Luke 4:42-44 - Prayer For Direction

Introduction:

Last week we read of Jesus in Bethesda, healing the physically ill, and the many with various diseases and the demon possessed.

Us coming to a conclusion about how in that text last week, Jesus showing us He is all powerful and sovereign over all!

Over the things that are physical and the things that are spiritual.

Jesus in our text healing, the physical and cleansing the spiritually dark; He bringing to life and shining His Gospel light and power in this city of Bethesda on the sea of Sea of Galilee

Making it as if looking from the sea from a ship a lighthouse on the shores of the coast of Galilee

1 Cor 4:20 “For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.”

And where we will pick up today in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus departs away from the people, to a desolate place, to pray to His Father to be ready to “go” and further (the Gospel message) & (His Fathers will on the earth)

And to just remind us as Paul says 1 Cor 11:1 “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” - So this text and every text in the bible we are to learn from Christ’s life, and example so today may this be the case, and may we seek the will of our Father in heaven, as we will read of how Jesus His Son did.

Please Stand

Read Luke 4:42-44 “And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Pray

Luke 4:42 “And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them,”

Jesus we know from last Sunday just turned a city to Himself. (while not everyone was healed and delivered; so it’s clear many were “brought to Him, and He laid His hands on them and they were healed.” V.40

If we remember the timeline of when Jesus started his journey from capernaum to Bethesda near the Sea of Galilee

1st Day:

Left Caperanaum, arrived at Simon Peters house and Healed his mother-in-law (daytime)

Left Simon Peters house and and many came to Him at “sun set” on the same day (night time)

2nd: Day: And into the night He is healing people and delivering those from demons.

And when it was ”day” (being the next day) He departed to a desolate place…”

This word “day” meaning in the greek daybreak

Or in the Gospel of Mark which tells of this same account of Jesus ministry; we are read it as it says…“early in the morning”

So context here, Jesus has had a full day of ministry, and a full night of ministry into the early morning hours:

Jesus has been healing; and doing the will of His Father on earth and we see when it was day... he departed…”

“He departed…

And in the Gospel of Mark we read of this same departure… Mark 1:35 “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark… he departed... and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

And so one thing that is clear in both the Gospel of Luke and Mark’s Gospel account, is Jesus “departed”

Departed meaning - to go. - meaning don’t stay in the same spot physically you have been, depature is a physical action that we will see has spiritual fruit to follow.

Because sometimes we just need to go right? For Jesus being fully God and fully man, so we see He needed to leave them for now, the crowds and we read of other accounts of Jesus departing after big ministry moments.

Can you imagine how many people were probably around Jesus and waiting to be touched by Jesus? || Or as we know the woman who touched His robe...

And for us in different seasons of life we need to depart or retreat as well, we need to get away from the normal and busyness of life, and we need to just be still before our Father in heaven.

I will give you an example really quick - For my family and I:

We will be out next Sunday and brother Henry will be preaching for me. Why?

Because me and my Family will be in the woods away from everyone and everything normal; to celebrate our 6th year anniversary & to recalibrate, worship, pray, to just be with one another and with the Lord from (Thursday-Sunday)

Why do I tell you this? I tell you this as your pastor that my soul is in need of a departure, to go physically, just as Jesus did to be away to pray to my Father in heaven and to be with my family

I ask that you please pray for my family and I as we take this (much needed departure to celebrate God’s faithfulness in 6 years of marriage, and that the Lord would speak to us all through His Word and His Holy Spirit, readying and refreshing us for the Gospel ministry here at FBC Ben Wheeler.)

See “Jesus departed(togo)…and went…”

Went - in the greek meaning to “travel”

Signifying to us you must depart physically, and be away from what has you consumed, busy, or even distracted.

And travel to a new location, But where did Jesus go?

“He departed and went…to a desolate place…”

Desolate meaning a place where there was no one else; no distractions and in His case no one coming up to Him and asking Him to heal them or deliver them. (Not that really any of these healings were distractions to Him)

But Church family Jesus had been doing this all day and all night, and He was longing for communion with His Father and I think we could even say rest at this point.

Well pastor, isn’t Jesus the God man, fully God and fully man at the same time? (YES HE IS)

Then why would He need to “depart to desolate place?” - Isn’t He all things, and all powerful?

Why would He who is all things and all powerful, need to find this time to depart, to a desolate place?

See a very simple question we can ask here, do you get tired? Yes. (so did Jesus, in His fully man nature)

Just as Jesus was on the earth fully God and fully man He needed to still eat, and sleep to live, to fulfill His ministry.

