Hiking Your Own Hike: Embracing Community and Solitude
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound concept of "hiking your own hike" through the lens of John 6 and the story of Jesus and His disciples. This phrase, borrowed from my father's Appalachian Trail journey, serves as a metaphor for our spiritual and life journeys. Each of us has a unique path to walk, filled with personal challenges and experiences. Yet, we are not alone. We are part of a larger community, a "cloud of witnesses," that supports and walks with us, even when we feel isolated.
The story of Jesus in John 6 is particularly poignant. Despite having many followers, Jesus experienced abandonment when His teachings became difficult to accept. However, He did not curse or condemn those who left. Instead, He expressed a deep pathos, a sense of loss and longing. This mirrors our own experiences of being "ghosted" or abandoned by friends and loved ones. Yet, even in these moments, we are reminded that we are never truly alone. We are surrounded by a community of believers, friends, and even strangers who become part of our journey.
The concept of community extends beyond our immediate circles. It includes the global body of Christ, which is diverse and sometimes divided. The recent World Methodist Conference in Sweden highlighted this diversity, bringing together 80 different Methodist communions. Despite our differences, we are all part of the body of Christ, united by love and grace.
In our individual hikes, we encounter both solitude and community. We face challenges that we must overcome alone, but we also experience the joy and support of others who walk with us. This duality is a reflection of our spiritual journey, where we explore our faith individually but also share it within a community. As we navigate this journey, we are reminded that we are profoundly connected, not just to each other, but to the divine love that binds us all.
### Key Takeaways
1. Hiking Your Own Hike: Each of us has a unique spiritual and life journey, filled with personal challenges and experiences. While we must walk our own paths, we are never truly alone. We are part of a larger community that supports and walks with us, reflecting the interconnectedness of the body of Christ. [33:23]
2. The Pathos of Abandonment: Jesus' experience of abandonment in John 6 teaches us about the deep sense of loss and longing that comes with being deserted by those we care about. Yet, Jesus did not curse or condemn those who left. This teaches us to handle our own experiences of abandonment with grace and understanding. [43:24]
3. Community and Solitude: Our spiritual journey involves both solitude and community. We face challenges that we must overcome alone, but we also experience the joy and support of others who walk with us. This duality enriches our journey and helps us grow in faith and love. [46:48]
4. Global Body of Christ: The diversity within the global body of Christ, as highlighted by the World Methodist Conference, reminds us that we are part of a larger, diverse community. Despite our differences, we are united by love and grace, reflecting the profound interconnectedness of all believers. [53:04]
5. Profound Connections: We are profoundly connected, not just to each other, but to the divine love that binds us all. This interconnectedness is a reflection of the creative, generous, and graceful power of God at work in all humanity and all living things. It is a reminder that we are never truly alone in our journey. [48:34]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[18:19] - AIDS Walk Delaware Announcement
[19:20] - Golf Tournament Update
[33:23] - Hiking Your Own Hike
[33:53] - Story of Abandonment
[34:21] - Dad's Appalachian Trail Journey
[35:07] - Hiking Vikings
[36:20] - Continuing the Hike
[37:27] - Trail Community
[38:14] - Community Beyond the Trail
[40:48] - Parable of Life
[41:28] - John 6 Reflection
[44:59] - Peter's Question
[46:48] - Strangers and Family
[48:34] - Body of Christ
[53:04] - World Methodist Conference
[56:08] - Unity in Diversity
[01:01:41] - Final Blessing
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. John 6:66-69 (NIV)
> From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God."
2. Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
> Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
3. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NIV)
> Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
#### Observation Questions
1. What does the phrase "hiking your own hike" mean in the context of the sermon? ([33:23])
2. How did Jesus respond to the abandonment of many of His disciples in John 6? ([43:24])
3. What is the significance of the "cloud of witnesses" mentioned in Hebrews 12:1?
4. How does 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 describe the unity and diversity within the body of Christ?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus chose not to curse or condemn those who abandoned Him in John 6? What does this teach us about handling our own experiences of abandonment? ([43:24])
2. How can the concept of "hiking your own hike" be applied to our spiritual journeys? What are some personal challenges you might face alone, and how can community support you? ([33:23])
3. In what ways does the diversity within the global body of Christ, as highlighted by the World Methodist Conference, reflect the interconnectedness of all believers? ([53:04])
4. How does the metaphor of being surrounded by a "cloud of witnesses" in Hebrews 12:1 encourage us in our faith journey?
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt abandoned or "ghosted" by someone close to you. How did you handle it, and what can you learn from Jesus' response in John 6? ([43:24])
2. Think about your own spiritual journey. What are some unique challenges you face, and how can you seek support from your community to overcome them? ([33:23])
3. How can you contribute to the unity and diversity within your local church or the global body of Christ? What specific actions can you take to foster inclusivity and understanding? ([53:04])
4. Identify a person or group in your life who has been a part of your "cloud of witnesses." How can you express your gratitude to them this week?
