Anxiety Part III: DO AS YOU HAVE SAID

Read: Genesis 18:1-5, 9-14 

Anxiety Part III: “DO AS YOU HAVE SAID”

Today is the third and final sermon in a sermon series on anxiety. Before we get started, I want to do a little recap on what we have covered thus far just as I did last week. We will start with a short recap. 

The sermon series on anxiety explores three different facets of anxiety: the past, present, and future. The first week we explored the “Haunting Past” and how decisions we make in the past affect us in the present and future. Last week we wrestled with the Christmas weight and how we can manage the excess weight that we carry and use it to our advantage. Today we are going to talk about future anxieties, how they affect us in the present, and how to focus on the present without allowing the future to take control.  

You see, I believe one cannot escape anxiety. It’s part of the world we live in. And, the world continues to throw fuel on it when the flame ignites. However, there are ways to deal with it. There are ways to live with it. And yes friends, there are ways to make the best out of it. Last week I quoted one of my favorite writers when she said, “Anxiety is an old friend.” When I first heard this, I thought “What? An old friend? How could this terrible thing plaguing my life be a friend at all?” Valid question. But, it’s true. There are ways to make use of it. There are ways to gain strength and spiritual growth from it. There are ways to use to your advantage. It can, actually, make life easier. If controlled, it can be healthy. We are going to discuss some of those things. But, if it is not controlled, it will get out of hand. As I mentioned last week, it is much like fire. Fire is a useful tool. We use fire in a controlled environment all of the time. We have used it as a life source since the beginning of time. But, when it’s out of control, what happens? It destroys everything in its path. It doesn’t care who you are, how good you’ve got it, how healthy you are, or how much love, family, or friends you have surrounding you; it will make everything seem worthless when it takes control. That’s anxiety. It’s like fire. And, that’s just how it affects us emotionally. I didn’t mention that it affects us physically. We sometimes get rashes and breakouts on our skin, we get tired, we get moody, or much worse. And, that starts to affect the people around us. It’s taxing, not only to us, but everybody else. Yes, our anxiety hurts other people.

Into the Future!

What about the future scares you? Are there things that you think “might happen” that keep you up at night? Do you have fear of what could potentially happen? Or, do you have fear about what will inevitably happen? Do you ask questions regarding your family, children, spouse? Do you question your future finances and where funds might come from to support your status? Do you worry about the future of our country? It is typically not the questions that have definite answers that bother us. It is the questions that don’t have answers that bother us. Right? Questions such as, what will happen if I fail? What will happen when I no longer have them? What will happen if…. What will happen to them? What will happen to me? 

Wow, I don’t know about you, but I am getting worked up just talking about it. With past anxieties, we can let go. We can make use of present anxieties. But, the future is tough. Why is the future tough? It’s tough because it is unknown and it will always be there. That’s what creates a problem, right? It’s not knowing what will happen. People have made (and loss) billions of dollars from not knowing and trying to guess; it’s called gambling. 

The truth is, when you think about it, not knowing is very uncomfortable and that is why it causes us anxiety. And, this discomfort will consume a person. It is the discomfort that will spread like a fire. It will spread like a fire if it is not controlled. Wait, what? Yes, you can control discomfort. Too much discomfort can become painful and it can start to affect the way you do everything. It can completely paralyze you. But, a little bit of discomfort has some benefits. 

First, let’s talk about a story of a couple of folks that lived uncomfortably. Let’s talk about a couple that had reason to fear the future but stayed focused on a goal. There’s a story about Abraham and Sarah that demonstrates three things. 1) the unknown future and anxieties it might create. 2) Staying focused on a goal. And, 3) gaining strength from what the future will bring.    

