Sleep Deprived

Rev. Brian Weinberger

RCL Year C • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Luke 9:28–36

Transfiguration

0 ratings

· 19 views

Notes

Transcript

Sermon Tone Analysis

Emotion

Language

Social

View more →

If there’s one thing that I have learned over the years of working with youth it’s that they love to talk. Whether I was a camp counselor or a youth director or a pastor the fact that most youth like to talk when they are in groups is a given. Another given, is that when they get together they tend to become silly and laugh a lot. We used to have a youth gathering at Faith which we call LeFFSe (which stands for Leadership, Faith, Fellowship, Service) and I can promise you that getting the youth to talk was not an issue.

“Sleep Deprived”

February 10, 2013

by Pastor Brian Weinberger

(title slide) If there’s one thing that I have learned over the years of working with youth it’s that they love to talk. Whether I was a camp counselor or a youth director or a pastor the fact that most youth like to talk when they are in groups is a given(teens talking). Another given is that when they get together they tend to become silly and laugh a lot. In fact this past Wednesday was our second time having youth night which we call (LeFFSe) LeFFSe (which stands for Leadership, Faith, Fellowship, Service) and I can promise you that talking was not an issue.

If there’s one thing that I have learned over the years of working with youth it’s that they love to talk. Whether I was a camp counselor or a youth director or a pastor the fact that most youth like to talk when they are in groups is a given. Another given, is that when they get together they tend to become silly and laugh a lot. In fact this past Wednesday was our second time having youth night which we call LeFFSe (which stands for Leadership, Faith, Fellowship, Service) and I can promise you thatgetting the youth to talk was not an issue.

Toward the end of one of the days that had it, we were having our time for Bible Study and we were actually talking about today’s Gospel text. I was asking them about what things were happening on the mountain and we got on the discussion that Jesus was up on the mountain praying. So I asked them what prayer was and one of them responded that prayer was a conversation with God. I was really excited because we were exactly on the track that I wanted them to be on. So I continued and asked them what makes up a conversation...what are the components that make a conversation happen:

Toward the end of the evening we were having our time for Bible Study and we were actually talking about today’s Gospel text. I was asking them about what things were happening on the mountain and we got on the discussion that Jesus was up on the mountain praying(). So I asked them what prayer was and one of them responded that prayer was a conversation with God (prayer). I was really excited because we were exactly on the track that I wanted them to be on. So I continued and asked them what makes up a conversation (conversation slide)...what are the components that make a conversation happen:

Response #1: talking (talking). Response #2: relationship (relationship). Response #3: topic (topic). Response #4: getting to know someone (know someone). And the responses kept coming. I was happy with the other answers but they were missing one key component to having a conversation, and with the amount of talking they were doing the whole night it was no wonder what response they were missing. What is the other part of a conversation that needs to happen? LISTENING! (listening)

Response #1: talking. Response #2: relationship. Response #3: topic. Response #4: getting to know someone. And the responses kept coming. I was happy with the other answers but they were missing one key component to having a conversation, and with the amount of talking they were doing the whole night it was no wonder what response they were missing. What is the other part of a conversation that needs to happen? LISTENING!

To have a conversation there needs to be talking and listening. I have been to different places that have had us do an icebreaker where we had to listen to someone tell a story to us and we couldn’t respond back. Then it was our turn to tell our own story on the same topic. The whole exercise was about listening when someone else was talking and having someone listen to you when you were talking. Both listening and talking were the key components to the conversation.

To have a conversation there needs to be talking and listening. In fact at our Church Council retreat on Friday Sue Barnard had us do an icebreaker where we had to listen to someone tell a story to us and we couldn’t respond back. Then it was our turn to tell our own story on the same topic. The whole exercise was about listening when someone else was talking and having someone listen to you when you were talking. Both listening and talking were the key components to the conversation.

(message slide) As I mentioned earlier I have worked with kids for a number of years and let me tell you the talking doesn’t slow down the later into the night they hang out. The conversations keep going and the talking keeps happening but they just get weirder and weirder. The more sleep deprived the kids get the wackier their conversations become. I’m sure when you were younger or maybe even to this day when you are up late and you are going on many hours of being awake the odder your conversations become and more bizarre things come out of your mouth. I think we also tend to talk more because it takes more words to try to convey our message than it would if we weren’t so sleep deprived.

As I mentioned earlier I have worked with kids for a number of years and let me tell you the talking doesn’t slow down the later into the night they hang out. The conversations keep going and the talking keeps happening but they just get weirder and weirder. The more sleep deprived the kids get the wackier their conversations become. I’m sure when you were younger or maybe even to this day when you are up late and you aren’t going on many hours of being awake, the odder your conversations become and more bizarre things come out of your mouth. I think we also tend to talk more because it takes more words to try to convey our message than it would if we weren’t so sleep deprived.

That’s exactly what has happened in our Gospel lesson today (Transfiguration). Jesus has taken Peter, James, and John up to the mountain to pray and while he is praying Moses and Elijah appear and they begin to have a conversation about Jesus’ departure. It doesn’t tell us what the whole conversation is about between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah but since it was about his departure we can probably assume that it covered the passion story (three crosses). They probably talked about his trial and how he would be handed over to be crucified and that he would die on the cross and be laid in a tomb. They would talk about how on three days he would rise again and walk among the disciples and then he would ascend into heaven and leave the disciples to continue spreading the gospel.

