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Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg Campus

Mental Health & The Christian – A Panel Discussion Mental Health & The Christian – A Panel Discussion

This morning we’re taking a break from our series, “The Wanderers” to focus on Mental Health & The Christian. Our panel will include Mark Sensabaugh, LPC, Ashlea Link and Pastor Margaret Michael. Mark is a Licensed Counselor for Journey Counseling Ministries in Harrisonburg. Ashlea is a School Social Worker for Rockingham County Schools and Margaret is Outreach Pastor for COTN. For more information on Journey Counseling Ministries, visit: https://www.journeycounselingministries.org And for more information about Mark, visit: https://www.journeycounselingministries.org/staff/ The American Medical Association recently concluded that the pandemic has triggered a 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. No single event has ever had that dramatic effect. One scholar writing in the National Library of Medicine recently wrote that, we are now in a ‘’tsunami of psychiatric illness.’’ Another doctor wrote that, despite all of the time at home, mental health concerns and burnout have skyrocketed in the workplace. Nearly six times as many employers report increased mental health issues among employees since the pandemic began—burnout being among the most common. And in the middle of that, those of us who are believers in Christ find we are not immune. So, what do we do about it? This panel is designed to take a practical approach toward addressing these issues.‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7‬‬For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬‬Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:5‬‬We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:5-6‬‬Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Mark referenced books in his comments this morning. Those are: Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel by E. James Wilder, Anna Kang, John Loppnow & Sungshim Loppnow The Other Half of Church: Brain Science and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation by Jim Wilder & Michel Hendricks Journey Into the Divided Heart: Facing the Defense Mechanisms that Hinder True Emotional Healing by Steve Fair

The Wanderers Part 5 “The Spies”Welcome back to our summer teaching series “The Wanderers”

We are taking several weeks to unpack the story of God’s Covenant people as they journeyed from an enslaved people in Egypt, to their inheritance in the promised land. Throughout this story the Lord had one primary desire and that was to be with his people. We saw that come clearly into view last week in Chapter 19 as God extended an invitation to Covenant relationship. Even with the invitation of Covenant, there remains the culmination of God’s promise to his people that is yet to be fulfilled in the story- their inheritance of the Promised Land. As we enter our teaching text today in Numbers 13, we pick up the story about a year after the Mt. Sinai experience of Exodus Chapter 19.‭‭Numbers‬ ‭13:25-30‬‬At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” At this early report we already get the sense that the old nemesis of the children of Israel is back after them again- Doubt in the face of difficulty. All except Caleb and Joshua are starting to turn back in their hearts because of the challenge they see ahead in the promised land. On the doorstep of their inheritance, we discover a truth that transcends thousands of years of human experience. What we see, can poison what we believe. As we unpack the story of God’s Children on the threshold of their greatest moment, we will see the faith of an entire generation poisoned by unbelief.‭‭Numbers‬ ‭13:31-33‬‬But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”The faith of the 10 men was so poisoned by what they witnessed in the land that they come back and begin to give an exaggerated report, starting rumors among the people.‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:1-4‬‬That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” On the threshold of their inheritance, what they saw poisoned their faith in the Lord’s ability to provide. The people return to their classic response of grumbling and complaining against Moses, and ultimately the Lord. They thought it better to die there in the wilderness than to take the step of faith into the promised land. In this final statement, they decide they no longer want God’s plan, they no longer want God’s leaders, and they don’t want His land either. This was the pinnacle of their unbelief. As the story continues, the faithful leaders they wanted to abandon, begin to plead with them to trust the Lord- to turn back from their faithless ways, but they would have no part of it. Finally, the Lord appears at the tent of meeting and speaks to Moses declaring his judgement upon the people. There the Lord tells Moses that he will strike down this unbelieving people in response to their rebellion and contempt against him. God would give them what they desired, death in the desert. But Moses pleads on behalf of the people that the Lord would spare them, appealing to the Lord’s gracious and steadfast love.‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:20-24‬‬The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. And that’s why they wandered in the wilderness The poison of un-belief would cost an entire generation of people the joy of experiencing the promised land. Scholars estimate that this was around 1.2 million people that would perish in the wilderness over the next 40 years of wandering. I believe verse 24 holds the key for this story, as well as for us. “ 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” If what we see can poison what we believe, then the opposite is also true. What we believe can change what we see. Overview of Exodus This video gives a brief overview of the book of Exodus, helping us frame it within the biblical narrative. This link is for Part 1, make sure to watch Part 2!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH_aojNJM3E

