https://www.bible.com/events/49603042

https://www.bible.com/events/49603042

Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus 

Never Alone Part 2 

Broken Relationships 

Today we continue in our teaching series called “Never Alone”. 

Throughout this series we are going to talk about common struggles that many of us experience but don’t always feel comfortable talking about in church. 

Part of our goal over the next few weeks is that we might disrupt one of the devil’s primary tactics of getting us to believe that we are alone in our struggle. Or that nobody else is dealing with it and therefore there must be something wrong with us and we should keep quiet about it. When we give into that temptation, we risk missing the healing that is available in Christ and in community with other believers. 

The truth for us today is that we are never truly alone. 

We are going to talk about broken or messy relationships. 

Often as believers we feel like we should have everything together. Our marriages would be perfect, our relationship with our kids would be perfect, and politics would never be an issue at the family reunion. And because we see everyone else smiling with their Sunday best every week, we think we are the only ones who have relationship challenges in our lives. 

So, we keep it to ourselves, we pull back from community into isolation, and we miss out on the opportunity for help and encouragement from others. Our goal today is to shine light on these areas of our lives and to see that we are never alone in facing relationship challenges. 

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭13‬‬ 

The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 

Sin enters the human story and a relationship fractures. 

Adam, feeling the weight of his own shame and guilt, makes the classic move of passing the blame to his wife. “It was her fault.” 

And so, the story of broken relationships begins. 

Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Able. Cain became jealous and angry at his brother Able. So, he invites him out to the field and kills him. 

I wish we could say that things got better after this, but it doesn’t. It's not an exaggeration to say that you cant hardly open your bible without encountering a broken or messy relationship. 

As we have shined light onto this area of relationships, we also want to look to the scriptures for guidance as we seek the Lord in the area of our relationships. 

With the vast array of challenges we can face in our relationships, from marriage and family, to friends and co-workers, I wanted to try and offer a few key principals for how we can begin to seek the Lord and his healing in our lives. 

God cares about your relationships. 

He cares about you and your pain. 

Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." 

Psalm 147:3 says "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." 

1 Peter 5:6-7 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 

Cast your cares on him, for he cares for you. 

As the Lord cares about us, he also cares about how we engage in relationships. 

As you look to the bible, there is an immense amount of teaching on how we are to relate to one another. 

Of the 10 commandments in the Old Testament, 6 of the 10 deal with how we relate to others. 

As we come into the teachings of Jesus, he summarized the entire Old Testament law by saying that we are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He takes that a step further when he calls us to love even our enemies. 

Of course, just because Jesus said it, doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. But as followers of Jesus, the bible is our go to place for guidance for our relationships. 

As we look to the scriptures, we will see that an essential part of working through broken relationships is forgiveness. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭15‬‬ 

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting, it doesn’t always mean reconciliation, it doesn’t excuse what happened. Forgiveness is releasing that person to the Lord, and releasing your right to hurt them for hurting you. 

It’s not easy. It can be a journey, but God would not require something of us he is not willing to help us through. 

The bible also recognizes that there are limits to what we can do in mending a broken relationship. 

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭18‬‬ 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 

Reconciliation and repair of a broken relationship might not be possible, and that’s ok. 

It might not be safe for you to be in relationship with that person, it might not be wise for you to reconcile and do life together again. 

The bible teaches that we are responsible to do what we can, and the bible recognizes there are limitations to what we can do. 

Finally, in broken and messy relationships, there is always hope. 

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭1‬-‭3‬‬ 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

The Lord is here to bind up the brokenhearted. He will comfort those who mourn, provide for those who grieve, to bring them beauty instead of ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. 

This is the God we serve. 

That broken relationship might not work out the way you had hoped, it might not be possible to live at peace with that person. But we know that God can work all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. 

That friends, is hope. 

You are never alone! 