Abraham and Sarah were already in their old age when God came to them with a covenant. This covenant is really the foundation of a lot of what we read in the bible. This covenant is like the baptism of the Jewish faith. It sets the stage for a lot of future plots as we study the rest of the bible. And, there are a lot of stories that refer to this covenant. And, Abraham was the chosen person to instate this covenant. This covenant was far different to these people than it would be to us. Even if we were chosen by God and spoken to by God in some manner, it would not be the same. The connection between God and human by this time was through tails passed down through history and told by elders. It was shared by word of mouth. The writer of Genesis expected the reader to assume the implications of this interaction between God and Abraham and what it meant for the creator to form a covenant. At this time, there were no formal documents in regard to God. There was no Torah. That didn’t come until later on. There was no establishment of a physical, earthly, temple for worship. Abraham worshiped a God that had only been talked about. However, Abraham had been listening to this God. God was leading Abraham. But, all of a sudden Abraham is chosen for a divine task and given a responsibility. God creates a covenant with Abraham. If God calls us to a task, if God speaks to us through a person, in a dream, if we have a vision, an epiphany, or a revelation we have a lot of experience with God to depend on. We have the mission of Christ to look toward. Not only that, we have a covenant with Christ that has given us a lot of room to wiggle, (maybe too much, sometimes). But, we know our God and we have thousands of years of documentation (and about 500 hundred years of printing press) telling stories about God. Abraham does not have that. 

God comes to Abraham to form a covenant with him. Now, this covenant thing is tricky. When Abraham agrees to this covenant, he is legally binding himself with God. It is like creating a partnership that cannot be broken. In the modern, western world, we have lost the since of covenant. Our covenants are more like contracts and they have stipulations. This covenant between God and Abraham was not simply bound by law, it was bound by God. There was no walking away from it and each partner, God and Abraham, had to fulfill their roles in this covenant.  

It was relayed to Abraham that he would have to fulfill this covenant and in doing this he would establish a great nation. All of his people would be the foundation of a great nation. In order for this to happen, he would have to have a child. But, as we know, the story tells us two problems. First, he and his wife Sarah are both almost 100 years old (which is very impressive.) Second, it is established by this time in their lives, Sarah cannot have a child.  

Are you feeling me when I say that Sarah and Abraham have a bit of pressure. Abraham has already agreed to this thing with God and the consequences for not upholding his end of the deal are detrimental for he and his wife.

Later, after the agreement is made, Abraham is at his regular place of worship, a place where he’s had encounters with God, and he notices that three men pass by this place. He invites them in and asks them if he can give them food, drink, and rest. He offers them refuge. And one of them responds, “Fine, do as you have said.” Let’s back up. The story says, “Sirs, if you would be so kind, don’t just pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought so you may wash your feet and refresh yourselves under the tree. Let me offer you a little bread so you will feel stronger, and after that you may leave your servant and go on your way—since you have visited your servant.” Abraham says, “Don’t just let me be; don’t overlook me. I am here to entertain your needs. I am here to fulfill your requests. Let me serve you.” And one of the men responds, “Fine. Do as you have said.” 

Do you see what the story teller has done? During a time that Abraham has made this covenant with God and put himself in an uncomfortable position that he did not know if he could fulfill. He did not know how in the world he and his wife were going to produce this child. He’s worried to death and worried about death because he has made this partnership with everything that he knows has given him life and it has the ability to take life away. He trusts in God but he’s a mess. You know the feeling, right? I believe in God, trust in God, I know God, and I want God in my life. So, why am I a mess? Abraham is a mess!

On the brink of all things falling apart and going south, Abraham has some visitors to give him assurance. In the midst of his discomfort, Abraham says, “I will serve you however I need to.” The visitor says, “Just do as you said you would do. This time next year, your wife will have a son.” Abraham fulfilled his part of the covenant with God by serving God. God fulfilled a promise by given them a son. They named him Isaac and the covenant carried on through him. God fulfilled this covenant and because of that, and them focusing on serving God, they gained strength. 

I am sure God knew of the anxiety and discomfort Abraham would have in making this promise. Discomfort can be difficult to maintain. Discomfort makes people worry and it causes stress. But, it caused Abraham to focus on what he said he would do, serve God. Abraham’s covenant was a goal and he knew he had to fulfill that goal. At a time that he might have questioned his future, God said, “Just do as you have said, serve me.”  

That leads me to a story I want to share about Waffle House. When I was eight or nine years old me and my dad stopped at a Waffle House early one morning before participating in a bass fishing tournament. We fished these tournaments for years when I was a little boy. But, we stopped at this Waffle House to eat breakfast early one morning while on our way to the event. Though, it was about 4:00AM, it was very busy with fisherman participating in the tournament. This might have been my first Waffle House experience because I can remember being enamored by the cook. There was only one cook at the stove. He was a younger guy and he was making breakfast for all of these customers. He had a line of tickets above him and he was going to town. This guy was in the zone. He didn’t miss a beat. I mean, it’s been thirty something years ago and the image has stuck with me. He had about ten tickets to make and about that many dishes going at the same time on the stove. This guy might have been under pressure, he might have been uncomfortable, he might have been under stress, but he was focused on what he had to do. He was focused on one thing, fulfilling his goal. And, he made it look easy. 

