Sermon Notes

Created For Connections

by John Roberts on September 18, 2022

Created for Connection

 

Speaker:  John J Roberts

Series:  Out of Hiding: Moving out of Shame and into the Beauty of Being Known and Loved. #1

Text:  Genesis 1-3

 

Introduction

“Healing happens in the presence of non-freaked out others.”

 

MLCC is at it’s best when we are all engaged in authentic,

life-giving, relationship with God and with others.

 

Resources on the topic of Shame: 

The Soul of  Shame: Retelling the Stories we Believe about Ourselves: Curt Thompson

Podcast:  Being Known Podcast with Curt Thompson, hosted by Pepper Sweeney

I thought it was Just Me (but it isn’t):  Brene Brown

TED Talk, The Power of Vulnerability: Brene Brown

 

We are Hardwired for relationship with God and other humans… it’s not good for us to be alone!

 

And God saw that it was ALL GOOD… until it wasn’t.  The first time that we hear it ISN’T good is in Genesis 2:18. 

 

We see at the onset of creation, woven into the very fabric creation the connection for which we were created. 

 

Connection is sheared off in sin, and shame enters the story

 

They lived in the goodness, truth, and beauty of complete freedom in the garden… except for the condition that God gave them in Genesis 2:16-17.

 

 

Evil enters the story when Adam and Eve are sucked into the false narrative of the Evil one!

 

 

And so we get to see the Anatomy of shame… which is essentially – hiding and covering. 

 

 

Some of the aspects of shame:

 

Shame is isolating… I don’t turn toward you, I turn away from you and hide.” 

 

Condemnation is the point of the spear of the message that… we are to be abandoned… you are all by yourself in the universe…

 

In shame I distance myself from other people and I distance myself from myself…

“Shame is a thing, first and foremost, that we feel physiologically, it’s a sense that there’s something terribly wrong with me.”

-Curt Thompson

 

 

God shows us the pattern for shame’s defeat in coming to find us… and to love us… while knowing us fully!

 

When God comes to find Adam and Eve in the garden he’s coming for their shame. Notice that God doesn’t come condemning… rather he comes questioning! 

 

Where are you? 

Who told you that you were naked?

Have you eaten the fruit from the tree I said not to eat from? 

 

God dignifies the relationship with an invitation…

 

Our shame can be undone in our connection with God who knows us fully, and loves us truly in the midst of it. 

 

The invitation is to come to God, who has in Christ, endured the cross and it’s shame to wipe away your sin and shame… Hebrews 12:2… Psalm 32:1-5…

 

The invitation is to come out of hiding and be truly known and fully loved. 

 

 

The invitation is to authentically walk with others… knowing them fully and loving them truly.  

 

 

We’re created for connection… we need each other… this is the type of community we’re called to be and want to be. 

 

Questions for Reflection: Take some time for reflection and journaling.

  1. Can you sense ways in which you are sensing shame in your body. What is it around?
  2. Are there subtle ways in which you find yourself condemning yourself first, and then others, both in words and in non-verbal, emotional ways (sighs, eye-rolling, facial expression, body language, tone of voice, etc.).
  3. Are you hiding from yourself and others? Not saying what you are sensing/feeling/thinking, or physically withdrawing.
  4. Where/in which relationships it is difficult to imagine moving toward someone else/toward your shame as a way to ultimately bring it into the light for the purpose of healing it.
  5. Who are your people? With whom can you be real and authentic?
  6. Can others be real and authentic with you… can you hold sacred space with others?

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