“Sanctified Solitude” (John 6:1-15)

John 6:1-15

 

Pastor Tom Johnson, July 26, 2015

We live in the information age. Some studies suggest that we are bombarded with over 100 thousand words a day—that is about 23 words per second. It is enough information to crash a laptop computer. People walk down the sidewalk with friends, talking, reading their smartphones, and trying to obey traffic signals and signs all at the same time. We are warned not to do so while driving a car. Information overload can impair our performance just like alcohol. There are few warnings out there, however, for us to avoid overloading our minds with information or overwhelming our spirits with the chaos and confusion of this world. There is more evidence that we can only process so much information. And it likely to be very unhealthy for our brains. Just last week, there was an article in the Tribune about police officers suing for overtime pay because they felt that they could not put their smartphones away because they would receive texts and emails all hours of the day and night.

One of the threads in our Gospel reading today is the relentless demand ministry has on Jesus—the toll life in this present world has on the eternal Son of God made flesh. Jesus’ humanity can only handle so much. He has a human brain, a body of flesh and blood, and apparently a truly human tolerance for the hustle and bustle of life. The crowds follow him. The first century paparazzi sticks to him like a fly on flypaper. And so Jesus flees to the mountain. He takes his disciples with him. He maketh them to lay down in green pastures. He makes them sit in a remote place. Our text says there was a great deal of grass in the place. Enough for 5,000. Last week’s Gospel reading had a similar invitation to the Apostles who were also feeling exhausted by the world’s demands and lack of food: “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while” Jesus says (Mark 6:31). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who takes care of his sheep. He leads and feeds them. He satisfies them. He is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night that leads his people Israel into the wilderness and feeds them the bread of heaven.

But he also takes care of himself. He understands his own need to be strengthened in his humanity. He thirsts. He hungers. He is worn down by the demands, concerns, and confusion of this present world. The crowds have eaten to their satisfaction and have experienced this miracle. They want to force him to be king. Jesus reads their hearts. But he also monitors his own heart and mission and supervises his own soul. “When Jesus realizes that they are about to come and take him by force to make him king,” our text says, “he withdraws again to the mountain by himself.” One early church father, Chrysostom, says this:

“He went up to the mountain as a lesson to us to retire from the tumult and confusion of the world. For solitude is appropriate for the study of wisdom. Jesus often went up alone onto a mountain in order to pray, even spending the night there. He did this in order to teach us that the one who will come most near to God must be free from all disturbance and must seek times and places away from all the confusion.” I think this is similar to what Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount: to go into our “prayer closet in secret so that our heavenly Father, who sees in secret, will reward us” (Matt 6:6). He rewards us with the assurance of his grace and presence. When the Apostles looked for believers who might be open to the Gospel, they went outside the city to the river “where they supposed there was a place of prayer.” There they found Lydia who is the first European convert to Christianity (Acts 16:13). Finding this quiet place is the original design for that weary band of Israelite slaves delivered out of bondage in Egypt and from the chains of hard-hearted Pharoah—the Sabbath day—a day off—a break from daily labor—finding our rest in God’s word, his promises, and his gifts—gifts that include rivers and mountains—all of God’s creation.

Jesus' example encourages us to set aside a few minutes a day to pray, a quiet walk with our thoughts and prayers with God, a greater appreciation for public worship and our gathering here to receive the Word made flesh—the Bread of heaven. Jesus’ example may make us consider taking a week or a weekend off to be still and know that he is God. Today God says, “Go—go into the wilderness with me. Go deep into that prayer closet and let God help you sort through the archives of your soul. Take a vacation from the weary journey of a pilgrim.” Even if just for an hour, find your peace and rest in Christ. Follow Jesus to a remote place. And like him, embrace the way of the Cross. Reject worldly shortcuts to advance yourself and become king. Choose instead the Cross of Calvary.

Jesus does just that. He chooses an honest confrontation with the weakness of humanity. In his strength and perfection, he chooses to lay down his life for the sheep. This same Jesus, who is wearied by the confusion and chaos of this world, takes a momentary step away from the world and a giant leap toward our salvation. For he is the King of kings and Lord of lords who will not be overwhelmed by the world but overwhelms the world by his love. He overwhelms sin, the devil, the world, and death itself by the Good news of his death and resurrection. He is our respite. He is our peace. He is our hiding place. He the rest for the weary.

Praise the One who breaks the darkness
With a liberating light; 
Praise the One who frees the prisn’ners 
Turning blindness into sight. 
Praise the One who preached the Gospel, 
Healing eve’ry dread disease, 
Calming storms, and feeding thousands 
With the very Bread of Peace.      (Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness, v. 1).