How do we keep ourselves from being consumed by future anxieties? It is simple; set goals that fulfill a purpose. Set goals that fulfill a covenant. Set goals that you can fulfill but do not allow yourself to get comfortable. Do you think God is going to let you get comfortable? No, because when you are uncomfortable you seek God. Set goals with your family, your spouse, your children, your work, or your service to God. In whatever form it might be in, when you are focused on serving God or a greater good, the other anxieties of the future fade away. It has been to my experience that if you help someone else carry their weight, your weight becomes a little lighter. Stay focused on serving God. 

Do as you have said. We all have a commitment to serve God. That is our goal. That is our focus for the future. When you look into the future, allow the flow of life to happen. Focus on the goal, let God lead you, and do as you have said. 

Anxiety Part II: The Christmas Weight

Read Luke 2:1-7

“The Christmas Weight”

Today is the second sermon in a sermon series on anxiety. Before we get started, I want to do a little recap on what we have covered thus far. 

The sermon series on anxiety explores three different facets of anxiety: the past, present, and future. Last week we explored the “Haunting Past” and how decisions we make in the past affect us in the present and future.

You see, I believe one cannot escape anxiety. It’s part of the world we live in. And, the world continues to throw fuel on it when the flame ignites. However, there are ways to deal with it. There are ways to live with it. And, dare I say, there are ways to make the best out of it. I will quote one of my favorite writers when she said, “Anxiety is an old friend.” You are thinking, “What? An old friend? How could this terrible thing that plagues my life be a friend at all?” Valid question... But, it’s true. There are ways to make use of it. There are ways to gain strength and spiritual growth from it. There are ways to use it to your advantage. It can, actually, make life easier. If controlled, it can be healthy. But, if it is not controlled, it can get out of hand. As I have mentioned, it is much like fire. Yes, fire is a useful tool. We use fire in a controlled environment all of the time. We use to cook, to heat our houses, to manipulate malleable materials, and it has been used for a life source since the beginning of time. But, when it’s out of control, what happens? It destroys everything in its path. It doesn’t care who you are, how good you’ve got it, how healthy you are, or how much love, family, or friends you have surrounding you; it will make everything seem worthless when it takes control. That’s anxiety. It’s like fire. And, that’s just how it affects us emotionally. I didn’t mention that it affects us physically. We sometimes get rashes and breakouts on our skin, acid reflux, we get tired, we get moody, and/or much worse. And, that starts to affect the people around us. It’s taxing, not only to us, but everybody else. Yes, our anxiety hurts other people.

A few years ago, a musician, that I often listen to, was waiting in line with his wife to go see a movie. All of a sudden, he recalls having a feeling of fear unlike he had experienced before. He felt off-balance as if his body was fading for brief moment. Then he felt like he was dying. He had a moment that he thought he was leaving the world. He woke up in a hospital. The doctors ran blood tests in search of the problem. As it turned out, it all happened due to anxiety. His life going great. His albums were selling a lot and his name was growing rapidly. He had a lot of shows scheduled and he had just got married. He was working on his next album when this happened. It was due to everything happening so quickly and not taking time to debrief that his body forced him to stop. That’s what will happen if a person does not allow the body and mind to stop; it will stop for you. 

Let’s talk about this title, "The Christmas Weight". I took some time thinking about what you were thinking about when you read the title of this sermon. Did you think, “On yes, I put on some weight during Christmas. And, I am trying to get rid of it.” Or did you think, “This must be in reference to the weight my bank account lost during Christmas.” I thought that I could have titled it “Christmas W-A-I-T” which, would refer to what kids are thinking about somewhere toward the end of October. Or, I thought about the title, “Christmas? Wait…I’m still recovering from last year.” Which would be what parents are thinking somewhere toward the end of October. Any of those would have worked because they all involve some degree of anxiety, right? But, none of those refer to the background of this title. The Christmas Weight is in reference to the Mary, Joseph, and Jesus story. The Christmas story as the writer, Luke, tells it. 

