Jericho Road Ministries

Introduction:  All of us can say that we have traveled on the Jericho Road at one time or another.  In Bible days, Jericho road was a lonely and dangerous road that can be treacherous because of the terrain and yet some of the road could be smooth.  In our everyday lives, we all face circumstances and obstacles at one time or another.  You never know what is around the corner.  If a person isn’t prepared, the trials of life can come at you blindsided and can leave you shaking your head and wondering what happened.

Luke 10:25-37 – man who fell among thieves.  There can be a number of scenarios why this happened to him:

*  Got in with the wrong crowd – he should have known better.  People who get in with the wrong crowd are vulnerable to dangerous situations.

*  Ignorance – never traveled the road before, possibly from another country and didn’t realize how dangerous the road before.

*  It just happened – possibly coming or going from Jerusalem.  The man didn’t ask for this to happen.  As the Bible declares that it “rains on the just and the unjust”.  Just because people have a relationship with God, doesn’t mean that they are going to be free from trouble or obstacles.  Having a relationship with God will help us to get through the storm or obstacle.

What did Jesus come to do?  Heal the brokenhearted, recover sight to the blind, set at liberty to those that are bruised.  Jesus took the crown of thorns for the healing of our mind.  Jesus said “they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick”.  The church is to be a place of healing and restoration, a place to get comfort and strength for the pressures and trials of this life.

Luke 10:31-32 – The Bible says to “consider yourself” because it could happen to you.  What should our response to people who have Severe Depression and/or bipolar:

*  Too busy to see the need?

*  “Better you than me”

*  “Dig yourself out – here’s a shovel”.

*  “I’ll pray for you”, but most likely won’t do so.

*  Or we can help meet their needs.

The fact is that people don’t really care how much you know until they know how much you care.  Severe Depression is a stigma in the church.  It could be because people don’t understand the condition and sometimes can misinterpret it as being demon possessed or oppression, when it fact it is a medical condition that is treatable with the right medication, support, and care.

Jericho Road Ministry was borne out of great pain and suffering.  My wife, Sherry, was diagnosed in January 2007 with Severe Depression.   Sometimes we wonder why we go through trials and obstacles – we have come to the conclusion that Sherry has this medical condition so that she can reach out to others and help them.  We are finding people across the United States in various churches where they are shunned and cast to the wayside just like the man who fell among thieves and left for dead.  Many are treated as if they have a contagious, deadly disease.

Let’s look at the other side of the equation.  Individuals with Severe Depression and/ or bipolar may appear to be normal and okay, but on the inside, there’s a heart that is breaking into, sometimes they feel things and emotions that they cannot understand and oftentimes aren’t able to communicate it to others.  They may say things they do not mean or may come across very abrasive and harsh and once they get through these emotions, may avoid those people that they have hurt because they are ashamed and sometimes don’t know what they did unless someone would tell them.

*    I’m crying out for help.  I look okay, but really need your love, support and encouragement to help me with my medical condition.

*    I don’t need a judge, I need a friend.  You don’t need a degree or be super educated.  I just need to know that you care and will be there for me when I need you.

In closing, let us leave you with a few words from a great song sung by Bruce Carroll “Who Will be Jesus”:

            “Who will be Jesus to them?

            Who will show them love that restores them again.

            No they do not need a judge, they need a friend.

            Who will be Jesus to them.

            Wounded people everywhere and when they look at us do they see Jesus there”.