Trinity 8 Sermon

 

Theme 

Resting 

Text

Mark 6:30-34; 53-56

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

Mark 6:31

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Before focusing on today’s text, let me journey with you through the whole chapter. 

This will help us to understand Jesus’ perspective on resting on part of his disciples. 

1. In Mark 6:1-6a,  Jesus is rejected in his own city

2. In Mark 6:6b-13, Jesus sends out the twelve in pairs on a mission to the nearby villages.

3. In Mark 6:14-29, The story of the beheading of John the Baptist

4. In Mark 6:30-34, The return of the disciples from mission work. 

5. In Mark 6:35-44, Jesus teaching and feeding the crowds.

6. In Mark 6:45-52, Jesus walking on water

7. In Mark 6:53-56, Jesus healing the sick in the villages and market squares of Gennesaret

Whenever I ask people how has been their past week, the likely response is that they have been busy. The word "busy" denotes a lot of activity. Being busy has become a status symbol in our society, and many people equate being busy with feeling important. How often and how much you rest may not make you feel important, but truly it is one of the most important things you can do to thrive in the world. In a chapter where so many things happen within a short period of time, we  immediately encounter a striking shift in verse 31 when Jesus tells the disciples to get away by themselves to rest.

Jesus sees that the apostles are weary after their busy mission tour, and invites them to a place of solitude where they can rest. 

Soon Jesus will have compassion on the crowd, but first he has compassion on his apostles, who have not even had time to eat.

 Discipleship must balance time for service with time for physical and spiritual renewal. Most of us see rest as unnecessary or unimportant. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in school, sports, friendships, games, and work that we forget to rest.

In the beginning, God made rest after six days of creating the world. 

Therefore, resting is a beautiful gift God created for His beloved children because He knew we needed it. When we look at Jesus’ life on earth, He changed the world in three years of public ministry which is impressive, but He also knew how to rest.

Jesus doesn’t just offer rest. He shows us how to rest! I would like to draw your attention to three forms of resting; spiritual, physical, and mental.

Spiritual Rest

He took time to be alone with God - this was the highest priority of His life - so that he could:

Hear God’s voice

Seek God’s direction

Rest in God’s presence

Think about that for a moment. 

When you get really busy in life, what is the first thing to do? 

Is it your prayer time? Is it your time in the Word? 

Physical Rest

In Mark 4:35-41, we read that Jesus was sleeping when a storm came up. Even when others frantically wanted His help, Jesus was willing to take a nap. He knew when His body needed physical rest, and He never apologized for taking that rest.

God knows our bodies better than we do.  He designed them!

 He designed our bodies to have proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Our bodies need rest from hard work to regain energy and strength. 

When our bodies do not have the proper amount of rest, the mental and spiritual aspects of our lives can start to fall apart. 

Mental Rest

He was not afraid to pull away and leave the crowds, even when they desperately wanted Him. Jesus would get into a boat with the disciples and go to the other side of the body of water, away from all of the noise and activity. 

We can make space to have quiet time to get perspective and direction. Have you ever felt mentally exhausted after a really hard test?  Our brains need rest too! Anxiety and depression are more likely to occur when our brains are constantly stressed and working. 

Be sure to give your brain a break by spending time on something that doesn’t require intense processing. Even the culture tells us that meditation is one of the healthiest forms of mental rest. It’s no coincidence that prayer does exactly that! When your brain is full and stressed, sit down, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and talk with your heavenly Father. 

Conclusion 

It is also important to note that there are seasons in life where an individual may not be able to experience the rest that he or she might need. New parents, for example, cannot take a day off from caring for the needs of their infant. 

Entrepreneurs, who often have no one to whom they can delegate all the necessary work, may find it impossible to set aside enough time for rest. 

In these seasons when people are not able to rest properly, they need not feel guilty, but instead turn to God with hopeful expectation for future rhythms of rest and work. The almighty God bless us all. Amen