TITLE: Who is Jesus? Human
SCRIPTURE: Mark 6 TEXT: 30The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. THEME: Caring for our human selves. INTRODUCTION The last PSR’s CTEL (Certificate of Theological Education for Leaders) class was on spirituality. I struggled to find the broad swatches of time that was necessary to do the variety of exercises and readings. So while the class finished a couple weeks ago, I am still going through the posted assignments on the web site. One of the assignments was a thirty minute guided meditation. Simple directions on a podcast that freed me to ignite the human part of me that is spiritual. Quiet, meditative, silent, and prayerful are all part of our being human; physically and spiritually. There is a need for us to be in touch with both aspects of our being. This is what is so amazing about this passage in Mark. Jesus is deeply aware of what it means to be fully human and fully divine. He is attentive to the balance that combines the physical and spiritual sides of our humanity. As the disciples return from their mission into the neighboring villages, Jesus cares for their physical and spiritual needs. SCRIPTURE Jesus sends the disciples out in pairs with little more than the Holy Spirit and the Gospel. But before we get to that story’s conclusion, the Gospel writer, Mark keeps us in suspense with the interjection of the story of the beheading of John the Baptist by King Herod. In an act of tremendous ego and arrogance, Herod has backed himself into a corner and must preserve his image as a powerful, promise keeper, and ally, by upholding a public vow he made, that ends with John the Baptist’s death. This is the world we live in where the leaders of governments are not benevolent, and use their power and authority to mitigate their personal ambitions over those of their county’s needs. The disciples return and gather around Jesus to tell him how the teaching, proclamation and the casting out of unclean spirits went. They must have been on an adrenaline high. Jesus tends to their physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs by retreating to the wilderness. Don’t underestimate the need in our lives for food and desolation where we can relax, find rest, be in silence, pray, meditate and cultivate ourselves spiritually. In reading the text, a break can be placed between verse 32 and 33, to give Jesus and the disciples a respite from the crowds. A pause for rejuvenation, before the crowds catch up with them. This pattern of ministry, retreat and renewal is repeated in different parts of the Gospel. A pattern of balance that we can repeat in our lives to maintain mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. The desperate crowd hurries along and catches up with them, with an onslaught of expectations, presumptions, petitions, requests, wishes, desires, hopes and dreams. The needs of our human conditions are overwhelming. Humanity is wonderful, but without guidance we can be lost and spiritually void, so Jesus teaches them many things. This gives them a theological perspective of understanding God. Jesus heals the sick, addressing their health concerns. Jesus acknowledges their physical suffering and has compassion for their emotional distress. There is a sense of hope arising, as the Kingdom of God draws near. APPLICATION There is both a physical and spiritual part to us. We also are engaged intellectually and emotionally to the world. Jesus brings these aspects out as he provides care and nurturing to the disciples upon their return from the field. How do we care for ourselves so we can engage wisely in mission? I was reflecting on the pattern of ministry a colleague of mine in ministry repeats. Over the course of his career, he has done amazing things but at the cost of exhausting the congregation behind him. Almost to the point of usury, where he uses a congregation to fulfill his needs instead of having the congregation’ whole being in the ministry of God. It is exciting to be part of his ministry, and participate in what he is able to accomplish, but it is also exhausting and if you were not careful, you could get burned out, with a caustic taste in your mouth. There is a burn warning here. What was missing was balance between the Mission of God and the checking in and monitoring of healthy practices that maintain our physical and spiritual health, as well as our intellectual and emotional quotas, to foster our life together as a community of faith. When we don’t eat we get ‘hangry’, when we don’t sleep we get irritable. When we are exhausted we don’t make good decisions, when we are frustrated with no one to talk to, we become bitter, lonely, and grumpy. When we don’t have the full story, we can become quick to judge and build resentment. When we are stressed, we may feel like quitting or running away. If we are not in a good space physically, spiritually, emotionally or intellectually we may not feel appreciated no matter how many thanks of gratitude we receive. Jesus draws the disciples in to ask “How did it go?” There is a tremendous ministry we can do for others, just by listening to what they are going through that can help to bring balance to their lives. CONCLUSION Jesus is human just like us. Jesus knows what we are going through and is attentive to our needs. Jesus responds to our humanness with compassion, sensitivity, teaching, leading, healing and caring for us. We can be attentive to a balance between our physical and spiritual selves. We need to tend to both, to have a good place to minister from, and live the wholeness God has to offer our lives and bring it to others.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Pastor robbSermons Archives
May 2024
|