Speaker 1: 0:13

I'll tell you what that was. One of my favorite parts of this series so far is all these testimonies, but I want to actually tell a bunch of my friends that are standing in the back. We got a ton of room, like a whole row up front here and a bunch of spots over here. If you guys want to come up here, I'd rather you get comfortable, make your way up here. All good man, those testimonies are you. Every one of those people are people that are part of the faith community and leaned in, and I'm so thankful that they have literally given me and us hope and help through their story and sharing it, and that it's not over. We want to welcome you for week 12 of a very honest series and conversation around the subject that we have all been experiencing, at least to some degree, and that's the subject of mental health. We have been calling this series Hope and Help, and we did a survey just as we're getting ready to start this, where about a thousand of you participated from this faith community and only 10.8% of you weren't really sure if you knew someone who was experiencing some sort of mental health issue, and I just want you to know right now, today, maybe you were invited by a friend. Maybe you heard we were doing a series on mental health. Maybe you stumbled across this message online. I want to welcome you wherever you find yourself geographically. But also I want to say this I want you to know that you are welcome right now here as you are. However, you might be joining us emotionally or mentally, and I know for a number of us at one time or another, if we're really being honest, we're not that honest about how we're really doing, and maybe you have a really good reason for that. Maybe at one time or another, you were honest with how you were doing and it wasn't received very well. This is why it is so critical how we handle one another and give unconditional grace, because when we don't, when we don't actually see others and make them feel accepted and walk with them through the things they're walking through as they pull away from us, it will actually become harder for us to help them and give them hope. The further away we pull, the less bright our light is, and this just creates more isolation. That's what it creates.

Speaker 1: 2:42

There's a solution to isolation, which then what happens is it leaves them desolate and vulnerable and it can actually impact their relationship with God, because they will judge God by our actions, believe that or not. Right, we are to be representatives of Jesus, like literally a light to the communities that are surrounding us, an example of what human communities ought to look like according to God's love and his grace and his generosity. The expression of God to the hurting world. And when we handle that glorious mission poorly, it changes how other people see God, and this culminates in them having a hard time with relationships with others. You know they start saying things well, if Christians can't be trusted, if God can't be trusted, then who can't? And then they retreat further into themselves and then loneliness sets in and the isolation leaves them vulnerable. This is why you see out there on the lobby, on the wall, our vision represent, and that's really what we want to do. We want to represent well, and here's what I want you to know this is an honest truth, and I've been sharing a lot of honest truth over the last 12 weeks is I don't have it all together, but I'm telling you this I am following the one who does. So that means that I'm going to continue to take the mask off and that we, collectively, we must represent this to our communities that it's okay to not be okay and that there is and there is help.

Speaker 1: 4:19

One of the areas where we have struggled as Christians, I think over time is being actually too narrow-minded when it comes to our view of mental health issues. There have been so many emails of people from you and across our region and even from across the country who join us online, thanking us actually for stepping into these areas. Many of you have received help and hope. Others of you have listened intently so you can offer hope and help to loved ones that are in the battle. And as we wrap up this series today, I actually wanted to point out just a couple of resources and highlight those if you haven't already seen them, because I think they're so important Just tools for you to continue to carry on that we're going to carry for you for quite some time.

Speaker 1: 5:07

One of those places is our website. We've got a great website and it's packed full of resources and specifically resources around mental health and these conversations that we've been having. If you go there, you can see that we've got trainings on there. Videos from a dear friend who's a psychiatrist and reverend just teaches us and gives us tools about different types of mental health. There's the testimonials from all 12 weeks of our brave friends that have shared that, I literally think give help and hope to people who've experienced the same thing, saying I'm not alone and okay, it doesn't have to be over. That's the website. There's a whole bunch of stuff you can check out. Also, you can go out into the lobby. Today we're going to create some time and some space. There is a bunch of next steps, essentially our fall offering.

Speaker 1: 5:52

No one should go through recovery alone, any kind of recovery. We should be doing this together, and so we have a ton of things that are focused, whether it's like in your lifestyle and stage, or if it's for everyone. There's a ton of different opportunities and options out there. As you leave today, you'll get more information about that, about how we can continue this, about hope and help. Hope and help. I wonder how many of our spouses, kids, grandkids, employees, classmates, co-workers, bosses find themselves relating to those words. I wonder how many of you have related to those words hope and help.

