Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm19960703.htm

MARK: GOSPEL OF THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, GOD'S SERVANT
Part XX: Practicing The Principle Of Taking A Spiritual Vacation
(Mark 6:30-32)
  1. Introduction
    1. God wants the believer to live a productive life, not a life of nonproductive, laziness, cf. Titus 3:14.
    2. However, the work of serving God can become very tiring, especially if there has been extensive time spent in public ministrations or angelic conflicts.
    3. The question arises in connection with these two challenges as follows: Is it ever right to take a break in the spiritual realm of Christian service, or not? If so, when is it good, why and how should we take it?
    4. Mark 6:30-32 with its preceding context of Mark 6:12-13 answer this as follows:
  2. Practicing The Principle Of Taking A Spiritual Vacation, Mark 6:30-32.
    1. After the disciples had finished ministering upon Christ's sending them out, they reported back to Jesus all the things they had achieved and what they had taught, Mark 6:30.
    2. Right after this report, Jesus told the men to take a spiritual vacation for some rest, Mark 6:31.
    3. By examining the context, we learn a lot of lessons on taking a divinely-sanctioned spiritual vacation from ministry efforts as follows:
      1. Item One - Ministries where there has been extensive deliverance of the Gospel is wearing due to the angelic conflict, and one needs to space out his deliverances of the Gospel to meter his energies accordingly, cf. Mar k 6:12 with 6:30-31.
      2. Item Two - Ministries where one has had to do battle with the angelic conflict is very wearing, and we need to take breaks from such conflicts for rest, Mark 6:13a with 6:30-31a.
      3. Item Three - Ministries where one has had extensive use of his supernatural gift, no matter how successful, is wearing on him, and he needs to take a break from successful ministries, Mark 6:13b, 30f.
      4. Item Four - Ministries where there is a climate of severe opposition from other humans is wearing as well, and one does well to take a break for rest from that wear, Mark 6:14-29 with 6:30-31a.
      5. Item Five - When taking a break, one needs a change of location or he will be less likely to rest, 6:31a.
      6. Item Six - When choosing a location for a break, one needs to find a place that releases him from much extra human or angelic contact. In Jesus' case, He recommended a desert place, Mk. 6:31b.
      7. Item Seven - It takes time for the human psyche, body and spirit to gain refreshment, so Jesus recommended a period of time, something He called "a while," Mk. 6:31c.
      8. Item Eight - Ministries where one is very busy so that his regular schedule for basic functions such as eating or sleeping, etc. are interrupted necessitate his getting a spiritually refreshing vacation, Mk. 6:31d
Lesson: If the Son of God in His very crucial earthly ministry of such a limited time frame felt it was necessary to use some of that time to rest His men for their spiritual welfare, and that after their having had very successful spiritual minist ries, it necessarily follows that we should follow suit. After all, we are only human beings in unglorified bodies that are vulnerable to all sorts of failure, physically, mentally and emotionally. Wisdom dictates that we realize our limitations, and work within them!

Application: We should take spiritual vacations WHEN (a) we have had an extensive ministry in witnessing, (b) we have faced angelic conflict, (c) we have used our spiritual gift a lot, (d) we have faced much human opposition and (e) when our regula r, necessary schedules have been so interrupted that we cannot get the food or sleep needed to live healthy lives. We should take the vacations BY (a) relocating where (b) we find relief from excessive contact with others and (c) doing so over the needed t ime to find relief for which we are on the said vacation.