Sabbatical and the Last 5 percent… Colossians 3, 4
Good morning! Well, this is it. This is the last time I will be with you until November ninth. For those of you who are unaware, I will be taking a three month Sabbatical starting tomorrow.
It is part of our rhythm here to grant the pastor a Sabbatical every five to seven years and as of today it’s been six years since my last Sabbatical.
The purpose of offering, actually requiring, a sabbatical every five to seven years is really to ward off pastoral burnout, which is an all too common occurrence.
After the year I’ve had, with the loss of my sister in February, and the loss of my brother in July, as well as all of the other plates I’ve got spinning, it’s pretty clear that this break is necessary now.
The two questions that I get the most about my Sabbatical are, “What will you do, and where will you go for your Sabbatical?”
That is what I would like to address this morning.
Let’s pray.
Luke 10:38-41
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Sound familiar to you? Is there so much going on you just don’t have time for Jesus? Maybe you are so busy working for him you don’t have any time to be with him? Welcome to my life… I am a husband of twenty-five years, a father of four wonderful and very active kids, a disciple of Christ, a pastor, a firefighter, a restaurant owner, a Bible study facilitator, a Ski patroller, a mentor, a friend, a son, an uncle, a cousin… Blah, blah, blah, my life is crazy busy!
And I’m sure all of your lives are as well. Jesus, through this passage has something very important to teach us.
Wayne Cordeiro in his book “The Divine Mentor” puts it this way:
“About 80 percent of all you do, anyone can do! For example, going to work, attending meetings, checking email, answering phones, going to soccer games and lunches and dinners.
Additionally, about 15 percent of all you do someone with some measure of training could do in your place. Whether it’s selling a product, running a program, teaching a class, or fixing a problem, there is education and training available for someone else to do what you do.
But at least 5 percent of what you do, only you can do. No one else can do it for you.”
Only I can be a husband to my wife. Only I can be a dad to my kids. Only I can control my personal and spiritual discipline and only I can choose my reaction to circumstances.
Mary, in this passage, chose the good portion, she chose what was better. She didn’t focus on the busyness and the preparations like Martha; she focused on Jesus and what He was teaching.
So what is Jesus trying to teach us now? Turn with me to Colossians chapters 3 and 4 and listen to the words of the Apostle Paul. Page 984.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Whose responsibility is it to set my mind on things above? How about yours? This is one of my goals for Sabbatical; to unplug from most of my earthly responsibilities in order to set my mind on things above. It ought to be all of our goals.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Whose responsibility is it to put to death the things of my earthly nature, my old self? How about yours? Spiritual renewal is another my goals for this time of ceasing. There will be no smartphones, no social media, no computers, no email, no messenger in order to focus on the Lord and His Word.
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Whose responsibility is it to clothe me in the virtues of Christ? How about you?
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Whose responsibility is it to choose my attitude and reaction to every situation? How about yours?
I admit that the peace of Christ has seemed elusive these past few months, but the Lord is already at work in healing my heart.
18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
Whose responsibility is it to make sure I am living according to Christ’s household order, to treat my spouse and children and employees with love and respect? How about you?
I have been so blessed in this area, and I am grateful for my loving and supportive wife and for children that love the Lord and are following Him. They have suffered right along with me this year and are each moving into new stages in their own lives and need all the love and support from me that they can get.
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Whose responsibility is it to make sure I am devoted to communion with God our Father? How about you? I admit that the pace of my life has negatively affected my time alone with the Lord, and my times of suffering has made me question His nearness to me, and though I know in my head that He remains close to the brokenhearted, I don’t always feel it in my heart. It is my goal to recover this intimacy with the Lord.
This passage in Colossians covers the five percent of the things in my life that only I can do, with one exception…
In talking with a friend about this, my friend asked me, “What about the things that God has designed you specifically to do? God has created you with a certain ‘Heath-ness,’ a certain set of experiences, for his purposes, to do a work for Him that only you can do, what about that?”
I really had to think about that. Of course I agree that God has created us all unique for a purpose that is uniquely ours, but I didn’t know at first what that purpose was until the Lord made it clear to me.
Only you can share the gospel and testify to God’s love shown to you throughout your life based on your unique experience within your unique sphere of influence.
Anybody could have shared the gospel with my Grampa but it was a role set aside for me, anybody could have shared the gospel with my kids but it was a role set apart for me to lead them to Christ.
This is the work that only you can do, to share the gospel based on God’s love shown to you throughout your life and your own unique experience within your personal sphere of influence. Your friends, your family, your co-workers.
Wayne Cordeiro wrote:
“It’s for this last 5 percent that each of us will be held accountable in that great and final day. It’s the last 5 percent that will determine the depth of influence we will have on the generations after us. It’s the last 5 percent that will decide how joyful our marriages will be and how genuine our legacy is.
And one of the most important aspects of the 5 percent is this: no one but you can sit before the Lord to hear his instructions for you! Jesus’ words again ring true as he speaks to you and me:
‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’”
The last five percent… It is what only you are responsible for. Let’s agree to make it our first five percent!
That is my goal and focus for this Sabbatical, to rest, to reset, and heal, so that I can be rejuvenated and ready to focus on my most important five percent.
And in whatever way possible I would encourage you to do the same.
Be the best husband or wife to your spouse, be a great mom or dad to your kids no matter how old they are- they still need you; get control of your personal and spiritual discipline, only you can make yourself go for that walk or get to the gym, only you can sit before the Lord and hear His instructions and encouragements for you. Choose well your reactions to circumstances, choose to share the gospel within your sphere of influence.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts- you are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, let your life communicate that love.
It has been a privilege to share with you today, let’s pray.
