Embracing Change: The Journey of Transformation and Love

 

Summary

In this gathering, we reflect on the journey of Sojourn Grace Collective, a community that has been a sanctuary for many over the past eight and a half years. As we approach the end of this chapter, we embrace the motto "it all belongs," a phrase that has guided us through times of change and growth. This concept is rooted in the parable of the new wine and old wineskins, illustrating the necessity of new containers for new growth. Our spiritual journey often requires us to outgrow old beliefs and practices, much like new wine needing new wineskins. This process can be painful, as it involves leaving behind what once felt safe and familiar. Yet, it is also an opportunity for transformation and renewal.

We acknowledge that not everything in life feels like it belongs, especially the painful and tragic experiences. However, we hold onto the belief that nothing is wasted. Even the most challenging moments can be repurposed into something meaningful. This perspective allows us to see how new life can emerge from the ashes of the old. As we transition from Sojourn Grace Collective, we trust that this ending is not a tragedy but a part of our journey toward wholeness. We have been a new wineskin for many, providing safety, belonging, and healing. Now, as we move forward, we carry the hope that love ultimately has the final word, and that nothing is ever truly wasted.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embracing Change and Growth: The parable of new wine and old wineskins teaches us that growth often requires new containers. As we expand spiritually, we may outgrow old beliefs and practices, necessitating new ways of understanding and engaging with our faith. This process, though challenging, is essential for transformation. [55:59]

2. The Pain of Outgrowing: Outgrowing old containers can be painful, as it involves leaving behind what once felt safe. This transition can feel like stepping into an unknown void, but it is also an opportunity for liberation and new beginnings. The discomfort of change is a natural part of spiritual growth. [01:02:09]

3. Nothing is Wasted: While not all experiences feel like they belong, we can trust that nothing is wasted. Even the most painful moments can be repurposed into something meaningful, contributing to our growth and understanding. This perspective allows us to find hope and purpose in the midst of suffering. [01:04:13]

4. The Role of Community: Sojourn Grace Collective has been a new wineskin for many, providing a space for healing and belonging. As we transition, we recognize the importance of community in supporting our spiritual journeys. The end of this chapter is not a loss but a continuation of our journey toward wholeness. [01:06:09]

5. Love Has the Final Word: In the face of life's challenges, we hold onto the belief that love ultimately prevails. This hope assures us that nothing is ever truly wasted and that all experiences can be woven into the fabric of love. This belief provides comfort and strength as we navigate the uncertainties of life. [01:07:10]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:21] - Introduction to Sojourn Grace
[09:17] - Moments of Gratitude
[10:34] - Community Reflections
[35:47] - Sharing Personal Stories
[53:20] - The Question of Belonging
[54:42] - Final Reminders
[55:59] - Parable of New Wine and Old Wineskins
[58:27] - Outgrowing Old Containers
[01:00:05] - The Pain of Transition
[01:02:09] - Embracing the Unknown
[01:03:09] - The Fear of Calm
[01:04:13] - Nothing is Wasted
[01:06:09] - Community as a New Wineskin
[01:07:10] - Love's Final Word
[01:16:15] - Communion and Connection
[01:19:25] - Upcoming Events and Farewell

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Matthew 9:14-17
- Mark 2:18-22
- Luke 5:33-39

Observation Questions:
1. What is the significance of the parable of the new wine and old wineskins as mentioned in the sermon? How does it relate to the concept of spiritual growth and transformation? [55:59]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of Sojourn Grace Collective as a "new wineskin" for its community? What purpose did it serve for its members? [01:06:09]
3. According to the sermon, what does the phrase "it all belongs" mean, and how does it relate to the idea that "nothing is wasted"? [01:04:13]

