Ten years ago, I received a phone call which led to some huge changes in our lives.
We had just returned from a trip to Israel, given to us by the church I was pastoring in central Illinois. On my first day back in the office, I received a call from Jim Koehler, who at the time, was the chairman of the deacon board here at Edgewood, asking if I would be interested in pursuing the senior pastor position at Edgewood. Because we were in a growing church we loved, I politely told him, “No.” When I went home and told Beth about it, she said, “No way.”
Before hanging up, Jim asked if we could meet for lunch in Peoria. I told him if I was ever headed to Peoria, I would let him know (this was my out because I hardly ever went to Peoria). As God would have it, that week I was asked to visit someone in jail in Eureka, which is on the way to Peoria. In addition, two of our church members had just been admitted to the hospital in Peoria. I called Jim back and asked if the offer for lunch was still good.
At the beginning of the conversation, I was not at all interested. Then an hour into the meal, everything changed when Jim leaned forward and told me Edgewood was looking for a pastor to help the church grow in outreach to the community. Then, he talked about Celebrate Recovery. His eyes filled with tears as he shared how hundreds of individuals were finding hope and healing from their hurts, unholy habits, and hang-ups. He described how the forgiveness and freedom found in the gospel permeates the ministry of Celebrate Recovery.
Our very first visit to Edgewood was on a weekday before Super Saturday, now known as Super Summer Slam. Sheila and her team had transformed the entire facility into a child-focused theme. Jim told me he wished we could see the facility as it normally was. I told him I loved it because it showed how Edgewood is willing to do anything to reach kids with the gospel.
During this same visit, Jim’s wife Marcia pointed to some standing ashtrays by the south entrance. She explained the church provided those for people who smoked because Edgewood wants to do everything they can to make people comfortable to hear the life-saving message of forgiveness and freedom in Christ. I knew right then that Edgewood is a place of grace for those who feel out of place. From that point on, I was all in, and we simply followed the Lord’s leading and direction and have now been here for nine years.
I find it so refreshing how so many in Celebrate Recovery talk so openly and honestly about their sins and their spiritual victories. When someone in the community asks me about Edgewood, I always talk about Celebrate Recovery (also known as CR), because you can’t describe Edgewood without celebrating how CR has affected the very DNA of our church!
Here’s the main point I want to get across today: Since God celebrates recovery, so must we!
We’re wrapping up our “RE” series this weekend by focusing on the word “Recovery.” To recover means, “to return to a normal position or condition, to live, to revive, to retake, to recover lost time.” To recover refers to “the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost.” It can also mean, “to return to soberness,” from a state of delirium or drunkenness.
According to Isaiah 11:11, God loves to bring recovery to His people: “In that day the Lord will extend His hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people.” In Isaiah 38:16, Hezekiah speaks for all who long for recovery: “Oh restore me to health and make me live!” Isaiah 46:4 shows God’s heart for the hurting: “I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
2 Timothy 2:26 in the KJV captures this longing for freedom: “And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” God Himself celebrates recovery in 1 Peter 5:10: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Early in His ministry, Jesus stood up in the synagogue and quoted from the Book of Isaiah as recorded in Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” Once we are set free spiritually, Jesus can break every other bondage we are under, including addictions, idolatries, and deep-seated sin patterns.
Preliminary Comments
1. Stop using demeaning comments toward those who are honest about their struggles. We need to watch our self-righteous attitudes; it’s not OK to denigrate those who sin differently than we do. 1 John 1:8: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Remember, a person who is struggling is someone’s child, grandchild, spouse, sibling, or parent. Related to this, let’s not use the phrase, “those people” to refer to someone in Celebrate Recovery.
2. Choices made today will have consequences tomorrow. I don’t know of anyone who has said his or her goal is to become codependent, abused, or an alcoholic, but I know plenty of people who are partying right now and are not thinking of the consequences which may come. Hebrews 11:25 says Moses chose the hard path rather “than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” Sin is enjoyable, but the fun is fleeting.
