Finding Shalom in Exile: Embracing Our Current Journey
Summary
In today's message, we explored the profound theme of living in exile and seeking God's shalom in our current circumstances. We began by reflecting on the feeling of homesickness, a yearning for a place that feels like home. This sentiment was connected to the experience of the Judeans who were exiled to Babylon. They were far from their homeland, Jerusalem, and were struggling to adapt to a foreign culture with different customs, languages, and religious practices. This historical context set the stage for understanding the message from the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah's letter to the exiles, found in Jeremiah 29:4-9, was a call to settle down and make Babylon their home. This was not what the exiles wanted to hear; they were hoping for a quick return to Jerusalem. However, God had a different plan. He instructed them to build houses, plant gardens, marry, and seek the peace and prosperity of the city where they were exiled. This was a call to be fully present in their current situation, despite the pain and discomfort.
We discussed the concept of shalom, a Hebrew word often translated as peace but encompassing a much broader meaning. Shalom signifies completeness, wholeness, and the way things are meant to be. God's desire for the exiles, and for us, is to experience shalom even in the midst of brokenness. This involves being fully present, engaging with our communities, and seeking their welfare.
One practical way to be fully present is through the practice of lament. Lament allows us to express our pain and sorrow to God, acknowledging the brokenness around us. This practice helps us to stay engaged with our reality rather than escaping through distractions. By being fully present, we can encounter Jesus in our pain and begin the journey towards healing and wholeness.
We also highlighted the importance of praying for and seeking the shalom of our communities. This involves listening intently to the needs and struggles of those around us and finding ways to address them. At Seneca Creek, we have taken steps to address food insecurity in our community through the Community Hope Center. This initiative is a tangible way of seeking shalom for our neighbors.
The message concluded with a commissioning of new Stephen ministers, who have been trained to provide high-quality, one-on-one care to those facing struggles. These ministers are called to be agents of shalom, using their gifts and talents to support and comfort others. The congregation was also encouraged to support and pray for these ministers as they carry out their important work.
In summary, we are called to be fully present in our current circumstances, to seek the shalom of our communities, and to support one another through acts of care and compassion. By doing so, we participate in God's work of restoring wholeness and peace to a broken world.
### Key Takeaways
1. Living in Exile and Seeking Shalom: Just as the Judeans were called to settle in Babylon and seek its peace, we too are called to be fully present in our current circumstances. This involves engaging with our communities and seeking their welfare, even when it is uncomfortable. By doing so, we can experience God's shalom, a state of completeness and wholeness. [36:11]
2. The Practice of Lament: Being fully present in our pain and brokenness allows us to encounter Jesus in a profound way. The practice of lament helps us to express our sorrow and grief to God, acknowledging the reality of our situation. This practice is essential for healing and experiencing true shalom. [43:12]
3. Praying for Our Communities: We are called to pray for and seek the shalom of our communities. This involves listening to the needs and struggles of those around us and finding ways to address them. By being fully present and engaged, we can bring God's peace and prosperity to our neighborhoods. [47:07]
4. The Role of Stephen Ministers: Stephen ministers are trained to provide high-quality, one-on-one care to those facing struggles. They are called to be agents of shalom, using their gifts and talents to support and comfort others. The congregation is encouraged to support and pray for these ministers as they carry out their important work. [54:50]
5. God's Plan for Shalom: God's desire is for us to experience shalom, even in the midst of brokenness. This involves being fully present, engaging with our communities, and seeking their welfare. By doing so, we participate in God's work of restoring wholeness and peace to a broken world. [59:47]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[29:44] - Yearning for Home
[31:52] - Historical Context of Exile
[35:08] - Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles
[37:20] - Understanding Shalom
[40:02] - Settling Down in Exile
[43:12] - The Practice of Lament
[47:07] - Praying for Our Communities
[51:13] - Agents of Shalom
[54:50] - Commissioning Stephen Ministers
[59:47] - God's Plan for Shalom
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Jeremiah 29:4-9
#### Observation Questions
1. What specific instructions did God give to the exiles through Jeremiah's letter in Jeremiah 29:4-9? [35:08]
