about-bg about-bg

Watch/Listen

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Lamb

• Greg Boyd

This first sermon in this sub-series entitled “The Wrath of the Lamb” sets the stage for what is to come. Greg shows how the images in Revelation 6 have been traditionally interpreted as depicting God as a violent arbiter of wrath. However, he challenges these interpretations and introduces an alternative, which is more faithful to the text and to the revelation of God in Christ. wh-bug

Show Extended Summary

Topics: Judgment, Non-Violence, Satan

Sermon Series: The Wrath of the Lamb


Downloads & Resources

Audio File
Study guide
Transcript
Group Study Guide
The MuseCast: October 1

Focus Scripture:

Subscribe to Podcast

8 thoughts on “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Lamb

  1. Tim says:

    I’ve never noticed the ridiculous aspect of being afraid of a lamb, but not of a dragon. Interesting. I wish I could ask Greg how would using Romans chapter one’s definition of God’s wrath, verse 18, is revealed in verses 24, 26, and 28 as God giving up or giving over sinners to their evil practices. I know he’s busy guy but maybe someone could mention it to him?
    Thx

    1. Emily says:

      Hi Tim,
      Here’s a response from Greg:
      I think Romans 1 is the classic expression of the “wrath of God”. He begins by saying, “Now, God’s wrath has been revealed,” and, as you note, he proceeds to show God giving people over to their sin, and they head down a path of self-destruction. God doesn’t need to inflict punishment. We end up punishing ourselves, including making ourselves vulnerable to self-destructive influence of the Dragon.
      — Emily from the Communications Team

      1. Tim says:

        Thanks so much for your response! Really, really appreciate you all at woodland hills. I’ve been thinking along these lines too. Good to know I haven’t gone off in the weeds in my own subjective interpretation. It sad that it’s hard to get people to see these verses. But we can just keep planting seeds for God to help us see him as he really is. You all are a blessing to me. I’m an stuck at home with a chronic illness.

  2. from Bob Merritt says:

    “7 Simple Choices for a Better Tomorrow”

    To state the essence of the book in a sentence: In order to have a Hog Hole Heaven on earth you need to understand indiscretions are habitual in that the little stuff leads to the big stuff so, if you want a little more Heaven to come down to earth, you need to not cut corners, manipulate the truth or allow yourself these little indiscretions for if you do God’s wrath will be, not to punish you but, to remove his protective presence, letting you have your own way, so you now become liable for your own mess.

    1. Maggi says:

      Is removing God’s protective presence in great punishment in itself? How many little indiscretions do I have to do before God removes my protection?

      I believe God is here, now, all around all of us, but we choose to ignore God and suffer natural consequences for some of our actions. Also some bad things happen because of complicated interactions of humanity, not because God has removed protection from me. If I am caught up in a natural disaster, or an illness, is this because God has removed protection? We live in a fallen world at a time when a lot of innocents are suffering.

      1. Emily says:

        Hi Maggi,
        Here is a response from Greg. —Emily from Communications Team

        Hi Maggi,
        Thank you for your question. I had to paint with pretty broad strokes for this sermon, and I didn’t have time to add much nuance. I TOTALLY agree that plenty of crap comes our way simply because people were being jerks, or whatever. And so I would NEVER suggest that any person undergoing a particular adversity or affliction was because God had removed his protection. In fact, Jesus explicitly taught against this notion.

        Every free choice is a variable that influences what comes to pass, and God must honor that free choice and all that it affects. So, in my view, God must work around each of these variables, and that significantly affects what comes to pass, and when it comes to pass.

        Until the Final Judgment, I’m afraid blood will always be crying out from the ground. Which is one of the reasons why we are supposed to looking forward to the Final Judgment and coming transformation.

        Hope this helps. Bless you, Greg

  3. Jerry says:

    Andy Stanley, who admits he sucks at counseling, has met with a lot of folks over the years and says the number one question he got is some rendition of how close to sinning can I come without actually sinning!

    There are two kinds of judgment.
    1. judicial judgment – I believe what Bob, see above comment, was relating to.

    2. organic or intrinsic judgment – an already built-in punishment as a natural consequence for some choices.

    Interesting insurance policies differentiate between natural disasters and acts of God which they will not cover. Greg what’s that about?

    Illness is interesting.

    98% of 37 to 100 trillion cells, and then the 100 trillion atoms within each cell, are replaced every year.

    About 20 million cells die every second however before they die cells birth, mitosis, a new copy.

    How good that copy is governed by, for the most part, a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

    Neurons, the other 2%, NEVER DIE however: Neurogenesis – every day you wake up, Lam 3:22-23, there are new brain cells generated in your head: moldable, changeable, and fresh ready to be shaped, NOT by food or nutrients, but by your thoughts.

    I like to think of these neurons in terms of I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. The fruit is of the spirit and nothing in works of the flesh, our PLANKS.

    If we don’t deal with our own [planks ] Matthew 7:3-5 we will take them into our future where they’ll go into the cellars of our soul and they will, so to speak, [pump iron], lift weights, playing havoc with our imagination of our future.

    Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

    Other’s planks, their pieces, become our ongoing baggage. So why not work on closing the gym now?

    Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you while you were yet a sinner.

    So back to the question: How many little indiscretions do I have to do before God removes my protection, i.e. at what point do I need to close the gym?

    Hoping Greg: you can give us some insights on that, would be really good to know!

    1. Jerry says:

      Thank you Greg I believe this from the summary, “Poetic Justice” , answers the prior comment, above, ending question.

      “How many little indiscretions do I have to do before God removes my protection, i.e. at what point do I need to close the gym?”

      “This reframes judgment as an organic process. Sanctification is not optional. We will experience it now, or later. We can work with God now—as God is always working on something—or we can submit to the purging of our sin later.”

      I believe also you said it would be much easier to deal with this while we are still on the road or: Matthew 5:26 “You will not get out until you have paid the last penny”

      The wise thing to do when taken to court is to make every effort to make peace before the judge gets involved. Otherwise, the guilty party risks being thrown in prison for the wrongdoing.

      The spiritual application is that a prison of sorts—hell?—should be avoided at all costs by not wronging anyone or causing them to wrong us by provoking their anger.

      I was wrong about my Bob Merritt’s one sentence book summary not being organic. I was trying to be generous to a prior response to my one sentence summary of Bob’s book. Sorry!

      Thanks again Greg for your insights!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

*

 

testimonial-icon

"I am so glad that for all the intellectual work Woodland Hills engages in, it has not forgotten the power and reality of the spiritual realm. Thanks for this."

– Matthew