Sermon 2-28-07 2 cor 4:5-10 Lent 1- grief
->>> 2 cor 4>>> 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves>>> as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine >>> out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the>>> light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.>>> 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this>>> all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on>>> every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted,>>> but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry>>> around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also>>> be revealed in our body.
Do you ever feel that you have taken in about all the sadness that one person can handle?
During lent we visit some of the more serious topics of faith.
I have been planning to speak on grief for several weeks,
because there has been a lot of it going around.
Since the beginning of the year our congregation has
· Buried several fathers
· Buried several grandfathers
· Several have had friends diagnosed with serious illness & disease
· We’ve had broken hips, RSV, & other maladies I cannot pronounce
· We buried a very generous community friend.
· A nineteen year old who had many friends in our church family was shot and killed.
· A sixteen year old who had several friends in our church family took his own life.
· On Friday we buried a baby.
· On the way the graveside, I received word that a 5th grader at Voy spears elementary had taken his own life.
We have had quite a spat of painful episodes.
its on the news all the time………
· 2 brothers killed in head on collision
· Mother runs over 3 year old daughter
· Someone shot at 33rd & paseo
If you have never met with grief, then I applaud you, enjoy the Pollyanna world, but I tell you that your day is coming.
Elizabeth Kubler Ross did some wonderful work on the grief process
She identified 5 stages………….
Shock- they are handling it all so well
Denial
Anger
Bargaining- births the worst kinds of prayers
Acceptance- trust in god
This list of stages has helped me to understand myself in grief.
Its ok to be human
If you want to cry, it is ok……..
Grief comes in many forms It’s not always associated with death.
When I look back on the grief that I have known in my life it sounds like this
· Casper the friendly ghost cards on easter
· Not understanding life
· Feeling that I had let my parents down
· Moving away from friends
· Having a angry parishoner
· Trouble in relationships
· The death of my mother
· A child with a tumor
· The death of my father
· The pain of growing older
· The fear of death
· Grief is so personal
· I don’t like being an adult
· I don’t understand life
Some of it we can do nothing about.
Our parents are going to grow old and die.
Unfortunately, sometimes young people, even children get sick and die in spite of our best efforts
Sometimes Bad people do bad things that hurt us
Many painful things happen that are not to our liking.
After a boy took his own life, I asked Jenny if she would be willing to visit with someone from our congregation who was friends with him, since she has had friends die.
She said, dad, its sad enough to lose a friend, why would anyone take their own life?
Lets talk about this for a few minutes.
If you have had a friend or loved on take their own life
There was nothing that you could have done to stop this……
This is not yours this is theirs……
They chose…..
Everyone gets sad from time to time. despondent. Depressed.
Most people have no idea how much they mean to others around them.
They think that no one loves me
They think that no one will miss them
They think that the world will be better off without them
This is not true.
You would be missed, and grieved, our lives will never be the same.
For some, these wounds never heal, for others, they heal in time, but the scars that are carried from such wound are disfiguring to the core.
Suicide is not an acceptable solution.
No one would ever choose this if they knew the pain they leave behind
Life is worth living
Todays problems grow smaller in time
There is no heartache, no embarrassment so great as to warrant this
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Go home and tell someone that you love them. That they matter to you. Call up your friends, speak to your neighbors. Tell everyone that you can that their life matters.
Understand that your life matters.
God loves you.
I love you.
You are an important part of this church family.
We find comfort during grief from one another
God does’t comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters
Chris Hill………when I get on the other side of this, I want to help others
We find comfort during grief from the love of God
God stands by us and grieves with us……
Jesus wept over the loss of his friend Lazarus
The entire biblical witness is a reminder that we are
8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed Bruised but not brokenabraham is about to offer his son on an altar-god sends a ram
Hebrew children are being chased by pharohs army-waters close in
Shadrack, meshack and abendego are in the firey furnaceMary and Martha brother lazarus has died-jesus raises him Daniel lions den-the mouths of lions are shut
if you are a Christian, even death is not the end….the grave cannot hold you The entire story of the bible is of God helping his people.You can trust him
We have this treasure in jars of clay……….we are breakable, fragile.
We carry with in our souls a great treasure, God’s holy spirit.
Ephesians 1….you are marked with the seal of the holy spirit
Ash wedensday………….
Very touching, all of the people coming to pray and to confess their sin
The words of assurance:
The sign of the cross upon your forehead marks you, seals you as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Remember with me to day that in times of pain, you are not alone
Remember the words of our savior who said,
Come unto me all ye who r weary & heavy laden and I will give you rest.
