Trending - Week 6 - St. Peter - Pastor Jim Fleming
Trending
Week 6 - St. Peter
Pastor Jim Fleming
Good morning, and welcome to our final message in our series “Trending, half-truths”, for those here. For those Gathering Us online. It's great to have you here. Self-care, we hear that Word Alive in our world today. Maybe you've heard someone say, I need to lower my cholesterol. I need to get better sleep at night. I need to cut down on soft drinks like Mountain Dew. Maybe you've heard. I need to eat more vegetables. Maybe you've heard someone say that or maybe even you yourself have thought that at times, it's not uncommon.
In our world today. So it really is self care when we think about it. Well, let's take a look at some diagrams. This is what our culture society would say, is self-care. Some of those things would be spending time alone. I'm not sure if that's healthy or not. Perhaps putting yourself. First. I wonder if that's really true all the time when it comes to serving as Christ did asking for what you need setting boundaries. Yeah.
Staying at home again. I wonder if that's self-care seeing no forgiving yourself taking a step back. Right? So some of these things you would look and say, yep. That's okay. That's good self-care. Other things I think we would question say, I don't know if that's good or bad, another diagram that we can look at how this is another one. I found awareness. Kindness, choices, attention, priorities, curiosity and explorations. Like is that self-care? I wonder if it sounds like a path to trouble. Maybe community to slow down support pleasure. Well, what kind of pleasure are we talking about and accepted? So, again, another diagram, this is what our world, our culture would say. These are some of the essentials to self care and then I found about a dozen definitions.
But I chose this one. If we can look at that definition, “the practice of taking an active role in protecting”. I thought that was an interesting word in protecting one's own well-being and happiness in particular during periods of stress. Expressing oneself is an essential form of self care. What does that mean to express oneself? As far as self-care, right? So we can look at all these things, some of these things from our world and it go is that really self-care or not? Right. So that's what we're going to take on today. We're going to look at and maybe to get started. When we look at our culture, when we look at our world. There are definitely entities, people, institutions that want to help you with self-care. Are you thinking about science, technology, medicine? They're all about that as long as you can pay for them, right? You can't see very well. Well, your eyeglasses for you. You can't hear very well. Well, here's a hearing aid. Did you cut yourself ? Here's a Band-Aid. You have a headache, there's an aspirin for you, right?
So there are all these things that our culture in our world offer to us, as far as and there are blessing and they're good. And we say, thank you, God. But at the same time, there are things that our world, our culture would say, this is self-care. We gotta go because that is really true. For example, pleasure was up on one of those diagrams. Well, what kind of pleasure are we talking about? I'm talking about like pornography like, well, you can look at this. It's legal as long as that person is 18 years or older, you know, is that the pleasure we're talking about or, or maybe it's the age or of substance abuse like a tobacco, marijuana, alcohol. I mean, as long as you're over 18, as long as you're 21, and as long as you're in the right state, you know, you can make use of those things. Those are good things for your self care and health.
So, we look at those things that go. I think those are half throughs, right? So when it comes to our culture, when we look at our world, yes, there are some parts of it. Good healthy? Yep, self-care other parts that are not right. So, how do we approach this? How do we look at this to take on subject matter like this today? Well, let me begin by saying Pastor Tim gave me this subject today and I just went, wow. Because when it comes to self care, it's a huge subject that covers so much. I mean, it could probably be six or seven sermons. We're not going to do that this morning. It could be a Bible study of eight, ten lessons to talk about all the different aspects when it comes to physical, emotional, spiritual, right? So, how are we going to approach us? How are we going to look at it today? We're going to look at a lot of Bible passages and we're going to look at the basics. That's what we're going to look at today as we take on this subject.
It's only look at self care. There's a couple things you want to keep in mind. The Bible has many different kinds of literature in it. There's prophetic literature like Revelation. There are historical books. There is wisdom literature. We have all these different kinds of literature that God tells us things. And as we look at these books in the different literature that God has given to us, some of the writing that God gives us is what we call descriptive writing. Another words God is describing a situation. He's not saying do this, but he's describing a situation.
We look at Scripture. There is also a prescriptive writing. Prescriptive like you go to the doctor to get a prescription for this. And so sometimes we look at passages. God says do this or don't do this. So just we want to keep that in mind as we look at the passages. We're going to look at today. So we look at Scripture. Does God have a plan of self-care? Well, yes, and no. Old Testament, there was a plan of self-care we called the Sabbath day. God said to his people, you will rest physically, emotionally, spiritually, they're going to set apart that day and that's her plan of care.
And then when it came to food, God said, here's your diet. You can't eat pork. Sorry. Can you eat that? But veggies, chicken, fish, nuts, fruits, all of that you can eat. And maybe, as an asterisk on that, we might add that it was organic food, right? No processed foods at the time. But Old Testament plan of care. Self-care. This is what God said. Here it is, right? New Testament people. We have Christian freedom, God does not say here's the time place, rest spiritually, physically and emotionally. We don't, we don't have the sap, that God gives us freedom. You pick the time and place where you can find rest and care for yourself. And then, as far as diet, God says, you can eat pork and you can eat all these other foods, but you decide in moderation. How much and where you want to eat them?
