PainKillers: Week #4b

Intro:

Video

Every life has a story …

If we only bother to read it!

Normal

Exterior

Comparison … tree … exterior vs. interior

Dendrochronology — tree-ring dating

Dendronchronology

scientific method of dating tree rings (or growth rings)

Able to the know the year they were formed

Able to analyze conditions during different periods in history

Atmospheric Conditions

Drought

Abundance of water

Environmental Conditions

Crowding

Pressure from another tree

Forest fires

It’s useful in determining timing of events & rates of change in the environment

New growth in trees occurs in a layer of cells near the bark. A tree's growth rate changes in a predictable pattern throughout the year in response to seasonal climate changes, resulting in visible growth rings. Each ring marks a complete cycle of seasons, or one year, in the tree's life.[1] As of 2013, the oldest tree-ring measurements in the Northern Hemisphere are a floating sequence extending from about 12,580 to 13,900 years.[2] Dendrochronology derives from Ancient Greek: δένδρον (dendron), meaning "tree", χρόνος (khronos), meaning "time", and -λογία (-logia), "the study of".

New growth in trees occurs in a layer of cells near the bark

Growth at the edges

Examine the inside to know what the outside was facing

Tree's growth rate changes in a predictable pattern throughout the year in response to seasonal climate changes, resulting in visible growth rings.

Each ring marks a complete cycle of seasons, or one year, in the tree's life.

Dendrochronology derives from Ancient Greek:

Dendrochronology derives from Ancient Greek:

δένδρον (dendron), meaning "tree"

χρόνος (khronos), meaning "time"

-λογία (-logia), "the study of”

Discipleship Journal, Issue 106 (July/August 1998) Seeing God In Your Past

The plaque explained that the rings of a tree not only reveal its age, but also the environmental conditions in any given year—whether there had been a lot of rain or very little, for example. Some rings even indicated forest fires.

If this old tree could talk, it would sure tell us a lot.

Some rings even indicated forest fires.

If this old tree could talk, it would sure tell us a lot.

But trees can’t talk

If this old tree could talk, it would sure tell us a lot, I thought. But trees can’t talk. They can reflect the past, but they cannot tell us how they felt during certain events or what they learned.

HOWEVER, they can reflect the past

NOT SO WITH PEOPLE

People can talk

People can act

People can react

People can respond

People can remember

People can forget

All of this works to tell us a story ...

Every life has a story …

If we only bother to read it!

The Story of You

DISPLAY SCRIPTURE

READ THROUGH BELOW THIS SECTION

Psalm 42:1–4 NIV

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

Psalm 42 NIV

For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

[1] As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

BREAK IN SLIDES

so my soul pants for you, my God.

Look at the present

Look at desperation

[2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

When can I go and meet with God?

BREAK IN SLIDES

Look at results … this is the outcome

My soul thirsts

Where can I meet God

“Where can I go and meet God?”

[3] My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long,

BREAK IN SLIDES

day and night,

“Where is your God?”

while people say to me all day long,

Transitions to a really rotten season of his life...

Then transitions to a really rotten season of his life...

“my tears have been my food day & night”

faces the persecution of others … “Where is your God?”

Transitions to looking to the past

“Where is your God?”

[4] These things I remember as I pour out my soul:

as I pour out my soul:

BREAK IN SLIDES

how I used to go to the house of God

how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.

Used to go

with shouts of joy and praise

Used to celebrate

He is remembering God’s work

“Remember” = “mark”

among the festive throng.

He was marking a time in his life when God’s house & God’s people were a priority

His life was filled w/praise & worship

Transitions to inside look

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

[6] My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

therefore I will remember you

from the land of the Jordan,

the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

[7] Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.

[8] By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

at night his song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.

He was having a very bad spell according to his lament in verse three: "My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’"

[9] I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”

“Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?”

[10] My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

as my foes taunt me,

saying to me all day long,

“Where is your God?”

[11] Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

This memory reassured him that he could hope in God.

But then the author looks to the past. There he is reminded of God’s past workings.

But then the author looks to the past. There he is reminded of God’s past workings. He writes, "These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng" (v. 4). The word remember means to mark. The psalmist marked a time when he led worship filled with praise. This memory reassured him that he could hope in God. Things would get better.

He writes, "These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng" (v. 4).

The word remember means to mark.

The psalmist marked a time when he led worship filled with praise.

This memory reassured him that he could hope in God.

Things would get better.

John 11:17–44 NIV

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

[17] On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. [18] Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, [19] and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. [20] When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

[21] “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

[23] Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

[24] Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

[27] “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

[28] After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” [29] When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. [30] Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. [31] When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

[32] When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

[33] When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. [34] “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

[35] Jesus wept.

[36] Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

[37] But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead

[38] Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. [39] “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

[40] Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

[41] So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

[43] When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” [44] The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”