By
Rev. Juliet Schimpf
Rev. Juliet Schimpf is the Minister of
First Baptist Church in Perth, Ontario:
|
_______________________________________
LINK to CFRA broadcast of
Sunday, May 5th, 2013)
_______________________________________
Broadcast
Notes:
************************************************************
'Dealing With the Stress of Daily Living'
Stress carries several negative
health consequences, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, as
well as immune and circulatory complications1. Exposure to stress can also contribute to behaviours such as smoking,
over-consumption of alcohol, and less-healthy eating habits2.
In 2011, 23.6% of Canadians aged
15 and older reported that most days were 'extremely or quite a bit stressful,'
up from 22.3% in 2008.
Females (25%) reported that most
days were quite a bit or extremely stressful, compared with males (22.2%) [STATISTICS
CANADA]
HENRY KISSINGER "There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My
schedule is already full.”
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
WE WILL LOOK AT THE SECOND MOST STRESSFUL
DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST—MARK 6
HEBREWS 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is
unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted
in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
1.
Sometimes
you stay
2.
Sometimes
you pray
3.
Sometimes
you get away
1.
Sometimes
you stay
MARK 6
JESUS CHRIST’S DAY BEGAN IN THE WORST
POSSIBLE WAY
When
his daughter Herodias* came
in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl,
‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ 23And
he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of
my kingdom.’24She went out and said to her mother,
‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ ……………… 29When
his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a
tomb.
JESUS
IS GRIEF-STRICKEN!
Imagine
losing the one person who knows you better than anyone else, and you will feel
what Jesus is feeling…. Consider your reaction if you were told that your best
friend had just been decapitated by a people-pleasing, incestuous monarch, and
you’ll see how the day begins for Christ. His world is beginning to turn upside
down.
THEN,
JESUS IS FACED WITH A THREAT!
The
emissaries brought more than news of sorrow, however; they brought a warning:
“The same Herod who took John’s head is interested in yours.” Listen to how
Luke presents the monarch’s madness: “Herod said, ‘I beheaded John. Who, then,
is this I hear such things about?’ And he tried to see him” (emphasis mine).
Something tells me that Herod wanted more than a social visit.
So,
with John’s life taken and his own life threatened, Jesus ATTEMPTS
TO GET AWAY!
30 The apostles gathered around
Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
The disciples return
exuberant. Jesus had commissioned them to proclaim the gospel and authenticate
it with miracles. “They went out and preached that people should repent. They
drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Can you imagine the excitement? Can you
envision the scene? A reunion of twelve friends. A reuniting of disciples with
their teacher. A homecoming bubbling with testimonies:
• Peter describing
a lame man he healed.• John telling of a crowd he taught. • Andrew recounting
the deliverance of an epileptic.• James relating to Jesus how the crowds
followed him wherever he went.• Matthew reporting the healing of a blind woman.
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. 33Now
many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from
all the towns and arrived ahead of them.
GOD THE FATHER’S HEART BEATS IN JESUS
CHIRST
GOD THE FATHER’S PRIORITIES TAKE OVER
JESUS BECOMES FLEXIBLE WITH HIS SCHEDULE
34As
he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because
they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many
things.
WHEN IT SAYS, “HE HAD COMPASSION FOR
THEM”—The greek word for “compassion” in this passage is
SPLANCHNIZOMAI……”SPLANCHNOLOGY” is a study of the visceral parts or, in
contemporary jargon, a study of the gut….Mark is saying that Jesus felt their
hurt in his gut:
·
the
loneliness of the leper
·
the
embarrassment of the sinful
·
the
pain of the sick
Jesus was moved in the stomach by
their needs. He was so touched by their
needs that he forgot his own needs. He
was so moved by the people’s hurts that he put his hurts on the back burner.
God brings hurting people into your
world: All solitude + no service =
selfishness.
35When
it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place,
and the hour is now very late; 36send
them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy
something for themselves to eat.’ 37But
he answered them, ‘You give them something to eat.’
2.
sometimes
you pray!
DESPITE HIS BUSYNESS, JESUS TAKES
TIME TO PRAY
PRAYER IS A RE-FUELLING AGENT
41Taking
the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke
the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he
divided the two fish among them all. 42And
all ate and were filled; 43and
they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44Those
who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
I got up one morning
and rushed right into the day.
I had so much to accomplish
that I dodn't have time to pray.
Problems tumbled about me
and harder came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered.
He answered, "You didn't ask."
I wanted joy and beauty,
but the day was gray and bleak,
I wondered why God didn't show me,
He said, "You didn't seek."
I tried to come into God presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly said,
"My child, you didn't knock."
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before starting the day.
I had so much to accomplish
that I had to take time to pray.
3.
sometimes
you get away
AT
OTHER TIMES JESUS IS NOT FLEXIBLE ABOUT HIS SCHEDULE
45 Immediately he made his
disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
·
John indicates that the people were
ready to take Jesus by force and make him king (John 6), and so Jesus slipped
away to pray!
46After
saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
·
he said no to the important in order to say yes to the vital.
·
He said no to a good opportunity in order to say yes to a better
opportunity.
·
“Blessed are the meek,” Jesus
said. The word meek does not mean weak. It means focused. It is a word used to
describe a domesticated stallion. Power under control. Strength with a
direction. Blessed are those who are
harnessed. Blessed are those who recognize their God-given responsibilities.
Blessed are those who acknowledge that there is only one God and have quit
applying for his position. Blessed are those who know what on earth they are on
earth to do and set themselves about the business of doing it. Blessed are
those who are able to “discern what is best.”
RELIGION WILL BURN YOU OUT!
RELATIONSHI WITH GOD WILL REFUEL
YOU!
MATTHEW 11:28-30 “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.”
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake,
and he was alone on land. 48 He
saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.
Shortly before dawn [about the fourth watch of the night—3 am to 6 am]—he went
out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he
was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he
spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with
them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts
were hardened.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.
Look at this day one more times.
Review what our Lord faced.
·
Intense sorrow—the
death of a dear friend and relative.
·
Immediate threat—his
name is on the wanted poster.
·
Immeasurable joy—a
homecoming with his followers.
·
Immense crowds—a
Niagara of people followed him everywhere.
·
Insensitive
interruptions—he sought rest and got people.
·
Incredible
demands—crowds of thousands clamored for his touch.
Will
you join with me now, in prayer?
Heavenly Father, We thank you that you are a God that desires to
meet with us in the stress of our daily living. And I pray, right now, for the listener
who is experiencing tremendous stress in their lives. Would you comfort them with
the power of your Holy Spirit? Would you fill them with the presence of Jesus Christ?
And remind them throughout the week, that sometimes they need to stay in the midst
of their stress, but sometimes they also need to pray and sometimes they need to
flat-out get away. Thank you for the example of Jesus Christ, who teaches us all
things, well. Amen.
Rev. Juliet Schimpf
_____________________________________________
To listen to
the above broadcast, click on the following link:
No comments:
Post a Comment