The Attainable Solution for Anxiety: God’s Joy and Good Friends
Series: The Smartphone Problem
Sermon Title: The Attainable Solution for Anxiety: God’s Joy and Good Friends
Speaker: Sam Rainer
Date: January 19,, 2025
Reflect
- How do smartphones sometimes promise connection but lead to loneliness instead?
- Imagine you’re hosting a party with no phones allowed. What activities could you include to ensure people connect and have fun?
Encounter
- In Philippians 4:8, Paul instructs believers to think about things that are true, noble, and praiseworthy. How might this focus shift your perspective on modern anxieties?
- Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted.” Why do you think honest and trustworthy friendships are essential for overcoming anxiety?
- Paul encouraged the Philippian church to “settle disagreements” (Philippians 4:2). How does resolving conflict build the kind of social capital needed for a strong, joyful community?
Transform
- What habits can you cultivate to move from “defend mode” to “discover mode” in your own life and relationships?
- How can our church better foster a sense of community and joy for individuals struggling with isolation or anxiety?
Additional Discussion Questions
- In what ways have you seen friendships or community help someone overcome anxiety or fear?
- Think about a favorite memory with a close friend. How did that relationship shape your trust in others?
- What can our group do to model the kind of relational trust Paul describes in Philippians 4?
Interesting Facts and Tidbits
- Playground Spinners vs. Phones: Play-based activities encourage risk management, cooperation, and fun, helping children build emotional resilience. Phones, in contrast, encourage isolation and “defend mode.”
- The Role of Mediators in Conflict: Paul’s use of a mediator to help Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:3) shows the importance of external support in resolving disagreements.
- Social Capital and Trust: Robert Putnam’s research in Bowling Alone revealed that community organizations, which once bolstered trust and connection, have significantly declined since the 1990s.
Related Passages
- Hebrews 10:24-25 – Calls believers to encourage one another and not give up meeting together, emphasizing the importance of community.
- Proverbs 13:20 – “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Encourages believers to build each other up and live in peace, echoing themes of relational support and joy.
- Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
- John 13:34-35 – Jesus commands us to love one another as He loved us, identifying love as a mark of discipleship.