It was decided that Mary and Joseph would become married even after he discovered she was pregnant. We know the story well. Luke doesn’t tell that part as well as some of the other gospel writers (my opinion). But, even if we did not know of the conversation Mary had with Joseph about being pregnant, we could assume that it was awkward. And, it had to be convincing. And, even if it was very convincing, it would have caused some anxiety on Joseph’s part. 

They were not yet married and Mary was very pregnant. She would have had to hide it from friends and family. Because, it was against the Mosaic Law for her to be pregnant outside of marriage. Joseph was an upstanding Jewish man. He lived by the Law and he was in the lineage of King David. This meant he was of some importance. But, he was having to hide the fact that his fiancé was pregnant and not yet married to him. 

Outside of all of this going on, Israel is under the rule of Rome. They are experiencing a lot of problems and the governing body (Rome) is making life tough. At the time, Caesar Augustus was the ruler of Rome and he was the first Emperor to rule over Rome. He obtained the position from being the great nephew of Julius Caesar. He had a legacy that he felt obligated to maintain. When he stepped into those shoes, he cleaned some things up. First, he removed Herod the Great’s son, Archelaus, from his governing position in Judea and replaced him with Quirinius, a Roman gentile. This move was political on the part of Augustus. He had more control over Quirinius than the son of Herod the Great. This would allow Augustus to control Judea even more than he already did. 

One of the first actions of Quirinius for his Emperor was to create a census. The idea behind this was to generate more taxes for the Roman Empire and to keep a count on the people under their rule. Here’s the thing, the Jews already hated the Romans. But, it only fueled the fire to create a census. Creating a census was forbidden in Jewish Law. It was against the Law and it was against their faith practices. But, they were forced to do it. This was one of the reasons why zealot groups were formed to rebel against Rome. 

Let’s put this into perspective. Another country invades our country, a country of a different faith. They conquer our country and form a government over our government. We not only have to pay our government taxes, but we have to pay them too. And, this new ruling government forces us to do things against our faith. That’s where the people of Israel are. There are some anxieties happening. Right?  

So, not only were Mary and Joseph experiencing some personal anxieties, there were some things outside of their personal problems shaking things up a little too. With all of this happening, they were forced to travel, against their will, to Bethlehem so that Joseph can sign this census. So, they travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem. That’s about a 60-mile journey through some rough areas and over some coarse terrain. All the while, Mary is very pregnant and they are still trying to hide it. When they arrive at Bethlehem and start to look for a place to stay Mary says, “It’s time.” Oh, and did I mention that they knew this baby was not going to be the typical child. There was a dream and an angel that told Mary this baby would be conceived by the Holy Spirit. You've heard it before. Yeah, so they really did not know what was going to go down. But, Mary knew it was going to happen right now! But, what happened? All of these mad people were in town for the census and there was no room in the inn. So, they ended up in what was most likely something of a cave where animals slept. And it was there in that hole in a rock wall that Jesus happened. Yes.... Jesus happened. 

Whoa. 

We don’t often see that side of the story. Yeah, that’s the reality. It was when the shit was hitting the fan, handful after handful. It was when everybody was angry at the government and at life, adversity was in the air, and people were scared. Then this couple is just trying to be normal and be part of a declining society and do their part. But, noting is going the way they saw it going when they planned it. And here they were in a cave, used to water the donkeys, pushing a baby out because nothing goes right anymore. Then... 

Jesus happened.   

That’s what I call the Christmas weight. It’s when nothing is going right, you can’t see a clear path ahead, you feel like the world is against you, and you feel like you are carrying the weight this young couple had to carry from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Then, when everything seems to be falling apart, something happens. You get this weird sense of hope. You suddenly feel the presence of Love and Peace. The Spirit happens.  

When things are not going the way you want them to, or rather, the way you planned, what happens? Anxiety? When things are not panning out at home with family (kids/wife/dog) or at work with your boss, what happens? Anxiety? When you have a list of things to do that you just can’t get done and you have a list of things you're concerned about that you just continually stress about, what happens? Anxiety? When you are worried about your health what happens? Anxiety? It really starts to feel like you are carrying a Christmas weight. 

