Do Not Lose Heart!
Part 1
Sermon Notes
August 17, 2008
Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor
(480) 895-8766
II Corinthians 4:13-18 NRSV
13But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is
in accordance with scripture — “I believed, and so I spoke” — we also believe,
and so we speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord
Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his
presence. 15Yes, everything
is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16So we
do not lose heart. Even though our outer
nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17For this slight momentary
affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18because
we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be
seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.
A. Introduction
1. Basketball Coach!
a. A
college psychology professor was giving his students a test. He had one question concerning manic
depression on the quiz. It asked, “What
would you call someone who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his
lungs one minute, and then sits in a chair and weeps uncontrollably the
next?” A tall, lanky 6’6” lad
wrote: “That would be our basketball
coach.”
b.
Coaching basketball must take a terrible emotional toll. In addition to screaming and crying we’ve
seen coaches throw chairs and chew on towels.
2. Sermon Series on Stress
a.
However, it is not just coaches who deal with stress. Every person here has his or her share. And some folks here deal with a great amount
of anxiety and stress in their lives.
b.
Today’s message and next Sunday’s message is for them.
B. Life is stressful.
1. Robert S. McNamara
a.
Robert S. McNamara was Lyndon Johnson’s Secretary of Defense
during the Vietnam War. At first he had
enthusiasm for his job. Then the war
became futile and McNamara was under tremendous stress. He began to busy himself with minor details
of the war to cope by taking his eyes off the casualty count. His wife reported that every night he tossed
and turned fitfully while grinding his teeth.
Life can do that.
b.
You may not be the Secretary of Defense, but like most of us you
still have battles to fight. You have
some difficult circumstances and people to deal with. And some days it is hard to cope.
2. Psychological Study
a. A few years back 104 psychologists did
a study. Surveying and questioning
clients and client families these psychologists were trying to find out what is
the most stressful time of life. Their
study revealed that people have stress at these following moments: Newborn babies go through the trauma of
childbirth, toddlers face the stress of potty training, children struggle to
learn to read and pass the times table, adolescents deal with peer pressure and
the fear that the opposite sex won’t find them attractive, young adults
struggle to find worthy values and goals, “30 somethings”
face salary and job security issues, 40 year olds deal with the reality of
missed dreams and trying to make reasonable future plans, 50 year olds deal
with the need to make retirement plans, at 60 many face health issues, and 70,
80 and 90 year old people continue with health problems and deal with the
stress of losing independence, such as not being able to drive anymore. From adolescence to senior adults there is
the struggle with the reality of one’s own mortality. And it only intensifies with age. The psychologists discovered that at all ages
people find stress in relationships. And
at all ages people wrestle with unexpected traumas, circumstances, accidents,
and death.
b.
Instead of being able to identify an age or time of life that was
the most difficult, these psychologists ended up with a time line that showed
this obvious conclusion: All of life is
stressful.
C. We must deal with our stress.
1. Top Ten Killers of
Humankind
a.
In the 1900’s the top ten killers of humankind in the
b.
Stress is killing us and we must deal with it in some way.
2. The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow
a.
Remember the story: THE
LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW? In Washington
Irving’s tale, Ichabod Crane, a schoolteacher, was
wooing the fair Katrina, the most beautiful belle of a small
b.
If only Ichabod had faced the object of
his fear instead of fleeing in panic, he would have discovered the truth! The headless horseman was Brom
with a coat over his head and carrying a pumpkin. When we don’t deal with our stress it saps
our energy and robs us of much of the meaning and joy of life. So how do we deal with stress? This Sunday and next I will suggest three
ways. This Sunday I will lift up one coping
tool, and next Sunday two more.
D. Believe in the future!
1. Gulag Archipelago
a.
Alexander Solzehnietzen in his book
GULAG ARCHIPELAGO writes about prisoners the other inmates called
“goners”. These were the men who had
given up all hope of escape or release, and were in essence “dead on their
feet”. They might shuffle along
listlessly in line, and stare vacantly for a few more weeks, but it was all
over for them. Soon they would just
die. Why? They had given up. There is much scientific evidence today that
we cannot live without hope. Doctors
know that telling some patients they are terminal is in itself a death
sentence. They hear that word and they
immediately give up. When people have no
hope, when they give up, deterioration is rapid. Without a future people give in to their
fears, worry and stress, and give up on life.
b.
On the other hand there are those who battle on. They hope for a cure. And there are those with terminal illnesses,
who understand that an earthly cure is not going to happen, yet still have
hope. These are the people who have
faith in God and believe in that place called Heaven. They know they have an eternal future, can face
death without fear, and live to the last moment with grace and dignity, all
because of their confidence in the future!
2. Winston Churchill
a. A
reporter once asked Winston Churchill, “What was
b.
One of your greatest weapons against stress is hope. I can’t make you have hope. I can’t give you a pill or a magic pat on the
head to receive it. However I can point
you to the Bible, and encourage you to trust.
3. Today’s Scripture: II Corinthians 4:16-18
a.
Paul writes: “So we do not lose heart.
Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being
renewed day by day. For this slight
momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all
measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen;
for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. (II Corinthians 4:16-18 NRSV) Two modern translations put it this way: “So we do not give
up. Our physical body is becoming older
and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. These troubles and sufferings of ours are,
after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result
in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever! So we do not look at what we can see right
now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven
which we have not yet seen. The troubles
will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.” (II
Corinthians 4:16 NCV & II Corinthians 4:17-18 TLB)
b. Paul had a hope
for the future that none of his difficulties or trials could consume. Paul knew that he had a future! God would get him over; around, or through
all earthly difficulties, and some day give him the victory of Jesus
Christ! So Paul did not give up. He fought the good fight and was faithful
even to the end of his time on earth.
How about you? Do you trust God’s
promises for you? Fix your eyes on your
future glory in Heaven, and you too will be better able to face the
difficulties of this life. Believe in
the future and you will begin to deal with your stress. My friends you can trust God. The Lord cares about you.
E. Conclusion: Recap
1. Life is stressful.
2. We must deal with our
stress.
3. Believe in the future!
II Corinthians 4:13-18 NRSV
13But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is
in accordance with scripture — “I believed, and so I spoke” — we also believe,
and so we speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord
Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his
presence. 15Yes, everything
is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away,
our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
17For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an
eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18because we look not at
what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary,
but what cannot be seen is eternal.
Not
Lose Heart!
Part 1
1. Life is
stressful.
2. We must deal
with our stress.
3. Believe in
the future!