5. Reflect on the duality of solitude and community in your spiritual journey. How can you balance personal reflection with active participation in your faith community? ([46:48])
6. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of connection to the divine love that binds us all, as described in the sermon? What practices or habits can you incorporate into your daily life to remind you of this interconnectedness? ([48:34])
7. Think of a specific way you can support someone else in their spiritual journey this week. How can you be a part of their "cloud of witnesses"?
Devotional
Day 1: Walking Your Unique Path
Each of us has a unique spiritual and life journey, filled with personal challenges and experiences. While we must walk our own paths, we are never truly alone. We are part of a larger community that supports and walks with us, reflecting the interconnectedness of the body of Christ. [33:23]
In life, we often find ourselves on paths that are uniquely our own, filled with personal challenges, triumphs, and experiences. This journey can sometimes feel isolating, but it is important to remember that we are never truly alone. We are part of a larger community, a "cloud of witnesses," that supports and walks with us. This interconnectedness is a reflection of the body of Christ, where each member plays a vital role in the collective journey of faith.
The metaphor of "hiking your own hike" reminds us that while our paths are unique, they are also intertwined with the paths of others. We are part of a larger tapestry, woven together by the love and grace of God. This community not only includes our immediate circles but extends to the global body of Christ, encompassing believers from all walks of life. As we navigate our individual journeys, we can find comfort and strength in knowing that we are supported by a loving and diverse community.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV): "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"
Reflection: Think of a time when you felt alone in your journey. How did the support of others help you through that period? How can you be a source of support for someone else today?
Day 2: Grace in Abandonment
Jesus' experience of abandonment in John 6 teaches us about the deep sense of loss and longing that comes with being deserted by those we care about. Yet, Jesus did not curse or condemn those who left. This teaches us to handle our own experiences of abandonment with grace and understanding. [43:24]
In John 6, we see a poignant moment where many of Jesus' followers abandon Him because His teachings become difficult to accept. Despite the deep sense of loss and longing that Jesus must have felt, He did not curse or condemn those who left. Instead, He responded with grace and understanding, embodying the profound love and compassion that He teaches us to have for one another.
This experience of abandonment is something many of us can relate to. We have all faced moments where friends or loved ones have deserted us, leaving us with a sense of loss and longing. Jesus' response in John 6 serves as a powerful example of how we can handle these experiences with grace. Rather than harboring resentment or anger, we are called to respond with love and understanding, recognizing that we are never truly alone. We are always surrounded by a community of believers who support and walk with us.
Psalm 27:10 (ESV): "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt abandoned by someone you cared about. How can you respond to that experience with grace and understanding, following Jesus' example?
Day 3: The Balance of Solitude and Community
Our spiritual journey involves both solitude and community. We face challenges that we must overcome alone, but we also experience the joy and support of others who walk with us. This duality enriches our journey and helps us grow in faith and love. [46:48]
The spiritual journey is a delicate balance between solitude and community. There are moments when we must face challenges alone, relying on our inner strength and faith to overcome obstacles. These periods of solitude are essential for personal growth and self-discovery. They allow us to deepen our relationship with God and understand our unique purpose in life.
However, our journey is also enriched by the presence of others. The joy and support we receive from our community play a crucial role in our spiritual growth. Friends, family, and fellow believers provide encouragement, wisdom, and companionship, helping us navigate the complexities of life. This duality of solitude and community reflects the nature of our faith journey, where we are called to explore our relationship with God individually while also sharing it within a community.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Reflection: Think about a recent challenge you faced. How did solitude help you grow through that experience? How did the support of your community play a role in your journey?
Day 4: Embracing Diversity in the Body of Christ
The diversity within the global body of Christ, as highlighted by the World Methodist Conference, reminds us that we are part of a larger, diverse community. Despite our differences, we are united by love and grace, reflecting the profound interconnectedness of all believers. [53:04]
The global body of Christ is a rich tapestry of diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives. This diversity was beautifully highlighted at the recent World Methodist Conference in Sweden, where 80 different Methodist communions came together. Despite our differences, we are united by the love and grace of Christ, reflecting the profound interconnectedness of all believers.
Embracing this diversity is essential for our spiritual growth. It allows us to see the many ways in which God's love and grace manifest in different cultures and communities. By celebrating our differences, we can learn from one another and grow in our understanding of God's kingdom. This unity in diversity is a powerful testament to the inclusive and all-encompassing nature of God's love.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you encountered a different culture or perspective within the body of Christ. How did that experience enrich your understanding of God's love and grace?
