Canvey Methodist Church Bible Studies 19th October 2021

24 October​We will care for ourselves and those around us

 

1Kings19:4-12;Mark6:30-32;Mark6:45-46;Luke10:38-42;

 

1 Kings 19:4-12

New International Version

4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

 

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

 

7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

 

The Lord Appears to Elijah

 

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

 

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

 

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

 

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

 

Mark 6:30-32, 45-46;

New International Version

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

 

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

 

32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

 

Jesus Walks on the Water

 

45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

 

Luke 10:38-42

New International Version

At the Home of Martha and Mary

 

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

 

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

 

Footnotes

 

a.Luke 10:42 Some manuscripts but only one thing is needed




 

A Methodist Way of Life and self-care

 

When we take care of ourselves we are so much better able to take care of others. In fact God has asked us to in the greatest command in Mark 12:31, 

You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

The commitments of a Methodist Way of Life are preceded by the phrase “as far as we are able”. This is a very important statement. It gives us permission to give ourselves a break.

This is in stark contrast to society and TV advertising that always seems to be asking us to be more, buy more, do more. A Methodist Way of Life should not end up as yet another thing we feel we have failed at.

Thankfully, we cannot fail at a Methodist Way of Life as it draws upon Wesley’s famous rule of life to “do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, to all the people you can, at all the times you can, as long as ever you can.” 

 

In the first book of Kings, after Elijah has had an incredibly stressful time, the angels take care of his physical needs: God does not demand more prayer or action from him but allows him to rest from ‘doing’ and just ‘be’.

A good piece of advice.

 

The Church is excellent at loving our neighbour but I wonder if we have not always had enough to say about the other side of this commandment – “as we love ourselves”.

 

Some questions.

How can we hear the still small voice of God which tells us we are enough and we are loved?

 

We must make time to listen to this voice and treat ourselves as if we are enough just as we are, not constantly trying to prove we are loveable.

The greatest commandment

 

There are many places in the Gospels where Jesus takes some time for himself and takes time for the disciples to have a break: Luke 5:16, 

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Mark 6:30-32 and 45-6. 

 

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

 

Jesus does this for a number of different reasons: 

To recharge; 

To prepare;

To spend concentrated time with God; before making a big decision.

 

Think about the story of creation – God mandates us to have a Sabbath, not just to recover our energy to do more work, but because rest and fun are part of our calling as Christians.

 

In the story of Martha and Mary, in Luke 10, Jesus congratulates Mary on sitting, listening and connecting to what he is saying, rather than rushing around taking care of many tasks as Martha does.

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 NRSV) – “have life, and have it abundantly,” or “have it to the full” in other translations – 

 

Qu?

 

What does a full life mean to you?

 

God’s plan for us includes time to rest and have fun, 

This is part of our calling as Christians, and it is amazing what God will do with even small periods of rest. 

People will often say how after times of rest they feel both mentally and physically rejuvenated. God will bless and honour those times of Sabbath.

 

Qu?

What does rest mean for us?

How do we create spaces for prayer, but also for fun.

 

Thus strengthened we are more able to give to others with true generosity of spirit.




 

 

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