The sermon confronts the pervasive and destructive nature of bitterness, rooted in both personal choices and external injustices, using Esau's story as a cautionary example of self-inflicted and externally provoked bitterness. It illustrates how bitterness spreads like a rotten apple, defiling individuals and communities, yet points to God's redemptive power through figures like Naomi and Ruth, whose lives were transformed by surrender and faith. The central solution is identified as humility—dying to self, denying personal expectations, and embracing a crucified identity in Christ, which renders one immune to bitterness. Drawing from biblical examples including Daniel, Joseph, and Jesus, the message emphasizes that true freedom from bitterness comes not through self-assertion but through surrender, trust in God's sovereignty, and a daily reckoning with one's own insignificance. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to live as 'the living dead,' freed from pride and expectation, so that they may be continually surprised and blessed by God's goodness.