Sunday 08/13/23 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Jesus Took Naps. Be Like Jesus!”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
New Testament Scripture: Romans 10:5-15
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 14:22-33
When I was a little boy, my mother Susan
would tell me that often when I went to sleep, I would have things in my hands
or lying next to me. Whether it was on the floor of the living room, my bed, or
somewhere else, I would often have things in my hands or next to me. Like many
little children I probably did not want to take a nap. I would simply play and
adventure until I literally feel asleep with, you guess it, things in my hands
and or next to me. My mom said that sometimes when I was sleeping, she would find
a matchbox car, a button, or various other things in my hands or next to me. I
don’t remember much about having a naptime when I was very young, but I do
remember the little rugs that we sat on in kindergarten to take naps.
As I grew up though, I no longer
wanted naps. In fact, I thought that I never needed a nap. I am still sometimes
like this even today. How many of us here do not like to take naps? Anyone here
really enjoying taking naps? I have seen on TV that some tech companies and
places in large city have these things called “Nap Pods”. In fact, in
researching for this sermon, I found a company online in New York City called “The
Rest Room”. No not a bathroom, but a place that you can go to in order to take
a nap. While this company or business offers various services, this is what it
says on their website about their “On-Demand Nap Pods”
“ON-DEMAND NAPPING PODS: Rest, read, or meditate in one of our pods. Includes complimentary locker, slippers, eye mask, ear plugs, Wi-Fi, water & tea, round the clock security, and on-site housekeeping to disinfect after each use. Each pod provides 30 sq ft of space for each user” (https://therestroom.co/explore).
So, while some people take having a nap seriously,
this business in New York City literally sells naps! While many people have
worked hard since the dawn of humanity, the modern world has its share of
stressors. I think of medical workers in hospitals for example, constantly
looking at screens, hearing things that are buzzing, lighting up, the phone is
ringing, etc. I can imagine that while working in a hospital in 1923 had a ton
of challenges and stressors, there was likely less noises, screens, and buzzing
like there is today.
Since our modern-day world has so many
screens, so much stimulus, so many lights, buzzers, and etc., we have a newer human
phenomenon called “Burn Out Syndrome”. I am sure that we have all heard of “Burn
Out Syndrome” or know someone who is or was burned out. Basically, if you work
yourself super hard, and for a long time, it often catches up with you. Continual
overwork can make you anxious, depressed, sick, etc. In fact, one statistic I
read preparing for this sermon says this:
“Lost productivity to depression and
anxiety disorders costs the global economy $1 trillion every year”
(https://www.whoopunite.com/blog/business/articles/cost-of-employee-burnout/#:~:text=The%20consequences%20of%20burnout%20are,economy%20%241%20trillion%20every%20year).
The term “Burn Out” was first used in
1974. Here is a bit of information on this:
In 1974, Herbert Freudenberger, an American psychologist, used the term "burn-out" in his academic paper "Staff Burn-Out" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_burnout).
When Melissa and I were on our way
home from our recent vacation, I was listening on the radio that some nurses in
Rochester, NY were going on strike, because the nurses were overextended,
overworked, and some were getting “Burned Out”. This news story said that there
were way too many patients for each nurse, that some nurses were working
unbelievable overtime, and that the nurses just cracked and said enough! The
modern world that we live in can be loud, stressful, demanding, and the
stimulus hitting us constantly can be overwhelming. Do we take naps? Do we take
time to get away? Do we take time to be with God and to just breathe?
So, we have a nurse and medical worker
shortage, but why do we have such a clergy shortage? Let me read you something
that I researched and found out about this:
“Burnout among pastors is a growing problem in the church today. Recent statistics show that an alarming number of pastors are feeling overwhelmed and unable to meet the demands of their job, with 50% reporting burnout symptoms. A 2015 Barna Group poll found that 37% had considered leaving ministry due to stress, while 90% reported working between 55 and 75 hours per week” (https://blog.gitnux.com/pastor-burnout-statistics/).
So, do I take naps? Yes, I do! Even if
I don’t always want to! You know who else took naps? Jesus! This is so true in
fact, that you can buy t-shirts like the one I am wearing that says “Jesus Took
Naps. Be Like Jesus.” This t-shirt cites Mark 4:38, which is Jesus sleeping in
the boat on the Sea of Galilee during a storm. Jesus is awakened by his disciples,
and he calms the storm.
In this morning’s gospel of Matthew
reading, Jesus does not take a nap specifically, but he does take time away.
Don’t you know friends that loving, healing, and forgiving crowds of thousands
of people is tiring? “Jesus Took Naps. Be Like Jesus!”
