Events
Sermon
This sermon felt difficult to write. So difficult. Some of us here in the church have been going through so much. Health issues. Emotions. Mental health. Hard decisions. Guilt. Anger. Pain. Confusion. Many tears have been shed. Bridges have been burned. Demolished. Pain.
Sometimes well meaning pastors, followers of Jesus, minister to people in this way:
“It’ll be alright. Remember what the Bible says, ‘Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you’ 1 Peter 5:7.”
Yes, the Bible does say that. But it also allows space for the expression of emotions. Of grief. Of all the pain we carry.
‘For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. ‘ -Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season…a time to heal…a time to break down and a time to build up…a time to weep…a time to mourn…a time to lose…a time to throw away…a time to tear. Even Jesus wept.
This is the glory of the Almighty Father. He makes provisions for us. So, as always, I want to open the floor for discussion. Why do we think that our supposed “negative emotions” are not supported in the Bible? Do we think that God condemns them?
We know, as Ecclesiastes says, there is a time to weep and a time to laugh. We know the weeping times are real. But we also need to hear how God brings us into the time to heal. To prove that these seasons change.
I started tonight by admitting this sermon was incredibly difficult to write because of the pain in this room. I don’t want to just preach at the pain. I want us to heal through community. Tonight begins Pentecost. Do you know what this holiday represents?
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”
Acts 2:1-4
It is only right that at his time, Pentecost, that if you feel the Holy Spirit prompting you. Please tell us about a season you thought would break you. How faith carried you to the other side. If you feel moved, please share how God used a broken bridge or painful decision in your life to show His ultimate provision.
For me, it brings up some recent situations. Our church and Elders have had to make incredibly heavy decisions. I was like a deer in headlights. I was frozen in place. I didn’t know what to do. I was scared. God put me…us…in this position. This anointing. For a reason. But I felt like I was failing God. Like He was testing our church and we were failing. Our Elders were divided. Governing our church is some of the hardest things I’ve ever done. And yet.
We decided that we needed to practice was we preach. To be open. To be vulnerable. First, prayer. Me and God had quite the yelling match. He can take it. Then, we brought the situation before our voting members. Our people. They are the ones positioned by Yahweh, the Holy Father. They keep this community going. They…you are my testimony tonight.
The people in our church congregation help me heal. You keep me from breaking. You all carry me to the other side. God has provided provisions for me as a pastor, as a friend. Because He provided me you. All of you. And I give praise. I give thanks.
Amen.