Interpretation Questions:
1. In the context of the parable of the new wine and old wineskins, what might be some "old wineskins" in our spiritual lives that we need to outgrow? How can this process be both challenging and liberating? [58:27]
2. The sermon suggests that painful experiences can be repurposed into something meaningful. How might this perspective change the way we view our own struggles and challenges? [01:04:13]
3. How does the belief that "love has the final word" provide comfort and strength in the face of life's uncertainties? What does this mean for our journey toward wholeness? [01:07:10]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you outgrew an old belief or practice. How did you navigate the discomfort of that transition, and what new understanding emerged from it? [01:02:09]
2. Consider a painful experience in your life that you initially felt did not belong. How might you begin to see it as something that can be repurposed for growth and understanding? [01:04:13]
3. In what ways can you contribute to creating a "new wineskin" in your community, providing a space for healing and belonging for others? [01:06:09]
4. How can you hold onto the belief that love ultimately prevails, even in the midst of challenging circumstances? What practices or reminders can help reinforce this belief in your daily life? [01:07:10]
5. Identify an area in your life where you feel restricted by an "old wineskin." What steps can you take to embrace change and seek new growth in that area? [58:27]
6. How can you support others in their journey of transformation, especially when they are experiencing the pain of outgrowing old containers? [01:02:09]
7. Reflect on the role of community in your spiritual journey. How can you actively engage with and support your community as you all move toward wholeness together? [01:06:09]

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

Day 1: Embracing New Containers for Growth
As we journey through life, we often find that our spiritual growth requires us to adopt new ways of thinking and being. The parable of the new wine and old wineskins reminds us that as we expand spiritually, we may outgrow old beliefs and practices. This process can be challenging, as it involves stepping away from what once felt safe and familiar. However, it is essential for transformation and renewal. Embracing change allows us to create new spaces within ourselves where growth can flourish. This journey is not just about leaving the old behind but about welcoming the new with open arms. [55:59]

Mark 2:22 (ESV): "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins."

Reflection: What old beliefs or practices might you need to let go of to make room for new growth in your spiritual journey?


Day 2: The Liberating Pain of Outgrowing
Outgrowing old containers can be a painful experience, as it often involves leaving behind what once felt secure. This transition can feel like stepping into an unknown void, filled with uncertainty and fear. Yet, it is also an opportunity for liberation and new beginnings. The discomfort of change is a natural part of spiritual growth, and it is through this discomfort that we find freedom. By embracing the unknown, we allow ourselves to be transformed and renewed, stepping into a future filled with possibilities. [01:02:09]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel the discomfort of change? How can you embrace this discomfort as an opportunity for growth and liberation?


Day 3: Trusting That Nothing is Wasted
Life is filled with experiences that may not always feel like they belong, especially the painful and challenging ones. However, we can hold onto the belief that nothing is wasted. Even the most difficult moments can be repurposed into something meaningful, contributing to our growth and understanding. This perspective allows us to find hope and purpose in the midst of suffering, trusting that new life can emerge from the ashes of the old. By seeing the potential for transformation in every experience, we can navigate life's challenges with resilience and faith. [01:04:13]

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."

Reflection: Think of a recent challenging experience. How might this experience be repurposed into something meaningful in your life?


Day 4: Community as a New Wineskin
The role of community in our spiritual journeys cannot be overstated. Sojourn Grace Collective has been a new wineskin for many, providing a space for healing and belonging. As we transition from this chapter, we recognize that the end is not a loss but a continuation of our journey toward wholeness. Community offers support, encouragement, and a sense of belonging, helping us navigate the complexities of life. By valuing and nurturing our communities, we create spaces where growth and transformation can thrive. [01:06:09]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: How can you contribute to your community as a space for healing and belonging? What role can you play in supporting others on their spiritual journeys?


Day 5: Love's Final Word
In the face of life's challenges, we hold onto the belief that love ultimately prevails. This hope assures us that nothing is ever truly wasted and that all experiences can be woven into the fabric of love. By trusting in the power of love, we find comfort and strength as we navigate the uncertainties of life. Love has the final word, offering us a sense of peace and assurance that transcends our circumstances. As we move forward, let us carry the hope that love will guide us toward wholeness and fulfillment. [01:07:10]

1 John 4:16 (ESV): "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."

Reflection: In what ways can you allow love to have the final word in your life today? How can you embody this love in your interactions with others?

