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WELCOME: Elder Higgins Reflections Group Thursdays @ 7:30 pm
ICEBREAKER:
Reflections Church Service
April 17th, 2022
“From Trauma to Triumph”
Colossians 2:8 - 15
We live in a world filled with trauma. Every time we turn on the news, some craziness is happening in our world. We are a traumatized-people. Traumatized by gangs, hate, racism, sexual predators, by politics, by wars, by inflation, by economic inequities, by health disparities, by the pandemic, by COVID, by the epidemics, by the cost of rent, by the price of gas…
Definition of trauma: It is a response to a distressing./disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. Causes a diminished of sense of self, and experience a range of emotions and experiences. It results from exposure to an experience or event that has lasting adverse effects on the mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It does not discriminate. It is pervasive throughout the world.
Causes of trauma: Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, childhood neglect, living with family with mental health and substance abuse. Sudden and unexplained separation of a loved one. Poverty is a reason for trauma. Racism/discrimination/oppression. Wars and violence in our communities. It can occur at any age. It has debilitating long term effects on developing brains.
75% of people will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime. It is not easy to escape trauma (especially when you live in a city like this). But trauma can be a powerful force of positive change. Trauma does not have to be something that alters your life for the negative. Some can use it for positive change. Just as there is PTSD, there can be Post traumatic growth.
In studying PT growth, Psychologists suggest four spokes of a wheel/relationship pillars.
Relationship with yourself. The right self esteem and perception. One way to turn the trauma around. You need the community to help you. YOu need people to spur you on.
Your relationship with family (biological, or people you built familial relationships with).
Relationship with the community. Hobby groups, sports teams, co workers, colleagues, etc. Whoever it is, make sure your community is uplifting you.
The “universe” (your belief in God). Participation in organized religion or well thought out examination of what is the bigger picture, recognizing there is a power greater than yourself. That there is a God somewhere. There is an intelligent designer, all things created by him. If he created all things, he created YOU, and you can believe the scriptures that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are who God says you are.
More than half of all trauma survivors support positive change. It can be transformative, it can be powerful, the old adage is true “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. You experience powerful psychological strength. Greater strength in spiritually seeing new possibilities in life.
Emotional Resilience is a skill to be successful. Setbacks don't take you out for the count. You can change your mind, and refocus easily, rather than being caught up in worry and anxiety about what went wrong.
By working on childhood trauma the individual becomes more resilient and has more ability to cope with negative situations that come your way. Insults, and other things that may look like you can’t make it through.
The transitions in life are traumatic. [Birth of my children]
[I’m ashamed to say I never thought of what Christ had to endure in His life here, and especially during passion week, I never thought to equate that to the trauma we experience in our lives, and to use His example of the ability to turn that trauma into triumph]
Introduction to the book of Mark:
Bible scholars believe Mark’s gospel written during the AD 50’s came first and was used as a source for the books of Matthew and Luke when they wrote their Gospels. The early church father Papias claimed that Mark wrote his Gospel based on Peter’s preaching. Peter mentions Mark as his companion (1 Peter 5:12-13), and this is the same “John Mark” from the book of Acts who also traveled with Paul on his missionary journeys (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:36-39; Col 4:10; 2 Tim 4:11). This evidence gives us good reason to believe that John Mark was the author and the apostle Peter provided him with the eyewitness testimony of Jesus.
Opening Question: What are some of the strangest foods you’ve eaten?
Mark 1:1 - 7
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
John’s plain lifestyle was reflected in his clothing and his food (1:6). He was simple, unworthy man pointing to someone more powerful than he. As on who proclaims Christ our diet will be different form normal and even from some who claim to know Christ. True followers keep it simple, and consistent.
Mark 1:16 - 20
16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
Jesus calls his first disciples, two sets of brothers. He used there occupation to challenge them to follow Him: “I will make you fish for people” (1:16-17).
God will often do something similar when He calls us to become disciples; He will link our backgrounds and experiences to His purposes for our lives. Their response shows they knew that God’s kingdom was to overrule every other thing and relationship in their lives. Thus, they left everything and followed (1:20). It may be family, job, career, but it may also be and attitude, an outlook on life, a way of thinking. What is common sense in the world, will be nonsense in the kingdom of God. (violence to resolve conflict; God made male and female, world say gender is a social construct that is fluid and can be self determined, e.g. Lia Thompson)
Mark 1:29 - 31
29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
Question: What were your initial thoughts when you read verses 29 - 31?
While in Capernaum, Jesus and His four new disciples visit Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who is sick in bed with fever (1:29-30). Jesus miraculously raises her up and cures her. What Mark points out is that she served Jesus as a result (1:31). The only appropriate response to God’s goodness in your life is gratitude and service.
Mark 2:1 - 5
1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Mark 2:6 - 12
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Question: How would you compare the actions of the four men who lowered their friend through the roof to Jesus, to the attitude of the scribes (v. 6)
Jesus saw their faith. He witnessed their collective faith. We weren’t meant to be Lone Ranger Christians. We need one another. Sometimes our circumstances can be so overpowering that we need to piggyback on the faith of others.
When He saw his friends’ faith in action Jesus told the paralyzed man, Son your sins are forgiven. Some Christians invite their friends to church but not to Jesus. They’ll invite them for special events, holidays, or special programs, but they won’t tell them about the life-changing power of knowing Christ. These four men knew that getting their friend to a building wasn’t the goal. Getting him to have an encounter with the Master was.
No matter what our physical condition, your spiritual condition must take priority. Unforgiven sins are more detrimental than unhealed limbs. Spiritual sickness is worse that broken circumstances. And spiritual healing can reverse sin’s physical consequences.
Mark 3:1 - 6
1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
The Herodians were political supporters of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. The Pharisees together with them were now planning to kill Jesus. This is nothing new we see religion and politics joined against the true King.
Mark 3:13 - 19
13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Christ gave the apostles with the strongest personalities descriptive names, Simon to Peter; James and John, “Sons of Thunder”, even Judas Iscariot was identified by his character. When we come into relationship with Christ he won’t change our personality, but will channel and use it for His glory. Just know it will be a process of transformation that will take as long as your will allows.
Mark 3:31 - 35
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus prioritized His relationship with those who submit themselves to God’s will. Having a deeper relationship with Christ involves responding to Him and being in fellowship, in community with others who have the same value for His word and mission as you do. Together, you will challenge and sharpen each other, and possibly be closer than some familial ties.
Mark 4:1 -12
1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” 10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
Mark 4:13 - 20
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Question: Why do you think Jesus indicates the parable of the sower is so important?
Parable Breakdown:
The harden path represents a hardened heart. People with such hearts refuse to believe; therefore, Satan easily removes the Word from them (4:15). The seed that grows in rocky ground and among thorns represents believers who, either through spiritual immaturity or attachments to worldliness, unholy relationships, fail to yield fruit (4:16 - 19). Spiritual growth cannot happen when God’s kingdom is marginalized in a life. But the good ground represents hearts that are receptive to God’s Word. They welcome it - that is they believe and obey it. As a result, they produce abundant spiritual fruit because of the kingdom impact their lives have on others.
Mark 4:35 - 41
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Closing: Fear and faith correspond to one another. An increase in one leads to a decrease in the other. The disciples had every reason to trust Jesus. The disciples had seen His miraculous deeds; they knew God was with Him. But it’s easy to forget what Jesus did yesterday when we’re going through a storm today. Before the storm He told them “Let’s cross over to the other side” (4:35). He had let them know in advance that they would make to their destination. Our faith fails only when we allow our circumstances to override God’s Word, but if we fear Him above all else, we’ll trust His Word above all else.