Baaaad shepherds, baaaad sheep? | Mark 6:30-34
Summary
TLDRFather Warner's sermon discusses the importance of rest and solitude in ministry, using the biblical account of Jesus and the apostles needing respite. He draws parallels to modern clergy, emphasizing the need for spiritual nourishment over material comforts. The sermon also addresses the urgency of Jesus' ministry, the impact of effective shepherding, and encourages the congregation to seek genuine spiritual growth, especially during Lent, while promoting a mission and a youth retreat at Saint Stephen's.
Takeaways
- 📖 The sermon's theme is 'Bad Shepherds and Bad Sheep', based on Mark 6:32-34, emphasizing the importance of genuine spiritual leadership and guidance.
- ⏰ The scripture reading highlights the urgency and fast-paced nature of Jesus' ministry, as indicated by the Greek word 'eutheos' used frequently in Mark's Gospel.
- 🛶 Jesus invites His apostles to rest after their mission, underscoring the importance of solitude and rest for spiritual leaders.
- 🌳 The upcoming mission and retreats at Saint Stephen's are detailed, encouraging participation for spiritual rejuvenation.
- 📵 The speaker humorously critiques the modern attachment to cell phones, suggesting that retreats should be a time away from such distractions.
- 🙏 The sermon touches on the necessity for priests and religious to engage in prayerful contemplation before taking on significant roles in the church.
- 👥 The success of the apostles' mission is evident in the large crowds seeking Jesus for guidance, contrasting with the ineffective shepherding of Herod.
- 🔍 The speaker calls for self-reflection among clergy on why people seek them out and whether they are truly serving as spiritual guides.
- 💬 The importance of effective communication of the Gospel is stressed, as people are discerning and will 'switch channels' if the message isn't spiritually fulfilling.
- 🕊 The congregation is challenged to consider their own hunger for Jesus and the need to seek Him earnestly, even in the metaphorical 'deserted places'.
- 📅 The speaker encourages planning for Lent in advance, including setting aside specific days for prayer and reflection, and invites the congregation to participate in the announced mission and retreats.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the sermon based on the provided transcript?
-The main theme of the sermon is about recognizing the importance of rest and solitude in one's spiritual journey, as exemplified by Jesus and his apostles, and the contrast between 'bad shepherds' and 'bad sheep' in the context of ministry and spiritual leadership.
What biblical text is the sermon based on?
-The sermon is based on Mark chapter 6, verses 32-34, where Jesus instructs his apostles to come away to a deserted place to rest and where he teaches the crowds who follow them.
How does the sermon relate the Greek word 'eutheos' to the Gospel of Mark?
-The sermon explains that 'eutheos', meaning 'immediately', appears about 40 times in the Greek text of Mark's Gospel, emphasizing the fast-paced and urgent nature of Jesus' ministry.
What is the significance of the 'deserted place' in the context of the sermon?
-The 'deserted place' signifies a place of solitude and rest, chosen by Jesus for his apostles to retreat from their ministry and to spend time in prayer and contemplation.
How does the sermon connect the ministry of Jesus and the apostles with the need for rest?
-The sermon connects the ministry of Jesus and the apostles with the need for rest by highlighting how Jesus, despite the urgency of his ministry, recognized the importance of rest and solitude for his apostles, and by extension, for all ministers and followers of Christ.
What is the role of the apostles in the narrative according to the sermon?
-The apostles, having just returned from their mission, are instructed by Jesus to rest. Their successful ministry is evident in the large crowds that follow them, seeking guidance and spiritual nourishment.
What does the sermon suggest about the importance of setting aside time for spiritual retreats?
-The sermon suggests that setting aside time for spiritual retreats is crucial for spiritual growth and rejuvenation, as it allows for deeper communion with God and a break from the demands of daily life.
How does the sermon address the issue of people seeking spiritual guidance?
-The sermon addresses the issue by discussing how people seek spiritual guidance for various reasons, such as for prayer, counsel, or because they are drawn to the way a priest celebrates the Eucharist or preaches.
What is the sermon's view on the use of technology, specifically cell phones, during spiritual retreats?
