LIVING in the Light of the Gospel Big Idea  If we are going to live for Christ, the Gospel must function as the central core that informs and fuels every area of our lives.

The Centrality of the Gospel The Gospel Gospel Connections Gospel Conduct

The Centrality of the Gospel How does the Gospel impact how we deal with disappointment? Discontent? Darkness & depression?

Psalm 42 1 As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while all day long people say to me, "Where is your God?" 4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts.

Psalm 42 5 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God. 6 I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me. 8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night— a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42 9 I will say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression?" 10 My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, "Where is your God?" 11 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Common Perspectives on Depression PhysiologicalMoralisticHolistic

Common Perspectives on Depression PhysiologicalMoralisticHolistic Depression is merely a chemical imbalance issue Depression is merely personal rebellion & unbelief Depression is a complicated intermingling of various factors

Common Perspectives on Depression PhysiologicalMoralisticHolistic Depression is merely a chemical imbalance issue Depression is merely personal rebellion & unbelief Depression is a complicated intermingling of various factors The depressed person is a victim of forces beyond the self The depressed person is a sinner who is choosing to be depressed The depressed person is both a victim & a sinner

Common Perspectives on Depression PhysiologicalMoralisticHolistic Depression is merely a chemical imbalance issue Depression is merely personal rebellion & unbelief Depression is a complicated intermingling of various factors The depressed person is a victim of forces beyond the self The depressed person is a sinner who is choosing to be depressed The depressed person is both a victim & a sinner Treatment is purely medical Treatment is purely volitional Treatment includes dealing with core beliefs & appropriate meds

The Spectrum of Darkness

SituationalSadness change of circumstance exhaustion disappointment confusion seasonal

The Spectrum of Darkness SituationalSadness OngoingDiscontent change of circumstance exhaustion disappointment confusion seasonal ongoing stage or station of life fatigue & lack of motivation a defining reality

The Spectrum of Darkness SituationalSadness OngoingDiscontentClinicalDepression change of circumstance exhaustion disappointment confusion seasonal ongoing stage or station of life fatigue & lack of motivation a defining reality usually depressed mood inability to concentrate hopelessness death-thoughts

Jesus & Darkness Mark 14:32-42  32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33 He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and horrified. 34 Then He said to them, "My soul is swallowed up in sorrow —to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake." 35 Then He went a little farther, fell to the ground, and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, "Abba, Father! All things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will."

Jesus & Darkness 37 Then He came and found them sleeping. "Simon, are you sleeping?" He asked Peter. "Couldn't you stay awake one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Once again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40 And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to Him. 41 Then He came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up; let's go! See— My betrayer is near."

Jesus & Darkness 37 Then He came and found them sleeping. "Simon, are you sleeping?" He asked Peter. "Couldn't you stay awake one hour? 38 Stay awake and pray so that you won't enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Once again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40 And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to Him. 41 Then He came a third time and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Get up; let's go! See— My betrayer is near." Features: overwhelmed by coming task loneliness & disappointment with trusted friends

Elijah & Darkness 1 Kings 19:1-10  1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

Elijah & Darkness All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah & Darkness 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Elijah & Darkness 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” Features: coming off a monumental event unmet expectations physical & emotional exhaustion fear & hopelessness inaccurate interpretation of reality

Psalm 42 – Dealing with Darkness External circumstances were oppressing  Ps. 42:3,10  all day long people say to me, "Where is your God?" My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, "Where is your God?“

Psalm 42 – Dealing with Darkness Internal condition was depressed  Ps. 42:3,5,6,9,11  3 My tears have been my food day and night... 5 Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me?... 6 I am deeply depressed... 9 I will say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression?" Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me?

How does he fight to hope in God? He asks God “Why?”  9 I will say to God, my rock, "Why have You forgotten me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy's oppression?"

How does he fight to hope in God? He talks to his own soul  Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them but they are talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. Who is talking to you? Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says,: “Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you.” (Martin Lloyd-Jones in Spiritual Depression)

How does he fight to hope in God? He talks to his own soul  5 Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.  Darkness from Condemnation? Romans 8:1-2  1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

How does he fight to hope in God? He talks to his own soul  5 Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.  Darkness from Feeling Abandoned by God? Romans 8:31-35,38-39

How does he fight to hope in God? He remembers reality  Ps. 42:4,6-8  4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me. 8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night—a prayer to the God of my life.

How does he fight to hope in God? He remembers reality  Ps. 42:4,6-8  4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me. 8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night—a prayer to the God of my life. Personal experiences with God

How does he fight to hope in God? He remembers reality  Ps. 42:4,6-8  4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me. 8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night—a prayer to the God of my life. The Character of God “I remember You…The LORD will send His faithful love…”

How does he fight to hope in God? He remembers reality  Ps. 42:4,6-8  4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts I am deeply depressed; therefore I remember You from the land of Jordan and the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me. 8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night—a prayer to the God of my life. The Sovereignty of God “Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me.”

How does he fight to hope in God? He pours out his heart to others  Ps. 42:8  8 The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night— a prayer to the God of my life.

How does he fight to hope in God? He proactively thirsts for God  Ps. 42:1-2  1 As a deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I come and appear before God?