Not Just Stories - Part 5

He Heals the Broken-hearted

Author Kathy Crabtree calls John 1:10 “The Greatest Plot Twist Ever”

John 10:10 NKJV

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

There’s a term that has described being sad at Christmas:

The Holiday Blues

Article by Kendra Cherry, MSEd, a Psychology educator:

“Causes of the Holiday Blues”

People might experience holiday depression for many reasons, such as:

Lack of sleep. A hectic holiday schedule can lead to a lack of sleep, which increases stress.

Excess eating and alcohol use. People sometimes turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to handle holiday sadness and stress. Excessive drinking and overeating can make the symptoms of holiday depression even more pronounced.

Financial stress. Overextending yourself financially or struggling to afford gifts for family and friends can create an added burden of financial stress.

Isolation and loneliness. Being unable to spend the holidays with your family and friends can make the holiday season seem especially lonely.

Unrealistic expectations. The commercialization of the holidays can create the expectation of nonstop joy and holiday cheer, which can lead to holiday stress and sadness.

[Grief from the Past Year.] Because the holidays mark an impending new year, people tend to reflect on the past year. They might feel regret, failure, or other negative emotions.

Psalm 147:3 NKJV

3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.

Psalm 34:18 NKJV

18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Broken-Hearted synonyms:

anguished

devastated

heavy-hearted

suffering

grieving

grief-stricken

grieved

inconsolable

crushed

shattered

desolate

despairing

upset

distressed

miserable

sorrowful

Luke 2:21–24 NKJV

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Financial Stress:

A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons - the sacrifice of the poor

Leviticus 12:8 ESV

8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

Football on Christmas Eve

Isolation and Loneliness:

Luke 2:36–39 NKJV

36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

Grief:

Isaiah 53:1–6 NKJV

1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

The types of grieving mentioned in Isaiah 53:

v2: Feeling unwanted or less than.

v3: Rejection and feelings of being despised, Not being esteemed (affirmed)

v4: feelings of regret over past mistakes/sins

Isaiah 53:5 NKJV

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus’ Public Declaration:

Luke 4:16–21 NKJV

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Luke 4:18 AMP

18 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity],

Intro Erin’s Song