Good Vibes | Joy In a World of Outrage | September 22nd

by | Sep 22, 2024 | Digging Deeper

Series: Good Vibes
Sermon Title: Joy In a World of Outrage

Reno Campus
Pastor Dave Pretlove

Carson Campus
Pastor Pastor Dusty Braun

Campus Announcements / Service Moments

Reno Campus
Starting Point

Carson Campus
Starting Point

Series: Good Vibes
Sermon Title: Joy In a World of Outrage

  1. There are some things worth being deeply grieved over.
     Genesis 1:26-27, Jeremiah 22:3, Isaiah 10:1-2
  2. There is a difference between worldly outrage and righteous grief or righteous anger.
    Ephesians 4:26, Galatians 5:19-21
  3. Joy in this broken world comes when I remember:

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  • What people in this world who are abused, oppressed, or marginalized grieves your heart the most?
  • How do Genesis 1:26-27, Jeremiah 22:3, and Isaiah 10:1-2 help us understand what is worth being deeply grieved over in our world today?
  • Can you share a personal experience where you felt righteous grief or anger? How did you respond?
  • According to Ephesians 4:26 and Galatians 5:19-21, what is the difference between worldly outrage and righteous anger?
  • How has your desire for justice in the world manifested itself in unrighteous anger?
  • How can we ensure our anger aligns with God’s righteousness rather than becoming sinful?
  • Philippians 1:12-18 speaks about God moving in the midst of brokenness. How have you seen God at work in difficult situations in your life or in the world around you?
  • How does recognizing God’s movement in brokenness help you maintain joy?
  • How does the suffering in this world serve to advance the Gospel?
  • Philippians 2:14-18 encourages us to shine like stars in a dark world. What practical steps can we take to shine brighter in our current cultural climate?
  • Can you think of a time when your joy and faith stood out in a dark situation? How did it impact those around you?
  • Reflecting on Philippians 3:1, 18-19, how does trusting that God is a better judge than we are help us to let go of outrage and embrace joy?
  • How can we remind ourselves to leave judgment to God in our daily lives?
  • Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Peter 2:11, and Jeremiah 29:7 remind us that this messy world is not our real home. How does this perspective influence the way we handle outrage and maintain joy?
  • If God will fairly judge and make everything right in the end, how does this free us from the burden of justice?
  • In what ways can we live as citizens of heaven while still engaging with and seeking the welfare of our earthly communities?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  • In the midst of this broken world, where do you see God moving and working in your life? How can you join Him in that work? Reflect on Philippians 1:12-18 and consider the ways God is active in your personal journey and the broader world around you.
  • Meditate on Philippians 2:14-18 and think about how your actions and attitudes can reflect the light of Christ in a dark world. How do you handle feelings of outrage?
  • Are there areas in your life where you need to shift from worldly outrage to righteous grief or anger? Contemplate Ephesians 4:26 and Galatians 5:19-21, examining your emotional responses and aligning them with a Godly perspective.
  • Reflect on Philippians 3:20-21 and 1 Peter 2:11, considering how the hope of your eternal home shapes your current reality and choices.

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

 

RESOURCES:

 

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO TRY: PRAYER

This week I heard prayer described as “ the moments we retreat from this world into another realm. A realm of safety and peace. A world where we seek to be unified in and with the presence of God.” Wow, is that not a powerful view of prayer? A place of retreat, safety, and peace. Yet prayer is scary for so many, or we are too timid to engage in it. 

The enemy of your soul understands that he can keep you weak, exhausted, and powerless in the battle between heaven and hell, by keeping you fearful from the actual place that is restorative and safe. 

As we walk through the daily grind of this world we need refreshment and union with the God of the universe who knows you and desires to be connected and interactive with you. He desires to restore your soul daily and refresh you so you may experience a life that reproduces things for the kingdom of God. (John 15).

Jesus is the example for the Christian for life, the physical rhythms of life, and the outpouring of God’s love towards those who are far from God. In Jesus’ life, we see a rhythm to his prayer life. He prays daily, regularly, and honestly, He was honest before God and he was dependent on the ongoing prayer-filled interaction. If Jesus needed this type of prayer life, we need it also.

There are different acrostics people have used throughout the years to help them pray. Here is one you can use. P.R.A.Y

P- Praise. Praise God for what he is doing, for who He is. “I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:1-2)

R- Repent. Repent of any unconfessed sinful attitude, postures, or actions. We all sin, if we can not identify something easily, thinking deeper into attitudes or positions you may have taken that at the core are opposite of God,s truths. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9)

A- Ask God for the things that are weighing you down or that are on the top of your mind and heart. We are told, that God desires to answer our prayers when they align with his heart. “Ask and it will be given to you…for everyone who asks receives…Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

Y- Yield. This means we yield our thoughts and words to God to allow him time to respond. In other words, a time of silence. In conversation with our friends, we talk and then we listen. This yielding is your listening to God’s response. This may take time or repeated efforts to learn the voice of God in your life. He is speaking, we need to be silent enough to recognize it.

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

I remember a time several years ago when my daughter was playing softball. I was sitting in the stands watching the game, impressed by the efforts of all the girls playing. Though they were not mistake-free, their attitudes and efforts were good. Then a girl from the other team got caught between 1st and 2nd base on a short fly ball to right field and was picked off trying to get back to first. The coach for that team just lost it on her. It crossed the line from being a hard-nosed coach to verbal abuse of a minor. There was something that rose up within my soul to defend the defenseless. I confess, my response to defend the girl was very loud and I had to be asked by the league official to calm down. I did, and I told the league official that it was a shame that they didn’t remove the coach from coaching on the spot.

Now I was not perfect in my response, however, the injustice did provoke a righteous response. As believers, we do have an obligation to stand up against injustice and defend the defenseless in the world. However, our day-to-day demeanor should be one that is joy-filled and not one of an attitude of vengeance in the name of Jesus.

Ephesians 4:26 tells us we should be angry about the right things, but not allow ourselves to sin. How do you know that you have ‘crossed the line’ between anger and sin? I wrestled for days with evaluating my reaction to the story above and whether or not it was sinful. It’s been said, “Wise people ask, Does the path I’m walking lead to a place I want to go?” I encourage you to spend some time evaluating your approach and attitude toward people and situations – is it reflective of where God desires you to go in your faith journey?

 

Rob Hans | Spiritual Formation and Connections Pastor