Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:3–7
This is the first Sunday of our November worship series, One Family. One Mission. How FBC’s Mission Joins ABC’s Mission, and today’s worship service was led by FBC’s young adults. We welcome to the pulpit two of them, Dylan Butler and Nick Schemper.
“One Commandment” by Dylan Butler
Firstly, I would like to take a moment to honor the late Matthew Johnston. I did not know him as long as many among you have, but in my experience, I knew him to be a kind and caring soul. We did not expect he would be taken from us so soon, and indeed all of us wish we had more time with him than we did. We do not always have as long to live as we think we do, which is why it is important that we spend our lives at peace with one another and what our hearts tell us we must do. I can only hope Matthew Johnston is satisfied with how he spent the time he was given, and from what I knew of him, I believe that would certainly be the case. He left us as an architect, the moderator of our church, and a loving husband. Thank you for everything you have done, Matthew. God bless your soul and may you be at peace in heaven with our Lord.
Secondly, I would like to thank Reverend Matt for inviting me and all these other people to speak to you this Sunday. When I was asked to speak, I told my boyfriend, and we decided it was important that we take this opportunity to speak to the experiences of more than just him and I. The words I am going to say to you today are not just my words, they are the words of many people. I am here today to speak on their behalf, and mine too.
I am a gay man, openly so. I marched in the Pride Parade here in Lawrence and waved a sign for the Trans Lawrence Coalition. Many of my friends would fall under the LGBT+ umbrella, and since the beginning of this presidential election there has been an air of unease amongst many communities I speak with. The outcome of this election has, frankly, been terrifying for them. And when I say terrifying, I mean many of these people have a very reasonable fear that their liberties are in danger of being stripped away. So much so, that some have stated they don’t know if they’re going to be alive in a week, much less four years. There are kids out there who don’t know if they’re going to live to be 18. They don’t know if they’ll ever get to have a family of their own one day, much less be accepted by the one they have today. They’re devastated.
You’ll hear some people say that everything these days seems to focus on gay rights, transgender visibility, and other LGBT+ news, but really, I think people were just more open about being queer. Now, they don’t feel as safe being open about themselves. And some of them want to go back into the closet. For anyone that doesn’t know, being in the closet means you keep two versions of yourself. One is a character you play onstage to keep your audience happy, and the other is who you truly are underneath the mask. The latter is kept away in the wings where nobody can see them, because they’ve been made to feel nobody wants to see that character. Even before election night, a transgender friend of mine told me “I want to live, so I’m considering just de-transitioning and going back in the closet.”
How sad is that? How sad is it to make yourself smaller and lesser for the acceptance of others? That you have to be invisible to exist safely in the open? To deny becoming the best possible version of yourself because of the fear, anger, and hatred of others? Even before this election, a few friends have stated that they would rather perish than lose their identities, and to be forced with this revelation has made the theoretical a real possibility.
Perhaps what is most disheartening is how some kids feel this is a hopeless situation. Nobody here would ever wish ill upon kids, nobody wants kids to feel that way. And while it’s tragic, politics has shown to get between parents and their children as well. A friend of mine told me her mum is involved in the Republican party. She said it’s heartbreaking that her mum says she loves her but is supporting something that is an active threat to her existence. In Kansas, this last year alone, there have been no less than eight proposed bills to restrict the rights of transgender Kansans. All bills failed. Can you imagine what it must feel like to know members of your state government have tried eight times this last year to take your rights away? To restrict healthcare that already has many requirements and a lengthy process to attain? To threaten teachers with punishment for uttering a simple word deemed unacceptable by somebody else?
You should know, that even if you think you don’t have any friends or family that are gay, lesbian, trans, or such, a lot of these people keep those parts of their lives hidden from their family and friends. You could have queer people in your life, right now, and not even know it. So, whichever way you voted, I’m asking you to show love and support, because both are in desperate supply.
In the midst of all this talk about doom, though, not everybody is depressed; some of my friends have found strength in the face of adversity, some have already lived through four years of worry and are ready. They want to lean more into community work. Some of them can get get overwhelmed and stressed very easily but they’re tired of America’s hyper-individualist mindset and want to give more. They want to build bridges instead of divides, and that is a two-way conversation they’re eager to have with those who share that same desire.
Both my boyfriend and I have been doing our best to console our friends that are facing a crisis of hope right now. This is a very challenging time for queer people. If you know anyone in your life, remember to reach out to them and keep them close to you. You may spark a thought-provoking conversation or even save a life.
It can sometimes be difficult to confidently interpret the Bible, especially when you have translations from multiple languages, contradictory books and over two thousand years of distance between you and the authors. It’s no wonder then that we can often disagree over what exactly it means to be a good Christian. I’m going to finalize with a verse I believe to be simple and direct. These are the words of Paul, Romans 13.8–10.
Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves one another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfilment of the law.
Thank you.
“Finding Peace in a Restless World” by Nick Schemper
It seems like anxiety is becoming more and more common nowadays. Has anyone here ever had anxiety? That was a rhetorical question. Everyone experiences it at one point or another. For those of you who have struggled with it, I know it’s hard. It’s hard to be so mentally and emotionally overwhelmed to the point that, sometimes, your body feels like it’s shutting down. And then mix all that in with feelings of insecurity, weakness, and isolation. Yeah, it’s not fun. So when you find yourself in such a state, I would suggest following these three steps in order to find rest and fight anxiety:
- Rest Your Body
- Rest Your Mind
- Rest Your Soul
Step 1: Rest Your Body
1 Kings 19.4–5
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die and said, ‘It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!’ Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’ Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.
This passage is about the prophet Elijah. He had just defeated a group of evil prophets of the deity Baal, and in response to that, Queen Jezebel, who was the wife to the king of Israel and a worshiper of Baal, sent a letter to Elijah saying that she will do everything in her power to kill him. So Elijah ran for his life, and as he was running away, he actually gave up. This holy man of God, knowing that God answers his prayers, prayed for God to kill him.
Elijah’s mind had reached such a crazed and depressed mental state that he was literally praying for death. And what was God’s response? Have a snack and take a nap. What this story suggests is that one of the best ways to combat anxiety is to find rest and physically take care of your body.
Maybe that means you stop skipping meals to find more time to meet your deadlines or maybe take a hot shower or bath to unwind from your day. Maybe you go for a light jog or a walk on a cool night or eat a snack or meal that you love. Whatever rest looks like for you, your body needs to be taken care of. And if you want to take care of a mind that’s anxious, don’t neglect the body that holds the mind.
1 Corinthians 3.16
Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
This passage tells us that we believers have the Spirit of God dwelling within us. And if that’s the case, we need to take care of our bodies and be mindful of what we are putting into it. Why? Because God gave us our bodies. And since He gave them to us, we should be taking good care of them. So the next time you start feeling anxious, know that it may be triggered by your body being neglected. So remember what God did for Elijah and get some food and maybe take a nap.
Step 2: Rest Your Mind
Phillipians 4.6–7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.
This passage gives the command to not be anxious for anything! Anxious, meaning to have a troubled heart or troubled mind. Here, Paul is telling believers that, instead of being troubled or anxious, they should pray and thank God, and give their requests to God.
So when you start to get anxious, remember this passage and respond with prayer. Start by thanking God for your mind, your body, your family, and friends. Identify all that God has given you and then thank God for them. Gratitude can be a strong remedy for anxiety. Because the mind will say, “I need to do this” or “I have to get this right” or “why can’t I get this right?” But those thoughts can be eased once the mind recognizes just how present God is amidst our anxiety.
And once we thank God, it says to let your requests be known to him. Which means, if you want peace, ask for it! And don’t stop there—ask Him for help in your situation. Ask Him for wisdom with school or work. Ask Him for advice on your family or relationships. Ask Him for strength to help finish that project or ask Him for guidance to move life forward. I’m not saying that this is easy to do, but a big part of fighting against anxiety is getting our anxious minds to look upon God and his goodness. And Phillipians 4.6–7 promises that, once we pray with thanksgiving and give God our requests, it says that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds.
Step 3: Rest Your Soul
Phillipians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
This passage commands believers to meditate on what is true, noble, lovely, of good report or admirable, and anything that is worthy of praise. One of the best truths to meditate on is our salvation. Ephesians 6.17 tells us to put on our helmets of salvation. Why? Because concentrating on our salvation puts everything in perspective and eases the mind. Because our God took care of everything of absolute importance. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are adopted into his family, have an eternal future waiting for us, and when we get there, all of the pain and consequences of sin will be done away with. Because in the end, God wins. And He made sure that your soul will be safe and secure with Him for all eternity.
So when you find yourself anxious or you just want to learn more about what to do when someone feels anxious, remember these three steps of rest:
- Rest Your Body
- Rest Your Mind
- Rest Your Soul
If something is plaguing your mind right now and is causing you to be anxious—it’s okay. Everyone, Christians or non-Christians, deals with anxiety at some point. But as a believer, you are able to cast all your burdens upon the God who created you and who loves you, and are able to position yourself in a place where you can start to see Him more in your life. Our God is good, so keep fighting the good fight. And should you become anxious later on, please never forget: Jesus loves you.
Nick would like to give credit for inspiration he received for his sermon from this YouTube video.
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