1.
Grace,
mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. Amen. In the Gospel reading for today from Mark
6:30-44 we see that when a great number of Jesus’ followers have far too little
food for all to eat, Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fishes so that all
are satisfied. When problems threaten us and needs overwhelm our resources,
what’s of often our reaction? Do we turn first to the Lord? We should, as His
Word makes clear, for He still treats His flock with compassion and more than
provides for every need of body and soul.
Today Jesus calls us to receive rest from Him. Jesus recognizes our need for physical rest
(vv. 30–32) and He brings rest for troubled souls (vv. 33, 34)
2.
Mark
6:31 says, “For many were coming and
going, and they had no leisure even to eat” (v. 31). Isn’t this an accurate
description of the lives of many people today? Too busy to pause for a real
lunch, young professionals munch on vending-machine fare while working at their
desks. Teens grab a bagel or granola bar for breakfast on the way out the door
to school. Parents and children drive through fast-food restaurants between
after-school lessons and sports practices. Commuters sip double lattes, caramel
macchiatos, double shots of espresso, or whatever energy drink you can think of
on their early morning drive, gnaw on baby carrots between meetings, and pick
up takeout on the way home. Toddlers graze on cereal pieces and other portable
finger foods so that meal schedules need not control the timing of family
shopping trips. We’re a people more busy than every to the activities and
responsibilities that reshape even basic functions of life such as eating. Our busyness
prevents us from gathering for family meals, and we may even forget that we
enjoy stopping to eat together, especially when we find pleasure and
fulfillment in many of the other activities that make up our day.
3.
But
what happens if Christians become too busy to come away and break bread
together, to gather together for worship to receive God’s Holy Word and
Sacrament? This text suggests that gathering as a Church to rest from our
labors and partake of a common meal is an important part of life together as
the body of Christ. Jesus offers a cautionary word to his disciples and the
Christian church. We need times when we return from our individual
activities—even those activities done in the name and for the sake of Jesus. Otherwise,
we may be broken and poured out so often that we struggle to be useful as
Christ’s hands and feet in the world. We may become so caught up in the
busyness of ministry that we forget to spend time with the One who would direct
our preaching, teaching, and our life together as God’s people.
4.
Mark 6:30-34 says, “30The
apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.
31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place 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 desolate place by themselves. 33Now many
saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the
towns and got there ahead of them. 34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd,
and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
And he began to teach them many things.”
5.
I
find the Gospel lesson for today kind of ironic. This text is assigned for use during the
month of July that falls at the height of the vacation season here in
America. I remember going on vacation
with my parents and my mom having her AAA trip book where she had highlighted
an itinerary of our trip. She would read
off descriptions of the places we were going and have an itinerary of what we
were going to do each day. That’s my
mom’s type A personality. Sometimes my
brothers and I would say, “Sheesh mom,
with all the stuff you want us to do, we’re going to need a vacation from our
vacation.” That’s why summer Sundays
are a great time to think of all the ways we have for getting rest and
recreation. Today our Lord Jesus reminds us to use that well-understood idea of
rest properly; let us be sure our enthusiasm is directed to the Lord’s gifts of
Word and Sacrament, not just to our own ease.
6.
Here
in Mark 6 Jesus offered physical rest to his tired disciples. As they were
tired from their journeys, spent from their preaching, and drained by the sad
news about John’s death by King Herod, he offered them the rest and
recuperation they needed. Applying this
to ourselves, we realize with joy that life is not all work. A day of rest was
the Creator’s example and gift. The book
of Genesis reminds us that even God rested on the 7th day. And the author of Hebrews reminds us that
Jesus is our Sabbath rest (Heb. 3 & 4), for on Easter Sunday He gives us
rest even from death by rising from the dead, conquering death for us. Though
sin has spoiled much, it hasn’t cancelled that truth.
7.
At
the same time we need to counter the thinking of the old Adam; life now is not
meant to be all rest either! The Savior’s will had sent the apostles out to
tire themselves. His teaching while they rested had prepared them to go forth
again, to become tired again and again as they would go to all nations. In fact,
that day ended with them hard at work carrying baskets of food to the hungry.
8.