Day 5: Divine Connections
We are profoundly connected, not just to each other, but to the divine love that binds us all. This interconnectedness is a reflection of the creative, generous, and graceful power of God at work in all humanity and all living things. It is a reminder that we are never truly alone in our journey. [48:34]
Our lives are woven together by the divine love that binds us all. This profound interconnectedness is a reflection of the creative, generous, and graceful power of God at work in all humanity and all living things. It serves as a constant reminder that we are never truly alone in our journey, no matter how isolated we may feel at times.
This divine connection extends beyond our immediate relationships and communities. It encompasses all of creation, reminding us of the intricate and beautiful ways in which God is present in our lives. By recognizing and embracing this interconnectedness, we can deepen our relationship with God and with one another, finding strength and comfort in the knowledge that we are all part of a larger, divine plan.
Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV): "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on the ways in which you feel connected to others and to God. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of this divine interconnectedness in your daily life?
Quotes
1. "Fellow travelers, on the way that leads to life. I know I've talked about this before, but I've been thinking all week as I've reflected on this passage from John 6, a very provocative kind of story that is easy to miss. The tension is easy to miss. And I've been thinking all week of a phrase that my dad used when in 2015 he hiked for five months. He hiked the Appalachian Trail from end to end." [33:23] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "So he calls me up one day in North Carolina. He was somewhere in the mountains of North Carolina and he had a hernia. And there was a couple that was hiking with him. They were called the Hiking Vikings. And they said, you got a hernia, you need to see a doctor. It was sort of the end of this journey for him or seemed like it. Mom, my mother was in the area at a church conference. And so, you know, I got on Google satellite. I felt like I was kind of in a some sort of military control complex, you know, getting this rendezvous set up." [35:34] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "And I offer that to you as a way of a kind of a parable. To think about life, our life-life, you know, the one we live in the flesh, the one we live in spirit, and the kinds of things that no one can help us with. The kind of things we have to do alone, and the kind of things that we can, can joyfully and gracefully anticipate and expect and celebrate others to join in the doing and the experiencing with us." [40:48] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "So Jesus, if he was measured by the numbers of friends was, you know, and followers was doing pretty good. And just about all of them deserted by the end of the chapter. These aren't just frivolous crowds gathering around. These are his disciples, the ones who sat at his feet. The ones who are part of the movement. And the story almost gets a little pathetic. Now one of the things that I noticed and I want to point out is that Jesus doesn't do something here that you might expect him to do. He doesn't curse the people who left." [43:24] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "And whenever someone ghosts you in some way, whether it's on the internet or in person but no longer in person, a little bit of you has gone away with that person and a little bit of them. And the little bit of them kind of remains with you. Do you know what that's like? I'm not going to ask for a show of hands. I think that's common to what it means to walk through life hiking our own height but blessedly, gracefully together." [44:03] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "To whom can I go as I experience my hike alone in this journey of life? A little bit later on, before he gives himself up to be sacrificed for love of the world, he tells these twelve and perhaps others, others by then who were gathered with him at the last, where I go, does anyone remember what he said? You cannot follow. Okay, that's the bad news. We're alone. What's the good news? Well, the good news is, it seems like in this life, hiking our own hike, wherever we turn, there's someone, there's some kind of grace." [45:30] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We may be hiking our hike on our own, but we are not alone doing it. And here's where some of the weird part of all that talk of bread, and eating, and flesh comes in. We call ourselves, and I think this goes beyond the boundaries of the church, the body of Christ. And if that means anything, it means that we are truly bound together in some profound and miraculous way by love, by the creative, and generous, and graceful power of God at work in all humanity, all living things." [48:34] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "We say at Epworth, it's one of the interesting things we say, we say, explore, faith, I was waiting for you, that was a test, and experience community. And one of the things about exploring faith is that that is a separate journey for us all. A lot of times when we start trying to talk to one another about how that exploration is going, once we get beyond the churchy words, those words that are supposed to mean everything, well, words like love perhaps, and even words like Jesus Christ and our experience of what it means to be in relationship, with Christ, then suddenly we can find nuances that maybe kind of set us off balance." [49:57] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "And what about those global Methodists? You know, the folks who left because they're like, well, we don't think you're being holy enough, and we think gays and lesbians ought not be part of the church, and you know, that sort of thing. Are we ever going to get back together? Well, who knows? If and when that happens, I'm sure that we'll be distinct, and we'll still be emphasizing that all truly does mean all. And perhaps we will be able to, you know, for a time, we worshiped and wept and ministered together, and we're ministering in separate places." [56:08] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Look around. You are surrounded by love. You are part of that surrounding. And that's good news indeed. Amen. Amen. There's no school like the old school. It's so nice to be able to hit your knees in the prayer closet, so to speak, and feel a surrounding of the Spirit. But it can get a little lonely in there sometimes. So, I told you I'd get back to that question about Peter. And I want to just kind of include it as the blessing of the today. To whom can we go? Look around. Everywhere and anywhere, a member of the body of Christ waits with open arms for you along this journey of life. Amen." [01:01:41] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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