This is a sermon outline and not a direct manuscript, but still useful for reflection (I hope).
Most of us have listened to or seen commercials for medications that address varieties of ailments. Most of these medications indicate that life will clearly be improved with the use of the medication, but the list of side effect that are rushed through at the end can be overwhelming. Without listing them, they often sound so unappealing that I have great sympathy for the person for whom the side effects are worth the risk in the hopes of restored well-being or at least functioning.
While I am not a doctor (and I don't even play one on television), I do feel equipped to do some spiritual diagnosing. This is not to be done at home and must be done in concert with the Holy Spirit. Within our readings today, I recognize the symptoms of restlessness of heart, among other things. The question in each scenario is not whether the medicine (cure) will work, but if the side effects are worth it.
The diagnosis of restlessness of heart comes from the following quotation:
“[Y]ou have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – St. Augustine, Confessions
Reading: Exodus 17:1-7 - in which the Israelites cry out for water and Moses intercedes on their behalf to the Lord.
Symptoms: overwhelm at life circumstances (sudden freedom, witnessing of plagues, leaving known situations for unknown future= trauma, trauma response); concern for the welfare of their children and animals; exhaustion, hunger, and thirst – literal and metaphysical
Diagnosis: dehydration and restlessness of heart
Cure: relationship with God (via trust in God’s providence)
Healthy state: a promised land and a new beginning- out of enslavement and in relationship with the Creator
Side effects: growth in patience and self control; increased expectation of continued trust and faithful response; eating and drinking the same thing all the time (manna, water, quail); new and unexpected experiences; annoyance with the difference between God’s time and their time; terrifying encounters with the presence and power of the Lord
Is it worth it?
Psalm 78:4 We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works God has done.
Gospel: Matthew 21:23-32 - in which Jesus' authority is questioned and he tells a parable about the people who say yes, but do nothing and people who say no, but do what is asked. The diagnosis applies to the people in Jesus' own day and to Matthew's audience.
Symptoms: distress at the scene in the temple (disruption of an economic system); questions about God and God’s expectations; worry about “getting it right”; significant economic stratification (large space between haves and have nots); religious complacency; reduced hope and expectation in holy provision; liturgy about God’s promise keeping has become rote and unenthusiastic
Diagnosis: oppression (Roman) and restlessness of heart
Cure: relationship with God (via trust in God’s presence and awareness)
Healthy state: renewed spiritual health; integrated faith community across social and economic strata; evangelism via deeds (doing of God’s will)
Side effects: potential persecution from neighbors and/or from occupying forces; changes in worship life- style and perhaps substance; new people in worshipping community (perhaps in your pew); increased internal drive to respond to God’s work; inability to tolerate injustice and inequity; collaboration with unexpected partners to the end of working out God’s will; awareness that saying one thing, but doing another will cause internal distress
Is it worth it?
Psalm 78:4 We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works God has done.
Reading: Philippians 2:1-13 - Paul has come, taught, and left. The Philippians are wondering what to do next as faithful people. Passage includes the famous "Christ hymn".
Symptoms: longing for the past to return (Paul, come back!); hesitation in faithful action; drawing in to focus on individual needs and missing out on community faith and strength; disunity
Diagnosis: distraction and restlessness of heart
Cure: relationship with God (via faithful action in community with other believers)
Healthy state: having the same mind that was in Christ Jesus
Side effects: fear and trembling; hymn earworms that last until the next worship service; community work with people you wouldn’t otherwise choose to be with; tender knees or other body parts from hours of prayer; increased sense of humility in the light of Divine power; a spirit of service that could be taken advantage of; no room for selfish ambition or conceit; a desire for Christian accord leading to openness, compromise, and forgiveness (with everyone).
Is it worth it?
Psalm 78:4 We will recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works God has done.
Symptoms: social and political upheaval; many demands on our time, finances, and energy; lack of trust in institutions; reduced expectation in the bodily return of Christ (and thus reduced trust in other divine promises); too much awareness of all the bad news in the world; longer lives mean living longer with loss or grief; increased recognition of disruption in creation; pain of historical actions rising to the surface (no longer able to be ignored); idols don’t look like idols, but like everyday items that seem essential
Diagnosis: acedia and restlessness of heart
One of the ancient desert fathers, the ascetic monk Evagrius Pontikus (345–399), observed an “inertia of the heart” termed 'Acedia' as a cause of spiritual dryness, with symptoms of spiritual/emotional fatigue, tired or even bored negligence, and thus reduced attention in prayer. Acedia refers to a lack of motivation or enthusiasm for one's religious or spiritual duties, often associated with a sense of desolation and a struggle to maintain one's faith or commitment.
Cure: relationship with God (via understanding of God’s continuity of character throughout time- merciful, trustworthy, loving, and present).
Healthy state: willingness to rest and resist busyness; increased alertness to the presence and work of God; greater ability to participate in faith community; larger tolerance for when the pastor talks about the mystery of God instead of expecting concrete answers for everything; improved prayer life (even if untraditional); proliferation of the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Side effects: dissatisfaction with church as a mere social event; increased awareness of injustice in history and in the present; more tensions that must be held instead of resolved; spiritual heartburn; longing for deeper conversations, prayer, sermons, and bible study; marked desire for meditative silence; cognizance of one’s own lack of control over most things
Is it worth it?
Will we recount to generations to come the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, and the wonderful works God has done?
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