-The sermon humorously criticizes the over-reliance on cell phones, suggesting that they can be a distraction during spiritual retreats and should ideally be left behind to foster a deeper connection with God.
What is the sermon's message regarding the role of priests and religious leaders in the context of their congregations?
-The sermon emphasizes that priests and religious leaders should focus on their spiritual duties, providing guidance and nourishment to their congregations, rather than being preoccupied with their own needs or the material aspects of worship.
How does the sermon encourage the congregation to prepare for Lent?
-The sermon encourages the congregation to prepare for Lent by planning their lenten activities in advance, setting aside specific days for prayer and reflection, and considering sponsoring a meal for a charitable cause during the lenten season.
Outlines
📖 The Urgency of Jesus' Ministry and the Need for Rest
In this segment, the speaker introduces the theme of 'bad shepherds and bad sheep', derived from Mark 6:32-34. The text describes Jesus urging his apostles to rest after their mission, highlighting the fast-paced and urgent nature of Jesus' ministry, symbolized by the Greek word 'eutheos'. The speaker emphasizes the importance of rest and solitude, especially for those in service roles like priests, and introduces upcoming religious events at Saint Stephens, including a mission and a youth retreat. The need for genuine rest with the Lord is stressed over mere leisure activities.
🗣️ The Impact of Effective Shepherding and the Thirst for God's Word
This paragraph discusses the successful ministry of the apostles, as evidenced by the crowds seeking guidance from them and Jesus. The speaker humorously reflects on the attachment people have to their cell phones, suggesting they leave them behind during retreats for true rest. The narrative contrasts the ineffective shepherding of Herod, who was more concerned with his own celebration than his people's needs, with the compassionate shepherding of Jesus. The speaker calls for introspection among religious leaders and politicians about their service to others and the authenticity of their titles.
🕊️ Reflections on Spiritual Hunger and the Role of the Church
The speaker continues the theme of spiritual guidance, noting the impact Jesus and the apostles had on the masses, in contrast to the ineffective leadership of the time. The focus is on the genuine desire of people to be with Jesus, overcoming excuses to seek spiritual nourishment. The speaker discusses the pandemic's effect on church attendance and the need for clergy to reflect on their effectiveness in spiritual leadership. The importance of setting aside time for prayer and spiritual growth is emphasized, with a call to action for both clergy and laity to prepare for Lent and deepen their relationship with Jesus.
🙏 Closing Prayers and Invitation for Spiritual Growth
In the concluding part, the speaker leads the audience in a prayer for spiritual improvement, focusing on the roles of priests, laity, and the youth. There is a plea for the return of those who have been absent from the church and a call for healing and guidance for the sick and suffering. The speaker also discusses his own plans for a retreat during Lent, emphasizing the importance of disconnecting from distractions. The segment ends with a call to support the Lovejoy Hope Foundation and the ministry's work, providing contact information for those interested in contributing.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Shepherd
💡Rest
💡Ministry
💡Compassion
💡Deserted Place
💡Mission
💡Eucharist
💡Pandemic
💡Lent
💡Cell Phone
💡Lovejoy Hope Foundation
Highlights
The sermon focuses on the theme of 'bad shepherds and bad sheep', drawing from Mark 6:32-34.
The importance of rest and solitude for Jesus and his apostles, emphasizing the need for spiritual rejuvenation.
The fast-paced narrative of Mark's Gospel, with the Greek word 'eutheos' used to convey urgency in Jesus' ministry.
Jesus' rejection in Nazareth and the subsequent commissioning of his disciples for their mission.
The execution of John the Baptist by King Herod, contrasting the failure of secular shepherds with Jesus' compassion.
The apostles' successful ministry, attracting crowds who seek spiritual guidance from Jesus.
The significance of Jesus' compassion for the crowds, likening them to 'sheep without a shepherd'.
The upcoming mission and retreat events at Saint Stephen's, inviting the congregation to participate.
The humorous commentary on the modern attachment to cell phones, comparing it to marital vows.
The reflection on the role of priests and religious in providing spiritual guidance and the need for self-examination.
The impact of the pandemic on church attendance and the牧师's role in adapting to new forms of worship.