BAPTISM SUNDAY

 SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:1-2

  MEANWHILE SAUL WAS UTTERING THREATS WITH EVERY BREATH AND WAS EAGER TO KILL THE LORDS FOLLOWERS. SO HE WENT TO THE HIGH PRIEST.

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:3

   3. AS HE WAS APPROACHING DAMSCUS ON THIS MISSION, A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN SUDDENLY SHONE DOWN AROUND HIM.

 SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:4

   4. HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND HEARD A VOICE SAYING TO HIM, “SAUL SAUL! WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?”        

SAUL ENCOUNTERS JESUS-PERSON HES PERSECUTING

SAUL IS BLINDED AND LED TO DAMASCUS

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

ANNANIAS ANSWERED- FEARFUL- GO TO HIM-PRAY

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:15                                     

  15. BUT THE LORD SAID, “GO, FOR SAUL IS MY CHOSEN INSTRUMENT TO TAKE MY MESSAGE TO THE GENTILES AND TO KINGS, AS WELL AS TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:16

  16. AND I WILL SHOW HIM HOW MUCH HE MUST SUFFER FOR MY NAMES SAKE.”

 SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:17

  17. SO ANNAIAS WENT AND FOUND SAUL. HE LAID HIS HANDS ON HIM AND SAID, “BROTHER SAUL, THE LORD JESUS, WHO APPEARED TO YOU ON THE ROAD,

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:17

  17. HAS SENT ME SO THAT YOU MIGHT REGAIN YOUR SIGHT AND BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:18

  18. INSTANTLY SOMETHING LKE SCALES FELL FROM SAUL’S EYES AND HE REGAINED HIS SIGHT. THEN HE GOT UP AND WAS BAPTIZED.

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:19

  19. AFTERWARD HE ATE SOME FOOD AND REGAINED HIS STRENGTH. SAUL STAYED WITH THE BELIEVERS IN DAMASCUS FOR A FEW DAYS.

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:20

  20. AND IMMEDIATELY HE BEGAN PREACHING ABOUT JESUS IN THE SYNANGOGUES, SAYING, “HE IS INDEED THE SON OF GOD!”

 SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:21

  21. ALL WHO HEARD HIM WERE AMAZED. ISN’T THIS THE SAME MAN WHO CAUSED SUCH DEVASTATION AMONG JESUS’ FOLLOWERS IN JERUSALEM?” THEY ASKED

SCRIPTURE ACTS 9:21

  21. “AND DIDN’T HE COME HERE TO ARREST THEM AND TAKE THEM IN CHAINS TO THE LEADING PRIESTS?”

SCIPTURE ACTS 9:22

  22. SAUL’S PREACHING BECAME MORE AND MORE POWERFUL, AND THE JEWS IN DAMSCUS COULDN’T REFUTE HIS PROOFS THAT JESUS WAS INDEED THE MESSIAH.

PAUL- NO CLASS-NO MEMBERSHIP- DON’T HAVE CLOTHES

WHAT

IT MARKS A BREAK WITH THE PAST AND A

BOLD STATEMENT WITH THE FUTURE LIFE IN CHRIST

NICK STITZMAN- RAILROAD CAR WORKER

WHO                                                        

GREAT COMMISION

LESS THAN 1 IN 5 KNOWS WHAT IT IS AND ITS MEANING

 SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 28:16

  16. THEN THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES WENT TO GALILEE, TO THE MOUNTAIN WHERE JESUS HAD TOLD THEM TO GO

CRIPTURE MATTHEW 28:17

  17. WHEN THEY SAW HIM, THEY WORSHIPPED HIM; BUT SOME DOUBTED. (WORSHIP AND DOUBT PRESENT)

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 28:18

  18. THEN JESUS CAME TO THEM AND SAID, “ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 28:19

  19. THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 28:20

  20. AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.

98% AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WILL DIE WITHOUT EVER SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH ANYONE OUTSIDE-FAMILY

