Christian Life Community Church - online podcast

Christian Life Community Church - online podcast

There seems to be an insidious and persistent misperception in the Church that good Christians don’t suffer. I am not sure where this originates, but it appears that followers of Jesus are very reluctant to admit that they are not doing well. It is as if the Church is not a place to be real and masks are more appropriate. People say they are fine when in reality they are a mess inside. This is not the view the Bible has of the People of God. Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with stories of how the People of God suffer all kinds of calamities and they express that pain in a variety of ways. The majority of the Psalms (the Old Testament hymnal) are laments. And the suffering is not all due to sinfulness, even the righteous suffer.

Our study this week looks at the suffering of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here is an example of how the most righteous person on earth dealt with grief and loss. Just before his arrest he withdraws with a few disciples and enters into an intense conversation with his Father about what is to transpire. The Gospel writers describe this time in terms of agony, loneliness, overwhelming sorrow to the point of death, anguish and mentions sweat like great drops of blood. The reason for his intense reaction to the upcoming events is defined by his own words: “if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me…” The cup represents several things. Not only his suffering, crucifixion and death but his experience of taking on the sins of the world as the lamb of God; the atoning sacrifice for all humankind. This was going to be no ordinary martyrdom, something far more tragic is going on. He who knew no sin, became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).

Jesus expressed his sorrow and dealt with his loss through prayer. Three times he prays almost the same prayer. “Let this cup pass from me, but if this is not possible; not my will but yours be done.” As a healthy model of how to deal with grief and loss, Jesus expressed his anguish over the situation, and then yielded to the will of his Father. We may not understand or agree with what happens to us, but as Followers of Jesus, we can bow before our Father’s unfathomable will, for he allowed even his own dear son to suffer. Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality writes that deep grieving clears our souls of junk. We learn something valuable about God and ourselves as we go through these difficult times. Jesus said that this is the key to fruitfulness: “Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (Jn. 12:24). Hebrews reminds us that Jesus, son though he was, learned obedience from what he suffered (Heb. 5:8).

There seems to be an insidious and persistent misperception in the Church that good Christians don’t suffer. I am not sure where this originates, but it appears that followers of Jesus are very reluctant to admit that they are not doing well. It is as if the Church is not a place to be real and masks are more appropriate. People say they are fine when in reality they are a mess inside. This is not the view the Bible has of the People of God. Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with stories of how the People of God suffer all kinds of calamities and they express that pain in a variety of ways. The majority of the Psalms (the Old Testament hymnal) are laments. And the suffering is not all due to sinfulness, even the righteous suffer.

Our study this week looks at the suffering of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here is an example of how the most righteous person on earth dealt with grief and loss. Just before his arrest he withdraws with a few disciples and enters into an intense conversation with his Father about what is to transpire. The Gospel writers describe this time in terms of agony, loneliness, overwhelming sorrow to the point of death, anguish and mentions sweat like great drops of blood. The reason for his intense reaction to the upcoming events is defined by his own words: “if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me…” The cup represents several things. Not only his suffering, crucifixion and death but his experience of taking on the sins of the world as the lamb of God; the atoning sacrifice for all humankind. This was going to be no ordinary martyrdom, something far more tragic is going on. He who knew no sin, became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).

Jesus expressed his sorrow and dealt with his loss through prayer. Three times he prays almost the same prayer. “Let this cup pass from me, but if this is not possible; not my will but yours be done.” As a healthy model of how to deal with grief and loss, Jesus expressed his anguish over the situation, and then yielded to the will of his Father. We may not understand or agree with what happens to us, but as Followers of Jesus, we can bow before our Father’s unfathomable will, for he allowed even his own dear son to suffer. Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality writes that deep grieving clears our souls of junk. We learn something valuable about God and ourselves as we go through these difficult times. Jesus said that this is the key to fruitfulness: “Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (Jn. 12:24). Hebrews reminds us that Jesus, son though he was, learned obedience from what he suffered (Heb. 5:8).

Throughout the centuries Christians have been intrigued with the idea that the discipleship process is a journey. At the most fundamental level, this means that the decision to become a believer in Jesus is not so much a destination, as it is the beginning of a faith adventure. John Bunyan’s (1628-1688) well known allegory called “Pilgrim’s Progress,” is one such attempt to illustrate some of the stages in the journey. Along the way in this journey, we will all encounter what Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality calls the “Wall.”

This is the part of the journey when we come to an obstacle that turns our world upside down. For most of us the Wall appears through a crisis: divorce, a job loss, the death of a close friend or family member, a cancer diagnosis, a disillusioning church experience, a deep depression, a shattered dream, a wayward child, a car accident, an inability to get pregnant, a deep desire to marry that remains unfulfilled, a dryness or loss of joy in our relationship with God. We begin to question ourselves, God, and the church. Perhaps for the first time, our faith does not appear to “work.” We feel like the very foundation of our faith is on the line and we wonder where God is and where he is going and how he is getting us there.

