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SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2008

THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Matthew 10:24-33 (Searching for the perfect nap)

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TODAY’S SERMON THEME:

In a most miraculous way, the search for the perfect nap will lead us NOT to a place, and NOT to a piece of furniture. It will lead us into the arms of the Lord -- who is the only One who can take away our fears and give us perfect rest.

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1. A few years ago, I was talking to a class of preschool children and the topic -- somehow -- got around to our favorite places to take a nap. Now, I must confess right off the bat: I am a BIG believer in taking naps. And I try to practice my belief as often as I can. As a matter of fact, one of my heroes is Winston Churchill, who took a nap every afternoon during the Great War -- including those times when London was being bombed. Anyway, I told the children that MY favorite place to take a nap is on the couch in our family room at home. Almost immediately, several of the children agreed that the couch was their favorite place to take a nap, too. Another said his parents' bed was his favorite place. Another little boy said that grandma's bed was even better. A little girl insisted that the dog's house was the best place. And another said the kitty's cushion was even better. And, finally, one shy little girl came up with this response: "Fr. Steve," she said. "My favorite place to take a nap is in church." Hmm. Well. OK. Well. I TRIED to change the subject, but several others quickly agreed. As it turns out, most of the kids in class said they had slept very peacefully during church. And I guess it is safe to say that most of us have done that, too. And maybe some of you are resting peacefully at this very moment. And that's OK. You see, we rest most comfortably in places where we feel safe and secure . . . in places where are fears are not able to overwhelm us.

2. Let me give you an example from the not-too-distant past. When Dixie and I moved out of Houston, Texas -- to deep East Texas -- we first had to sell our house. The market in Houston was unbelievably fast that year (1994), and we sold our house 30 minutes after the “for sale” sign went into the front yard. The first person who walked through our house bought it. As it turned out, this person was a divorced woman who lived alone -- in a much larger house about half-a-mile from us. Her house was considerably larger, and she was downsizing following several years of emotional turmoil and upheaval. Her house had sold the previous day. Anyway . . . she paid us a wonderful compliment several months later, after we had moved out and she had moved in. She said she was resting more peacefully in our house than she had in 10 years in her previous residence. She said she actually looked FORWARD to coming home after work so she could find rest and peace. She said she felt safe, watched over, and protected -- which is a great combination of things to feel in Houston . . . and everywhere else, too. You see, we are able to rest that way only when we feel safe and secure . . . in places where our fears are not able to overwhelm us.

3. Another example from about five years ago: A woman in our parish called me urgently one day to get in touch with her son -- who was having “problems” in his new house. And so I did. As it turned out, the son and his wife (who was seven months pregnant) had just moved to another state . . . to start another job . . . in an unfamiliar area. From the first day in their new house, they could not sleep. They could not relax. They could not feel comfortable. And one of the rooms in the house always felt “cold and creepy,” as they explained it to me. Even though the young man’s job was great, and their neighborhood was great, and the city was great, and the wife’s job was great, they just felt AFRAID all the time. I recognized immediately what needed to be done. I gave them the name and address of the Episcopal Church near their house, along with the name of the rector (whom I had met on several occasions), and the phone number. I told them that I would call the rector that night, and that they should call him the next day. I told them to schedule a service known as a “house blessing,” or as it is sometimes called, “the blessing of a new home.” I told them to get involved in that parish as soon as possible. To start worshiping there on a regular basis. And so they did. Once the prayers of blessing (and healing, and deliverance) were said in the house, THE WEIRDNESS STOPPED. The cold and creepy room lightened up. And the young couple was finally able to rest. They were able to sleep peacefully and rest comfortably. You see, we are able to rest that way only when we feel safe and secure . . . in places where our fears are not able to overwhelm us.

4. To this day, I routinely do between 15 and 20 house blessings (or apartment blessings) each year. And I have witnessed -- over the past 22 years -- more amazing signs and wonders than you could imagine. I did a dozen house blessings last year, and I suspect I will do about that many this year. Many of the house blessings are for parishioners -- but almost half of them involve people who do not attend any church. In those cases, I stress VERY STRONGLY the importance of affiliating (and having fellowship regularly) with a community of spiritual believers. In cases where people do NOT begin their own faith journey following a house blessing, the “weirdness” and “creepiness” and “coldness” always returns. And so does the fear. Always.

5. And that brings me to the main point I want to emphasize this morning -- before we look at our Gospel lesson from Matthew chapter 10. And here it is: In a profound and unmistakable way, there is a strong connection between our ability to rest and our feelings of safety and security. As a matter of fact, I spend a good bit of my time as a priest talking to people who are tired, stressed out, unhappy, and unable to relax. It seems that we as a nation are working as hard as we can to carve out periods of leisure time -- and then, when we find it, we’re not able to rest and enjoy it. How many of us, for example, come back from our vacations MORE tired than when we left? We WANT to be able to rest, but we are finding it harder and harder . . . mainly because we do NOT feel safe, and we do not feel secure. AND THAT IS A TRAGEDY . . . BECAUSE . . . THERE IS AN ANSWER. Let me put it another way: In a most miraculous way, the search for the perfect nap will lead us NOT to a place, and NOT to a piece of furniture. It will lead us into the arms of the Lord -- who is the only One who can take away our fears and give us perfect rest.

6. In our Gospel lesson this morning from Matthew Chapter 10, we pick up Jesus’ words of warning -- and comfort -- to His disciples. He even tells them that they will SUFFER PERSECUTION because of their faith in Him. But He also tells them that they are NOT TO BE AFRAID of those who come after them, those who seek to hurt them or punish them because of their faith. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus says this: “Do not be afraid of those who seek to kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Be fearful, rather, of the One who can send both body AND soul into hell.” The Psalmist puts it this way: “The FEAR of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Our focus, in other words, should be on GOD . . . and NOT on evil. Our hearts should be fixed on GOD . . . and NOT on those who seek to do evil. On the author and creator of all life, the One who created all things in the beginning . . . and NOT on those who have turned their backs on God to follow and perverse pathway in this world. In Matthew Chapter 11:28-30, Jesus says this: “Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble and gentle of heart, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” And there it is. This is the PEACE that only God can give to us. Peace that gives us a sense of SAFETY and a sense of SECURITY. In Greek it is written this way: ana’pausin tais psuchra’is humon -- REST FOR YOUR SOULS. This rest has four parts, and it is important that we learn about them, for they are God’s gifts to us. This “rest for our souls” is: (1) SPIRITUAL (it occurs deep within our being); (2) SPACIOUS (it fills us to overflowing);

(3) SPECTACULAR (it is always noticeable and verifiable); and,

(4) SATISFYING (it is sufficient; nothing else is needed).

7. So. How does this kind of REST sound to you? Spiritual. Spacious. Spectacular. Satisfying. This is rest that only God can provide. This is relaxation that only the Lord can give. This is the peace, the SHALOM, that only our Savior and Lord can bring. HIS SHALOM.

Now . . . you MIGHT be able to find something similar to this rest on the living room couch. Or maybe on grandma’s bed. Or maybe in the dog’s house or on the kitty’s pallet. Or, maybe, even in a church pew. But the best place to start is with Jesus . . . For, in a most miraculous way, our search for the perfect nap will lead us NOT to a particular place, or to a particular piece of furniture. It will lead us into the arms of the Lord -- who is the only ONE who can take away our fears and give us His peace.

Shalom aleichim. May His peace be with you all this day.