Pastoral Care from the Pulpit

Meditations of Hope and Encouragement

J. LeBron McBride

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780789030566
• eBook ISBN: 9781317786528
• Topic: Psicología
• Subtopic: Historia y teoría en psicología

Learn to apply the lessons found in the Bible to the struggles of day-to-day life

Pastoral Care from the Pulpit connects the head, heart, and soul issues of everyday life, presenting a pastoral care approach to preaching and teaching practical Christianity. This powerful, progressive book gives hope to anyone struggling to survive and thrive as a spiritual person in difficult times. The author, a practicing psychotherapist who is also an ordained minister, explores Biblical stories and passages to find practical motivations for living as a Christian, offering encouragement to those suffering from a lack of purpose, identity, or acceptance.

Pastoral Care from the Pulpit makes creative use of counseling and pastoral care principles to serve as a handbook for spiritual survival against life's everyday challenges. The book is an outgrowth of sermons delivered by the author at First Christian Church in Rome, Georgia, creative explorations of the Bible that blend theology with preaching to remain relevant to real life. It can be read a chapter at a time for daily affirmation, or taught one chapter a week as a class study; questions are provided at the end of each chapter to encourage reflection.

Pastoral Care from the Pulpit provides positive principles for living and powerful encouragements for transformation during life's journey. The book includes:

• The Transforming Power of Touch (Matthew 8:40-48)
  
• Seeing Possibilities and Potentialities in Your Identity (Mark 10:46-52)
  
• Does God Put You to the Test or Take the Test for You? (Genesis 22:1-18)
  
• A Not-So-Modest Proposal: Follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-23)
  
• Wandering into Far Countries: With Whom Are You Traveling? (Luke 15:11-31)
  
• Finding Freedom from False Assumptions (John 14:25-27)
  
• Saying YES to the Way of Jesus (John 10:10)
  
• Drinking Out of a Glass with a Hole in the Bottom (Jeremiah 2:1-13)
  
• and much more!

Pastoral Care from the Pulpit is an invaluable aid for ministers, chaplains, and pastoral counselors working with mainstream Christian denominations.

PART I: TRANSFORMATIONAL STORIES FOR LIVING AS A CHRISTIAN

Chapter 1

The Transforming Power of Touch

Introduction

Some time ago the AT&T phone company developed a clever slogan, “Reach out and touch someone.” Think about that slogan. It works. It puts in our minds the close relationships of the past; it brings to our minds the special times with family and friends who are far away. “Reach out and touch someone.” The slogan is almost irresistible; it makes me desire to pick up my phone right now and call a friend! Do you ever think about changing that slogan just a bit to “Reach out and touch God”? Think about it. Welcome to a time of meditation and reflection.

Prayer

We come before you, O God, reaching out to grasp even a very edge of your greatness, for we know that healing and comfort are to be found in your salvation. Pass us not, we pray. Amen.

Scripture

Luke 8:40-48

She awakens with the excitement of a child wondering what will be in the boxes of birthday presents. It has been a long time since such anticipation stirred her heart. Her mind is racing with hope and possibility, but her body moves at a snail’s pace because of the pain and the stiffness of her muscles. She is finally able to get far enough out of bed to light a candle and send the darkness fleeing from the room, and she wishes that somehow, in some way the Jesus man could send the darkness of her pain and suffering fleeing. It has been a long, long time since the gruesome face of pain was not already up and about to greet her with a cup of coffee in its hand each morning.

Oh, glimmers of hope and promises of cure have appeared in many of the remedies given to her by well-meaning friends, but some of the remedies have been worse than the disease itself and left her in even more horrific pain. Even the well-meaning physicians have given false hope. She has spent all that she had and the medical costs have left her destitute. Her family and friends are few now; most have chosen to abandon her, after twelve long years, rather than be confronted by the grimaces of pain and the despair written across her face. She has tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but even her façade is no longer able to conceal her disease, which has ravaged her body. She feels totally exposed and vulnerable, and at the mercy of those who would throw out a few scraps of food to keep her at bay.

Sick persons commonly see their diseases as defects, inadequacies, or shortcomings, and visits to doctors potentially involve humiliating physical and psychological exposure (Lazare 1987). Shame and humiliation can be a part of the illness experience. This woman has certainly had more than her share, as well as more than she can bear.

Each day has become a labor camp of physical demands and necessities just to keep alive. She has exhausted all her money, all her friends, all the physicians she could afford, all the home remedies she could tolerate, and yet nothing has changed, only her condition has worsened and her hope has faded. At this point, no one is offering her anything, let alone any hope. A person can go a long way on a thimbleful of hope.

Sometimes she wonders whether she is to blame. Has she done something to bring the wrath of God and his punishment? When her pain is not too intense to think, she questions why some have such good fortune and good health and she has suffered. She used to cry out to God and plead for mercy; at least she should be given mercy, if healing was being denied. Now her railing at God has just about ceased—she doesn’t even have the energy to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9).

