Scripture References: (Illustrative: Luke 19:41; Luke 10:21; Mark 14:34; Psalm 131; Romans 7:15)

Intro: (Podcast Sermon Title Suggestion: Closing the Gap: Why Emotional Health Matters)

• Addressing the common Christian experience: a frustrating "gap" between our spiritual activities/status and the depth of Christ-like character we long for, especially in private life.
• Introducing a new sermon series focusing on Emotional Health as a vital, often overlooked key to closing this gap and fostering genuine discipleship, inspired by Pete Scazzero's work.

Key Points:

1. The Problem: Ignoring Emotions (The Missing 'E'):
   • We often focus on Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, and Social growth (S-P-I-S), neglecting the crucial Emotional (E) dimension.
   • This leads to disconnects: appearing spiritually mature publicly while struggling privately (e.g., gifted speaker/unloving spouse, knowledgeable but unaware of anger, busy service driven by insecurity).
   • Iceberg Analogy: We manage the visible 10% but ignore the powerful, hidden 90% (unseen motives, past wounds, emotional patterns) driving our behavior.
2. God is Emotional (& We Are Too):
   • Countering views that emotions are unspiritual or untrustworthy. The God of the Bible is deeply emotional.
   • Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19), rejoiced in the Spirit (Luke 10), and was overwhelmed with sorrow (Mark 14).
   • David's Psalms model profound emotional honesty alongside deep faith (Psalm 131 - like a "weaned child," intimate yet calm).
   • Emotions are part of being made in God's image; they are signals to pay attention to, not suppress entirely. Don't deify them, but don't deny them.
3. Barriers to Emotional Health:
   • Faulty Christian Heritage: Sometimes emphasizes the spiritual/intellectual while devaluing or mistrusting emotions (quasi-Gnosticism). Misapplies "don't be ruled by emotions" as "ignore emotions."
   • Distorted View of God: Seeing God primarily as stern or distant, missing His profound kindness, love, and approachability (Jesus as "lover of my soul").
   • Distorted View of Self: Focusing only on being a "sinner," forgetting our core identity as God's beloved, adopted children, which inhibits honest emotional processing.
4. The Path Forward (Series Preview - LBL REMS):
   • This series will explore practical steps toward emotional health: 
     • Look Beneath the surface.
     • Break the power of the past.
     • Live in brokenness and vulnerability.
     • Receive the gift of limits.
     • Embrace grief and loss.
     • Make incarnation your model for loving well.
     • Slow down for loving union.

Conclusion:

• True, sustainable Christian maturity involves integrating our emotional lives with our spiritual lives. Ignoring our emotional world leads to inconsistency, burnout, and stunted growth. Wholeness requires addressing the whole person.

Call to Action:

• Acknowledge the vital connection between emotional health and spiritual discipleship.
• Be willing to honestly explore this often-neglected dimension of your life through this series.
• Ask God to give you courage to "look beneath the surface" and partner with Him in becoming emotionally and spiritually mature.

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