The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Jeremiah 23:1-6 Psalm 23 Ephesians 2:11-22 Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! Says the LORD.” In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Aren’t there days when you’d like to take on the mantle of a prophet of God likeAmos,Isaiah,ortoday’sfeaturedspeaker,Jeremiah? Afterbecoming sufficiently indignant with the behaviors of these elected, appointed or self-selected “shepherds,” haven't you ever imagined standing on your proverbial soapbox reprimanding the so-called leaders of our society with a righteous “Woe to you (fill in the blank)!” The opportunities for full-on rebuke are endless: politicians, media outlets of all stripes, the wealthy, especially the mega wealthy, the poor, big business, academia, anti-vaxers, vaxers, school boards, or any collection of narcissists from the world of sports and entertainment who hold sway and influence within the society. Our calls of “woe to you” might very well include the religious who espouse piety and faithfulness while scamming their flock out of their money. How about the financiers who have taken the ponzi scheme to a whole new level by abusing the trust of their clients in fleecing individuals and families out of their life savings? Truth is, the bad “shepherds” of our age seem very much akin to the bad “shepherds” during the times of the prophets; leaders who hold their self-interests above those they’ve been entrusted to serve, particularly during times of political, social, moral, and spiritual decay happening all around them.
Our anger with these individuals and institutions seems well placed, right? A relatively recent Gallup study highlighted the percentage of respondents with their level of confidence, their approval rating, for a variety of well known institutions including the US Congress, Organized Labor, Big Business, Small Business, the Public School system, Organized religion, Television and Newspapers, Medicine, the Military, and Police. While I wasn’t surprised at some of the specific ratings, I was taken aback at how pervasive the lack of confidence the respondents had overall. There were only three categories that had approval ratings in excess of 50%: the Military, Law Enforcement, and Small Business. Collectively, the others ranged between high teens to high 30s. An important point in this survey is this: the time period started in 1973 and ran through 2020 and the percentages have remained fairly steady for nearly 50 years. This particular survey tells us that our citizens have very little faith and confidence in this country’s leadership across a wide spectrum of basic institutions that are foundational to our culture.
What exacerbates this lack of confidence is the ubiquitous negative comments of and against both individuals and institutions circulated on social media. The continual posting of mean spirited, vulgar, shoot-from-the-hip commentary that often has no source of corroboration, fills Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter every minute of every day. Irrespective of our political leanings, the news and information we take in each day tends to affirm what we already think and provides the fuel for our anxieties and frustrations while spawning the breeding ground of division and isolation.
Division and strife is the byproduct of our unwillingness to be humble, to consider the fact that we might just be wrong. We heard this theme earlier in Mark’s Gospel, that a house divided cannot stand. And yet, the prevailing culture strives for divisions among us and uses every tool available: race, gender, economics, politics, and class to name just a few. The neverending trail of degradation, shaming, lying, and self-righteousness is both exhausting and tedious. I know I get angry and I
suspect I’m not alone. I find myself far too often screaming at the television set or crumpling the newspaper wanting to call out these purveyors of division with my shouts of “Woe to you!” Lest my anger get the best of me, I’m thankful for the reminder from my youth that when I’m pointing my “woe to you” finger at someone else, there are three pointing back at me.
So what’s the antidote to all this anger, chaos, and fear from a world that craves for so much of our attention and energy that distracts us from the things of God? I think Mark reveals two significant approaches we can use to combat this onslaught of all that is antithetical to a life marked by joy, peace, and grace.
In today’s reading from Mark’s Gospel, we find the disciples having returned from their first mission trip. They’ve healed the sick and cast out demons. They’ve planted the seeds of the coming kingdom even in places where they weren’t welcomed. Jesus has also been busy and they all need to “get away” to some desolate place in order for them to rest a while. So the first way to reprioritize our lives away from all the maddening crowds and expectations of the world is to “get away....to rest.” And while this doesn’t come to fruition in today’s story, it nonetheless provides an insight for us to pay attention to.
We all want to reduce the anxiety in your lives, right? Give yourself a break. In order to find the rest we seek, how about we put our phones away. Turn off the television. Let the newspapers pile up on the doorstep for a week. Get your mind away from all the negativity that is so pervasive. Rest by doing what you love to do. You like to hike? Do it and pay attention to where you find God. Maybe it’s fishing, or reading a book, or listening to great music. Maybe it’s cooking, baking, photography, or tinkering around in your workshop. Whatever it is, be prepared to be amazed at where God might want to take you for this opportunity to rest and enjoy his company while you renew your soul.
I suspect you noticed in our gospel reading that the crowds of people were always seeking Jesus out. Jesus has been inundated with the crowds wherever he’s traveled. Upon his arrival he again encountered a large crowd with their individual needs and his compassion flowed out because they were like sheep without a shepherd. They had rushed ahead of him so they could position themselves on the shore for the sheer chance to touch his cloak and be healed. This is the second step towards reducing the anxiety and anger in your life; do what the crowds do. They wanted to be near Jesus, to learn from him, to have their bodies, minds, and souls healed. We too need to prioritize our time with Jesus in order to deepen our relationship with him. We’re called to pray, to study God’s Word, to read, and to engage with people in worship and acts of discipleship that builds community and renews our spirits. Our intentional time with Jesus strengthens us and is life-giving. Why do so many of us allow the world to deplete us of joy and energy when the renewing power of Jesus awaits our asking?
We read in today’s Psalm that the Lord, the good shepherd, will provide all that we need; he will insure for us a place of refreshment; he will walk with us through challenging times, and his goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. We’re not hearing this on Twitter or Instagram. We learn this by spending time with the Lord and seeking his guidance and his comfort.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he speaks of the peace of Jesus; the peace that stems from his redemptive work on the cross. This peace brings people together, tears down walls that divide us, reconciles those who were strangers and aliens, and those who were far off with those who were near, as all become unified citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. The peace of Jesus changes us from the inside out and allows for the fruit of the Spirit to become manifest in our lives.
My friends, ultimately the choice is ours. We can continue to engage with the world on its terms or we can be transformed by our relationship with the living God who created it. This is not to say that you don’t pay attention to what’s going on or to be uninformed. That said, Paul again implores us that we are to be in the world, but not of it. The values of this world are not those of God. Our time with Jesus will shape and strengthen our Christian worldview, one that affirms that God is the sovereign and almighty Lord of all existence. Through this prism we will come to more fully understand our purpose for being and our relationship with Jesus that will bring the kingdom of God just that much closer each and every day. I pray that we will not be a part of the scattering of God’s people, that we will be a bridge of hope, compassion, and love to all we encounter. I pray that we will put away the noise, clamor, tension, and fear of this world for the renewing power of Jesus that will indeed change the world. We can be a part of the solution to a world in desperate need of one.