3. Most of us need to hit rock-bottom before we will look up. Recently, I talked to a guy about his alcohol addiction and how it was wrecking his relationships. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “I like it too much to stop.” I told him he’ll never quit unless his attitude changes.
4. Until a person admits they are powerless, they will not experience freedom. Part of the power of addiction is secrecy. I like this phrase, “You are only as sick as your secrets.” Until we admit our secrets, we will not get better. Madeleine L’Engle argues we are all broken but that isn’t a terrible thing. Instead, she states, “Refusing to admit your brokenness is what is terrible.”
5. Just because you’ve failed or relapsed doesn’t mean it’s over. Sobriety is a journey. God heals some people immediately and for others it’s a daily battle with ups and downs. Remember Abraham lied, Jonah ran, David committed adultery and murder, Esther feared, Noah got drunk, Moses disobeyed, Thomas doubted, and Peter denied. Incidentally, if you’re a born-again believer and you fall, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost your salvation.
6. We’re all in some sort of recovery process. Properly understood, as humans each of us are addicted to sin and God does His sanctifying work in those of us who are saved by building into us the character and conduct of Christ. Anger can become an addiction, food can become an obsession, impure thoughts can lead to a pornography addiction, and a whole host of other things can cause havoc in our lives. We could all benefit from attending CR.
7. Edgewood is a safe place because we are a community of grace. You’d be surprised to know how many people struggle with the same things you do. You are not alone.
2 Corinthians 10:4 urges us to tackle strongholds with spiritual solutions, not in worldly ways: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” What strongholds have you allowed into your life? You can’t get your flesh to fix the flesh. Next weekend we will begin a new series from Romans 8 called, “God is For You.” It will help each of us learn to walk in the Spirit while saying no to our flesh.
Since God celebrates recovery, so must we!
Please turn to Isaiah 53. This is one of the most amazing chapters in the entire Bible. One commentator referred to it as “the text upon which the rest of the Bible is a sermon.” It’s the premier passage on biblical prophecy, quoted 41 times in the New Testament.
We could sum up this passage with one word: substitution. Look at the first word in verse 4: “Surely…” This means an amazing truth is about to be given: “He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Jesus took upon Himself our sin-sickness, including substance abuse, idol worship, hurts, unholy habits, hang-ups, and sorrows. He took all our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain.
Let’s continue: “Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - everyone - to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” The word “laid” means “to cause to strike with great force.” The Father poured out His righteous wrath on His Son. The iniquity of us all fell upon our Substitute.
I see a progression of thought in this passage from we to me to He to free.
• We. Check out how “we,” “our,” and “us” is used.
- “has borne our griefs.” This refers to disease, anxiety, and affliction.
- “carried our sorrows.” This means to “lift off” of one person and put on another.
- “we esteemed Him stricken.” People thought Jesus must have really done something wrong to be punished so severely.
- “pierced for our transgressions.” Jesus’ feet and hands were pierced by nails and His side severed by a spear.
- “crushed for our iniquities.” Jesus was crushed under the weight of our crookedness.
• Me. Until you move from we to me, you won’t own your offenses against the Almighty. It’s one thing to say every one’s a sinner, it’s another thing altogether to admit you are a sinner. Look at verse 6: “All we like sheep have gone astray…” That’s we. Isaiah then individualizes the illustration: “we have turned – every one - to his own way.” That’s me. I have a sin addiction and so do you – we see words like transgression, iniquity, wicked, and sin used throughout this chapter.
• He. Jesus took my place as my substitute and made payment for my sins. He carried all my griefs, every one of my transgressions, and all my iniquities. My sins struck the Substitute. I deserved death but He died in my place. I sinned. He suffered. I’m saved.