 TEACH THEM TO OBEY MOST OF WHAT I SUGGESTED

WHY

NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING WET- ITS ABOUT BEING WOVEN INTO GODS STORY

ITS NOT JUST A SPIRITUAL GRADUATION CEREMONY

IT’S A SPIRTUAL ALLEGIANCE

   THIS IS BURIAL AND BIRTH ALL IN ONE MOMENT

 JESUS LAST WORDS                                   

  JESUS LAST WORDS SHOULD BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY

DALLAS WILLARD QUOTE

  “THE GENERAL HUMAN FAILING IS TO WANT WHAT IS RIGHT AND IMPORTANT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT TO COMMIT TO THE KIND OF LIFE THAT WILL PRODUCE THE ACTIONS WE KNOW TO BE RIGHT AND THE CONDITION WE WANT TO ENJOY. THIS IS THE FEATURE OF HUMAN CHARACTER THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. WE INTEND WHAT IS RIGHT, BUT WE AVOID THE LIFE THAT WOULD MAKE IT A REALITY. 

I LIKE JESUS- NOT SURE I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS

BOSTON MARATHON-    26.2 MILES OF RUNNING

 KATHERINE PICTURE

BAPTISM: IS

VIDEO-  PHIL ROBERTSON

WHEN

PARTICIPATING IN 2000 YEARS OF HISTORY

WE ARE NOT WHO WE USED TO BE- DEATH HAS LOST ITS GRIP ON ME

SOME QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT BE ASKING:

https://www.bible.com/events/49599824

Church of the Nazarene - East Rockingham Campus 

Never Alone Part 1 

Anxiety and Depression 

Today we are starting a new teaching series called “Never Alone”. 

Throughout this series we are going to talk about common struggles that many of us experience but don’t always feel comfortable talking about in church. 

Part of our goal over the next few weeks is that we might disrupt one of the devil’s primary tactics of getting us to believe that we are alone in our struggle. Or that nobody else is dealing with it and therefore there must be something wrong with us and we should keep quiet about it. When we give into that temptation, we risk missing the healing that is available in Christ and in community with other believers. 

The truth for us today is that we are never truly alone. 

Our series begins today talking about depression and anxiety. Anxiety and depression can bring a certain sense of shame, especially for the Christian, which then often results in a reluctance to talk about it openly. 

Depression and Anxiety are not new problems facing the people of God. 

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭5‬‬ 

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. 

One example in the Old Testament is the prophet, Elijah...He was a mighty man of God, sent to call the hearts of Israel back to God. 

He experienced great spiritual victories and the full depths of despair that we can experience. 

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭2‬-‭5‬‬ 

So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 

If we follow Jesus into the garden of gethsemane, we see him there experiencing such extreme anguish and sorrow that he said that he was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭44‬‬ 

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. 

From the Old Testament throughout the New Testament and even in the story of Jesus we see people of faith dealing with depression and anxiety. And God’s people are dealing with these things today. 

In our campus and across our other locations. You are truly not alone. 

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭7‬‬ 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭29‬‬ 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

The invitation to find healing in Christ, doesn’t exclude pursing healing through other avenues. 

We believe that God has gifted people in the field of counselling and that a counsellor may play a critical and life giving role in pursing healing. 

Talking to Jesus about your anxiety or depression, doesn’t mean you don’t talk to your doctor about it, it doesn’t mean you don’t receive medical care or medicine in your journey of health. The invitation is that we take that journey, with the Holy Spirit guidance and peace that only he can give to us. 

And to the point of this series, as we take that journey with Jesus in pursing healing, we can open ourselves up to the comfort and care of our bothers and sisters in the Lord. 

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭5‬‬ 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 

For the Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Corinth, there is a direct connection between the comfort we receive from Christ, and the comfort we share with others. 

It’s like 2 sides of the same coin. We pursue the comfort and healing of Christ, and we share that comfort together with others. 