However, today she wakes with some excitement, and her longtime companion, pain, as usual greets her with a vengeance and its warm cup of coffee in hand. Even in her excitement she has great difficulty getting out of bed. Her bones creak, her muscles cry out, her head pounds, and her mind screams, “Just stay in bed—give up” as she finally puts her feet on the floor and holds on to the side of her cot in an unsteady movement toward the candle and coffee pot. She has heard about this man called Jesus. He is to come by her community; just maybe she can see him or even get close enough to touch him. She has heard his teaching and she is aware of his healings. She knows he is no ordinary man; in fact, many say he is the Messiah.

This Jesus has something about him that she must see for herself. This wonder worker is different, and she has seen many prophets, miracle workers, and healers in her search for good health. At this point she is rather skeptical of miracle workers with their sales pitches. She is no longer one to believe all that she hears or is told for that matter. Cruelty is a fast educator. This Jesus, though, appears different. Something about him is honest and right and truthful. She must check him out, see him with her own eyes, and hear him with her own ears. So she rises very early, for she knows it will take her much time to get her emaciated body moving and out to the street. The question comes into her mind that if she could only somehow touch the hem of his robe, maybe, could he help her? No, that’s a silly thought, just the same as all the other failed remedies, she quickly tells herself. However, the thought is persistent and keeps knocking on the door of her mind; just maybe she could somehow experience healing. Touch him—what could be wrong or improper about that? No one would notice a simple touch of his clothing. She must touch him; if only she could touch him! She is consumed with the longing for the touch that could heal. She finds herself in a position she promised she would never allow herself to be in again. So many broken promises, so many hopeless hopes, so many times bitter disappointment has been the only pillow upon which to shed her tears. Just maybe he is who he says he is. With all the feeble energy that is within her, she has now determined she will see this Jesus even if it takes the last ounce of life energy she has. She may literally die trying, but try she must!

To touch, to feel by touch; have you ever thought about how precious touch is? The sense of touch can be priceless.

• The touch of two lovers

• The touch of your husband or wife that you take for granted

• The touch of your baby or your child

• The touch of your mom or dad

• The gentle touch of a friend when you are low that conveys a world of compassion

Touch can heal; it really can. We can think of various kinds of touch: healing touches, gentle touches, casual touches, and anonymous touches in a crowd. Some touches are vital messages written on the fingertips reaching forth. Of course, as with anything else, touch can be evil when it is used inappropriately to abuse.

The power of touch to heal is profound. James Lynch, in his pioneering book The Broken Heart (1979), found some time ago that even the rhythm of the heart of a coronary patient could be altered through human touch. We now have a massive amount of evidence on the importance of human touch.

Have you ever considered the power you have in your touch? A person suffers a great loss and you touch them on the shoulder, not realizing that your touch is part of what restores them to wholeness. A person is having a rough day; you pat them on the back and convey your support, and they are able to keep on keeping on. A member of your family is ready to call it quits, to give up on life, and you warmly embrace them with the power of your touch and they know they are still loved. The power of touch is very profound indeed!

Sometimes we long to be touched; we agonize for someone to reach out and touch us. Not only physically touch us, but also touch our souls. Henri Nouwen wrote these words:

When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving us advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is the friend who cares. (1986, 34–35)

Touch has profound healing power. This woman in our story realizes well what most of us take for granted and ignore. She knows the power of touch. So she will touch Jesus, if only his cloak. She at long last positions herself where he will walk by, but already a vast sea of people surrounds her. She fears for a moment that she will be pushed aside or knocked to the dust. She has to hold on to a tree to steady her balance. Now he is coming and the excitement is in the air; you can feel it. As he comes she is able to hear his teaching and she knows, and she knows that she knows, that he is what he says he is.

The crowd jostles her. At least those packed around her help her to remain upright—she couldn’t fall now even if she wanted to. Can she get to him? He is almost in front of her now. It is her only chance: she doesn’t have the strength to follow after him. Will she be able at least to touch him? She knows power resides in touch. He is slipping past her, and with him goes her life itself. She lunges, almost falling forward, and clutches the edge of his cloak. Almost missing him, but touching him with a heart of faith is enough! It is enough, she knows it is enough, and she now allows herself to be carried along for a moment by the movement of the crowd.

Suddenly the crowd stops, because Jesus stops. He says, “Who touched me?” The disciples are beside themselves; they have a mission to accomplish, a ruler to impress, and a crowd to please. How could Jesus stop when he was being jostled on all sides and ask the incredible question “Who touched me?” Are the heat and the dust getting to him? Maybe he has been too long without water. No, he is serious, and he is focused and clear.

At that moment Jesus’s eyes meet the eyes of the trembling woman. The author of Mark says she is afraid, so her theology about Jesus is faulty: she is afraid, and persons have no need to fear Jesus. Her theology may not be so great, but her faith is greater than that of many theologians, and that is what matters. Jesus conveys to her in that instant, with a wonderful look, his acceptance and his love for her. He knew the touch of faith. He knows the difference between the touch of faith and the casual encounter. Most of us go through life with casual touches of God; most of the time we do not even realize it is God we are brushing up against. This lady had a close encounter with God—just what she desired.

Peter Marshall said in a sermon he had on this story, “The human touch has the power to arrest God. Yes, to stop Him, to halt Him, to make Him aware of your problems your pain your petition” (1983, 98).