Speaker 1: 6:38

In week one, we talked about it's okay to not be okay, and then we talked about these three lies that we tend to believe when we're wrestling with mental illness, that we can believe that our life doesn't have any meaning and that if the truth about us were known, that we wouldn't be accepted or loved. Then we took this deep dive into issues related to self-esteem and suicide, anxiety, stress and depression. Then we got to bring in a friend, dr Cheryl Ho, who gave us practical steps, practical steps that actually help when it comes to this Five things that we can do to take on our mental health. Last week I invited a dear friend of mine, pastor John Ortberg, who gave us then practical steps where we can continue to grab onto hope.

Speaker 1: 7:28

Over the last 11 weeks we have talked about these four buckets where mental health issues tend to reside. Those are situational mental health issues tend to reside. Those are situational, these seasons or scenarios that happen to us, that we find ourselves in, whether we created them or they were created around us, that cause stress. Now again, all these buckets, you can experience one at a time, you can experience a couple, and sometimes all of the buckets are experienced at the same time. The other one was biological. This is where our chemistry or our wiring is affected, like the way we were created, and sometimes you know it's good to go and look into medicine and understanding, like, biologically, what we're dealing with with our chemistry and wiring. Clinical was another bucket where it's okay to go and get therapy and psychotherapy, professional help when you're dealing with a diagnosis and going and receiving the tools and the help that can come with that. And then, finally, the bucket that usually is always affected to some degree is spiritual matters of your soul, sin and faith, and sometimes just that one, the decisions we make, the impact it makes on our own life, can cause chaos. So that was the last 11 weeks.

Speaker 1: 8:35

However, from the very beginning of this sermon series when I started vision, casting it and putting these together, actually last fall, I'm going to tell you I have been looking forward to today. I've been looking forward to this weekend and I called it Hope Weekend because I believe that there is so much hope for you, your family, your friends and your future. By a show of hands, everybody can participate. How many of you have dealt with or know someone who is dealing with or deals with mental health issues? All right, good, look around the room. We are not alone in this right. This is a hot topic and what happens is and we come into kind of a faith community, a church space.

Speaker 1: 9:21

Some of us might be tempted to think that if we were just more spiritual, that we wouldn't have mental health issues. However, just a simple look throughout scriptures shows us that even the super spiritual have from time to time had to navigate mental health issues. So just because you're spiritual doesn't mean that you're exempt. You know, sitting there saying, well, if I only prayed more and was reading my Bible more, I wouldn't have these problems. It's just not true. Just because you are listening to his voice doesn't mean that there's distractions and distractors. Just because you have read your Bible and tried to do what it says doesn't mean you won't have storms. It just means, friends, that after the storm, you will still be standing when you find yourself dealing with mental health issues. It is not a sign that you are not spiritual or significant. It is a sign that you are human and that we live in a fallen world.

Speaker 1: 10:22

And so today I decided to call my sermon, or title it, this it's Not Over. This message today is for all of those who need hope and help. This is a message for those of us who have loved ones who need hope and help. This is a message for those of us who have loved ones who need hope and help. This is a message for those of us that are in a troubling situation or that are coming to terms with past trauma or navigating a devastating diagnosis, or for those who are fighting a battle in between your ears. So I'm gonna ask you right now turn to somebody right now and say it's not over. So I'm going to ask you right now turn to somebody right now and say it's not over. Now let me tell you why. I know it's not over Because we, we serve a God who can turn things around.

Speaker 1: 11:12

We serve a God who is caring enough to notice the little things, strong enough to handle our troubles and wise enough to know how to repurpose and redeem our pain. The apostle Paul writes in the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians, who knew much on this subject, he says praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles. Notice this God cares and God comforts. He feels it with you and has moved to action. And then he does something that only God can do he takes our troubles and turns them into bridges, into the pain of others, so that then we can comfort with that which we have been given.

