Burnout: Breathing Slow While Moving Fast
Pack Light
Jesse Holcomb
Today’s Scripture: Luke 9:1-9
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Luke 9:1-6 CSB Commissioning the Twelve
Summoning the Twelve, he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. Then he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for the road,” he told them, “no staff, no traveling bag, no bread, no money; and don’t take an extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. If they do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and traveled from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere
1. Burn Out Increases as the Burdens Get Heavier
Burdens We Carry:
Psalms 103:8-10 CSB
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.
Cultural Distractions
“instead of being a people who have good news to share, news that could transform the world, we have become a people mired in the twenty-four-hour news cycle, fed a constant diet of hopelessness and despair. Our ability to dismiss the work of God in the church has become toxic. We are plagued by a lack of expectation and have begun to believe that this is all there is.”
― Jon Tyson, Beautiful Resistance: The Joy of Conviction in a Culture of Compromise
2 Timothy 2:22-23 CSB
Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels.
2. Jesus Packs Our Bags
Matthew 11:28-30 CSB
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Luke 9: 7-9 CSB
Herod the tetrarch heard about everything that was going on. He was perplexed, because some said that John had been raised from the dead, some that Elijah had appeared, and others that one of the ancient prophets had risen. “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this I hear such things about?” And he wanted to see him.
3. Seeing Jesus vs. Following Jesus
Luke 23:6-12 CSB
When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. Finding that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see him because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by him. So he kept asking him questions, but Jesus did not answer him. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt, mocked him, dressed him in bright clothing, and sent him back to Pilate. That very day Herod and Pilate became friends. Previously, they had been enemies.
You don’t get any points, praise, or rewards for asking about Jesus while never going to see or getting to know Jesus for yourself. It is a tragic mistake leaving the question “who is Jesus?” unanswered. We must all answer that question. ― Thabiti Anyabwile
