February 4, 2023
Indianola Presbyterian Church, Columbus
" Get Away from It All"
Sermon by Rev. Trip Porch
February 4, 2024 Based on Mark 1:29-39
I was chatting with a friend of mine this week who is by all accounts a super human.
She is a pastor at a hands-on missional, justice oriented church. She spends a lot of time doing advocacy work at her state capitol, and is also heavily involved with a prison ministry the church runs that brings her to their local prison once a week to offer counseling and prayer with people who are incarcerated.
We were talking this week and she said that she has started to, in her free-time, volunteer every Saturday at a local food pantry. She shared this with me and immediately I put myself in her shoes, all of the stuff she must be triaging and handling in the work week, all of the decisions she is making, all of the work she is doing, and I responded… "Wow, I am really impressed, you are doing so much." And she said "I just keep thinking… when I get to the end of my life and show up at the gates of heaven, I want to arrive empty, like I gave everything I could" she said, "I keep thinking of the story Jesus told, the parable of the talents, how some of the servants took what the master gave them, and did nothing with it, they buried it out of caution which was seen as wasteful use of God’s gifts. I think God has given me time, so I want to be sure I use every second to make a difference, I think that's what God wants from us"
I smiled and celebrated her, but in my head I kept thinking… "Wow, I could not disagree more”
I mean, truly, people who live like that are amazing and incredible. But, I don't think this is what God wants from us. I don't think we are intended to empty ourselves and use up every ounce of energy, time, and resource we have in order to serve God. I don’t think this is what a holy life looks like, nor do I think this is what Jesus intended a life of his disciples to be. And if I were to be asked why I think this, I would direct you to our passage today.
In our passage Jesus is a man on a mission. He is revving up his healing ministry at a pace that I think can only be referred to as break-neck. He's just come off of our story from last week, where he heals a man with a quote “unclean spirit” in the synagogue, and then today our story continues with Jesus and the disciples leaving the synagogue to go home for the day, to grab dinner at Simon Peter's house only to find that the chef, his mom, is laid out sick in bed. He heals her, or as the scripture puts it he “raises her up.” He puts her back on her feet and fully healed, she feels good enough to immediately start making dinner for everyone which is such a funny scriptural note, they all eat, and just when they are about to call it a night, there is a knock on the door.
“Who could this be at this hour of the night?” They must’ve thought.
They open the door and they realize that the whole town must have gotten word of Jesus and his healing ministry because there is now a line out the door of all these folks who have come to Jesus for healing.
Everything from broken toes to broken spirits, all wanting to meet Jesus, to experience his unique and holy presence, and to receive the healing that only he can offer.
And after what has already been a long sabbath day at the synagogue, Jesus heals them.
Who knows how long this went on? But the next thing we know it’s much later in the night, the early hours of the morning and Jesus runs away to be alone. After being "on" for so many hours, after healing so many people, after giving and giving of himself, pouring himself out and running on empty, late at night he goes off to be alone and in prayer. His prayer I assume, looked like collapsing into a pile to at last get some sleep.
I love this story. Because it reminds us that even the most loving person who ever lived, the savior of the world who came to give of himself out of love for the world, needed to stop, needed to rest, needed to withdraw.
And so the final healing of our story takes place, where Jesus carves out the time and space to heal himself. Where Jesus, fully spent by all that he is been doing, runs away, and doesn’t even tell anyone he’s left or where he’s going, in order to restore himself. The disciples are looking for him everyone, and no one knows where he’s gone.
It reminds me of a tweet I’ve seen circulating a bit online. Its playing off of the start of an email people often write where they say “I hope this email finds you well”
But instead the author tweets…
I hope this email doesn’t find you.
I hope you’ve escaped, I hope you are free.
Friends, the message I have for us today from this text is fairly simple one.