2. How does the concept of shalom, as described in the sermon, differ from the common understanding of peace? [37:20]
3. What are some of the ways the exiles were encouraged to be fully present in their new environment? [36:11]
4. How did the sermon describe the practice of lament and its importance for the exiles and for us today? [43:12]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why might God have instructed the exiles to settle down and seek the peace and prosperity of Babylon instead of promising a quick return to Jerusalem? [36:11]
2. How does the practice of lament help individuals stay engaged with their reality rather than escaping through distractions? [43:12]
3. In what ways can praying for and seeking the shalom of our communities transform both the community and the individual praying? [47:07]
4. What role do Stephen ministers play in the church, and how are they examples of being agents of shalom? [54:50]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt homesick or out of place. How did you cope with those feelings, and how might you apply the message of being fully present in your current circumstances? [29:44]
2. The sermon mentioned various ways people escape from pain and discomfort. What are some distractions you turn to, and how can you practice being more present in your life? [40:54]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of lament into your daily routine? What specific steps will you take to express your pain and sorrow to God this week? [43:12]
4. Identify a specific need or struggle in your community. How can you actively seek the shalom of your community by addressing this need? [47:07]
5. Think about the people in your life who might be considered "enemies" or those who have hurt you. How can you begin to pray for their well-being and seek their shalom? [46:03]
6. How can you support the Stephen ministers in your church? What are some practical ways you can encourage and pray for them as they carry out their important work? [54:50]
7. Reflect on the concept of shalom as completeness and wholeness. What areas of your life feel incomplete or broken, and how can you invite God's shalom into those areas? [37:20]
Devotional
Day 1: Living in Exile and Seeking Shalom
In our lives, we often find ourselves in situations that feel foreign and uncomfortable, much like the Judeans exiled to Babylon. They yearned for a quick return to their homeland, but God had a different plan. He instructed them to settle down, build houses, plant gardens, and seek the peace and prosperity of the city where they were exiled. This was a call to be fully present in their current circumstances, despite the pain and discomfort. Similarly, we are called to engage with our communities and seek their welfare, even when it is challenging. By doing so, we can experience God's shalom, a state of completeness and wholeness. [36:11]
Jeremiah 29:4-7 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."
Reflection: Think about a situation in your life where you feel out of place or uncomfortable. How can you be fully present and seek the welfare of those around you in this situation today?
Day 2: The Practice of Lament
Being fully present in our pain and brokenness allows us to encounter Jesus in a profound way. The practice of lament helps us to express our sorrow and grief to God, acknowledging the reality of our situation. This practice is essential for healing and experiencing true shalom. Lament is not about wallowing in despair but about bringing our pain to God and allowing Him to meet us in our brokenness. By doing so, we can begin the journey towards healing and wholeness. [43:12]
Lamentations 3:19-23 (ESV): "Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: Take a moment to identify a specific pain or sorrow in your life. How can you bring this to God in lament today, trusting Him to meet you in your brokenness?
Day 3: Praying for Our Communities
We are called to pray for and seek the shalom of our communities. This involves listening to the needs and struggles of those around us and finding ways to address them. By being fully present and engaged, we can bring God's peace and prosperity to our neighborhoods. Praying for our communities is an act of love and compassion, and it opens our hearts to the ways God wants to use us to bring about His shalom. [47:07]
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV): "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."
Reflection: Think about your local community. What are some specific needs or struggles you see? How can you pray for these needs and seek ways to address them today?
Day 4: The Role of Stephen Ministers
Stephen ministers are trained to provide high-quality, one-on-one care to those facing struggles. They are called to be agents of shalom, using their gifts and talents to support and comfort others. The congregation is encouraged to support and pray for these ministers as they carry out their important work. By doing so, we participate in God's work of restoring wholeness and peace to a broken world. [54:50]
Galatians 6:2 (ESV): "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
Reflection: Consider someone in your life who is struggling. How can you offer support and comfort to them today, acting as an agent of shalom?
