HEAL TOGETHER
We were created to be in the Garden
NOT in a fallen world
Ever since the fall, we have been dominated by:
Shame
Guilt
Fear
Blame
Disconnection
Jesus became our solution back to God.
“It is finished”
God cares about restoring us back to Him, and for those who are hurting.
Look at Jesus!
Matthew 9:35-36
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Luke 4:16-21
When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” 20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. 2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. 3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Psalm 34:17-19
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
1 John 1:5
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.
God’s arm of healing includes us!
He uses us.
He calls us to help one another.
Consider these scriptures:
Galatians 6:1-5
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. 4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Philippians 2:1-7
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
Why is this important?
Relational connection = good mental health
Research shows that healthy supportive relationships positively impact mental health by reducing stress, combating loneliness, and improving mood and self-esteem.
“Strong connections, build resilience, helping individuals bounce back from adversity, more effectively by fostering, a sense of strength and shared capacity”
Report – effect of neighborhood deprivation and social cohesion on mental health: a multilevel population-based longitudinal study found that “people in neighborhoods with higher levels of social cohesion experience lower rates of mental health problems than those in neighborhoods with lower cohesion, independent of how deprived or affluent a neighborhood is“
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
States that “positive” interactions release feel good hormones like oxytocin, which promotes feeling of happiness and well-being“
Dr. Gary Sibey points out the antidote to trauma is healthy attachment bonds and safe relationships
Dr. Stephen Porges calls connectedness a biological imperative.
His building blocks to healthy relationships start with safety.
Dr. Bessel VanderKolk -
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.”
Key here is safety
Is the church safe enough to heal together?
My definition of safety:
A compassionate stance of support, attentiveness, and encouragement that allows others to be free to express self without being judged, minimized or a fear of not being heard.
Note the components of safety:
Compassion
Attentiveness
Interest
Support
Encouragement
Ten Commandments of Safety
Represent Jesus
Show Empathy and Support
Be an Active Listener
Be Present
Ask Supportive, Probing Questions
Don’t Fix
Appropriate Proper Silence
Don’t Preach
Don’t Let Your Agenda Creep In
Avoid One-Up Stance
VanderKolk states the following:
“Social support is not the same as merely being in the presence of others. The critical issue is reciprocity: being truly heard and seen by the people around us, feeling that we are held in someone else’s mind and heart. For our physiology to calm down, heal, and grow, we need a visceral feeling of safety.”
Discussion
What is one thing from the message that resonated with you?
Pastor Jody mentioned that relational connection = good mental health. Do you agree? Explain.
What makes you feel safe in relationships?
What was your response to Pastor Jody’s question: “Is the church safe enough to heal together?”
Pastor Jody shared the “Ten Commandments of Safety. which one do you find most challenging to practice?
What additional notes did you make during the sermon?
What can we pray for regarding the sermon? Do you have any prayer needs?
The most important decision you will ever make!
If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life, we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready, say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!