If you have someone in your row that you know has been hurting, just reach over right now and take their hand…….
->>> 2 cor 4>>> 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves>>> as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine >>> out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the>>> light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.>>> 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this>>> all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on>>> every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted,>>> but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry>>> around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also>>> be revealed in our body.
Do you ever feel that you have taken in about all the sadness that one person can handle?
During lent we visit some of the more serious topics of faith.
I have been planning to speak on grief for several weeks,
because there has been a lot of it going around.
Since the beginning of the year our congregation has
· Buried several fathers
· Buried several grandfathers
· Several have had friends diagnosed with serious illness & disease
· We’ve had broken hips, RSV, & other maladies I cannot pronounce
· We buried a very generous community friend.
· A nineteen year old who had many friends in our church family was shot and killed.
· A sixteen year old who had several friends in our church family took his own life.
· On Friday we buried a baby.
· On the way the graveside, I received word that a 5th grader at Voy spears elementary had taken his own life.
We have had quite a spat of painful episodes.
its on the news all the time………
· 2 brothers killed in head on collision
· Mother runs over 3 year old daughter
· Someone shot at 33rd & paseo
If you have never met with grief, then I applaud you, enjoy the Pollyanna world, but I tell you that your day is coming.
Elizabeth Kubler Ross did some wonderful work on the grief process
She identified 5 stages………….
Shock- they are handling it all so well
Denial
Anger
Bargaining- births the worst kinds of prayers
Acceptance- trust in god
This list of stages has helped me to understand myself in grief.
Its ok to be human
If you want to cry, it is ok……..
Grief comes in many forms It’s not always associated with death.
When I look back on the grief that I have known in my life it sounds like this
· Casper the friendly ghost cards on easter
· Not understanding life
· Feeling that I had let my parents down
· Moving away from friends
· Having a angry parishoner
· Trouble in relationships
· The death of my mother
· A child with a tumor
· The death of my father
· The pain of growing older
· The fear of death
· Grief is so personal
· I don’t like being an adult
· I don’t understand life
Some of it we can do nothing about.
Our parents are going to grow old and die.
Unfortunately, sometimes young people, even children get sick and die in spite of our best efforts
Sometimes Bad people do bad things that hurt us
Many painful things happen that are not to our liking.
After a boy took his own life, I asked Jenny if she would be willing to visit with someone from our congregation who was friends with him, since she has had friends die.
She said, dad, its sad enough to lose a friend, why would anyone take their own life?
Lets talk about this for a few minutes.
If you have had a friend or loved on take their own life
There was nothing that you could have done to stop this……
This is not yours this is theirs……
They chose…..
Everyone gets sad from time to time. despondent. Depressed.
Most people have no idea how much they mean to others around them.
They think that no one loves me
They think that no one will miss them
They think that the world will be better off without them
This is not true.
You would be missed, and grieved, our lives will never be the same.
For some, these wounds never heal, for others, they heal in time, but the scars that are carried from such wound are disfiguring to the core.
Suicide is not an acceptable solution.
No one would ever choose this if they knew the pain they leave behind
Life is worth living
Todays problems grow smaller in time
There is no heartache, no embarrassment so great as to warrant this
Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Go home and tell someone that you love them. That they matter to you. Call up your friends, speak to your neighbors. Tell everyone that you can that their life matters.
Understand that your life matters.
God loves you.
I love you.
You are an important part of this church family.
We find comfort during grief from one another
God does’t comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters
Chris Hill………when I get on the other side of this, I want to help others
We find comfort during grief from the love of God
God stands by us and grieves with us……
Jesus wept over the loss of his friend Lazarus
The entire biblical witness is a reminder that we are
8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed Bruised but not brokenabraham is about to offer his son on an altar-god sends a ram
Hebrew children are being chased by pharohs army-waters close in
Shadrack, meshack and abendego are in the firey furnaceMary and Martha brother lazarus has died-jesus raises him Daniel lions den-the mouths of lions are shut
if you are a Christian, even death is not the end….the grave cannot hold you The entire story of the bible is of God helping his people.You can trust him
We have this treasure in jars of clay……….we are breakable, fragile.
We carry with in our souls a great treasure, God’s holy spirit.
Ephesians 1….you are marked with the seal of the holy spirit
Ash wedensday………….
Very touching, all of the people coming to pray and to confess their sin
The words of assurance:
The sign of the cross upon your forehead marks you, seals you as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Remember with me to day that in times of pain, you are not alone
Remember the words of our savior who said,
Come unto me all ye who r weary & heavy laden and I will give you rest.
If you have someone in your row that you know has been hurting, just reach over right now and take their hand…….
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