escaped death in Auschwitz.
On his day to testify, Dinur entered the courtroom and stared at
the man in the bulletproof glass booth.
This was the man who had murdered Dinur's friends, personally
executed a number of Jews, and presided over the slaughter of
millions more.
As the eyes of the two men met - victim and murderous tyrant -
the courtroom fell silent, filled with the tension of the
confrontation.
But no one was prepared for what happened next.
Yehiel Dinur began to shout and sob, collapsing to the floor.
Was he overcome by hatred?
By the horrifying memories?
By the evil incarnate in Eichmann's face?
No.
As he later explained in a riveting 60 Minutes interview, it was
because Eichmann was not the demon that Dinur had expected.
Rather, he was an ordinary man, just like anyone else.
And in that one instant, Dinur came to a stunning realization
that sin and evil are the human condition.
"I was afraid about myself," Dinur said.
"I saw that I am capable to do this ... exactly like he."
Dinur's remarkable statements caused Mike Wallace to turn to the
camera and ask the audience the most painful of all questions:
"How was it possible for a man to act as Eichmann acted?
Was he a monster?
A madman?
Or was he perhaps something even more terrifying?
Was he normal?"
Yehiel Dinur's shocking conclusion?
"Eichmann is in all of us." #27271
D. Violence starts within.
1) Jesus - it originates in your heart.
a) This is why external laws (ie, gun control) cannot
halt violence in our country.
2) James - unmet desires lead to violence.
a) We want the wrong things, and never get them anyway.
b) Our motives must be correct, or we face frustration.
c) Coveting leads to killing.
1> Probably exaggerated - his readers probably weren't
actually murderers.
2> Other places in Bible tie murder with inner anger.
III. Breaking the cycle of violence. (Discipleship Journal #87, p. 62)
A. Experience inner peace.
1) Give your heart to Jesus.
a) Peace with God affects the rest of us.
b) Correct priorities lead to contentment, and diffuses
anger and violent tendencies.
2) Keep a heavenly perspective.
B. Learn to live peaceably.
1) Start with the teachings of Jesus.
a) Challenge yourself to follow even the hard ones.
b) Turn other cheek - means we don't follow the world's
principle of getting even, but we respond with love.
c) Our commitment to love others does not depend on their
behavior.
2) Have a peaceable attitude.
a) Be aware of your own tendencies.
1> Psalm 4:4 "In your anger do not sin; when you are
on your beds, search your hearts and be silent."
2> Note your weak areas when dealing with anger.
b) If certain circumstances make you lose control,
manage them before situation arises.
C. Make peace in your own relationships.
1) Listen, rather than attacking, defending or escaping.
a) James 1:19-20 "Be quick to listen...slow to anger."
b) When confronted with anger, seek understanding.
2) De-escalate anger.
a) Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger."
Proverbs 25:15 "A gentle tongue can break a bone."
b) Agree with at least part of what an angry person is
saying.
3) Seek creative outlets for aggression.
IV. God hates violence. Do you? Malachi 2:16
A. Be a peacemaker.
B. Forgive and love.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
#27271 "Eichmann Is In All of Us," Rev. Keith Manry, in sermon
"Uncovering The Lie: Face To Face With The Enemy Within," at
www.SermonCentral.com. It is sermon #18371 in the database.
#27454 "Warfare Is Not Uniquely Human," Tom Pelton, Harvard Magazine,
http://www.harvard-magazine.com/issues/jf97/right.chimp.html
These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/illust.html
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