When you have that kind of anxiety and it is just not getting any better and you feel like the weight is getting heavier, it is time to let Jesus happen. When you let Jesus happen, you will find hope. Now, I am not going to sit here and tell you to let go and let God. Because, it doesn’t always work out like that. If I am hanging from a tree limb and I decide to let go and let God, God’s going to let gravity hit me with the ground. There is a lot more to it than that. Letting Jesus happen requires proactivity. 

It requires action and this is where anxiety becomes an old friend rather than a life-long nemesis. So, when we think about the opposite of anxiety what comes to mind? I think of calmness. I think of peace. I think of stillness, quietness, relaxation, or tranquility. It reminds me of the creation story when God came to the earth it was chaotic, which could be metaphorical for anxiety. God, brought peace and stillness. Anxiety is like a classroom full of children who have all been given a Jolt Cola, a Nesli’s Crunch, and a kitten. The opposite of that is an empty room with a hammock and the sun shining with a little breeze. It’s peace and tranquility.        

Now, we know that anxiety is with us everywhere we go. It there even when we try to avoid it. It can manifest because we are trying too hard to avoid it. Because it is always there, in order to control it you have to sacrifice parts of your life to step away from it. Do you feel me? Anxiety allows us to appreciate time when it is not present. It’s like day and night. I like having a lot of daylight. But, if there were no darkness, I could not appreciate it. Nighttime allows us to appreciate daytime and vice versa. Anxiety allows to appreciate its opposite: peace, stillness, calmness, and tranquility. That’s how you control anxiety. It’s like controlling a fire; you have to keep tabs on it. 

Now, here comes the proactive part. How do we do that? How do we control this old friend that has the habit of getting out of hand? It’s quite simple. I have three steps and it requires all three. You can’t just practice one. All three. 1) You have to take a break from your surroundings. You have to take sabbath time. You might hear me say that a lot. If it’s not working, you’re not doing it right. You have to detach, unplug, rest, escape from all distractions, and give time to you. It is a gift for you from God. God is telling you to take this time of quietness and peace and God is giving it to you for a reason. Somebody might say, “Well, I took a family vacation. That was my sabbath time.” Nah, don’t give me that. That’s not you time. Make time for you. While you are taking that sabbath time, think about God and think about the blessings you have been given from God. Stop working, stop looking at the phone, and look up and look out and appreciate it. 

That reminds me of something I heard not long ago. I wish I could take credit for this because it’s awesome but I cannot. One of favorite writers said this. There is a Jewish midrash about the Exodus story. God parts the Red Sea and all of the people are walking across the bottom of the sea. Some people were complaining because they were having to walk through the mud and they were getting mud in their sandals and in between their toes. They were so focused on the mud, they missed this amazing miracle that was happening all around them. The 21^stcentury version of that is, everybody is so busy looking at their phones and complaining about what they see on social media and finding entertainment in what they see on the internet that they forget to look up and all around at creation and the miracles that happen every day. 

2) If you control it and allow it, anxiety will help you discover your gifts. What is causing your anxiety? Now, what can you gain from it and learn from it and how is it part of your personality. That’s right, we are all wired differently and we approach learning differently. So, the question to ask is how can I make use of this struggle. It’s a good prayer. Ask, “God, what would you have me gain, what would you have me learn from this struggle? What are you teaching me? Allow me to learn from this so that I can better serve you.” Seek gifts in your anxiety.

3) When you are experiencing anxiety, it is quite likely there are some things out of order. Right? Some things are chaotic due to lack of order or stability. In the creation story, God arrived and there was chaos. So, God created order and there was peace. It is order that created the book of Leviticus. The Israelites did not have laws or rules and if there are no laws or rules, what happens? Chaos. So, the Law of Moses was created for order and stability. 

I cleaned out the closet in my garage last week. If you were to open the door prior to last week you would have seen chaos and disarray. But, now it has order. (For a little while at least.) And, I have to tell you, it makes me feel good to look in that closet and see order. 

So, you are carrying the Christmas weight. There is turmoil, worry, anxiety, darkness, and God knows what else. It feels like things are busting at the seam. First, find rest and peace away from everything. Second, search for gifts. Ask, “God, what will you have me learn from this?” And third, create order. Take time to create order or reorder things in your life. Allow God to use your anxieties to make a better you. 

That’s God’s plan for you!