Borrowing from the language of famed theologian Walter Brueggemann, Disoriented will be a teaching series that focuses on the seasons of our lives that cause us discomfort, dissatisfaction and disillusionment with life. This is often seen during depression, fear, worry, anger and failure. Does God have something to say about these seasons? How can the church family be more sensitive to these feelings and how do we emerge out of disorientation toward reorientation?
In many ways, the American dream has deceived us into measuring up to standards that are unrealistic and unattainable. We consume ourselves with the pursuit of happiness and when that is not achieved, we are overcome with feelings of failure. This may also be a result of a poor self-image. In this concluding sermon, we will consider what it means to be made in the image of God. We will be encouraged to renounce the world's "view" and expectation of us, and be dared to live in God's image.
How do you react when someone cuts you off in traffic, or doesn't say thank you when you open the door? Why do we get so angry at the most minuscule things? Is there something within us that is unresolved that is the source of our anger? When is it right to be angry, and when is it wrong to be angry?
Most studies report that 1 in 10 Americans have suffered symptoms of depression at least one time in their lifetime. The number of those who suffer with depression grows every year. There are so many factors that contribute to depression and there is no one answer that will solve it. Does the bible have anything to say about depression? How do we, in the kingdom of God, deal with the growing number of people struggling with depression?
Money, careers, children, sickness and death are just some of the things that occupy our minds and cause us to worry. So then, why is Jesus insistent on telling his followers not to worry about even the simple things in life? Worry is often the fuel to other emotions and we will explore this feature.
The recent news regarding the Ebola outbreak has our nation griped with fear. It's the lead story on the local and national news. With the sensationalism surrounding zombie apocalypses, fear and hysteria continues to grow. Why have we become enslaved to fear? Is there an escape from the bondage of fear?
Famed Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann suggests that every Psalm falls in one of three categories:
For the sake of this series we will focus of Disorientation.
We need only to survey the psalms of disorientation to discover that something is wrong and out of sync. This is a feeling that resonates with so many of us. In moments of disorientation, we need loving, embracing and a reassuring word. The introduction to this series will set the stage for those who are disoriented to fall in to the arms of love.
Video courtesy The Adventist Vocal Ensemble.