(1) show what it will be like to wear a mask in church. I will be wearing a mask, but will be taking it off to preach. I didn't fully explain that I was doing that with my Elmo mask, but sometimes visuals take care of themselves. At other times they do not.
(2) I took some time to remember that this was the beginning of my 2nd year at St. Elmo and I compared the two first Sundays. One was a jam-packed room and the other was empty. Yet, not. Even with no people, the Holy Spirit has continued to show up and work in and through me as I offer myself in service.
It has always been my hope and desire that I don't simply preach a "word", but that I am listening to what I am saying. As I open the bread of life for others, I am opening it for myself too.
Throughout this pandemic season, especially, I have been living, really living out the words of the messages that have been coming through the Holy Spirit. They have been healing and transforming for me, though not easy at times.
Why do I share this at the beginning?
Because I preached this sermon and recorded it during the week on Wednesday, July 1. I have been recording during the week so that we can get all our technology together for the services. This is what many of us have been doing during the pandemic.
As if rest wasn't a needed word already, as if there wasn't some burn out and tiredness, on July 2nd around 8 p.m., my friend who had been in hospice care, left this physical world to be in the eternal kingdom. No more suffering. No more pain. No more valley of suck. No more cancer. (I am attempting to watch my language here, as cancer can get me riled up, especially after four rounds of it.)
She was not only a friend. She was family. She was my husband's first wife. I will probably write a separate post at some point, but suffice it to say, that our world shut down Thursday night when we found out. Anything other than family and taking care of top priority needs stopped.
Are you worn out? Burned out? Do you need rest? My body did and still does. I am having to live into the unforced rhythms of grace during this time.
I don't know what you are going through in addition to the ongoing pandemic, the protests, summer almost being over and thinking about fall schedules, etc. (yes, I know, teachers are going to slap me silly for that one, but I have a college kid who is supposed to go off to NYC this fall, so it is on my mind). Whatever you are going through, may there be a word of comfort and/or encouragement for you here.
To the sheep that allow me to serve them through the faith community of St. Elmo UMC whether in person, online, via FB, YouTube, or Blogger--- thank you. It is an honor and a privilege to walk with you, to share life with you. You allow me to live authentically and open, and to lead from the place where God has created me to lead.
I am humbled yet so grateful to be at St. Elmo UMC where I boldly serve, accept, love, and teach,
Rev. Deb
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“The Wisdom of Rest”
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 (MSG)
July 5, 2020 (5th Sunday after Pentecost)
St. Elmo UMC (FB Live)
Before I start into today’s topic, I first want to
acknowledge that today is the beginning of my 2nd year here at St.
Elmo United Methodist Church. Wow! There are some major differences as I stand
here before you today, however. One,
there is no “you”. The seats are
empty. It echoes tremendously in here
without you all. Without you there is no
laughter, no crying (other than my own).
There is no feedback, other than what is typed into the comment sections
on YouTube and FaceBook, which by the way, feel free to do!
As I begin year 2 here, I don’t think I will ever
forget my first day in the pulpit last summer, standing before 130 faces,
excited as all get out to be in my dream appointment, yet trying to remember
all that was going on during the service.
As my mouth became dry and I realized my water was on the first pew, the
words that came out were unforgettable for me and likely for many—I told Keith
that he could take the prayer time because “I needed a drink.” I quickly added….. “of water”. Oh, my word.
I want to thank you all for a great first year here
and I’m looking forward to continuing our mission and ministry together, as we
listen to the Holy Spirit and grow together.
I chose to use The
Message for today’s reading primarily for the last two verses. I really like how it states the need for
rest. As I read and reflected on the rest
of the passage, I decided that instead of starting with one version and later
sharing that portion in The Message, I would share the entire passage in The Message. Sometimes we need to hear things differently
in order for it to reach us.
Hear today’s passage:
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 (MSG)
16-19“How can I
account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining
to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we
wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they
called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a lush, a friend of the
riffraff. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding
is in the eating.”
25-26 Abruptly Jesus broke into
prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your
ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to
ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”
27 Jesus resumed talking to
the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do
and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son
intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the
Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go
over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out?
Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your
life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with
me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything
heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live
freely and lightly.”
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THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF
GOD.
THANKS
BE TO GOD.
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Jesus is with the disciples here speaking and
teaching to the people. In verse 15 that
precedes this passage, Jesus says, “Are you
listening to me? Really listening?”
That is ‘cause for a pause’ before we even dive
into today’s message.
*What does it mean to listen, to really listen to Jesus?
*How are we listening to Jesus?
*What are we doing with what we hear? In other words, how are we responding?
After Jesus asks the people if they are really
listening to him, he calls them spoiled children, giving several examples. He reminds them that some called John crazy,
while others called him a lush, friend of the riffraff. Jesus tells them that opinion polls don’t
matter, but that the proof is in the pudding.
What do you notice about Jesus here? What can you tell about his identity and
security in who and whose he is?