Our reading from Psalm 105 for this
morning ends very simply saying, once again:
Praise
the Lord! (Ps. 105:45b, NRSV).
Simple, yet a big part of what we are called to do. Do we
take time to “Praise the Lord!”?
In our reading for this morning from the Apostle Paul’s
letter to the church in Rome, or the Romans, the Apostle Paul reminds us, once
again:
9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Rom. 10:9-13, NRSV).
Jesus is enough, and is offered to us
all freely. Yet in this fast-paced modern world that we live in, it is still
good to try to not get overloaded. Who modeled this for us? Well Jesus of
course, because “Jesus Took Naps. Be Like Jesus!”
In our gospel of Matthew reading for
this morning, my sermon title is focusing on the first two verses 14:22-23, but
Jesus’ walking on water later in the reading is pretty cool to. Before getting
into the rest of the gospel of Matthew reading, let’s go through Matthew
14:22-23, once again, that says:
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, (Mt. 14:22-23, NRSV).
So, Jesus sends his disciples in a
boat, has them sale to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, and he goes and
takes a break. It is true to say that Jesus was not taking a nap, but he went
up the mountain by himself to pray. In fact, the scripture says:
When evening came, he was there alone, (Mt. 14:23b, NRSV).
So, the connection with my sermon title,
“Jesus Took Naps. Be Like Jesus!” is that Jesus was taking some time away. His ministry
was exhausting to he went up the mountain to pray to the Heavenly Father, and
to be at peace.
Beyond this, is what I have not talked
about yet this morning. Meaning, that while Jesus was off praying on the
mountain, refreshing, and connecting to God, how were things going for the
disciples? Well, a large storm started over the Sea of Galilee. We have had a
lot of rain storms and wind in recent weeks. Trees have come down. Power lines
have come down, and there has been a lot damage. Imagine one of these storms on
a large body of water, however? The boat is rocking back and forth, and you are
worried that the boat will capsize. If the boat capsizes it could sink, leaving
you in this large body of water. Waves, wind, rain, and you floating in this
body of water. The likelihood of drowning would be much higher, and it would be
very scarry in general.
While Jesus is on the mountain praying
and refreshing, a massive storm arises of the Sea of Galilee, and the disciples
are worried and afraid. Picking up starting in Matthew 14:24, it says, once
again:
24 but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25 And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ (Mt. 14:24-27, NRSV).
The boat that the disciples are on is
getting battered by waves, and it isn’t far from the shore. It is now early in
the morning, as Jesus was on the mountain praying and refreshing for a while. Jesus
then began walking on the Sea of Galilee, or the lake, towards the boat being
battered by the waves, with the disciples in it. So, you have been in this boat
for hours, its dark, the storm is tossing you all about, and you are probably
exhausted. On top of this, Jesus is now physically walking on the water towards
the boat. After hours of this storm and this darkness, Jesus is really walking
on the water? I guess after going through that, and still going through that, I
can understand why the disciples thought that Jesus was a ghost. This also
tells me that in Ancient Israel there must have been ghost stories!
So, the disciples are in this boat,
have been through storm all night, hoping to get to the other side of the Sea
of Galilee, and when they are almost there, Jesus shows up walking on the
water. They are tired, soaked, sleep deprived, and scared. To reassure them,
Jesus then says, once again:
‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ (Mt. 14:27b, NRSV).
Instead of just being happy that Jesus
is there, and not a ghost Peter wants to walk on the water too. In fact, the gospel
of Matthew says once again starting in Matthew 14:28:
28 Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29 He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. 30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ (Mt. 14:28-29, NRSV).
The Apostle Peter through the power of
Jesus Christ briefly walked on the water. Then his fear, his worry, and lack of
trust took his focus off Jesus. So, what is the big take away here for us? Our
lives are much better when we focus on Jesus, and not the storm. Once again,
our lives are much better when focus on Jesus, and not the storm.
Peter was doing the impossible, and then
fear, doubt, and worry took over. Fear, doubt, and worry are things we all have
felt, and generally speaking they have not made things better for us. Our gospel
of Matthew reading then ends with Matthew 14:31-33, saying once again:
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ 32 When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ (Mt. 14:31-33, NRSV).
All the fear, all the worry, and all doubts
that the disciples had were immediately extinguished when Peter was rescued, Jesus
stopped the storm, and everyone focused on him. Our lives our much better when
we focus on Jesus, and not the storm. It would seem however, that the modern world
that we are living in can seem like a storm of busyness, and overstimulation.
One way to keep ourselves rested and focused on Christ, is to take naps. After
all, “Jesus Took Naps. Be Like Jesus!” Amen.
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