Rest,
Interrupted?
Texts:
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 (main focus); Jeremiah 23:1-6; Ephesians
2:11-22
Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to
you from the one who is and who was and who is to come, our living Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
[Play alarm on cell phone] How many of you
LOVE hearing that sound first thing in the morning? Oh, I know I do at 3am.
Snooze button, where are you?
So, when I first read this passage from
Mark, two songs or sets of lyrics popped into my head: the line “Everybody
needs a little time away” and “Vacation…Duh duh duh duh duh duh”…I never did
learn all the lyrics to this song, so if someone wants to enlighten me after
the service, please do. It’s sad, because I’m a child of the 80s, so I should
know the words!
Yes, today the sermon is on rest, so I don’t
want to see you grabbing your pillows and blankets, trying to sleep. If I hear
you snoring, look out.
How do you define “rest?” What does “true
rest” look like to you? Is it sleep? Power naps? Finishing to-do lists? Keeping
your mind free of any worries or troubles?
We do need “rest,” as today’s Gospel reading
from Mark tells us. Our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit to dwell, so we
need to take care of ourselves. Sleep. Exercise. Eat right. We need time for
reading and studying the Word, prayer, and reflection. If the foundation isn’t
set right, it all comes tumbling down, as we heard in Pastor Dan’s plumb line
sermon last week. After all, if we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we take
care of others?
We can live our lives so scatter-brained
when we’re not rested…For example, there was a time, about 4-5 years ago, when
I was working at my previous job, and I went through the Caribou drive-thru to
order coffee and a gift card…At the window, when I got the gift card, I drove
off, without the coffee! For me, that’s pretty bad. Thankfully, I wasn’t too
far away, so I parked my car and ran in to get my coffee. It defeated the
purpose of going through the drive-thru, though.
Rest is important…Today, though, let’s
challenge our definition of “rest.” Real rest is not doing “nothing”…It’s not
sitting on the couch with the remote control in hand. The concept or question to ask ourselves today is, What if real “rest”
involves doing something?
First,
let’s set the stage for this story in Mark…What’s going on here? In 6:7-13, we see disciples being
sent out, two by two, having the authority by Jesus to cast out demons and
anoint oil on the sick, curing them. They come back to Jesus at the beginning
of this passage, giving the report of what they have done and taught. Last
week, in verses 14-29, we heard about the beheading of John the Baptist. So,
when Jesus recognizes the need for rest, as he is probably grieving the loss of
John, he suggests going to a deserted place in verse 31 to rest a while. How
long is a while? In Jesus’ case, it’s not very long.
The deserted, desolate place…Is
there really such a place? As we see in this Gospel reading, the crowds beat
them there. In Mark 1:35, Jesus goes to such a place to
pray, and Simon and his companions find him there. In Mark, these places appear
to be for rest and restoration, but “deserted” doesn’t stay that way for long,
does it? Especially in the busyness of life.
What else do you notice about this passage
in Mark? I liked Diane’s reaction at the Wednesday morning Bible study,
“Where’s the rest of it?” The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand
(verses 35-44) and Jesus walking on the water (verses 45-52) are omitted. Why?
I have NO idea…Then we jump to this little blurb in verses 53-56, a scene that
sounds like Bieber Fever…For some of you, Beatlemania would ring a bell. For me
and my generation, it was New Kids on the Block. “Whoa oh oh oh oh…Just Hangin’
Tough.”
Jesus didn’t complain when he encountered
the crowds. They were waiting, needing to hear that good news. “He had
compassion for them,” “began to teach them many things.” We need to ask ourselves, Do we “complain” when our rest is
interrupted? Or do we rejoice in having the opportunity to share God’s love and
grace with someone who may be hungering for it?
When we try to get away, we encounter more hungry people, spiritually
and physically. Yes, it can be overwhelming. And we might be tempted to send
them away empty-handed. We don’t have enough to help that person…We don’t have
the time or the money to do something about it. But, we never know when or how
Christ may come to us. How
often do we encounter Jesus, but we don’t recognize him? Or we see him, but we
choose not to recognize him, because we don’t want to be bothered right now? It’s
like Pastor Dan had mentioned last week, about hearing and listening, truly
hearing. This week, it’s truly seeing. The crowds recognized Jesus…How about
us? Where might have you seen Jesus this morning? Maybe at the gas station,
restaurant, local coffee shop…Do you recognize Jesus in the hungry, sick, poor,
suffering, broken…In the eyes of those who hold different opinions, beliefs,
those who reject us? You never know where Jesus may be waiting for us. It could
be different places and people where we have not looked before.