Do you notice someone that isn’t swayed by
others? Do you see someone who is
willing to be called names and hang out with those whom he is drawn to, for the
sake of love? You may word it
differently. I see someone who heard and
realized that he was beloved from God, that God was well pleased with him
(these words were spoken several times over him) and that Jesus lived into his
identity and calling with boldness.
Here at St. Elmo United Methodist Church, we say
we are a church that ‘boldly serves, accepts, loves, and teaches.’ We are.
I fully agree with that statement.
In doing so, we are following Christ’s leadership.
This past week, a statement given to me caused me
to humbly reflect on how I respond to our S.A.L.T.—it was “where I boldly
serve, accept, love, and teach.”
Think on that for a moment. This faith community is made up of each of
you. Each of you is doing your part in
mission and ministry, based on the gifts the Holy Spirit has given you. Try out this statement for yourself. Repeat after me: “where I boldly serve,
accept, love, and teach.”
Taking it down to the personal level does
something. It is humbling. Yet, also convicting. It causes us to pause and listen. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus has something to say.
I encourage you to spend some time listening and
reflecting on what that might be for you and how that might be used for the faith
community and in the overall kingdom.
Moving on to the next section in today’s passage,
Jesus abruptly breaks into prayer. Jesus
is in the middle of teaching and preaching and then abruptly breaks into
prayer. Don’t you wonder how people
responded to this different rabbi? He
wasn’t like any of the other rabbis they were used to. That just makes me chuckle. I am SO glad I have such a great example to
follow!
Jesus prayed a prayer of gratitude for making
things plain for ordinary folks, stating that God likes to work that way.
Then, Jesus goes back
into teaching mode, speaking tenderly: “The Father has given me all these things
to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and
Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor
the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to
go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.”
Jesus wants people to
know that if they are willing to listen, he is willing to share.
Then, he says this: “Are
you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and
you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me
and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I
won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll
learn to live freely and lightly.”
Woah.
I imagine you could have heard a pin drop. Jesus has spoken into the
core of their being, into the core of our being.
In more familiar versions you might recall
these words, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am
gently and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
As you listen, REALLY listen to these
words of Jesus, how do you respond? What
do you notice in your heart, mind, and soul?
Words from The Message: ‘Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.’
Who needs a real rest? Anybody?
Is anyone tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Burned out on other things?
If you need rest, for any reason, from anything,
it is being offered today.
Hear these words again: “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your
life. I’ll show you how to take a real
rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch
how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms
of grace.”
Jesus modeled by example how to rest, how
to take time apart. He took time apart
from his work, from his teaching and spent time resting, listening, praying. He showed us unforced rhythms of grace.
Sabbath rest. You may have heard the phrase, the term. What IS Sabbath to you? My day of Sabbath rest is primarily Friday. When it cannot be Friday, I take it at other
times. However, Sabbath rest is not just
about a day. As we look at Jesus’
example, we will see that he took breaks along the way. He stopped what he was doing to rest, to
pray, to listen, to allow his body to catch up with his soul. He stopped to take care of others. He stopped for other reasons. He was able to do so because he
listened. Listening is a key to resting,
to living into any practice.
Ruth Haley Barton, in her book Sacred Rhythms: Arranging our Lives for Spiritual
Transformation, says this about Sabbath rest: “Sabbath keeping is more than
just taking a day of rest; […] it is a way of arranging our life in order to
honor the rhythm of things—work and rest, fruitfulness and dormancy, giving and
receiving, being and doing, activism and surrender.” (134)
Walter Brueggemann has written a book
entitled Sabbath as resistance: Saying NO to the CULTURE OF NOW. In it he addresses how Sabbath rest allows us
to resist anxiety, coercion, exclusivism, and multitasking. He shows how rest helps us become intentional
in being present and focused, allowing healing and wholeness.
Terry Hershey has a book, “The Power of
Pause: Becoming More by Doing Less” in which he has 52 short writings for
reflection. In the introduction “Letting
Our Souls Catch Up”, he notes: “The sacred necessity of stillness is an
invitation to savor the pleasure of slowness and the moments of stillness or
even silence, letting them work their magic.” (xix) He says, “To sit still is a spiritual
endeavor. To sit still is to practice
Sabbath, which means, literally, to quit.
To stop. To take a break. To make uncluttered time. To waste time with God.” (xx)
I don’t know what you’re going
through. I don’t know what fills your
heart, mind, and soul. I do know that we’ve
been given a gift of space and time through this different and difficult time
of pandemic to slow down, to listen, to do things differently, to allow our
bodies to catch up with our souls. It
has been a time in which we can listen, really listen to what Jesus might have
to say to us individually and as a faith community.
It is a time for healing and wholeness.
I desire to live into the unforced rhythms
of grace that Jesus offers us, learning to live freely and lightly.
My plan is to continue walking with Jesus
to learn how that works so I can live, love, and lead like Jesus.
I invite you to join me on the journey.
Will you pray with me?
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