The Wanderers Part 4: “The Commandments”

Welcome to our summer teaching series “The Wanderers” Over the next several weeks we will trace the story of God’s people as they were brought up out of Egypt and began their journey through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. It’s a story full of God’s Grace, Mercy, and Faithfulness. It’s also a story of God’s patience with people. An idolatrous, unfaithful, and quick to complain group of people that God desired to enter covenant relationship with. Where have you seen the Children of Israel in you? Perhaps in us? These are important to consider because if this is just a history lesson, we’ve been wasting our time. If all the grumbling stories and miracles are just data about the past, we are missing it. If we miss the story, they are telling we will miss the whole point of that long journey- God’s invitation to relationship.‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19:1-3‬‬On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: We are joining the Children of Israel about 2 weeks after the events in Chapter 16 with God’s miraculous provision of food in the wilderness. For about two weeks now the people have been literally eating at God’s faithfulness every day as they eat the Manna from heaven. In the time between chapter 16 with the giving of the manna and their arrival at Mount Sinai in Chapter 19, the people have done some more grumbling against the Lord, they have engaged in battle with the Amalekites where the Lord provided victory. The arrival and subsequent yearlong stay at Sinai mark a distinct turn in the story of God’s people. This is a pivotal moment for God’s people. As these events un-fold, it becomes clear that this is the point the Lord was leading his people too. Despite their grumbling, despite their desire to go back to Egypt, God has been desiring to be with his people. At Sinai, he will extend them an invitation to relationship.‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19:4‬‬‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. up to this point in our narrative the Children of Israel have been the recipients of God’s grace, his one-sided love for them, but the Lord is about to offer them an opportunity of response considering all he has done for them.‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19:5-6‬‬Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites. ” The Lord offers his people a way of response in light of all he has done in advance for them. A response of obedience. Let’s pause for just a moment- What’s a covenant? First, a covenant is not a contract. The website Upcounsel.com says “A contract exchanges one good for another, while a covenant is giving oneself to the other.” A contract then is a “if-then” type of agreement. A covenant on the other hand is a relational centered agreement. In our context, Marriage is perhaps the most accessible example. Tim Mackie of the Bible project puts it this way “Covenant means entering a formal, relational partnership to accomplish a goal” The Lord is inviting his people into a covenant relationship, where he will give them all of himself and in return, they would give all of themselves to him. The idea of treasured possession is like a crown jewel, a unique and one-of-a-kind work. “A kingdom of Priests” in a very basic sense, a priest is a person who represents God to other people. So, the invitation to covenant for the children of Israel is that they will be a part of God’s plan for redemption of the whole world. “ Holy Nation” They were to be a people representing God to the world, they were also to be a completely different kind of people, set apart from the world on display of God’s amazing love and transformation in his people. What God asked of the people in response, is what we know as the 10 commandments. The 10 commandments were like a “constitution” of sorts for God’s covenant people. The commandments laid out the kind of people they were to be. God’s giving of himself in covenant would display in his people being a treasured possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. The peoples giving of themselves would display in their love for God and their love for their neighbors. For thousands of years the people of God would struggle to uphold their part of the covenant, to be a people wholly committed to God. No matter how hard they tried, despite their best intentions, the fallen nature of sin distorted their ability to live as God desired them to live. Somehow, they knew they couldn’t do it, they needed a new way. God would need to fulfill their part too. Friends that’s exactly what Jesus did- He perfectly fulfilled the requirement of the covenant. Through his life, death, and resurrection he offers us a new covenant, a new way to be in relationship with God. This new covenant of Christ invites us to give ourselves completely to Him- That’s our part. When we give ourselves completely to Christ, in return, in covenant, we receive his very life inside of us through the holy spirit. The life of Christ within us will teach us, guide us, empower us to live as God’s faithful covenant people. As Christ has given all of himself to us, and in return we have given all of ourselves to him in covenant relationship- the promises we read God giving to the wanderers are fulfilled in our lives. Perhaps God’s story for your life has led you to this moment of covenant invitation, will you give all of yourself to him as he gives himself to you?Overview of Exodus This video gives a brief overview of the book of Exodus, helping us frame it within the biblical narrative. This link is for Part 1, make sure to watch Part 2!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH_aojNJM3E