So we see it was just as important for Him to go and depart to a desolate place...

And we as His Children need to heed His Words, because we are not fully God and fully man; we are man saved and in the struggle of the flesh and Spirit, and so even more if Jesus needed to depart to a desolate place as fully God and fully man, then how much more should we be seeking for those departures to the desolate places?

But to do what? What do we need to do once we depart?

This is where the Gospel of Mark helps us understand why Jesus departed specifically…

“He departed and went out to a desolate place and prayed…”

This makes it very clear, He went to be by Himself so that He could pray To His Father in heaven

He had departed to this place to pray!

See prayer is our communication between our Father in Heaven and us, Jesus making this possible with His faithfulness to His Father’s will to die for us, tearing the veil so that we can have access to God, through the Holy Spirit

And so in prayer it’s not all us speaking, (telling God what we want, long for a desire) but prayer is also us listening.

So Jesus in His departure to the desolate place was praying…

As we continue on in V. 42

V.42…”And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept from leaving them but He said to them…”

See now all that Jesus had done, in his power and might, so now it sounds like they didn’t want to give Jesus a break right? “and the people sought him...”

He was doing miracle after miracle, but it’s clear Jesus knew His limit and needed to depart and be in a desolate place. (where there was no one their so He could pray to His Father)

So “the people…Sought” - in the greek meaning they desired of Him, or required from Him something

Let me ask us a question:

For when we know we need time with the Lord and in prayer, wether it be on a retreat or even just a day trip to the park to clear your head, or on the front porch...

And someone is seeking you and starts talking to you, requiring of you, or desiring from you, when you are trying to pray, so how does this make you feel?

Or for me what if a Church member needs something that can wait and is not an emergency? (Which yes I do try to answer, but times if it’s not a emergency, and say for instance I am in the study, I am in the study undistracted because it’s important for me to be focused)

See we all can answer this question, how does this make you feel to be sought when you have departed to be alone to pray?

It’s at times frustrating, and disappointing when our time of prayer and mediation on the Word is interrupted right?

“and so the people sought Him and came to Him and would of have kept Him from leaving them...

So in our text who is this them?

If we go back to the Gospel account of Mark 1:36 “And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,”

See they being (Simon, James and John the sons of Zebedee) the closest ones to Jesus, in a sense they being the ones to see him work in Bethesda first at Simons house, and then were served in Simons house together with Christ by Simon’s mother-in-law, so they would of “kept Him from leaving them”

Don’t leave Jesus there is more for you here!

There is more people to be healed and many more to be delivered!

But what did Jesus say, (mind you it would be nicer than most of us, and in step with patience and love, as His time in prayer to His Father was indeed interrupted, by those who sought Him)

Luke 4:43 “but he said to them...“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.””

When anyone starts out there sentence with “I must” so we know what is about to follow is not something they are unsure of or even contemplating, but are deeply sure of and will act upon what they say.

In other words this Kingdom work of the Good News of the Kingdom of God, is not just coming to Bethesda only.

But to many other towns and for many other people to know and believe in Jesus the Messiah, the only Son of God.

In Jesus reply so we can see as He was able to depart to a desolate place and pray...

From His time in prayer, (as he traveled away from the business of neediness of the people) He has been given an answer & direction on what is He to do next as He says... “I must”

Because Jesus was about His Fathers will while on earth.

Remember Jesus using this text to serve as an example for us to show us what to do. (so we can see…

He must depart, to be by himself, and pray and listen for His Fathers direction.

And Jesus doesn’t come away from this time of prayer to His Father saying... “i might” - no “I must” - it’s a for sure direction and leading… He knows where He is to go next.

It’s like when we will depart for our short anniversary trip. I will tell you I do pray the Lord speaks to us through His Holy Spirit and His Word for continued direction, correction, conviction and encouragement. (For this season in our life and ministry)

I do pray to come back to Ben Wheeler refreshed, by God to finish out the rest of 2022

I do pray to have certain Scriptures I can hold close to my heart for the winter season ahead

I do pray that I would have deeper clarity and direction for how to lead my family and my flock at FBCBW.

I want to come away from that time with an “I must desire for the things of my Father in heaven”

See the Word of God (Who is Christ) serves as an example to us; on how to follow and live as Christ lived:

And at the moments when we do depart, just as Jesus did.

Let be said that the Lord through His Word and His Spirit has made us sure of what is our next move. (Why often those whom are missionaries you will hear them say I feel the Lord is leading me here.

Or why big seasons of change in ones life is through what? prayer and the Word that we can have direction right?