So we have Christian feeling. So, how do we approach this then? Well, let's look at some passages. I'm going to spend a lot of time, talking about the physical and then in and on the spiritual and emotional. So these are some of the passages that we run into book of Ephesians. Paul says, after all no one, hated his whole body, but they care and feed for their body. Just as Christ does the church. So, the context here is Paul is talking about marriage, husbands. Love your wives.
As Christ loved the church. And he makes a comparison of descriptive language to say no one ever hated his body. So there's this assumption that a good husband is going to take care of his body. In other words. We want to take care of what God has given to us. Another passage, First Timothy, Paul said this for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things holding promise for both the present life and the life to come another word spiritual truth. Godliness is the most important thing, description comparison. Yep. Physical training. There's something to that. There's some worth to it, but it is not as important.
This, another passage, our next one. First Corinthians, Paul is writing to them. If one part of the body, suffers every part suffer. So the context again, the body of Christ, body of believers, you're supporting each other encouraging, and each other, helping each other. And the assumption. That comparison example, the description is right. If one body, one part of the body, suffers every part suffers. So again, we want to take care of our bodies. And so, the simple scripture, Through that, we look we look at these passages is simply this we're not going to say any more or any less. But our first takeaway is that physical training is of some value. We'll talk more about that. We look at Christ. But physical training is of some value. This is one thing, the Bible tells us about our bodies. What else do we learn? When we look at passages old testament. King David said, this in the Psalms. He said, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wow. I mean, we can think and we can make things and build things in the systems within our body, of the immune system in our brains and everything. Our bodies can do incredible things, right? Remarkable. God has blessed us with and given to us. And so it's simply this truth that God has given us incredible bodies that can do incredible things. But what else is scripture? Show us about our physical self care, so we have bodies. Yep, some physical activity is good. We have incredible bodies. How else does Scripture describe our bodies? Timothy and Second Corinthians and Peter, Paul and Peter call, our bodies tents.
Right, if you know anything about a tent, they don't last forever and maybe, you're that person who has a tent at home or in your shed that has a zipper that doesn't work. And you have that. I have one of those, right. My point in saying that is like tents don't last forever if you're outside camper you use them for a while, but you realize this time it's not going to be here forever. How else does the script? The Bible describe our bodies as Jars of Clay by Joe?
The Quake, if you have a flower pot, a clay flower pot and you drop it, you know, what's going to happen. It's not going to hold up very well. So it shows us that our bodies are temporary. Great. First Corinthians tells us the body that is sown a perishable. Another words from the day that we are born.
There is an expert. Stamped on our body. And only God knows when that expiration date is. And so it simply tells us our bodies are not going to last forever in this life and the final takeaway. The Book of Romans, chapter 7, Paul is talking about this struggle. Romans chapter 7, the good I want to do, I don't do the evil. I don't want to do this. I keep on doing and he makes a reference to our body to say who will rescue me from this body of death. Another picture of our body. So physical training is of some value. We have a wonderful body. We have temporary bodies, and another truth that comes out in 1st Corinthians. So our takeaway here. Our bodies are temporary, don't last forever and maybe a final thought on this. We think about the physical. We look at another passage from First Corinthians.
Paul said, do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? Who is in you whom you have received from God? You are not your own. Therefore honor God with your body. So pre-scripted passage do this. Don't do this. A context here is sexual immorality. God says to his people, don't use your body. That way self-care. God would say, don't do that. No, self-harm cutting yourself or things like that, right? Fifth commandment, preserve life. So we look at all of these things that Scripture touches on some descriptive passages, some prescriptive passages and we arrived to the question. I think this is really the question. How well do we do some of these things, right? How well, there's a person, I know in my life and maybe, you know, someone like this to this person will exercise like five to six times a week religiously and this person does not eat a whole lot of meat, which personally I find troubling, right? But doesn't eat a whole lot of meat. Veggies, carbs. This person will eat. This person gets pretty regular and good sleep. Most of the time, this person also finds time to kind of take over.
Ask and take a break, this person will read a book or play piano. It's kind of get away. And if you were to ask me, do you know someone who does pretty well with self-care? I would say this person does a pretty good job at least compared to me, right? But that's not really the question. The question is, do we do it perfectly? Do we take perfect self care of ourselves physically? And the obvious answer is no, we can't do it perfectly.
And that is why I think it iso sinteresting to look at Christ because obviously, Jesus practiced perfect self care. He must have, if you think about it. He is the perfect sinless Son of God. He did everything perfectly. He must have practiced perfect self-care. Well, think about that for a moment. What did that mean and what did that not mean? What did that mean? Jesus walked to most places, right? Physical tree. He kept walking to certain places. As far as diet, right? Old Testament, law, no pork, right? Vegetables, chicken. He ate those things. And if you think about it, he must have always eaten them in moderation. Like you didn't use his stomach as attractive as a trash compactor, right? So he would have done all of those things perfectly.