This chapter is full of the language of substitution and sacrifice. “He has borne our griefs…He carried our sorrows...He was pierced for our transgressions…He was crushed for our iniquities… upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace …By His wounds we are healed…The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all…”
• Free. When I move from we to me and then to He, I can be free. I receive peace and I receive healing so He can bring me to recovery. The word “peace” is the Hebrew word shalom, which refers to human wholeness. It’s more than just the absence of hostility. The only freedom from your sin problem, or your substance abuse, or your selfishness, is to trust the Savior as your substitute. He wants you to be forgiven and free.
Maybe you think you don’t matter because you’ve messed up too much. Perhaps you believe your recent relapse has DQ’d you. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done; what matters is what Jesus has done. There is grace for everyone. Because of grace, Jesus took our place.
Celebrating Recovery
Edgewood is celebrating 20 years of Celebrate Recovery this fall! Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, Bible-based, twelve-step recovery ministry designed to help people reconnect with God and heal from past hurt and pain. CR is found in more than 35,000 churches worldwide! The foundation of Celebrate Recovery is composed of three key portions of Scripture: The Sermon on the Mount, the Book of James, and 1 Corinthians 13.
According to the founders of Celebrate Recovery, there are seven features which make CR unique:
1. CR is based on the Bible, not secular psychology.
2. CR is forward-looking. Regardless of what has happened in the past, the solution is to start making wise choices now and depend on Christ’s power today.
3. CR focuses on personal responsibility, not playing the “accuse and excuse” game of victimization. We can’t control all that happens to us, but we can control our response to what has happened.
4. CR emphasizes salvation in Jesus Christ and calls people to total surrender to the Savior. The process of recovery is not just recovery from a problem, but the redemption of a soul. CR is a unique form of evangelism, discipleship, and sanctification.
5. CR utilizes the biblical truth that we need each other to grow spiritually and emotionally. While recovery can begin in isolation, it must involve walking with others for encouragement and accountability.
6. CR produces a steady stream of servant leaders who are trained to minister to others after finding recovery in Christ.
7. CR addresses all types of hurts, unholy habits, and hang-ups. While it’s common to think CR is only for those dealing with substance abuse, only one out of three who attend CR are struggling with drugs or alcohol. Every Friday night we offer groups for women dealing with codependency, abuse, chemical dependence, and relationship addictions. We also offer groups for men dealing with anger, purity, codependency, and chemical dependence. There’s also a group for adult children of family dysfunction. Stop by the table in the lobby for more information.
Since God celebrates recovery, so must we!
The Road to Recovery
At the heart of Celebrate Recovery are eight principles based on the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5. They make up the acrostic RECOVERY.
1. Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. (Matthew 5:3)
2. Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover. (Matthew 5:4)
3. Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control. (Matthew 5:5)
4. Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust. (Matthew 5:8)
5. Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. (Matthew 5:6)
6. Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I’ve done to others, when possible, except when to do so would harm them or others. (Matthew 5:7, 9)
7. Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will. (Psalm 119:1-2)
8. Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and my words. (Matthew 5:10)
Celebrate Recovery 12 Steps
Celebrate Recovery follows a 12-step process based on the Bible.
1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (Romans 7:18)
2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)
3. We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1)
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
“Let us examine our ways and test them and let us return to the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:40)
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16a)
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10)
7. We humbly asked Him to remove all our sins and shortcomings.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)
9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
10. We continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
11. We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and power to carry that out.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (Colossians 3:16a)
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all our affairs.
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore them gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)
Since God celebrates recovery, so must we!
I want to give just one action step today. I’d like to invite everyone to attend Celebrate Recovery at least one time on a Friday night at 6pm in the Life Center. You may think you don’t need it. That’s fine. Go and encourage someone else. Or maybe you’ll go and realize how helpful it can be to you. One of the most moving elements for me when I attend CR is when everyone holds hands and sings, “Sanctuary.” It’s a reminder of how God celebrates recovery as He builds us into His living sanctuary.
Lord, prepare me
To be a sanctuary
Pure and holy
Tried and true
And with thanksgiving
I’ll be a living
Sanctuary, oh for You
