Luke 19

  • Today’s emotion...depression
  • NOTE: Depression can be a medical disorder based on hormonal imbalances that NO MATTER WHAT even if we look at this emotion in scripture and you pray and come to church you will face because you need medication and therapy to cope with the disorder
  • Sin to be Depressed? NO! Depression is an emotion that often is forced aside when in reality before steps can be taken to move forward...it must be felt


  • Depression...
    • How would you define this emotion?
    • “feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease your ability to function at work and at home.
    • Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include:
      • Feeling sad or having a depressed mood
      • Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
      • Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
      • Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
      • Loss of energy or increased fatigue
      • Inability to sit still, pacing, handwringing or slowed movements or speech
      • Feeling worthless or guilty
      • Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions
      • Thoughts of death or suicide
  • WHAT DO WE DO when Depression strikes?

Luke 19
41But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he beganto weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people wouldunderstand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace ishidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will buildramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you fromevery side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your childrenwith you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place,because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

  • What caused Jesus to feel such sadness
    • Jerusalem (the Jewish people had gathered from all over the world for Passover celebration) had FORGOTTEN GOD
    • Why did Jesus, Son God come?
      • Bring life—Life abundantly—Seek Save Lost!
      • Proclaim good news for poor
      • Heal and Help - Recovery sight for the blind Set prisoners free!
      • Didn’t come for RIGHTEOUS—SINNERS!
      • Didn’t come for HEALTHY—SICK!
      • Came to show the love of his FATHER!
      • Biggest reason...BRING A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET BACK TO GOD
    • The People gathering in Jerusalem were following the law
      • heading to temple
      • making the sacrifice
      • washing up
      • eating the right meal
      • but for many (even the leaders in the temple)...the RELATIONSHIP was gone
      • They forgot...G OD
    • God had not created them JUST to follow a set of rules, but to have RELATIONSHIP
    • Seeing this lack of real and true connection to God caused Jesus great sadness

Dowe feel depressed when we think of those lacking relationship withGod?

Matthew 23:37OJerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stonesGod’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your childrentogether as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but youwouldn’t let me.

  • Jesus was weeping...because
    • he wants to love, to protect, to comfort, To heal, to have a relationship
    • And he can’t!
    • He uses the comparison of a chicken caring for chicks
    • This is one of the instances in Scriptures where God is given female characteristics.
      • In Hosea 12:8, God is described as a mother bear and in Deuteronomy 32:11, 12, as a mother eagle.
      • The prophet Isaiah says, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13)
    • Just as a mother hen wants to bring her brood close when trouble comes, so God wants to bring people close in times of difficulty.
    • God wants to bring us all close to give us shelter, protection, and love.

WhenLayla is afraid she runs to me. Runs into my arms and there iscomfort there. I remember running to my mom when I had a bad day.Sitting on the couch and leaning on her arm. This is the picture ofGod Jesus is giving us…

  • Jesus wants to comfort...but he can’t WHY?
    • Jerusalem wouldn’t let him...
    • In fact this was just a day before Jesus would be false-ly arrested, tortured and ultimately killed
    • Jesus was not the Messiah they wanted...so they pushed him away
    • So he could not bring the comfort we wanted
  • When we feel depressed...what do we do?
    • Do we push God away…
    • No never! Sounds crazy, why would we ever do this?
      • Maybe because we don’t feel worthy of God in that state “If I had more faith I wouldn’t feel this way”
      • Maybe because we isolate ourselves when we feel depressed...even from God
      • Maybe because we feel moving on from depression means connecting and taking action… and that’s hard
      • Really hard...but IMPOSSIBLE alone

Insteadof pushing God away lets look at...Two things to remember whenDepressed

Lamentations 3:17-2017I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.18 So I say, “My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from theLORD.” 19 I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitternessand the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast withinme.

  • 1. Your emotions are valid. But they’re not permanent.
    • When you hurt—Emotions valid—Important—Necessary – Name them
    • Jeremiah named them – yells them out (no peace or hope, lost, downcast)

Psychologycase study. Group was Afraid spiders? Study done where they Showed participants a live tarantula container there were 4groups.1.Label what you’re feeling. (Scared hairy monster) 2.Makeobservations. (Cage, can’t hurt) 3. Say something irrelevant. 4.Don’t say anything at all. Their Physiological Responses were noted—Sweat, heart rate. Etc.

After just 1 WEEK those who Namedemotions performed exceptionally better—even getting to the pointwhere they could TOUCH THE SPIDER

    • Naming your emotions opens the door to changing your emotions.
    • God gave us emotions
      • These Emotions are valid— but no emotion is permanent.
      • Because our emotions are temporary.
    • We’re not going to make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions.
    • Battling depression can make you feel like
      • quitting marriage, Quitting God, quitting church
      • Running away, Shut out world, even suicide
    • When the feeling of depression comes, acknowledge it. YOU feel depressed because you are worn out, have gone through trauma, loss…allow yourself to FEEL so that you can move forward
    • “I am depressed...but this will not last forever”

Lamentations 21Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of theLORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions neverfail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lam3

  • 2. You are not ALONE
    • The Lord’s great love—Plural form Hebrew—hesed!
    • Difficult translate, no English word comes close: Loving kindness—Mercy—Loyalty…Impossible describe apart fullness God’s character
    • Because of this...WHO GOD IS...this great love...Jeremiah was not consumed by his depression...he could move on because He LEANED ON GOD
  • What do you do to break out of the darkness?

Conclusion

    • Name it for what it is...temporary and necessary emotion
    • Lean on GOD and Lean on each other!

Hebrews10:24-25, NLT Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts oflove and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, assome people do, but encourage one another, especially now that theday of his return is drawing near.