The call for the clergy and laity to focus on the spiritual essence of worship over creature comforts or incidentals.
The challenge to the congregation to genuinely seek Jesus, overcoming excuses and distractions.
The importance of planning for Lent, setting aside specific days for prayer and reflection.
The牧师's personal commitment to going on a retreat during Lent, emphasizing the importance of dedicated prayer time.
A closing prayer for spiritual growth, healing, and guidance for the congregation, priests, and those in need.
An invitation to support the Lovejoy Hope Foundation and the牧师's ministry through donations and participation.
Transcripts
good morning everybody it's nine o'clock and nine o'clock is with me father warner we are
in saturday of the fourth week in ordinary time our text today is from mark chapter 6 verse 32 34.
uh i've entitled today's teaching actually i need to say it more than read it
it's bad shepherds and bad sheep that's the way the title goes here it's a pun on the on the title
but let's read the text first the apostles gathered around jesus and told him
all that they had done and thought he said to them come away to a deserted place all by yourself and
rest for a while for many were coming and going and they had no leisure even to eat
and they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves now many saw them going and
recognized and they hurried there on foot all from all the towns and arrived ahead of them
as he went ashore he saw the great crowd and he had compassion for them because
they were like sheep without a shepherd and he began to teach them many things
the gospel of the lord now everything in mark's gospel if you look at the text
happens immediately or at once the word in greek for immediately is you theos e-u-t-h-e-o-s
eutheos now these words found in the greek text of mark's gospel
appear about 40 times in mark's gospel and the purpose is to give us a sense of how
fast-paced mark's gospel is but even more how urgent is the ministry of jesus now
we have finished six chapters and a quick look at these first six chapters reveals
much is really happening how quickly it's happening and how quickly is as it were
the ministry of jesus is proceeding so we know that jesus was rejected in nazareth
after which he then commissions his disciples to mission now sadly at this time king herod also
had john the baptist executed by the time we are done with the chapter six jesus would have fed
five thousand people he would have walked on the water and healed the sick at janasiret in chapter
six he feeds the 5000 and then again in chapter eight he will feed the four thousand so itself
chapter six is extremely fast-paced you can see it uh in the titles itself
um the rejection of of jesus as nazareth that's the starting then the mission of the twelve uh
then you have in chap in verse thirty the feeling of the five thousand that jesus walks in the water
in verse forty five and the healing of the sikh in janazarit and with that we slip into chapter 7.
now therefore it is in this hurried context that jesus invites his apostles who have just come back
from mission to rest a while now the lord is no stranger to the joys of solitude in the wilderness
if you look at the gospels itself you will see that jesus spent 40 days in
communion with his father before he began his mission and this is the reason why also
this time of prayerful contemplation is very important even for priests and religious before
they take their final vows before we are ordained bishops etc before they become bishops spend that
time in prayer and solitude before you you take on your mission so um he has begun his mission
and now he stresses the need for his followers to rest also which means that all of us also need to
take time off and when we say rest it doesn't mean go for a holiday it means to rest with the lord
now it is for this reason that jesus chooses a deserted place for them to rest
i want to say a word here because we will be soon having a mission
which is also a time of rest that will be from the 11th to the 13th of march here at saint stephens
it will have three parts in the day morning from 6 45 onwards for about an hour and a half
afternoon at three o'clock with a devotion and a talk and then in the evening from seven
o'clock to about 8 30 deakin ivan fernandez will be conducting the mission along with
gisele and joelle who will be doing the prayer ministry but we're also having a retreat for
young people from the 4th to the 6th of march a residential retreat for youth between the ages of
15 and 30. so the church organizes all of this and invites you to come away from your home to another
place to a deserted place that is why i tell people when you come to a retreat can you leave
your cell phones at home unfortunately i think we are all married to our cell phones we should
now when we get a new cell phone say i i will love you and i will honor you and i will never
desert you i will never leave you down i will take you to the toilet i will take you wherever i go
as ridiculous as i'm beginning to sound right now i'm sure you're laughing because if only husbands
and wives said these kind of vows to each other and actually live them the way we treat our cell
phones um it would be we would be in a wonderful world but anyway jesus invites his disciples come
to a deserted place come rest with me not go for a holiday okay in any case it becomes quite
evident that the ministry of the 12 has been very successful we can see it from today's text
