Sunday, October 02, 2005
Sermon Notes 10/2/05: Rehabilitation, part 1
(NOTE: this post transcribed from memory and sermon outlines. No videotape available, sorry!)
Text: Hebrews 2:17; Malachi 3:3
Well, I began the process of rehabbing my knee. And, as I went through this "fun and excitement", more like medieval torture, I began to think about our own rehabilitation. You see, much as some people have separations of ligaments and shoulders and the like, we have our own separation. We are separated from God.
One could diagnose that we have a separation of the Spirit from the body, of righteousness and purity from the body. The injury is so serious it will not heal on its own. We have to seek our own form of spiritual rehabilitation. We call this therapy Salvation, or reconciliation.
When we realize the extent of our separation, and feel that hurt of disconnectedness, much as I feel the hurt of whatever is going on in this knee of mine, we realize there is a problem. I needed to see an orthopedic specialist doctor. We need to see a specialist of our own, the only One who can help. We need to come before God and seek after Him, with prayer and supplication.
When you go to rehabilitation, you get a program of exercises to do. Each program is different based on the injury and the severity. Each is tailored to the individual. Likewise, God designs our own program of rehabilitation as well. And, much as the earthly rehab, it is not easy, but it is doable. It takes a bit of faith, among other things we will discuss in due course over the next few weeks.
Rehabilitation, for our earthly vessels, is basically working hard and overcoming doubt, pain, and injury to make ourselves whole again. Reconciliation/rehab/salvation with God is allowing God to work hard with us to overcome our separation and past sin to make us fully whole again. For each of us, the rehab is different, based on an examination of the specifics of our separation, and how we have lived and what we have done. For some, it may mean breaking old habits. For others, it might mean ending relationships. Still, for others, it might mean a totally new existence.
Based on my experience, let me tell you: rehabbing this knee is not easy. And I am sure many of you can tell me: rehabbing our souls is not easy either. It is not a destination, as we can never fully heal until Christ comes again and we are reunited. Just as I know that most likely, I will never be the same with this knee. I can come close, but it will never be like it was. I guess now I know how Ken Griffey Jr. feels after his injuries. Looking back, we see what we were, in our physical selves. With God, we must look forward to what our eternal selves may be.
You know, the process can be deceptive. The first day of rehab, it was easy. They gave me simple exercises and I felt little pain or trepidation. Likewise, when we first answer that altar call or pledge ourselves to God, we are filled with confidence and euphoria, we feel complete. However, let me tell you, that does not last. Much the same way, the next sessions of rehab have not been easy, nor painless. Likewise, soon after our conversion, "reality" comes back. We are no longer isolated with believers, to nourish us. We are no longer isolated from sin and bad habit. We begin to drift. If I drift in my rehab, I am not going to fix my knee. I will be a cripple. If we drift in our reconciliation, we will become spiritually and eternally crippled. But, when things get tough, this is when the Rehab truly begins. When things seem dark, when it begins to hurt, that is when we begin to exercise our faith muscles and build endurance, openness to God's will, and many other attributes of salvation. Just as my strength increases through this torture called rehab, our faith and strength increases with each task God lays before us.
It is not easy. It is not a destination, but a path. It is not flat ground, but it is straight. We must be willing to go through the ups and downs. If we do not, we will never be made fully whole. And we want so bad to be made fully whole. We don't want the crutches of lust or avarice or addiction, because it is not a cure. The only cure is rehab. The only way to get out of it is to go through the rehab, to suck it up and put your best foot forward, not looking at the hurt, but looking at the goal. I want to walk again without a crutch. The rehab exercises I do are not the end, but the path. Likewise, the obstacles and tests we face are not the ends, but the means. I pray we all have the courage to ask God to diagnose and give us paths of rehabilitation, so we can in turn help others to rehab and bring them into the healing process of reconciliation, of rehabilitation of our relationship with God, of salvation.
God bless you all....
Text: Hebrews 2:17; Malachi 3:3
Well, I began the process of rehabbing my knee. And, as I went through this "fun and excitement", more like medieval torture, I began to think about our own rehabilitation. You see, much as some people have separations of ligaments and shoulders and the like, we have our own separation. We are separated from God.
One could diagnose that we have a separation of the Spirit from the body, of righteousness and purity from the body. The injury is so serious it will not heal on its own. We have to seek our own form of spiritual rehabilitation. We call this therapy Salvation, or reconciliation.
When we realize the extent of our separation, and feel that hurt of disconnectedness, much as I feel the hurt of whatever is going on in this knee of mine, we realize there is a problem. I needed to see an orthopedic specialist doctor. We need to see a specialist of our own, the only One who can help. We need to come before God and seek after Him, with prayer and supplication.
When you go to rehabilitation, you get a program of exercises to do. Each program is different based on the injury and the severity. Each is tailored to the individual. Likewise, God designs our own program of rehabilitation as well. And, much as the earthly rehab, it is not easy, but it is doable. It takes a bit of faith, among other things we will discuss in due course over the next few weeks.
Rehabilitation, for our earthly vessels, is basically working hard and overcoming doubt, pain, and injury to make ourselves whole again. Reconciliation/rehab/salvation with God is allowing God to work hard with us to overcome our separation and past sin to make us fully whole again. For each of us, the rehab is different, based on an examination of the specifics of our separation, and how we have lived and what we have done. For some, it may mean breaking old habits. For others, it might mean ending relationships. Still, for others, it might mean a totally new existence.
Based on my experience, let me tell you: rehabbing this knee is not easy. And I am sure many of you can tell me: rehabbing our souls is not easy either. It is not a destination, as we can never fully heal until Christ comes again and we are reunited. Just as I know that most likely, I will never be the same with this knee. I can come close, but it will never be like it was. I guess now I know how Ken Griffey Jr. feels after his injuries. Looking back, we see what we were, in our physical selves. With God, we must look forward to what our eternal selves may be.
You know, the process can be deceptive. The first day of rehab, it was easy. They gave me simple exercises and I felt little pain or trepidation. Likewise, when we first answer that altar call or pledge ourselves to God, we are filled with confidence and euphoria, we feel complete. However, let me tell you, that does not last. Much the same way, the next sessions of rehab have not been easy, nor painless. Likewise, soon after our conversion, "reality" comes back. We are no longer isolated with believers, to nourish us. We are no longer isolated from sin and bad habit. We begin to drift. If I drift in my rehab, I am not going to fix my knee. I will be a cripple. If we drift in our reconciliation, we will become spiritually and eternally crippled. But, when things get tough, this is when the Rehab truly begins. When things seem dark, when it begins to hurt, that is when we begin to exercise our faith muscles and build endurance, openness to God's will, and many other attributes of salvation. Just as my strength increases through this torture called rehab, our faith and strength increases with each task God lays before us.
It is not easy. It is not a destination, but a path. It is not flat ground, but it is straight. We must be willing to go through the ups and downs. If we do not, we will never be made fully whole. And we want so bad to be made fully whole. We don't want the crutches of lust or avarice or addiction, because it is not a cure. The only cure is rehab. The only way to get out of it is to go through the rehab, to suck it up and put your best foot forward, not looking at the hurt, but looking at the goal. I want to walk again without a crutch. The rehab exercises I do are not the end, but the path. Likewise, the obstacles and tests we face are not the ends, but the means. I pray we all have the courage to ask God to diagnose and give us paths of rehabilitation, so we can in turn help others to rehab and bring them into the healing process of reconciliation, of rehabilitation of our relationship with God, of salvation.
God bless you all....
# posted by Mark : 2:08 PM
