In less than a year, our podcast has gone from an average of 10,000 downloads a month to 50,000

downloads. What made the difference? You leaving us a five-star review. The more positive reviews,

the more the algorithm picks us up. And more people are confronted by the law and gospel of Jesus

Christ. Help us press forward the crown rights of King Jesus by leaving us a five-star

review on your favorite podcast platform. Thanks. Now notice one thing that's important for us to

recognize when it comes to that particular sin of bitterness, a few things, I might say. One,

bitterness has the potential as the author to the Hebrews instructs us

to defile many. So bitterness is not a sin that will simply affect yourself, but it will

affect others. It is an infectious sin. It is a sin that will quickly spread and disease a whole crop.

A whole congregation can ultimately be destroyed by one root of bitterness.

That's one aspect of the sin of bitterness.

But another is this.

Often we attempt to assuage our own consciences

by justifying our bitterness, saying, the reason I'm bitter is because of the great atrocities

that have been committed against me by others. And there's a partial truth in that. Most people who are bitter,

it is in part due because of the sins of others committed against them. But others sinning

against you in and of itself alone, if that's all that takes place, it is not enough to produce

bitterness. Bitterness does not come merely by being sinned against by others. It is always a mixture

of being sent against by others coupled with pride. Hot spirits, I believe it was

Matthew Henry, who once said this. Hot spirits come by high spirits. What he's saying is

to be angry. Right? And that's the question that the Lord asked Jonah. Do you do well to be

angry? Pro tip, almost always. The answer is no. Do you do well to be angry? And what Matthew

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