Quotes

"And the context is that there was an afternoon where some Pharisees were talking with Jesus, and they asked him specifically a pointed question about fasting. And they said, why don't you and your disciples fast? And they pointed back to like John the Baptist and other people who were trying to live sort of within the confines of the religious traditions of the day. And they said, why don't you fast? Why don't you do the rituals and do all the right things like we would expect a good religious person to do?" [00:55:59]

"And Jesus had a particular response to them. And in that response, he told two two parables, two short ones, one about, well, you wouldn't want to use a new piece of cloth to patch over a hole in an old garment. And then he said this, he said, and you don't want to put, nobody puts new wine into old wineskins. If they did, the new wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine would spill, and the wineskin be ruined. So instead, new wine must be put into new wineskins." [00:56:59]

"The boundaries that were once safe to us suddenly became restrictive, and we had no choice but to then go beyond it. But none of us, I would wager, I could be wrong, but I'm going to guess that none of us were safe and warm inside these old wineskins. For me, that would have been like ages 17 through 24, safe and warm inside these wineskins, where everything was humming along quite nicely. Our belief system worked. Our faith felt strong." [00:59:04]

"Instead, it seems like we are in what for a while seems like a nice, safe, adequate container, and then we expand and we bump up against the edges. Maybe it's jobs that used to give us so much life and we love, and now they drain us, or they demand too much of us. Or maybe it's relationships that used to give so much life and we love, and now they drain us. And now they seem to hold us back or keep us down." [01:00:11]

"What I'm saying is that growth and transformation happen within the wineskin that we already have, or the ones that we were given. So when we grow, when we expand, we crack. We're threatened to crack the containers around us, and as I'm sure you know, leaking out of this old, And there's a sense in which we can look at these narratives and feel like, oh, breaking out of the wineskin, that's a good thing, right? Because then we have freedom and liberation and expansion on the other side." [01:00:56]

"Maybe, maybe sometimes that's our experience. Oftentimes, I think it's like we're trading in the anxiety of the walls that are closing in around us. We're trading that in for the anxiety of the void beyond. Like, I don't know what's out there. A couple years ago, I gave a sermon about the story of Jesus and disciples in a boat, and a storm comes, and Jesus is sleeping, and the disciples wake him up, freaking out. Storm, Jesus calms storm, then turns to the disciples and says, why are you so afraid?" [01:02:09]

"And I remember being struck by the order of that. Storm, calming of storm, asking a question, why are you so afraid? And I remember thinking, oh, that makes sense, because sometimes the only thing more scary than the storm is the calm after the storm. Because even though the storm is unsettling and disturbing and painful, oftentimes we at least grow familiar with it, accustomed to it. We know who we are in the context of it. We know the roles that we got to play." [01:02:47]

"And he said this to me. He said, for me, when I hear that phrase, it all belongs, he says, I prefer to think of it as nothing is wasted. He went on to say, because how can we tell people who've endured horrible tragedy in life that it all belongs? We can't, because those things, they don't belong. That kind of suffering and trauma and harm, that doesn't belong. But maybe we could say nothing gets wasted." [01:04:13]

"But because everything is energy and energy cannot be destroyed, then everything that happens or that happened to us can be and will be reused and repurposed. And I think he's right. I think that one danger in saying it all belongs is that we can paper over the most painful parts of life. But that hard thing that happened to you or is happening to you, the job that you lost, the bankruptcy you filed, the loved one who died too soon, the cancer that took your friend, the sickness that's now eating your own body, the marriage that fell apart, the child that broke your heart, the horrific crime perpetrated against you, it's not really okay to say that those things belong." [01:04:43]

"And yet, isn't it also true? Somehow the great paradox is that if enough time passes, sometimes if enough time passes between these events in our lives, there can be these moments where we turn around and look back at what has transpired since the tragedy befell us. And it's not uncommon to see how the new life grew precisely out of the place from which the old thing died." [01:05:36]

"So if we say it all belongs, if when we say this we also hold on to this idea that nothing gets wasted, might we be able to sometimes see, how the hardest trials of our lives become the seeds for our greatest fruit? And I say that, and I also just need to name that not always. I grant that. Not always. Sometimes there maybe isn't really a way to redeem our pain. At least not entirely, maybe." [01:06:09]

"A hope that really fully leans into this belief that darkness doesn't get the final word. For me this is the, This is the foundation in the sentiment of it all belongs. That there's nothing in this universe that can ever be outside of God, which means there's nothing in this universe that can be outside of love. When St. Paul once wrote that, quote, trigger warning, God works all things together for good, the church quickly turned it into a bumper sticker platitude to offer quick and easy comfort." [01:07:10]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?