“Rest”…When we hear the word, “Sabbath” may
come to mind. A day set apart. Mention of the word
Sabbath can be found in Scripture 164 times. Thank you, Pastor Dan, for
counting all those instances…One by one! Okay, maybe computer software
assisted, but still, thank you!
A few of those instances regard the healing
of the man with the withered hand, in Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6, and Luke
6:6-11. Jesus emphasizes human need over Sabbath observance. Religious leaders
of the day, the Pharisees, believed that healing was work. Some people would
permit breaking the Sabbath to save a life, but healing? In Matthew 12:12,
Jesus says it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Mercy is greater than the
Sabbath.
As we look at the Law, the Ten Commandments,
the third one is to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” So, what does this mean? Martin Luther says in the Large
Catechism that such a day of rest gives people the opportunity to go to
worship, like you are here today, to hear the Word of God preached, and offer
praises and prayers to God. Worship is to the glory of God and for the good of
the neighbor. What good is there if we
are doing nothing with what has been given us, what has been meant to be
shared? For if we hear God’s Word, but we’re not living it, how does that make
one different from one who hasn’t heard it?
What is meant by keeping it holy? The day itself is already holy, but
what you decide to do with it determines its outcome. Are you devoting yourself
to the Word and living it out, with your words and actions? Do you look for
Christ in the face of the stranger? Those you live with? Those who irritate
you? For Luther said that even non-Christians can spend a day in rest and
idleness. We are to preach and practice God’s Word. Our life and work need to
be based on God’s Word. When it is, as Luther says, the commandment is
fulfilled. We can’t just hear the Word, but we need to learn it and honor it.
Honor it in how we are living it. And just because we hear something a couple
of times, doesn’t mean we’re experts at it. That’s when we become complacent,
and we may open ourselves up to things we don’t want. As Luther states, “For
where the heart stands idle, and the Word is not heard, the devil breaks in and
does his damage before we realize it. On the other hand, when we seriously
ponder the Word, hear it, and put it to use, such is its power that it never
departs without fruit” (The Book of
Concord, p. 400). Fruit FAR
better than any strawberries I could pick. J It’s those works.
So, true rest, keeping the Sabbath, ISN’T
doing nothing? Think of it this way…When a person is a
runner, you typically have what you would call a rest day, a break from
running. But, on that rest day, guess what? You don’t sit around on the couch
with the remote in your hand.
In the magazine “Runner’s World” October
2009 issue, an article was published entitled, “Your Best Rest: Recovering from
a workout? Run better tomorrow by getting off the couch today.” In the article,
Dr. Stephen McGregor, an exercise physiologist and advisor to the cross-country
team at Eastern Michigan University, says, “You don't want to run on your recovery day—it's an
opportunity to recuperate from the stresses of training, but doing nothing
isn't ideal either, unless you are injured. Light exercise [or low intensity,
like riding a bike, swimming laps, walking the dog for about 30 minutes]
increases blood flow to the muscles, which clears out waste products that
contribute to soreness and inflammation.” So,
as Christians, are we clearing out the waste? Are we doing good for our
neighbors on our rest days? Or are we suffering from soreness and inflammation
in those faith muscles that produce those fruits of good works, because we’re
not using them on our days off?
We
have to make sure that our “rest” is not laziness nor complacency. Do we complain about what’s going on in
the world? Complain about something that needs to be improved? Or, in that time
that it takes to complain, are you doing something about it? Do we expect
someone else to take care of it? James 2:15-16 states, “If a brother or sister is naked and
lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat
your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of
that?” Do we just lament what’s going
wrong in the world, country, state, city, schools, churches, listing all of the
problems?
With the tragic
shootings in Colorado early Friday morning, immediately I thought about my
friends who live out there…What about Kurt? Michelle? They were okay, but what
about those who lost a loved one? Who was injured? Violence interrupted
everyone’s lives.
Jesus tried to get away to rest…But, life interrupted. Jesus’ heart
couldn’t help but flow into practical action. So, we need to be proactive with
living out in word and action the fruit of our faith—that good news. Proactive
in loving ALL people, ALL the time. “For Christ is our peace; in his flesh he
has made (in a sense) ALL into one and has broken down the dividing wall, the
hostility between us,” our reading from Ephesians states. No room for
finger-pointing or blame. We’re all ministers, and we can all extend that
life-giving Word, in speech and actions, bread for the stomach and for the
spirit. In fact, social problems may have spiritual needs at the root.