Just as Jesus stopped in his tracks to acknowledge this dear woman, he will stop to acknowledge you. You can get God’s attention, for he knows the difference when you reach out to clutch him, to hold him. Trembling, troubled, and weak as you may be, reach out to touch Jesus and he will stop in his tracks to look you in the eye.

Oh, it is true he may not instantly heal you as he did this woman—or maybe he will; I don’t know. Touch him anyway. He may give the ability to endure, the knowledge of which path to pursue, or he may heal you gradually. He may simply walk alongside you and give you courage. Whatever happens, of this one thing you can be certain: he will not ignore you. For you see, the power of touch is profound, in that it can get the attention of almighty God. We touch him with our prayers, our petitions, our reaching out to him. We touch him with our refusal to let him pass without seeing him.

The problem is that most people today are similar to the crowd in the day of Jesus. Only one in the crowd has a close encounter with Jesus, only one out of the vast throng, only one. Are we in the crowd or are we the lone woman who reaches out to clutch Jesus? Don’t let him pass by you. He is ready to stop at your touch. Perhaps you will be the one who reaches out to touch and be touched by Jesus today! Amen.

Chapter 1: Questions for Discussion or Reflection

1. What impact do you think chronic illness has upon persons? What impact might it have upon spirituality?

2. Jesus spent a lot of time ministering to those who were sick. Why is this mentioned so many times in the gospels?

3. What experiences have you had with healthy and healing touch?

4. Do you believe it was this woman’s belief that she would be healed or her belief in Jesus that healed her?

5. How do we have a closer encounter with God?

Chapter 2

Seeing Possibilities and Potentialities in Your Identity

Introduction

What do you see? What do you see when you look at the world? What do you miss when you look at the world around you? What do you see when you look at yourself? What do you miss when you look at yourself? Can we see into the spiritual realm of life? Even with eyesight sometimes we do not see. Think about it. Welcome to a time of meditation and reflection.

Prayer

O God, we are blind to your way of life. We complicate it and misuse it and miss its opportunities. Open our eyes that we might see. Not only see. but be willing to do what we see you are calling us to be and do. For we pray in the name of Jesus, who gives us the ability to see in marvelous new ways. Amen.

Scripture

Mark 10:46-52

It was a rather smelly old cloak or coat. Tattered and ragged, faded and worn, it really was not much of a coat. It should have been thrown out with the garbage many years ago, but it was a protector of sorts. It provided a barrier from the piercing profanity of those who passed by him. Somehow, when he had the coat on it made him feel he had an identity. Anyone who saw him immediately knew that he was not a member of the in crowd, but an outcast of society. The smell was so offensive it too kept people at a safe distance. So the coat had become part of his identity in some ways. It made him feel just a little less vulnerable, and he was familiar with being vulnerable.

Many, many times had he walked in his midnight darkness and had become vulnerable to the objects around him. Various objects made their presence known by a thump on the old noggin or a kick in the shin. Lumps and bruises he experienced aplenty. So he knew how it felt to be physically defenseless. It was the people who hurt him the most, for lumps and bruises of the heart were the most painful. “Get out of my way, you dog.” “Why don’t you just go somewhere and die?” “Shut up you mangy old man.” “You smell worse than a garbage dump; get away from me!”

They even said things that were contradictory statements in themselves, such as “You old blind fool, can’t you see you are in my way?” On and on the verbal insults’ punches put lumps and bruises on his soul.

Helplessness—he knew about that vulnerability. He was too familiar with having no one to turn to, no one to help him in time of need. He was dependent upon other outcasts who had their own problems, with little or no assistance from another human being. So often he did not even bother to ask for help because it was rarely received.

So the coat served its purpose. It offered a flimsy protection from the elements. More important, it contained his identity, and at least he could take some comfort in knowing who he was and his place in society.

In his aloneness and loneliness he had a lot of time to ponder and wonder about life. He listened to...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Series Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• List of Contributors
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Part I: Transformational Stories for Living as a Christian
• Chapter 1. The Transforming Power of Touch
• Chapter 2. Seeing Possibilities and Potentialities in Your Identity
• Chapter 3. Awakening to New Hopes Along the Dusty Road of Life
• Chapter 4. Does God Put You to the Test or Take the Test for You?
• Chapter 5. Jesus on a Roll: Straightening Up and Straightening Out
• Chapter 6. A Not So Modest Proposal: Follow Jesus
• Chapter 7. Wandering into Far Countries: With Whom Are You Traveling?
• Part II: Transformational Principles for Living as a Christian
• Chapter 8. The Amazing Vastness of the Invitation of Grace: No One Is Excluded
• Chapter 9. Finding Freedom from False Assumptions
• Chapter 10. Restoring the Brokenness of Shattered Assumptions
• Chapter 11. Positive Assumptions: Living by Faith
• Chapter 12. Saying YES to the Way of Jesus
• Chapter 13. Jesus Stills Storms Still
• Chapter 14. Drinking out of a Glass with a Hole in the Bottom
• Chapter 15. Why Does God Never Say Nothing?
• References
• Index