As I said before God never wanted an
end to that first Sabbath Day filled with blessed rest and interaction with his
newly created people after He created the world in 6 days. Sin changed that.
It's 24/7 now, not 24/6, filled with work, sports, commerce, and never stopping.
Such demands on people and time leave no room for sabbath: rest, worship, or
Word. For many, the automatic doors are more inviting than are church doors. The
new normal leaves little room for the old invitation: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest" (Matthew 11:28). In the rush for life, preaching and the
Word of eternal life is forgotten. The Third Commandment is the only one that
begins with "Remember." “Remember
the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Luther
says, “We should fear and love God so
that we don’t despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly
hear and learn it.” We need Jesus!
9.
The early Christians chose to
sabbath-rest on Sundays in order to honor God the Father, who began creation on
a Sunday; to honor God the Son, who rose from the dead on a Sunday; and to
honor God the Spirit, who gave birth to the New Testament church on Pentecost
Sunday. Sabbath doesn't have to be on a Sunday, Christian freedom allows
flexibility. But it doesn't allow the liberty to despise preaching and the
Word. Paul wrote, "You, my brothers,
were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful
nature" (Galatians 5:13).
10.
A pastor visited a man whose habits
indicated he'd forgotten the Third Commandment. The man gave a list of reasons
why he and his family hadn't been part of worship, Word, and the Lord's Supper.
He listed wonderful and good things: family, hobby, job-related circumstances.
The pastor listened then asked, "Would
you like me to pray that the Lord would remove all those reasons that are
keeping you away?" The man acted shocked and offended. But not as
shocked or offended as God, who commands us to gladly hear and learn his Word.
11.
Our Lord Jesus attended church
regularly (Luke 2:49). He also walked Judean hills and went to the lake with
fishermen. For us who can't seem to fit in both, Jesus also walked to the cross
to endure eternal unrest, both in soul and body, for the forgiveness of our
sins of Sabbath neglect, so that our souls won't!
12.
Here
in Mark 6 the 12 disciples needed to hear of a better rest. Their earthly rest
was fragile and vulnerable. Sheer numbers had foiled rest in Capernaum. How
much uneasiness filled their work reports as they told Jesus not only of
welcomes for their words but also of rejection? After all, Jesus had prepared
them (v. 11) for people who would refuse to listen. All their life there would
come days when messages would come about the death of friends. All their life
they would be dealing with demanding, discourteous actions by some of earth’s
citizens.
13.
The
crowd that followed was also in need of rest that went beyond the usual food
and shelter. Did they really understand why Jesus was important to them? If
they were thinking of making him king so they could straighten out affairs in
Jerusalem, what other incorrect ideas were they holding? To the needy Jesus gave rest far beyond
physical rest. He had compassion. The simple answer of God to human weakness
and inadequacy is his love. He will be our helper.
14.
In
the final analysis all earthly vacations then fall short of perfection. It
doesn’t really matter if the mosquitoes are too plentiful and the fish too
scarce. Such rest can only last till the next work schedule begins. As
Christians we can rejoice in Jesus’ gift of perfect rest! Viewing the wonders
of God’s creation shows us the splendor and power he has available to show his
love for us. Enjoying the technology of our day bids us to humble ourselves as
we receive benefits we cannot understand, much less deserve. We find our rest
in God’s compassion, in the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, and the
sure hope of eternal life.
15.
Jesus
is the source of our physical provision & spiritual needs. He’s our Sabbath rest. The most profound satisfaction we have comes
from the vicarious satisfaction accomplished by the Good Shepherd laying down
his life for his sheep. We can see, both
God’s physical rest and spiritual rest he gives to us are the result
of Jesus’ death on the cross. His
spiritual rest he gives is because Jesus’ death has earned forgiveness of our
sins and eternal life. But our physical
blessings we also receive because of—and only because of—the cross. Because
mankind’s sin had separated us from God, we could have received no good thing
from him. But Jesus’ death has removed that sin, reconciling us to God, so that
now he once again showers blessings upon all people, believers and unbelievers. Yes, being satisfied with bread and fish—and
every other earthly need—is because Jesus satisfied God’s justice on the cross. Today receive Jesus’ offer of rest. Amen.
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