why why do i say that if you look very carefully at the text they are followed
by the masses who seek guidance from jesus and who also are seeking guidance from the apostles
you know i do come across
or rather let me say this about myself i often tell people when they ask me how are you i say i
live in i'm living in the land of the permanently tired if not in the permanently exhausted
because when you do god's word you obviously people
seek you out yeah and i've seen several priests and religious who are sought after
sought after you know we the clergy need to ask ourselves why do people seek us
some people seek us to come for their homes for their parties to their weddings
some will seek you for prayer some will seek you for spiritual guidance and counselling some will
seek you because they really enjoy the way you celebrate the eucharist or break the word for them
each one seeks a priest for their own reason yeah i remember one person telling me he said father i
always go to that particular priest because his masses are very lively and i asked him
what do you mean by lively he says array father he starts the mass always with two three jokes
i just smiled to myself and i kept quiet okay now scripture tells us that the twelve no leisure
even to eat and they followed jesus and the 12 on foot these crowds just followed him literally
beating them to the other side of the lake of galilee they must have
run across if you've ever been to the lake of galilee they must have run across knowing seeing
the boat leave from one end they said okay i think that's that direction they're going in
and that would have been a much longer journey yeah either the the apostles were
rowing very slowly or these guys must have been the crowds must have been running so you can see
how much the crowds are thirsting when the word of god is broken to them when they are ministered to
when they are cared for they are thirsting now while the lord recognizes the need for rest as
should all his ministers who work find time to rest his heart also melts with compassion as he
sees the great crowds and in the words of jesus he says they are like sheep without a shepherd
there are several things therefore to ponder about here in this text see if you notice this text was
preceded with a narrative of herod's execution of john the baptist
herod also was a shepherd he was a shepherd over his people but if you look at herod's life he was
too busy celebrating his birthday party with his courtiers and officers and leaders of galilee he
had all the the social hoi polloi there with him and at the same time he was executing a profit
it is evident that the secular shepherd herod was a secular shepherd had failed his people
and that's what happens very often to people even in holding um political power they call
themselves government servants i find it so ironic they call themselves government servants but
you don't see that reflected in their life that they are service or to service of people they i
think technically we should ask our politicians to drop that title and drop the title also for
priests when we are called reverend father but don't behave that we have any reverence in us
or we are reverence for god yeah so titles sometimes become meaningless in the face of
behavior that doesn't reflect the mind and the will of god or the mind and the will of your
post as in government servants the holy father i do not know whether you know this is called
one of the titles is the servant of the servants of the people of god the servant of the servants
of the people of god and i really see this in pope francis he really lives that title now in contrast
jesus and his apostles have made a great impact on the masses in contrast to herod in contrast to
bad leaders even the religious leaders at the time of jesus you can see that there's
a great impact on the masses that has been made by jesus and by the apostles so great
is their desire to be with jesus that they use as we've said all in every means to get to him
and that's my reflection for the lady you see if you really seek jesus then you'll stop making a
fuss about everything yeah i have to travel so far i can't get this bus i can't get this train
i don't know the church is so hot i don't know whether this covered so these are all excuses
these people in today's reading have heard the teachings of jesus and of the apostles
and they have recognized in them true shepherds and that's the difference you know the one thing
this pandemic has taught us priests is that people today are switching channels watching masses those
who watch those who watch thank god for them but those who watch um have been switching channels
not because you know it's like netflix what's entertaining me but what's feeding my soul
and it has become a great reflection also for the clergy as one priest said to me
of whether we have been effective or not if you are not effective nobody wants to listen to you
yeah of course remember that priests the ladies should not be watching a priest from us
because he only takes the place of christ but what with the word broken yeah if it
is not meaningful then people just switch the channel yeah um you there's so much that you're
fascinated by some things but after some time if it doesn't feed your soul you find it's
meaningless now the people do not ask therefore in the bible uh lord give us an air conditioner
or a better church or they don't ask how long is jesus homily going to be