That’s never alone. 

On today’s broadcast of Hope Talks we are joined by Pastor Kevin Griffin. Pastor Kevin joins us today to talk about how God called us to be discipled and to disciple others. We also talk about the importance of evangelism. We pray that today’s broadcast is a half hour of hope for your life.We would love to hear your feedback on HOPE Talks!

Below is the link to a short survey!

https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?prevorigin=shell&origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=rMtAr_aDl02Dki0XlUrGIhYk-WuZPbRHkFKyO4BJJKdURTIyS1JBNU1TSjRYQjA3VVo5RlNPT0dSWS4u

What does an “encounter with the Lord” look like? 

Calls you by name 

Confronts you about sin in your life and the need to repent 

Convicts you about actions you need to take 

Speaks over you who you are in Him 

Reveals truth to you that you have not “seen” yet 

Directs you to do something specific 

Overwhelms you with peace/courage at a time when only He could 

Transforms you into a new creation by His grace through faith 

Acts 9:1-19  

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. 

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” 

“Yes, Lord,” he answered. 

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. 

Knowing Christ vs. Knowing about Christ 

Knowing About Christ 

Matthew 15:8-9 (Isaiah 29:13) 

“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’” 

Knowing Christ 

Philippians 3:7-11 

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 

When Paul speaks of “knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,” then, he means that he has acknowledged God’s great act of deliverance in Christ and submitted to Christ’s lordship. 

To know Jesus is not the same as knowing about His historical life; it is not the same as knowing correct doctrines regarding Jesus; it is not the same as knowing His moral example, and it is not the same as knowing His great work on our behalf. 

To know Him means to grow in practical day-by-day relationship with Him in such an intimate way that we would become more Christlike. 

Oswald Chambers 

What Saul experienced on the road to Damascus had no logical explanation, and neither did the choice he made afterward: to live in total obedience to Jesus Christ. 

When Jesus Christ appears to me, I’m in danger if I say, “I won’t.” Jesus will never insist on my obedience, but if I refuse to obey, I’ve begun to sign the death warrant of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face-to-face with Jesus Christ and say, “I won’t,” I’m backing away from the re-creating power of his redemption. If I come to the light, it’s a matter of indifference to God’s grace how abominable I am. But if I refuse the light, woe to me. “Everyone who does evil hates the light. . . . But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light” (John 3:20–21). 

 Mission of YOUR Life - What is the point? 

Knowing and serving Christ Jesus and pointing people to Him  

R.C. Sproul once wrote,  

“Resisting the lordship of Christ is not only sinful, but it is stupid, because God has raised Him from the grave, placed him at His right hand, and given Him all authority in heaven and on earth and has called every person to bow the knee before Him. To resist Him is foolish.” 

“In 1 Timothy 1:16, Paul says, “And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”  

Paul’s conversion is an example for us all.  

It is an example of the fact that none are too far gone for God’s mighty power to save.  

It is an example of what God can do when He takes hold of a life.  

It is an example to encourage us to pray for and share with every sinner, no matter how wicked.  

It is an example for us to commit ourselves afresh to whatever purpose God has given us to do for His kingdom.  

As Paul later wrote in 2 Cor 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf”.  

Dennis Rainey 

“Christ has staked a claim on our life. Be glad of it. He is incomparable! It is your calling, and honor, to serve Him. There is no other way to live a life that matters. 

Acts 20:24   

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. 

Galatians 2:20  

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

Oswald Chambers  

Have you ever had a crisis in which you deliberately, emphatically, and recklessly abandoned everything to God? It is a crisis of will. You may come to the crisis many times in your outward experience, giving up worldly things and behaviors. But giving up external things amounts to nothing. The real crisis of abandonment happens within. Giving up external things may be a sign of being in total bondage, not to God but to your own idea of holiness. 

Have you deliberately committed your will to Jesus Christ? It is, truly, an act of will, not of emotion.