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Wanderlust: Week 3- Pulling Weeds

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Wanderlust is a teaching series of Society Church that is all about staying rooted in community and growing in our faith amidst a wanderlust world.

Introduction

Has anyone ever heard the quote “Not all who wander are lost”?

Do you know the context and who wrote that?

JRR Tolkien… yes, yes “Lord of the Rigs” an epic journey of wanderlust, where the ever so quoted phrase, “not all who wander are lost” is found… I always find it interesting what our culture chooses to fixate on. Lets read the entire poem that Gandalf gives to Frodo:

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost. 

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

Matthew 13:1-7, 22-  Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants… 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.

Pulling our Weeds: The Problems of Life

Pulling the weeds of Worry:

  • Become a relaxation expert. What helps you unplug, unwind, find enjoyment, laugh and relax?
  • Recreation- Go do something active- An active body is a rested mind.
  • Relaxation- Spa day, massage, do nothing day, PJ day
  • Restoration- Work actively on something meaningful that isn’t work. Crafting, Art, Family Project, Service project, restoring something that is lost, fixing something that is broken, creating something that doesn’t exist.
  • Renewal- Go on a Retreat, Go to a Conference, Engage in a Day of learning/enlightenment, read, listen, grow.
  • Get enough sleep, nourishment, and exercise. We are holistic people, each area of living affects other areas.
    • Do you get under 7 hours of sleep? It may be affecting you in negative ways
    • Diet- What are you putting into your body?
    • Exercise- regular exercise increases your energy level
  • Connect with others- Community matters, share life with others. Open up be vulnerable, you can get hurt, so find people you can trust, because you can also find help and experience healing.
  • Pray Often- Re-aligning our minds and hearts with Gods

 Philippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Pulling our Weeds: The Lure of Possessions

Luke 12:13-21-

13 Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Pulling our Weeds: The Pursuit of Pleasures

Luke 8:14 includes “riches & pleasures”, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”

 Mark 4:18- describes it as “a desire for other things”- “18The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.”

Conclusion:

Jeremiah 4:3-4- “This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the LORD, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.” 

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