Day 5: God's Plan for Shalom
God's desire is for us to experience shalom, even in the midst of brokenness. This involves being fully present, engaging with our communities, and seeking their welfare. By doing so, we participate in God's work of restoring wholeness and peace to a broken world. Shalom is not just the absence of conflict but the presence of God's completeness and wholeness in our lives and communities. [59:47]
Isaiah 58:11-12 (ESV): "And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in."
Reflection: Reflect on an area of brokenness in your life or community. How can you be an active participant in God's work of restoring wholeness and peace in this area today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "So when we can be fully present, when we can listen intently and pray for our communities, not only are we going to be changed into the people God created us to be, changed into people who look more like us, like Jesus, but our communities are going to begin to experience more and more of God's shalom. And that benefits all of us. While we grieve that all is not right in the world, we do have good news. That Jesus knows what it felt like to live in this world. He knows how it is to make his home in a place that isn't as it should be." [51:13]
2. "We can't do that without the power of the Holy Spirit in us. To really pray for and seek what is best and the thriving for those who hurt us. That's something only Jesus can do in us. I will say that when we pray for our enemies, it might not change them. And that's what makes it hard. It might not make them better people. But you know who it is changing? It's changing you. It's changing each of us. As we take that courage and that strength and we say this doesn't make sense but I'm going to do it anyway because God told me to. It begins to change us into people who look more like Jesus." [46:03]
3. "So there's one practice. And I say practice because it's something I have to keep trying over and over and over in order to actually be able to do it and to find the benefits. One thing that's helped me is the practice of lament. So when we are being present, it's not like we're saying, oh, everything's fine. I'm just, everything's fine. No, it's the opposite. We're actually able to be fully present and recognize and name all the way things aren't as they should be. And when we can express this to God, this is called lament." [43:12]
4. "So if this new place where the exiles find themselves is going to be their home for the next several generations. Then they shouldn't just settle in. But God wants them to seek the shalom, the welfare, the wholeness and completeness and the prosperity of this place where they are. And to pray for it. Now these are hurting people. They're broken. They've been through trauma and loss. And God is asking them to be agents of peace to their new communities, to their neighbors. God wants them to be actively engaged." [46:03]
### Quotes for Members
1. "So what might this seeking the peace and the shalom of our community, what might this look like for us today? How do we seek the shalom? How do we seek the shalom of the cities and the communities right here where we live? Now I want to be careful because there's not like one way to do this. Because we are all so unique and different. We have different strengths and gifts and experiences and passions. And the people that we encounter all have very different needs and struggles. So there's not like this one size fits all. But I think regardless, the first step is to listen and pray. Listen intently." [47:07]
2. "So when Jesus came to this world, lived this life of shalom in the middle of the brokenness, went to the cross and died, raised back to life, was victorious over death, all so that we can be restored to that shalom with God, with others, with ourselves, with all of creation. And while we're waiting for his second return, because we can look around and be like, okay, yeah, so Jesus came, he died, he raised again, but this world is still messed up." [49:54]
3. "We were created to be in this beautiful, harmonious relationship with God, with others, with ourselves, with all of creation. And it's obvious that in so many ways, we fall so short of that. And just like the Judeans, we can learn from God's instructions because we too are living in a type of exile where things are not as they should be. So let's take a closer look now at those instructions as well as some practices that we can embrace today in the middle of our exile." [39:02]
4. "So the first thing is to settle down and make this place your home. So I've put the passage up here where you can see for yourself. But this is, again, not what they wanted to hear. They don't want this to be their home. They want to go back to Jerusalem. They've been hearing this message like, okay, the Babylonians are going to be defeated soon. You're going to be back home in no time. But God says, make this land your home. They have been living in denial. It's probably been a couple years now since they arrived in Babylon. And denial is a very, very normal response to grief, to loss, to any kind of trauma. But God says, okay, it's time now. It's time to move on." [40:02]
5. "So when we can be fully present, when we can listen intently and pray for our communities, not only are we going to be changed into the people God created us to be, changed into people who look more like us, like Jesus, but our communities are going to begin to experience more and more of God's shalom. And that benefits all of us. While we grieve that all is not right in the world, we do have good news. That Jesus knows what it felt like to live in this world. He knows how it is to make his home in a place that isn't as it should be." [51:13]
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