“His Word is lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” - We are walking Church, we are on this pilgrim journey and we need the Word of the Lord, prayer and The direction and leading of Holy Spirit to lead us in the Father’s will.

And so is the example Jesus is setting for us in the text,... is this something we need to learn to do?

Yes! (absolutely)

The Father gives His children direction and leads us by His Spirit to the places of “I must” and we see the places of “i must’ come from departing, to a desolate place to pray...

And so what is Jesus “I must...”

“I must preach the Good news of the Kingdom of God to other towns…for I was sent for this purpose…”

What purpose was Jesus sent to the earth for?

Was it so that the Holy Spirit could fall on Him alone as He was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist?

Was it so He could heal Simon peters mother-in-law only?

Was it so that He could heal many and deliver those possessed by demons only?

No!

Jesus purpose was to be in the will of His Father, abiding in prayer and reliance upon Him and the Holy Spirit

Even to the point where He would die for sinners such as you and I.

But why is this Good News? (Jesus dying for us, this being the will of the Father?)

Because we are all born into a sickness called sin. (A sickness physically and spiritually)

As Brother Ken said from our Bible study on Wed... “sin isn’t just something beside us, but it’s in us, it’s weaved into our very flesh”

And sin is not something we can rescue ourselves from!

Because if this was the case there would be no one with sickness, diseases or demons and no need for Jesus really, (if we could all just heal ourselves physically and spiritually, then there would be no need for Jesus, but that is NOT THE CASE!

So what purpose was Jesus sent to earth for? “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

As I was thinking about this and His purpose so...

What would we say was Jesus’s most powerful message He preached?

See when we think of the garden of Gethsemane, and how Jesus departed, to pray to His Father what did He say…

Matt 26:36-46 “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same …”

The strongest message we can say Jesus ever preached began with His Few words in the garden, “Father not my will but your will be done” He submitting to the will of the Father with His life.

Ultimately those “not my will statements in the garden” leading to Him preaching the strongest message. This message that speaks without words, that He gave His LIEF for US!

Jesus Christ the Son of God dying a death we deserved; being nailed to a roman cross, hands and feet, a crown of thorns and spear to the side

Dying on that cross; and taking on in that moment that sin which had condemned us to hell He died in our place...

Romans 8:2-3 “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,”

2 Cor 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God...”

So that sickness, that spiritual sin we all have and are born with…

There is a healer form this spiritual sickness and sin, just as there was healing for the masses in Bethesda

See those who trust and believe in Jesus Christ today as Lord and Savior of their life will be saved from Sin, Hell and the grip of Satan upon your life, (2 Cor 6:2 “For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

And for us who are Christians let this reign true just as it did Wednesday night in our Bible Study, as Romans 8 says “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of SIN and DEATH.

And If you didn’t know you will know today, Jesus after He had died on the cross for our sins, He was buried in the tomb and on the third day He rose from the grave, just like He had said He would (Matthew 16:21 “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”) - as this was the Father’s will for His Son from the beginning, That we might have VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR!

Oh Church Family this is Good News is it not?

Points:

And so from the moments of prayer; from the time departing in Galilee to the moment in the garden, we see the importance of prayer in Christ’s life that His Father’s will be done no matter the pain that comes with it.

For us this morning we who are Christians, let it be said the most important thing we can do with our early mornings is pray that the Father’s will and direction be done in our life, no matter the cost it’s going to pay.

At the end of the day, the true sons and daughters of God have no choice but to yield and fall before there knees at the Father’s will for Their lives.

No matter the joy or pain it brings, it’s not our will but His that will be done!

I have 3 quick points from this text for us as Christians this morning:

We as Christians now have the Spirit of Life (the Holy Spirit) and now we can commune and pray to our Father in heaven (How is this time for you going?) (what season of life are you in?)

We as Christians can receive direction unto The Father’s will for our life in looking to Christ and being led by His Holy Spirit on earth, as we depart to a desolate place to pray

We as Christians need to center our life on this one truth, again and again!! Jesus is Lord and we are becoming more like Him that being said, we pray the Father’s will be done in our life no matter the cost, and our same purpose is that of Jesus’s purpose; that we proclaim with our lives to a broken world that Jesus saves from Sin and that He is Good News of a Kingdom to come and a will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Isa 53:10 “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.” - It is the will of God that we become more like Jesus

Let us learn from this text and rejoice in Christ yet again and the work He has done for us

That the Spirit is now given to us as a gift that we can be led to walk in the Father’s will by reading of His Word, by praying and being on mission for HIs glory to share this Good News, even if it means we give our life for it.