for them any place is good enough even as we are told a deserted place
such was the hunger for real food and jesus does not disappoint them for he began to teach them as
we are told in today's text he began to teach them many things not a few things he says okay you've
come to this deserted place sit down now i'm going to teach you everything i know and the people sat
so there is much to ponder for us today for both priests and lay people both clergy and lady
there's much for us to reflect for us as clergy we need to see the fall in the number of our
congregations even post govid was pandemic as a reflection of a misfocus ministry for the apostles
and jesus the focus was teaching and preaching and not primarily organizing church social events
the sheep two the late two lady two are called to reflect on the many times creature comforts of a
church or incidentals somebody said i watched that mass father because all the hymns are displayed
and the singing is very very nice and the flower arrangements are very good and the church looks
very beautiful these are incidentals so creature comforts of a church or incidentals during worship
very often take precedence over the creator for whose glory the lord's day was set apart
for whose glory this eucharist is being celebrated it's the eucharist is for the worship of god
those who followed jesus did not ask where or when the service would be and when would
that service end they followed because as i keep saying they hungered for the word
so here's my question you as we end today do we hunger enough for jesus
to follow him even in a deserted place and i hope that as we will slip into uh into lent in
the first few days of march i hope you already planned your lenten program maybe one of these
days i'll write an article we need to prepare ourselves well in advance not you know reach
shrove tuesday and then say oh tomorrow's ashwin is okay what am i going to do no no no
have i already marked my diary and set aside the mission dates that are being announced
have i marked my diary set aside the retreats have i marked two three days in lent and said
i want to spend this day in prayer and mark it now in your diary so that you when you come to
that day you don't say oh i'm busy straight away i i put a line on certain days for myself and i say
that's it yeah so many people on in fact on that day many people will call you and say father but
i need to see you urgently today so i tell them i cannot see you urgently today yeah wait wait
for one more day yeah and this is very often like the devil trying to disrupt our time with the lord
so set aside your date i will also be going on a retreat in the season of lent i need my time of
prayer and this time i'm going to throw my cell phone out completely just leave it in mumbai
and carry on and not even send i'll ask my staff to send the daily messages to you
so god bless you have a lovely day today i just want to say a prayer with you so that god may
fill you with his word today let us pray in the name of the father and the holy spirit even
we come to you lord jesus on this day asking that we may improve our lives both as shepherds and the
sheep to be faithful to you lord i want to pray for us priests that we devote our lives to you and
to your ministry that we spend less time sometimes taking care of our own needs and more time
taking care of the spiritual needs of our people help our laity also to seek you lord
not make excuses in this time of pandemic but to seek you with a sincere and devoted heart want
to lift up our youth our newly married couples our children so many of them missing from church
bring them back lord bring them back touch their hearts touch their lives touch our
hearts and lives so that we may reach out to them and invite them back to church
thank you for your word that nourishes us that strengthens us that fills us with hope and joy
lifts us out of our depressions i want to lift up the sick
i want to lift up lord jesus those who are suffering those who desperately right now need you
and are willing to run great miles just so that you may alleviate their suffering
in your name lord jesus i pray for them bless them heal them guide them guard them protect them
in your loving name i make this prayer amen the lord be with you and may almighty god bless you
the father the son and the holy spirit amen god bless you everybody don't forget to like
this video uh share it with your friends i say this i mean it leave your comments
we are still stuck i think on our subscribers we're not moving very much
we need that number to grow so your help is really required
thank you for those of you who have been reaching out to us um i told you that i i will keep you
informed we are doing we did rather well in terms of the donations to the lovejoy hope foundation
last month all their dates were taken care of all their meals were taken care of so i'm very very
grateful continue those of you who in this lenten season would like to pick a day when you would
want to sponsor a meal for these children for the home for the care of the home pick a date already
you can get back to me and for those of you who'd also like to reach out and support this ministry
please let me know you know you can always contact me on my cell phone number but always
by whatsapp only on 98202-42151 for those abroad it's plus 91-98-202-42151
have a blessed day everybody god bless you see you tomorrow
you
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