I’d like to play a short clip from the
movie, “Bruce Almighty.” How many of you are familiar with it? In a nutshell,
Jim Carrey plays Bruce, who is frustrated and thinks he can do a better job of
“running things” than God, who is played by Morgan Freeman. So, after Bruce makes
a mess of things, answering everyone’s prayers with “Yes,” he turns to God. And
Morgan Freeman’s voice may do a better job with the quote than mine:
Morgan Freeman as God: “Parting your soup is
not a miracle, Bruce, it’s a magic trick. A single mom who’s working two jobs
and still finds time to take her kid to soccer practice, that’s a miracle. A
teenager who says “no” to drugs and “yes” to an education, that’s a miracle.
People want me to do everything for them. What they don’t realize is *they*
have the power. You want to see a miracle, son? Be the miracle.”
Do we expect God to do everything? God has
done the work of saving us…But, we are called to be the hands and feet, here
and now. God has given us the gifts to share with others. Maybe that’s why the
miracle section in Mark is omitted today. We continue in writing the story,
going out there, being present in the world for Christ. Looking for Christ.
Being as Christ. Maybe instead of “be the miracle,” it’s “to be love, to be hope, to be Christ
to our neighbor.” Go. Be.
It reminds me of those Blue Cross Blue
Shield commercials, “Do the Groove,” “Let me see you move something”…It can be ”Let
me see you do something.” On our “rest” days, we can do that. Sit in a park,
take in God’s creation. You never know who you might encounter. Tomorrow is my
birthday, and I took the day off from work, which I try to do. I have my free
drink coupon from Caribou for my birthday, so I’ll be going. Who knows, maybe
I’ll buy a stranger a cup of coffee. Strike up a conversation with someone who
might be in need of hearing good news.
On Facebook this week, my sister shared a
picture that sums it up: “I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about
that, then I realized I’m that somebody.”
Are you “somebody?” God believes that you are…When the interruption of
an alarm comes [play cell phone alarm], will you answer the call, or are you
going to hit the snooze button?
And now may the peace of God that surpasses
all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Caroline Harthun
House of Prayer Lutheran Church
9:30am
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Children’s Message
Hi! How are you all
doing today?
Do you all have a
regular bedtime? Yeah…What time is your bedtime? I typically do, too, and
sometimes, though, I stay up a little later than I mean to…Or, when I go to
bed, I can’t get to sleep right away. Does that ever happen to you? Yeah…Should
we ask everyone if they got their recommended 8 hours of sleep last night? Good
job for those of you who did! And, for those of you who did not, are you
drinking coffee? Yes! And, is it Caribou? Just kidding. J
I’m lacking a little in
the sleep department, so, if you all don’t mind, to catch up on my sleep, I’m
going to take a little nap right here and right now…Is that okay? (Lay down
with pillow and blanket…Put on robe.) Maybe one of you can preach the sermon
today?
What? No? Okay…(Get
up.) Do you ever notice, though, that when you get TOO much sleep, you
sometimes feel worse? I guess that’s where the whole “balance” thing comes into
play.
So, are there things
you have to do when you go to bed? Brush your teeth…Pray…Put your pajamas
on…Did you know that even when we sleep, which feels like we’re doing nothing,
we’re actually doing something? Our brains are still working…Do you ever dream
when you sleep? Are they good dreams? I hope so!
In today’s Gospel
reading, we will hear about how Jesus brought his disciples with him, to try to
get away from everything, to try to get some rest. But, the crowds saw them and
followed them. Jesus felt so concerned about them that he started teaching
them. In his quest for rest, he put the needs for others first, because we
never know who we might encounter, when we might encounter them, and if they
will ever know how much God loves them!
So, what might true
rest be for us today? Maybe it’s giving my pillow to someone who doesn’t have a
pillow…Listening to someone who needs to talk…Praying with someone, for
someone. In all those ways, we are being as Christ to people. Let us pray:
Dear Lord, thank you
for sending Jesus, to show us what true rest is…That we may hear Your Word and
live it in our lives, by what we say to others and what we do for them,
bringing glory to You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
