For the Display of His Splendor - Rage | Bait (Pastor Matt Vandersteen)

Announcements list a Discover Bethany lunch, an annual business meeting on February 22, and three board candidates nominated for election. A public social post that depicted the Obamas as monkeys received clear condemnation and became a launch point for a broader conversation about leadership, words, and responsibility. The cultural moment demands active engagement: content that provokes outrage—labeled “rage bait”—pulls attention away from the church’s mission and fuels reactive anger rather than thoughtful witness.

Truth receives central attention as a foundation for how to live in culture. Truth comes from God and centers on Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life; scripture provides a yardstick for belief and action, and truth must pair with grace so that rules do not become legalism and grace does not slip into moral relativism. A call to repent and to accept forgiveness appears as an invitation to restoration and renewal.

Humility stands out as the defining virtue for the present moment. The call moves beyond polite behavior to a spiritual posture: daily self-examination, willingness to be corrected, and valuing others above self. Scripture images of Christ’s humility model a countercultural way of leadership that resists pride, defuses division, and reorients motives.

Love in all directions forms the practical expression of truth and humility together. Loving police, immigrants, neighbors, and opponents does not require abandoning truth; rather, love expresses truth through sacrificial care and nonreactive presence. The new command—to love as Christ loved—becomes the distinguishing mark by which people will recognize discipleship. An open altar and invitation to surrender conclude with a plea to let the Spirit press for wholehearted devotion so that glory goes to Jesus and lives visibly reflect his life, words, and love.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Seek truth in Jesus alone Truth anchors moral clarity and prevents truth from becoming tribal property. Embracing Jesus as the person of truth redirects disputes from partisan wins to repentance, restoration, and gospel witness. Holding scripture as authoritative offers both a firm standard and a living relationship that transforms motives. [47:38]
• 2. Resist rage-baiting and anger Content designed to provoke outrage hijacks attention and deepens division without producing wisdom or healing. Choosing not to amplify outrage creates room for measured discernment, prayerful response, and constructive action. Cultivating emotional sobriety allows gospel priorities to surface over viral impulses. [43:08]
• 3. Live with humility and servant hearts Humility refuses self-exaltation and practices correction, confession, and listening. Valuing others above self breaks cycles of defensiveness and opens pathways for reconciliation and influence. The posture of a servant disarms critics and draws people toward the credibility of gospel life. [55:36]
• 4. Love others without compromising truth Love that reaches in every direction displays the coherence of truth and grace together. Loving opponents and neighbors alike refuses tribal contempt while still calling people to repentance and faith. Such love witnesses to Christ’s kingdom and lets the world see authentic discipleship. [62:25]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [34:49] - Cold, Tech Notes, and Opening
• [35:51] - Discover Bethany Invitation
• [36:19] - Annual Business Meeting Details
• [36:39] - Board Candidate Announcements
• [37:22] - Shifting Direction for Today
• [38:55] - Response to Offensive Social Post
• [41:33] - Church and Culture Overview
• [43:08] - Rage-Bait: Cultural Diagnosis
• [46:36] - Seeking Truth from God
• [52:02] - Truth Coupled with Grace
• [55:36] - The Call to Humility
• [62:25] - Love in All Directions
• [67:21] - Altar Invitation and Surrender
• [75:32] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible reading

John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Philippians 2:3-8 (ESV)
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

John 13:34-35 (ESV)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Observation questions

1. According to John 14:6, what three things does Jesus call himself, and what is the one condition for coming to the Father?
2. What specific actions and attitudes does Paul instruct believers to have in Philippians 2:3-4?
3. What is the new commandment Jesus gives in John 13:34, and what does He say will be the result of obeying it?
4. What was described as the "word of the year" that is designed to provoke a specific emotional response? [43:08]

Interpretation questions

1. How does the truth being a person (Jesus) rather than just an idea change the way we seek and hold to truth in our daily lives?
2. In a culture that often encourages self-promotion and winning arguments, what does it look like to "in humility count others more significant than yourselves" in practical, everyday situations?
3. Jesus says the world will recognize His disciples by their love for one another. Why is this kind of love so distinctive and powerful as a witness, especially in a divided culture?
4. The sermon described a type of content designed to provoke outrage. [43:38] Why is this kind of content so effective at pulling attention away from the mission of the church?

Application questions

1. Where have you recently encountered "rage bait" [43:08] that provoked an angry or outraged reaction in you? What is one practical step you can take to disengage from that content and redirect your attention toward gospel priorities?
2. The human heart is described as deceitful. [58:03] What is one area of your life where it is hardest for you to pray, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts"?
3. Valuing others above yourself is a call to break cycles of defensiveness. [55:36] Who is someone you find difficult to value, and what would it look like this week to actively look to their interests, not just your own?
4. Loving in all directions [01:02:25] means loving those we might naturally see as opponents. Is there a person or group you struggle to love without compromising truth? How can you demonstrate Christ's love to them in a tangible way this week?
5. Leaders' words carry weight. [39:43] Whether at home, work, or in your community, how can you be more intentional this week with your words so they build up rather than tear down?
6. The call is to let the Spirit press for wholehearted devotion. What is one thing the Holy Spirit might be asking you to surrender at the altar today to ensure Jesus gets all the glory in your life?