Speaker 1: 12:10

You might have thought that, because of what you have been through, that God can never use you. But little did you know your pain was preparing you. Like I said, it is not over. Your troubles just might be the intro into your testimony. Your struggle is just the beginning of your story. Your pain might just be the building of your platform. Your hurt might be what God uses to start healing in someone else. Your trauma might be your ticket to speak into someone else's life. Your diagnosis might just be your open door to change someone's spiritual destiny. Your oppression just might be your opportunity to show that God is still good.

Speaker 1: 12:57

The Apostle Paul continues in 2 Corinthians. He says we don't want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles that we experienced in the providence of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death, but this happened. That we might not rely on ourselves, but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such deadly peril and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope and he will continue to deliver us. My dear friends, god can redeem the pain of having mental health issues to move us from dependence on self and fighting that ourselves to dependence on him, for he is our rock, he is our shelter, he is our great defender and redeemer, and the power that he has in your life, over your story, to bring purpose out of your pain, is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 8, 11 says that that same spirit that did that lives in us, and if Jesus can handle your sin, he can resurrect you, make you new. If he can handle your eternity, then you need to ask yourself is there anything that is too big for him?

Speaker 1: 14:29

I want to tell you a story from the Old Testament Three guys that were in an overwhelming situation, maybe felt like it was unfathomable, or they were incapable of getting through this. This is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel capable of getting through this. This is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Daniel. It's a story about three guys named Shadrach, meshach and Abednego. I'm going to read this story to you. It starts I'm going to start today in Daniel, chapter 3, verse 14. Here's what it says. It says, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them Is it true, shadrach, meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold that I have set up?

Speaker 1: 15:06

Now, when you hear this sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the lyre, the harp, the pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image that I have made, very good. But if you do not worship, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what God will be able to rescue you from my hand? Well, shadrach, meshach and Abednego replied to the king O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, o king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

Speaker 1: 15:59

So then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, and his attitude towards them changed. And so he ordered the furnace heated up seven times hotter than usual, and he commanded some of the strongest shoulders in his army to tie up Shadrach, meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, they were and other clothes. They were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. Now I have to resist the urge right now to comment on how much clothes they were wearing. I don't know why it talks about it so much, but they were wearing trousers, turbans, robes and other clothes. So there was a lot of clothing going on here. They were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.

Speaker 1: 16:42

The king's command was so urgent, the furnace was so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, and these men then fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leapt to his feet in amazement and then he asked his advisors weren't there three men we tied up and threw into the fire? And they replied certainly, o king. He said look, I see four walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like the son of the gods. Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted Shadrach, meshach, abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, come here. So Shadrach, meshach and Abednego came out of the fire. And then the satraps, the perfects, the governors, the royal advisors crowded around them and they saw the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed. Their robes were not scorched and there was no smell of fire on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said praise be to the God of Shadrach, meshach and Abednego, who sent his angel and rescued his servants.

Speaker 1: 18:01

So what I have learned, friends, in my life and from scripture, is that God can deliver you from the furnace or through it. He can deliver you from something or through something. So what does that mean? This means that sometimes God calls you out of the furnace, and that's deliverance. But there's other times of the deliverance he you to stay in the furnace and he can deliver you in that too, for he is with you.

Speaker 1: 18:28

And Shadrach, meshach and Abednego knew exactly that that was a possibility. In fact, if you look back at verse 17 and 18, they mentioned three things to you. I'm going to show that to you again. They said if it be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the furnace of the blazing fire, and he will deliver us out of your hand, o king. But even if he doesn't, let it be known, o king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up. The God we serve is able. He will rescue us from your hand. And the third thing is but even if he doesn't look at that again, our God is able. He will deliver us from your hand.

Speaker 1: 19:18

But even if he doesn't, and if we could just learn to hold up those three things, that our God is able, that no matter what I am delivered, no matter what I win, no matter what God is glorified, no matter what his plans aren't thwarted, and even if he doesn't choose to do what I hope he does right here and he's able to do, we're not going to stop loving him anyway. We're not going to stop fearing him. We're not going to stop loving him anyway. We're not going to stop fearing him. We're not going to stop bowing down to him. And then we get to say to each other, as we're in that white, hot mess of a furnace, we're going to just keep on loving you. We're going to keep praying for you.