Jesus didn't do and I think this is a half-truth for some of us as Christians. Jesus was not out running five or six days a week. He wasn't doing that. That's okay.
Disciples. Let's go, right? He wasn't doing that. Nor did he go to the gym? Oh, pump, Jesus didn't do that either, right? And so, when we think about things going on in the world for some of us as Christians. We think about self-care. It's like I got to get to the gym and is it really about self-care or is it about self show? Why don't you wish you look like I did? So, we look at Jesus, the sinless son of God, who always practices self-care, perfect, self care. And when we think about the substitutionary work of Christ, whatever Christ has done. Whatever he has accomplished, it belongs to me. That Jesus. Perfect. Physical care, he's your perfect self care.
That's true. Jesus, perfect. Physical self care. Is your perfect self care. Right. And how wonderful that is. We think about the physical that is how God looks at us through Christ. And that's our peace in our comfort when it comes to self care physically. Well, what about spiritually and emotionally you see that's really where the rubber hits the road in scripture, because the Bible has a lot to say about our emotional well-being and how it ties in with our spiritual well-being. For example, in this passage that we read earlier King David said, restore to me. The joy emotional of your salvation is spiritual and grant me a willing Spirit to sustain me spiritually, right? So what does that look like for us to combine into focus on the physical and the spiritual? It would really begins with the ABCs, it begins with the 123's?
What is my relationship with God? It is simply this. Who am I? I am at tent. I am a clay pot. God said to Adam for dust you are and to dust you will return, you have an expiration date. God said, And so, who am I before? God, I am nothing in a sense. God does not owe me. Anything. God is absolutely constant. God is absolutely independent. He does not need anything from anyone.
He doesn't owe anyone anything.
Reflect on that for a moment.
God doesn't owe me life. He doesn't owe me an incredible body that can do incredible things. God doesn't owe me the blessing of faith or forgiveness or Grace. God does not owe me. The possessions. I have a car. I drive the whole my life with. God does not owe me a great marriage. In a sense of God has blessed you in that way or family or children. God doesn't owe me those things.
God does not owe me eternal life with him. God does not owe me any of those things. And yet God showers them upon me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. God, thank you for all that. You have blessed me with my faith life. The gifts and abilities. You've given me my family. Whatever. Lord. Thank you. Your mercies are new every day, Lord Jesus. You see, God, sustains us emotionally and spiritually. Think of all the ways that God does that baptism?
On the day, that person put water on my head. It's a water in the Holy Spirit. Faith began. God claimed you as his own and said you belong to me, you are mine. And you are important to me and I want you to be my child in this life. God claims Us in baptism, salvation. Then God says, through this life, here. Is this for you given and shed for you? For the Forgiveness of your sins.
Were you each and every one of you given and shed for you for the Forgiveness of your sins? Salvation? God has given us his word, his promises and we look there and God says to his disciples and he says to us, I will be with you always even to the end of the age in the good times. And in the difficult times. God says, I'm with you. I'm not abandoning you. I will always watch over you.
Be with you, peace and comfort. That God has given us faith. We are gathered here. We are watching online because the Holy Spirit has worked in our hearts and given us Faith. Despite the sinful nature that dominated and existed in this at one time. And finally, God says to us, you are so important to me that I want you to be with me forever. When that expiration dates, I'm going to send my Holy Angels to take you to be with me and you will be with me in Paradise. Joy and salvation. Emotional and spiritual my God, combines them together. And for those of us who struggle in this way. Yes. God gives other blessings. Yes, maybe a therapist, maybe medication, prescription medication, support group, accountability, partner, daily. God gives us all these other things to support us emotionally spiritually, but the ABC's, the 123's are to look at the Salvation that God has given to us.
The blessings that you abundantly showers on his hour by hour and day by day. Thank you. Lord, Jesus. Thank you. And so, when we think about self-care, where does it begin final takeaway is this. Self-care begins with Christ care. Self-care begins with Christ care. Jesus said to his disciples. I am the way and the truth and the life.
When I think about our world trending and half-truths, where do I go? And where do I look, I Look To My Savior Jesus because I know I will find the truth. And where do I find guidance? As I navigate all these things? I look to Jesus because he is the way both in this life. And in eternity. And so it is our prayers, a pastoral staff that through this series. It's been encouraging you to encourage me to your walk of faith, especially today as we consider self-care. Where does that begin? It begins with Christ. So may God bless you and strengthen you as you continue to strive for that day, when he will call you from what school is a little prayer. Lord. Jesus. We thank you for this time. And we reflect upon your grace and mercy and just how much Love us and how near and dear we are to you. Thank you. Lord, Jesus that you live the life of perfect self care and by your Victory, we now give it to us.
So bless us Lord. As we struggle with this as we deal with this in our lives. Funny. Lord bless our time this morning. Reflect upon your goodness in many blessings and your name. Amen.