Our Wall experiences are part of the journey. We all go through them and come out the other side. They are difficult times, but also times of growth and renewal. They are times of testing and their end result is that we understand more about ourselves, our faith, and the Lord. Usually we come through these times with a greater sense of God’s love for us, our intimacy with him grows, and we become more fruitful. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he talked about pruning the vine for greater fruitfulness (John 15:1-2).

Out text this week looks at the Wall Abraham faced when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac. It is a great example of a time when God’s Word must not have made sense to him. He was being asked to do something that completely contradicted what he had come to understand about the Lord and his purposes. As the story unfolds we are captured by what Abraham must have been going through in his own mind. This is perhaps the most tension filled passage in Scripture. We are privy to the fact that this is a “test” of Abraham’s faith, which he passes with flying colours. His remarkable trust in God results in the Lord affirming his promises to him and sets the stage for his ongoing journey.

Throughout the centuries Christians have been intrigued with the idea that the discipleship process is a journey. At the most fundamental level, this means that the decision to become a believer in Jesus is not so much a destination, as it is the beginning of a faith adventure. John Bunyan’s (1628-1688) well known allegory called “Pilgrim’s Progress,” is one such attempt to illustrate some of the stages in the journey. Along the way in this journey, we will all encounter what Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality calls the “Wall.”

This is the part of the journey when we come to an obstacle that turns our world upside down. For most of us the Wall appears through a crisis: divorce, a job loss, the death of a close friend or family member, a cancer diagnosis, a disillusioning church experience, a deep depression, a shattered dream, a wayward child, a car accident, an inability to get pregnant, a deep desire to marry that remains unfulfilled, a dryness or loss of joy in our relationship with God. We begin to question ourselves, God, and the church. Perhaps for the first time, our faith does not appear to “work.” We feel like the very foundation of our faith is on the line and we wonder where God is and where he is going and how he is getting us there.

Our Wall experiences are part of the journey. We all go through them and come out the other side. They are difficult times, but also times of growth and renewal. They are times of testing and their end result is that we understand more about ourselves, our faith, and the Lord. Usually we come through these times with a greater sense of God’s love for us, our intimacy with him grows, and we become more fruitful. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he talked about pruning the vine for greater fruitfulness (John 15:1-2).

Out text this week looks at the Wall Abraham faced when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac. It is a great example of a time when God’s Word must not have made sense to him. He was being asked to do something that completely contradicted what he had come to understand about the Lord and his purposes. As the story unfolds we are captured by what Abraham must have been going through in his own mind. This is perhaps the most tension filled passage in Scripture. We are privy to the fact that this is a “test” of Abraham’s faith, which he passes with flying colours. His remarkable trust in God results in the Lord affirming his promises to him and sets the stage for his ongoing journey.

Today we begin week #3 of our Church Wide Initiative, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, and our focus is on the past. How we deal with the wounds and hurts of our past have a significant impact on our emotional health.

Joseph’s life story is an amazing testimony of how God’s grace enabled someone to move beyond the pain and hurts of the past and fully embrace God’s plan for their life. If you’re unfamiliar with the story I would encourage you to take sometime this week and read Joseph’s life story (Genesis 37-50). To say Joseph had a rough past would be a tremendous understatement. He was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery twice, punished for doing the right thing, endured a long imprisonment as an innocent man, forgotten by those he helped, yet through it all he continually made choices that allowed him to move beyond the hurts and wounds of the past. He chose to be real and acknowledge the pain, as opposed to living in denial. He trusted God’s sovereignty – even in the midst of pain and uncertainty. His relationship with God and unwavering confidence in God’s sovereignty enabled him to release those who had offended him. He rejected the lies told to him by those who had hurt him and instead embraced God’s truth for his life. He refused to wallow in self-pity and sorrow and instead partnered with God to be a blessing to others. These choices enabled Joseph to not just survive and get through life, but rather thrive and fulfill God’s purposes for his life.

Emotionally healthy spirituality requires us to deal with past hurts in a healthy way.

With God’s help, we can make the same choices Joseph made and move towards emotional health.

Today we begin week #3 of our Church Wide Initiative, “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, and our focus is on the past. How we deal with the wounds and hurts of our past have a significant impact on our emotional health.