The kingdom of heaven does not rely on a capitalistic grind culture that demands all of our energy, effort, and time. And while we are called to serve, and heal, and love, and give, it’s not meant to be to the point of exhaustion, exploitation, or abuse.
If the savior of the world who has the power to heal and redeem needs to carve out time to rest and take care of himself, then I think it’s okay if we do too.
So, where are you in this story?
Are you a Christ-like compassionate giver, or are you on the brink of compassion fatigue?
Where are you on the spectrum of filled up or emptied out?
If you are closer to the latter then… I hope this sermon doesn’t find you well in fact, I hope this sermon doesn’t find you at all, I hope you are already away, I hope you are free, I hope you have unplugged and found the space to care for yourself, to rest and find restoration.
Because, at least according to this scripture, sometimes this is the most Christ like thing we can do.
Thanks be to God, Amen.
WE GATHER IN AWE AND PRAISE
PRELUDE “Place of Healing” Michael R. Hicks
Introit “Sing and Rejoice” Emma Lou Diemer
Sing and rejoice this Sabbath day, the Lord is with us!
Give thanks and praise this Sabbath day, the Lord is with us!
Sing and rejoice this Sabbath day!
WELCOME Rev. Trip Porch
One: This is the day that the Lord has made
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it
*CALL TO WORSHIP
One: God gathers us together in this place.
All: Let us sing praise to the Lord.
One: God heals the brokenhearted and binds up our wounds.
All: Let us sing praise to the Lord.
One: God lifts the downtrodden and casts out wickedness.
All: Let us sing praise to the Lord.
One: We sing to God with thanksgiving.
All: Let us worship God!
*HYMN 796 “We Come to You For Healing, Lord” LAND OF REST
*PRAYER OF CONFESSION Mary Rebekah Fortman
Restoring God, even you withdrew to pray, heal, and restore yourself. But we forget this rhythm and push ourselves to the point of breaking. We give you thanks that you know this about us, and you continue to meet us and heal us. You continue to cast out that which causes us to suffer, even when it’s our own habits and self-doubt. Help us to perceive what you are doing among us, that we might separate your voice from among the many that call for our loyalty and attention. And in your mercy, Restore us to community, teaching us how to live in gratitude, freed from the bondage of sin. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*CONGRGATIONAL RESPONSE “Lord, Have Mercy” LAND O REST
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
All: And also with you.
WE LISTEN FOR GOD’S WORD
ANTHEM “The Ground” Ola Gjeilo
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
SCRIPTURE Mark 1:29-39 MSG
“Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew’s house, accompanied by James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus. He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them. That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, the whole city lined up at his door! He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn’t let them say a word. While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.” Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I’ve come.” He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.”
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE Marie Boozer
SERMON Rev. Trip Porch
WE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD
*HYMN 795 “Healer of Our Every Ill” HEALER OF OUR EVERY ILL
TIME OF OFFERING online giving is available at indianolapres.org/give
OFFERTORY “In His Keeping” Lindy Kerby
COMMUNION
INVITATION TO THE TABLE
GREAT PRAYER
SHARING THE BREAD AND CUP “Taste and See” TASTE AND SEE
Soloist - Henry Byrne
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Restoring God, we have retreated to your table, and in prayer you have restored us. We give thanks that you continue to heal, not only us, but yourself. Continue to heal and restore us to community so that we may not only receive your healing but take part of your healing of the world. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
*HYMN 521 “In Remembrance of Me” RED
TIME OF COMMUNITY SHARING
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
CHORAL RESPONSE “Hold Us Ever in Your Keeping” Gary Matheny
Hold us ever in your keeping, comfort us in pain and strife,
Constant hope and faith renewing, Lead us to a nobler life.
Grant, O Lord your richest blessing: Send your servants forth in peace.
POSTLUDE “Healing Waters” Leander Lycurgus Pickett
arr. Christopher Alexander
Acknowledgments: Unless otherwise indicated, all texts and music are printed and broadcast under OneLicense.net license #A-702452