Sermon for July 18, 2021 Pentecost 8 B House of Prayer Lutheran Church

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2:11-22 Rev. Karl-John N. Stone

One thing many people are looking forward to with extra relish this summer is a vacation. Some of you have already taken a vacation; others will be leaving soon. It’s extra special this year because last year so many had to change or abandon vacation plans because of the covid pandemic. Even if you were able to go somewhere for vacation last year, you probably found that there were only limited things to do; maybe it wasn’t as refreshing as usual, because we were all dealing with a world-wide traumatic experience that was taking its toll in various ways.

Jesus knows what we’ve been through, and he wants what’s best for us. As the 23rd Psalm puts it, “The Lord is my shepherd”--and what is the job of a shepherd but to lead the flock to a place where you can be refreshed and restored, to find new life and flourish. This is what Jesus wanted to do for his 12 disciples, too. We hear in the gospel of Mark how the disciples return to Jesus from all the places they had gone to do ministry in his name, and to teach about God’s kingdom the way Jesus did. This was their first big chance to put all they had learned into action--so naturally when they got back from their trip, they were tired! Worn out, even. They needed to be refreshed.

Jesus saw this, so he told them, “Come away to a deserted place by yourselves and rest a while.” So they sailed in a boat on the Sea of Galilee to get to that deserted place. But people in the towns along the lakeshore could see where they were going--and they wanted more healings! Can you put yourself in the mindset of all these people, who just wanted their loved ones to get well? They hurried on foot to that deserted place, and got there before the disciples. Can you also put yourself in that boat with the disciples and imagine what they might have felt? What had been going through their minds? You just wanted a little vacation, but now you’re going to have to keep doing the things that made you need a vacation in the first place.

What did Jesus do? He knew that his disciples needed a break. So Jesus took it upon himself to minister to all the people who rushed out to that deserted place and who were in need of healing, and he let the disciples rest. By doing that, Jesus was also ministering to his disciples. He saw how tired they were, so he didn’t force them to make one more big push to teach and heal. After all, Jesus just had plenty of time to get all rested and restored when he sent the disciples out to minister in his name, while he stayed home!

I often talk in my sermons about how we can be ministers of Christ in the world, and that is important. But sometimes, maybe you feel like you’re in that boat with the disciples in need of being refreshed and restored; or maybe you feel like the people on the lakeshore rushing to find Jesus so that you can be healed by him. And when you are in that kind of condition, what you probably need is to simply let Jesus minister to you.

Let Jesus minister to you. This begins by taking an honest look at the state of your soul, the health and energy of your body, the clarity of your mind, the give and take of your relationships, the activities that give you energy or peace, or the activities that drain you. True spirituality begins with an honest look at reality, because if you’re not in touch with life and the world as it really is, then it’s really hard to let Jesus minister to the things that need his help.

So, what might it look like, for you to let Jesus be your shepherd, and let him minister to you? Let me offer 5 suggestions.

Begin by opening your heart in prayer. Let Jesus carry to his Father in Heaven the reality of your life and the world that you offer in prayer. Prayer can take many forms--formal or informal, long or short, on your own or with others, inside or outside, sitting in stillness or offered while on the go, in joy or sadness, spoken, written, or sung, with words or even with no words. Prayer is basically any way that you open yourself to the presence of God, who is always with you.

Next, remember your baptism. Most of us who were raised in the Lutheran tradition (and of course for many other Christian traditions, as well) don’t personally remember being baptized, because for most of us, we were baptized as babies. This emphasizes that it is God who is at work in the water and the Word; it is God’s unfailing promise that makes a baptism. Yet baptism is also for all ages. If someone was not baptized as a child, we happily baptize them as an adult. This helps us remember that it is faith that receives the promises God makes. It takes faith to realize that God has named you and claimed you. Whatever the age of the person, it is wonderful to witness a baptism, because every baptism you see is God’s reminder that “you are a beloved child of God”. You were washed in that refreshing water of God’s grace; the love of Christ is with you forever.

Then, to let Jesus minister to you, turn to the Bible, because the Bible is “the manger that contains Christ” (as Martin Luther put it), and the purpose of the Bible is to point us to Christ. Ask yourself: What part of God’s Word will best speak into my life today, to lead me to refreshment and renewal?

If you want a quick and direct story of the things Jesus taught and what he did for us on the cross, then turn to the Gospel of Mark; or if you prefer a longer and more “philosophical” story, try the Gospel of John. If you want a full theology of how God saves us by grace through faith, read Romans. If you need wisdom or practical advice, try Proverbs or James. If you need an outlet to express your emotions, use the Psalms. If you want a dose of joy in the midst of adversity, read Philippians. If you’re in a time of grief or hopelessness then Lamentations or Job know what you’re going through. If you’re looking to be inspired for social justice and lifting up the oppressed, look through Amos or Micah. If you need to learn from the successes and failures of our ancestors in faith, check out the stories in Genesis and Exodus. That’s just to get started.

Fourth, come to the Lord’s Supper. The body of Christ is given for you. The blood of Christ is shed for you. God has prepared a table for us through the gift of Holy Communion, where Christ is truly present in the bread and wine, and he feeds us with forgiveness, new life, and salvation. Through this simple meal, he connects all his followers, in all our diversity, all around the world, into one household of God.

And finally, don’t forget to turn to another person. God has not made us to journey through this world alone; he’s even sent his Son Jesus into the world to take on human flesh, so that he would know directly the kinds of things we go through. Jesus is the highest example of how God has given us one another, so that we can celebrate the good times and support each other through the bad. And the Holy Spirit is present in the space between us, so that through our connection to each other, we are also connected to Jesus, who wants to be your shepherd and minister to you in body, mind, and soul. Amen.