That’s exactly what has happened in our Gospel lesson today. Jesus has taken Peter, James, and John up to the mountain to pray and while he is praying Moses and Elijah appear and they begin to have a conversation about Jesus’ departure. It doesn’t tell us what the whole conversation is about between Jesus, Moses, and Elijah but since it was about his departure we can probably assume that it covered the passion story. They probably talked about his trial and how he would be handed over to be crucified and that he would die on the cross and be laid in a tomb. They would talk about how in three days he would rise again and walk among the disciples and then he would ascend into heaven and leave the disciples to continue spreading the gospel.

I don’t know about you but deep theological conversations about salvation are hard enough to do on a day when I am alert and awake but if I were sleep deprived like the disciples and unprepared for something like that I think hearing that conversation happen in front of me would be a lot to grasp.

(message slide) So here’s Peter listening to Jesus who he has earlier declared is the Messiah, talking to Moses who represents the Law of God, and with Elijah who represents the wisdom of the prophets, and with what little brain power he has left still running from being sleep deprived, he starts talking about how it would be important to build three dwelling places for the Messiah, the Law, and the Prophets to mark the significance of this occasion. Peter was babbling either from sleep deprivation or sheer awe at what he saw, or maybe even a combination of both, and as he is talking about commemorating this moment a cloud appears and consumes them and a voice comes from it and God declares, () “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”

So here’s Peter listening to Jesus who he has earlier declared is the Messiah, talking to Moses who represents the law of God, and with Elijah who represents the wisdom of the prophets, and with what little brain power he has left still running from being sleep deprived, he starts talking about how it would be important to build three dwelling places for the Messiah, the Law, and the Prophets to mark the significance of this occasion. Peter was babbling either from sleep deprivation or sheer awe at what he saw, or maybe even a combination of both, and as he is talking about commemorating this moment a cloud appears and consumes them and a voice comes from it and God declares, “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him!”

It is as if God were saying, “Peter, shut up!” Too many times in your life have you used words to try to help the situation and it doesn’t always work. Think about what happens later in the gospels. Peter said he would never deny Jesus and just a few hours later he does that very thing 3 times. Peter has a tendency to say too much and not listen enough and being sleep deprived didn’t seem to help him much because this time God interrupted Peter to tell him to stop talking and LISTEN!

It is as if God were saying, “Peter, shut up!” Too many times in your life have you used words to try to help the situation and it doesn’t always work out. Think about the video I showed you a few weeks ago. Peter said he would never deny Jesus and just a few hours later he does that very thing. Peter has a tendency to say too much and not listen enough and being sleep deprived didn’t seem to help him much because this time God interrupted Peter to tell him to stop talking and LISTEN!

So my question for us all to consider today is how much time do we spend talking at God instead of talking with God? How much time do we spend listening to what God has to say to us and for us? Is it easier for us to do or talk rather than to listen? Although we may not be sleep deprived like Peter was, I think we act sleep deprived more often than not when it comes to our conversations with God. We do so much talking and so much doing that we sometimes forget to stop and listen. Sometimes we forget like the youth that talking involves both parts of a conversation talking and listening, and that talking to God really is just a conversation with God.

(Listen) So my question for us all to consider today is how much time do we spend talking at God instead of talking with God? How much time do we spend listening to what God has to say to us and for us? Is it easier for us to do rather than to listen? Although we may not be sleep deprived like Peter was I think we act sleep deprived more often than not when it comes to our conversations with God. We do so much talking and so much doing that we sometimes forget to stop and listen.

I want us to take a moment and try something that I have found helpful when I find myself busy, talkative, and sleep deprived in my spiritual life. Many of you may have done this but I want us to take some time this morning to listen to God. The reading comes from and it says this, “Be still, and know that I am God!” I want you to close your eyes and listen to these words, and I am going to keep repeating them but I will take words away each time until I end with just the word “be”. After that just spend a few moments listening to the silence and listening for God. Close your eyes and lets start.

I want us to take a moment and try something that I have found helpful in my busy, talkative, sleep deprived spiritual life. Many of you may have done this but I want us to take some time this morning to listen to God. The reading comes from () and it says this, “Be still, and know that I am God!” I want you to close your eyes and listen to these words and I am going to keep repeating them but I will take words away each time until I end with just the word “be”. After that just spend a few moments listening to the silence and listening for God. Close your eyes and lets start.

Be still and know that I am God...

Be still and know that I am God...Be still and know that I am...Be still and know...Be still...Be.

This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him. Listen to the words of Christ. Listen to what God is calling each of us to do. I was once told that in all that we do don’t ever forget that if we listen to the Spirit, the Spirit will guide us in the things that we should do. As we go from this place of worship, as we work, as we play, as we rest, as we do, and as we talk, always remember that there is a voice from heaven calling to us reminding us to listen to the words of Jesus, words of grace, words of love, words of hope. Those words will never fail us.

Be still and know that I am... (I am slide)

Amen.

Be still and know... (know slide)

Be still... (be still slide)

Be... (be slide)

(message slide) This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him. Listen to the words of Christ. Listen to what God is calling each of us to do. On Friday at the retreat toward the very end, Deb said that in all that we do don’t ever forget that if we listen to the Spirit the Spirit will guide us in the things that we should do. As we go from this place of worship, as we work, as we play, as we rest, as we do, and as we talk always remember that there is a voice from heaven calling to us reminding us to listen to the words of Jesus...words of grace, words of love, words of hope. Those words will never fail us.