Speaker 1: 19:56

And then notice this I love that when they came out of the fire, they were collected and not sour. These are men who have just been in an oven, an oven so hot that the people who threw them in died throwing them in and they came out collected. Why? Well, because the text tells us that their clothes they weren't burned, that their hair it wasn't singed, that they didn't even smell of smoke. And I'm just telling you that there is something beautiful about understanding that the hard things that you have gone through don't have to define you and they don't come out smelling like their trial.

Speaker 1: 20:39

Have you ever met somebody like that? Oh man, I'm telling you right now there's like a dozen people I could point out right now in here, where I've just met them and been man, you've been through it, huh, and they're like, let me tell you, I got a story and you would never even know, and I'm just telling you I am believing for that kind of strength, that kind of faith, that kind of resolve, that kind of worship in your life, that, being around you, I'd have to say what? What have you gone through? You've been through what You've been through, that You're going through cancer. You're overwhelmed with the future. You're overwhelmed when dealing with depression. You're stressed out and burned out. You're dealing with thoughts of self-harm. You're like way down low in the self-esteem and worth. You're going through this. Are you kidding me? You met them. But there is such a strength, a beautiful strength about you and a sweetness about you, and you're not walking in all the time being like, oh man, I've just, I've gone through it. There is such a beautiful strength about you where God has done such a vibrant work in you that we would be surprised to even know what was going on in the inside. Why? Because here's the deal, friends the devil wants you to smell like your trial. He wants you to smell like your trial.

Speaker 1: 21:58

But there is such a beauty in understanding that the work God wants to do is to free you from the victim mentality and giving you the victor's personality and just to understand. Just to understand the power and the strength that comes from being able to go through bitter experiences without becoming bitter yourself. They didn't smell like burnt flesh. They didn't smell like burnt flesh. They didn't smell like burnt hair. But some of you think you do, that you're burnt and that everybody can see it. And it's who you are. And, as we've talked about the last 11 weeks, you are not your mental health issues, it is not your identity, but yet we believe the lie. I want to invite you into a powerful moment right now. There's something about pausing, reflecting and creating action that actually teaches us truth.

Speaker 1: 23:09

Scriptures call this an Ebenezer. God created this for us because he knew we needed markers, right? An example of an Ebenezer would be like wedding photos, right, you don't remember any of this stuff, but you get to go back and be like, oh yeah, a lot of you have an Ebenezer. I would call it like a Christmas tree. You know where you're hanging, all your moments like, ooh, that happened, this happened, or even grief, this happened. Remember that Today, I'm actually gonna ask you to participate in creating an Ebenezer, a marker in this faith community and in your life as we're wrapping up this series.

Speaker 1: 23:38

And so in front of you there's a mask. I'm gonna ask everybody to grab it and hold it up real quick. This is everyone participating, so just grab it, hold it up. Let me see it. I know you got one. I got one too. This is important because it's going to remind us. You can put it down now. That's good, you found it.

Speaker 1: 23:58

There's a marker there as well, and what I'm going to ask you to do is to take the next 30 seconds and to write on the outside. What's the thing? What's the thing that has burnt you or burning you, that you believe everyone sees that you are carrying your mental health? And I'm gonna ask we're gonna take 30 seconds. I want you to write that down on the outside right now. And, guys, I'm just gonna say this this is gonna be the toughest for you. I'm praying for courage and strength to actually mark this moment, for you to participate and not feel overwhelmed and too tough for these things.

Speaker 1: 24:37

So, everyone, just take a few moments and write on the outside. I can show you some of mine. I've shared this as we've gone through this series. Some of my mental health issues is shame and anxiety and self-worth that I feel like other people just see about me. So take the next 30 seconds, go ahead and reflect and write that down on the outside of your mask.

Speaker 1: 25:28

When you create a marker or an Ebenezer, it's a moment of vulnerability. So I want to remind you all that this is a grace-filled community and I want to make this a safe, honest space. I think that's how we deal with and recognize who we are, what's going on with us, and so we did this last service too, which is great, and so what I'm going to ask you all to do right now is I'm actually going to ask you all to put your mask on everybody. So go ahead and throw your mask on. This is really what we do each and every day. We wear a mask and then, once you have your mask on a bunch of you guys are trying to figure it out right now you can put your mask on. You're going to be okay, we're going to be good.

