Spiritual Retreat

Introduction

When we are overbusy we often think the solution is rest and while rest is a great thing; there is nothing distinctly Christian about that. A lost man can go on a vacation and get a rest and as we saw this morning, even their leisure can be poisoned by the cares of the world.

Addiction to noise

Mark 6. Mark is a hurry up book, The shortest of our gospels and all the events are compressed. Their rest is delayed because of the thousands on shore when they arrive. Then they are sent out on the sea and row tirelessly in a storm. Do you think it is an accident that they never got rest or could it be that God was showing them who their rest ultimately is.

Luke 5:16 “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” The greek literally reads he was is withdrawing or a more better translation would be he often was withdrawing himself into the wilderness and praying.

Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

Matthew 17:1–3 “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”

In a constant state of cultivation his soul was kept; and his habits in these respects continued with him to the last… Mr. M’Cheyne did occasionally set apart seasons for special prayer and fasting occupying the time so set apart exclusively in devotion. - Andrew Bonar describing Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

Silence and Solitude are not directly means of grace but the grease the skids for more direct encounters with God in his word and in prayer. - David Mathis

Why did they need a retreat:

The business of ministry Mark 6:7 “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;”

The discouragement of loss Mark 6:29 “And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.”

No time for rest Mark 6:31 “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.”

Jesus had a lesson to teach them Mark 6:34-ff Feeding of the five thousand and struggling on the sea getting nowhere