Joseph’s life story is an amazing testimony of how God’s grace enabled someone to move beyond the pain and hurts of the past and fully embrace God’s plan for their life. If you’re unfamiliar with the story I would encourage you to take sometime this week and read Joseph’s life story (Genesis 37-50). To say Joseph had a rough past would be a tremendous understatement. He was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery twice, punished for doing the right thing, endured a long imprisonment as an innocent man, forgotten by those he helped, yet through it all he continually made choices that allowed him to move beyond the hurts and wounds of the past. He chose to be real and acknowledge the pain, as opposed to living in denial. He trusted God’s sovereignty – even in the midst of pain and uncertainty. His relationship with God and unwavering confidence in God’s sovereignty enabled him to release those who had offended him. He rejected the lies told to him by those who had hurt him and instead embraced God’s truth for his life. He refused to wallow in self-pity and sorrow and instead partnered with God to be a blessing to others. These choices enabled Joseph to not just survive and get through life, but rather thrive and fulfill God’s purposes for his life.

Emotionally healthy spirituality requires us to deal with past hurts in a healthy way.

With God’s help, we can make the same choices Joseph made and move towards emotional health.

This week we are looking at the story of David and Goliath. I think everyone is impressed with David’s bravery and acumen with a slingshot, but I want to focus on his very well developed sense of self, and his clear vision of what was really going on the Valley of Elah, just 15 miles west of Bethlehem.

Keep in mind, David has already been secretly anointed as the new King of Israel. His brothers know; but Saul does not. He is the king in waiting. Meanwhile, he is playing the harp for Saul to sooth his deteriorating mental state, and he has developed a bit of a reputation as a warrior (16:18-21). Part-time, he tends his father’s sheep.

When David reaches the battle line and sees the state of affairs that Goliath’s challenges have caused, his reaction is so unlike that of his brothers and the other soldiers. He sees the situation for what it really is: a battle that belongs to the Lord. He has to overcome three strident naysayers in his effort to turn the tide. His eldest brother calls him a conceited and wicked voyeur. Saul calls him a mere boy in a man’s battle. Goliath calls him an insult to his requests for a champion. But David presses on with unflagging optimism and defeats Goliath while barely breaking a sweat.

David’s confidence came from knowing the Lord of the armies of Israel. He saw this battle as a contest between a lifeless idol and the Living God. He knew how the Lord had helped him defend his sheep from a lion and a bear and saw Goliath in the same light.

Goliath’s demise is foreshadowed in 1 Samuel 5:1-4. The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in their god’s temple. The next morning their idol, Dagan, had fallen over on its face. They set it upright but again the next morning it had fallen, and the head and the hands had broken off. They quickly decided to get rid of the Ark before further damage occurred. The decapitation and the amputations were a sign that idols had no voice and no ability to help, compared to the Lord of Israel. Goliath’s death and decapitation signal the beginning of the end of the Philistines’ tyranny over Israel. At this point in time they controlled Israel almost as a vassal state. Israel didn’t have any blacksmiths, they had all been conscripted by the Philistines, and so the Israelite army were fighting without iron weapons (13:19-22), a terrible disadvantage.

This week we are looking at the story of David and Goliath. I think everyone is impressed with David’s bravery and acumen with a slingshot, but I want to focus on his very well developed sense of self, and his clear vision of what was really going on the Valley of Elah, just 15 miles west of Bethlehem.

Keep in mind, David has already been secretly anointed as the new King of Israel. His brothers know; but Saul does not. He is the king in waiting. Meanwhile, he is playing the harp for Saul to sooth his deteriorating mental state, and he has developed a bit of a reputation as a warrior (16:18-21). Part-time, he tends his father’s sheep.

When David reaches the battle line and sees the state of affairs that Goliath’s challenges have caused, his reaction is so unlike that of his brothers and the other soldiers. He sees the situation for what it really is: a battle that belongs to the Lord. He has to overcome three strident naysayers in his effort to turn the tide. His eldest brother calls him a conceited and wicked voyeur. Saul calls him a mere boy in a man’s battle. Goliath calls him an insult to his requests for a champion. But David presses on with unflagging optimism and defeats Goliath while barely breaking a sweat.

David’s confidence came from knowing the Lord of the armies of Israel. He saw this battle as a contest between a lifeless idol and the Living God. He knew how the Lord had helped him defend his sheep from a lion and a bear and saw Goliath in the same light.

Goliath’s demise is foreshadowed in 1 Samuel 5:1-4. The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and placed it in their god’s temple. The next morning their idol, Dagan, had fallen over on its face. They set it upright but again the next morning it had fallen, and the head and the hands had broken off. They quickly decided to get rid of the Ark before further damage occurred. The decapitation and the amputations were a sign that idols had no voice and no ability to help, compared to the Lord of Israel. Goliath’s death and decapitation signal the beginning of the end of the Philistines’ tyranny over Israel. At this point in time they controlled Israel almost as a vassal state. Israel didn’t have any blacksmiths, they had all been conscripted by the Philistines, and so the Israelite army were fighting without iron weapons (13:19-22), a terrible disadvantage.