 |
| Above the Fraser River |
Sermon
A sermon from Pastor Michael Phillips, I have listened to a few times, recently.
Cited
Today, with God's blessing, we'll move on with the study we began last month called Spiritual Depression. 'Depression', you know, is a sorrow that stays with you for weeks, months, or years. And 'Spiritual' depression is the kind that has no medical cause. If you've been down for a long time, and can't imagine why, go to the doctor. He is God's gift to you, and you mustn't be ashamed of taking what the Lord has given you.
The depressions I have in mind, however, cannot be healed by doctors. They can treat them and cover them up, but they cannot get rid of them because spiritual sicknesses need spiritual cures. Which come to us, most of the time, through the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Importantly, the message is emphasizing the need for professional medical and psychological help with types of depression, when required. It is not a spiritualized sermon to the point of error.
Cited
When they're not the way we expect them to be, we become disappointed in them, and when they fail time and time again, we slide into bitterness, and, when that's not repented of, we give up all hope and fall off into depression. Other things may contribute to the depression, but the real cause of it is disappointment in other people.
As I have noted in my online work, all person's are finite and sinful, and only Jesus Christ, God-incarnate, divinely taking upon himself a finite body, did not exercise a corrupted, fallen, sinful mature. The rest of us in humanity are corrupted products of the fall of humanity (Genesis) that cannot follow the ten commandments (Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 5) perfectly.
Humanity posses sinful natures (for example: Romans 1-8)...
Romans 8:6-10 English Standard Version (ESV)
6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Those regenerated (Titus 3) through the Holy Spirit via Christ's work are also legally justified by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, by grace through faith (for example Romans 3)...
Romans 3: 21-22 English Standard Version
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
Romans 5: 16-19 English Standard Version
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
Sinful nature leads to sinful thoughts, desires, wills, choices, acts and actions. Ultimately, outside of Jesus Christ and his applied atoning and resurrection work, persons are damned post-mortem to the lake of fire because of deeds (NASB)...
(There is a theological discussion on whether or not post-mortem, unregenerated souls/spirits receive a resurrected body, but as it is the second resurrection in Revelation, an actual resurrected body of sorts is considered.)
Becoming, in a sense, ultimate disappointments to God, that have a depressing, disappointing everlasting existence apart from God.
Now I am very much aware that being apart from the biblical God, will please many folks, but simultaneously he/she will also be separated from God's common grace and every good in this present realm which comes from God.
It is not just different realm and new location with a freedom from God, it is simultaneously a negative divine judgment for the embracing of sinful nature through committed sin (s).
Revelation 20: 11-15 New American Standard Version Bible
1 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose [a]presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and [b]books were opened; and another [c]book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the [d]books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if [e]anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. ---
The spiritual state of fallen humanity, even those in Jesus Christ awaiting perfection through resurrection (1 Corinthians 15) is corrupted and fallen in this present realm. Disappointment with others and other's disappointment with us, is to be expected.
I can appreciate Phillip's advice from the sermon:
Cited
Is disappointment in other people wrong? No it isn't. Our Lord Himself felt this way more than once, and it cut him to the bone.
Cited
Are you depressed because someone has let you down? If you are, welcome to the club, everyone has been let down, including Elijah, and the Lord Jesus Christ. The disappointment hurts us badly-it hurt them badly, and Christ worst of all.
Cited
Loving others increases the likelihood that we will be hurt again. But this is the risk we must take, for Christ took it, and we're called to follow Him.
CRANFIELD, C.E.B. (1985)(1992) Romans: A Shorter Commentary, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1995) The New American Commentary: Romans, Nashville, Broadman & Holman Publishers.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
