The Voice of the Heart
The Voice • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
We are going to talk about something today that isn’t always easy to talk about. Our heart and our feelings.
Friends, we are experiencing something that we’ve never experienced before. And it is taking longer than expected for us to get used to it.
Moe (my wife) and I downsized from a large house to a one-level townhouse. But it isn’t just that simple. We sold too close to the holidays to really find the best place. So, we rented for a year or so. Then we bought a townhouse, painted, updated, fixed, and brought in new appliances. Still work to do, but we have time right? Not exactly. A few months into the new townhouse we experienced a sewer backup. Virtually everything was covered - first by waste water and then later by insurance. But the process of rebuilding took far longer than either we or the contractor thought it would take. It was a comedy of errors. But somehow it wasn’t funny. We lived for six months in a hotel with a puppy (and with covid, we had to do our own linens and clean the bathroom ourselves.). During this time, I also had an apartment in Mankato and lived there 3-4 days a week while I served as an interim pastor in a church there. Well, we moved back in June but the townhouse wasn’t really complete until the end of September. It’s been a totally weird experience.
We are often stepping over one another in the kitchen. We don’t remember where anything is. I remember where it was in our old house. Or maybe in the apartment. Or maybe in the rented storage facility. Or maybe my apartment in Mankato. But in St Louis Park? Not a chance.
And I haven’t yet told you about the multiple surgeries that I’ve had in the last few years. Or about the season of unemployment due to covid.
Yet, if Moe asks me how my day has been. I only have one of two answers. Fine - or - Ummm. Ummm indicates in some vague way that I probably answered “fine” far too much lately but don’t know what else to say.
To put it gently, understanding my emotions has been a life-long journey of discovery. It’s not that I don’t feel emotions. It’s more that I don’t usually know how to identify them and what might have triggered them.
I’m so glad for my beautiful and patient wife. She gets that I don’t always get it. I have learned so much from her over our 38 years of marriage. And I’m still learning.
On the other hand, there are those who understand their emotions, but don’t always know what to do with them. So, they share stories connected to stories in hopes that one of the threads will somehow open up the nirvana moment where it all makes sense.
We’re going to spend a little time with that as well today.
Two truths.
Unexpected changes under unusual circumstances offer insights into our hearts.
Understanding our hearts may help us cope better with unexpected changes under unusual circumstances.
Mary: pregnant as a virgin. young. confused. alone (Elizabeth perhaps the only one who really understood.) hope. visits by an angel were probably frightening as well as comforting.
Hannah: unable to have children. shame. insults. burden. A helpful but awkward husband. (gives her twice what he gives to his other wife. “Don’t be sad…you have me! I must be better than having ten sons.”)
Branchline: two senior leadership transitions, multiple staff departures and transitions, your own friends may have left the church. Redefining the strategic vision, mission, and methods but not having the margin to act on it and make substantial headway. And for the last year, we’ve been dealing with COVID and all of the fallout from that.
We can’t even meet together in a halfway normal routine or environment to process the high level of stress we’re all going through. And when we do talk with one another it doesn’t go right.
Let’s put some names to this...
stress
grief
loss
change
anger
betrayal
loss of trust
remorse
frustration
hopelessness
Those are the feelings (and much much more).
There are some healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with this.
NB: before I talk about this. Please know a couple of things. This isn’t personal. I don’t know you. But I’ve been in churches for a long time. And I have studied church life for a long time. I did my doctoral thesis on conflict in churches.
Don’t listen for my voice in this. Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Healthy
listening
encouragement
grieving together
solution-finding
supportive prayers
Unhealthy
suspicion CSI (perception bias)
gossip and slander
verbal attacks
sabotage
open or covert rebellion (fight)
withdrawal (flight)
choosing to withhold offerings or service
vying for personal agendas
Do the Holy Spirit have your attention?
Branchline: we have a case of the “normals”. Not the normal that God spells out for the ideal. But normal for fallen human beings who aren’t yet there yet. Compounded by trying to do this with other people who are just as messed up as me.
BI: When we understand our emotions, we may be better equipped to handle the circumstances we find ourselves in.
BI: When we understand our emotions, we may be better equipped to handle the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Mary and Hannah: Conversations with God
Mary and Hannah: Conversations with God
1. Call him by name
1. Call him by name
and say something about who he is or what he has done
and say something about who he is or what he has done
When you see someone you love but haven’t seen in a long time, what’s the first thing you do?
usually you’ll call them by name.
probably talk about how good it is to see them.
tell them why they are so special to you.
Acknowledge their goodness and mercy.
Hannah
“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Mary
And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
Us
Acrostic Attributes
Read the Psalms
2. Thank him for the good things
2. Thank him for the good things
Hannah
Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
Mary
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
Us
Journal his goodness
Put a leaf on the gratitude tree
Discussion within your family and friends
3. Describe your hardship
3. Describe your hardship
Hannah
“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry are hungry no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.
Mary
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
Us
list your hardships
identify your feelings
Emotion wheel
4. Remember his goodness again
4. Remember his goodness again
Hannah
He will guard the feet of his faithful servants, but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness. “It is not by strength that one prevails;
Mary
for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Us
Yes, but… (combat those voices with the truth)
Remember beyond the current season
anything God has ever done, he can do today
anything God has done for anyone else, he can do for you
anywhere God has done anything good, he can do here
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Who he is
What he’s done
Why you hurt
Why you hope
Blessings
Close (final slide)
see you next week as we look at who was there at the birth of Christ.
God bless your week.