Speaker 1: 26:11

I want you just to take a moment and look around the room. This is what we think people see when they see us. This is what we think God sees when he sees and looks at us Our family, our friends, our coworkers, our classmates, our neighbors, random people in the store. We walk around and think this is what they see, this is what they notice. And as you sit here and reflect, I want you to hide behind this mask and I want to invite you, while you're hiding, as we prepare to mark this moment, listen to the words of this song and reflect in your own space while keeping your mask on, and then we will come back out and I'll invite you. What to do next as we make this a marker for our future.

Speaker 2: 27:06

Come out of hiding. You're safe here with me.

Speaker 2: 27:14

There's no need to cover what I already see. You've got your reasons, but I hold your peace. Your reasons, but I hold your peace. You've been on lockdown and I hold the key, cause I loved you before you knew it was love and I saw it all. Still, I chose the cross and you were the one that I was thinking of when I rose from the grave.

Speaker 2: 27:55

Now, rid of the shackles. My victory is yours. I tore the veil for you to come close. There's no reason to stand at a distance anymore. You're not far from home. I'll be your lighthouse when you're lost at sea and I will illuminate everything. Illuminate everything. No need to be frightened by intimacy. Just throw off your fear and come running to me, cause I loved you before you knew it was love and I saw it all. Still, I chose the cross. You were the one that I was thinking of when I rose from the grave. Now, rid of the shackles. My victory is yours. I tore the bow for you to come close. There's no reason to stand at a distance anymore. You're not far from home.

Speaker 2: 29:25

You're not far from home. You're not far from home. You're not far from home. No need to run. No.

Speaker 2: 29:38

Oh, as you run, what hindered love Will only become Part of the story. And oh, as you run, what hinder love will only become part of the story. And oh, as you run, what hinder love will only become part of the story. Know, as you run, what hindered love will only become Part of the story. You're almost home now. Please don't quit now. You're almost home to me, to me. You're almost home now. Please don't quit now. You're almost home to me, to me. You're almost home now. Please don't quit.

Speaker 2: 31:19

Now your life belongs to me.

Speaker 1: 31:26

So come out of hiding. You're safe here with me. Beloved, take off your mask. It's time to come out of hiding.

Speaker 1: 31:34

To those of you who don't know Jesus yet, the reason this is called Hope Weekend is because there is hope, and hope has a name, and his name is Jesus. He has never been anyone like him. He knows you, he created you, he suffered for us, he died for us. There is no sinner. He can't save, and so I invite you to run to the Father, and to those of you who have mental health issues don't you dare give up.

Speaker 1: 32:08

It's not over. God still has a purpose for your life. He can still use you, and your weakness is simply an invitation for the power of God to show up in your life, because there is another in the fire. There is another one holding back the water when it feels like the world is coming down on you. Let us come out of hiding and understand that mental health is not your identity. You will carry it, but it is not who you are, because he is with you, sometimes, even when it feels like the white hot mess of it all, and that is perhaps why the apostle Paul writes and that is why, for Christ's sake. I delight in weakness and insults and hardships and persecutions and difficulties, For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Speaker 1: 33:27

We are, like I said, gonna create this Ebenezer and I'm gonna invite you to actually do something.

Speaker 1: 33:32

Those of you who may be guests there's furnaces on the side here. We're gonna throw these into the furnace, we're gonna put these to the side and know that he's with us, that we get to carry these things, and then we're gonna collect these at the end of the service and we're gonna build something out of it and make an Ebenezer out in our lobby that we can watch through the rest of this year as a marker and a reminder of who God is, that there is hope and there is help. And this conversation is not over. So as we sing this song in response, another in the fire. As you are ready, I'll invite you to stand and take your mask and to throw it in the furnace. And then take your mask and to throw it in the furnace. And then, as you leave, when we're done, after Jeff dismisses us, we actually have a gift for you that you're going to be handed the door, and it's just a reminder that, in the midst of whatever is going on with you. Know that all of heaven is rallying for you.