The Overflow of Intimacy

Bible Passage: Mark 1:35-39

INTRO

What is a moment or moments in your life that you will never forget?

There is something distinct or shaping about the moment, conversation or the surroundings that just make it stick with you?

I had one of these moments about 4 years ago now…

I was younger than I am now in ministry and had been in it at this point for a couple of years

I was struggling in ministry, battling discontentment and frustrated overall. So I called my pastor friend Marc hoping for some affirmation and a pick me up

I’ll never forget, we sat down at Gingham’s here in Saint Charles and I began to express to him all that I was feeling and struggling with.

All the frustration, the discontentment, the struggle. Then came his response…

What I didn’t receive was a pat on the back and a tissue to wipe my tears but a challenge that will never leave me

What my brother was able to discern in that moment was that my frustration, discontent and struggle were symptoms of a deeper issue… A lack of intimacy with the Lord

He proceeded to challenge me on the chief end of my life. Is it to be successful, preach well, be respected, grow the church? Or is it intimacy with God?

Is it to be caught up in a passionate and loving relationship with the God who created me and then from that place of love ministry all other things will flow out?

What I learned about myself in this moment is that I had neglected the most important thing in life chasing after things that are less.

God created me to be intimate with Him, not results.

What we are going to see today in Mark 1:35-39 is that Jesus did everything in His life from the Overflow of Intimacy.

Jesus showed us in the pattern on His life that His primary concern each and every day was intimacy with God and His ministry was done out of the overflow of that intimacy?

How about you?

What is your source of strength as you walk the difficulties of life? As you seek to build the kingdom through joyful service and obedience to God? As you walk through marriage, parenting, singleness, suffering and everything else you do?

Are you living from the Overflow of Intimacy Or out of giftedness and self reliance?

BODY

Read Mark 1:35

Jesus has just come off of an insanely busy day of ministry. Peaching in the synagogue, casting out devils, walking to Peter’s house and healing his mother in law, healing more people and casting out more devils late into the evening.

And Mark records the very next morning of Jesus’ life beginning earlier than everyone else, in a desolate place communing with God in prayer.

No distractions, no healings, no devils, no disciples, no questions, no sermons… Just quiet love

Jenna and I have been married for 5 years next month and I have noticed that each year of our marriage my desire for one on one time’s of deep connection and intimacy grows stronger.

Many times, especially since having kids, my favorite moments with my bride have been mornings of silence and prayer together, date nights where few words are said but being together says a thousand words, ending the day in bed with her laid rested on my shoulder as we recount the day together…

Jesus treats intimacy with the Father Like a married couple who are deeply in love.

He makes it a priority

Look at the description of the moment Jesus was in…

“Early in the morning” “Still dark” “Desolate place”

The most important man in the world, who is followed every step of his life makes it his number one priority to retreat and connect with the Father.

Why would Jesus do this? I mean He is a member of the God head right?

Yes, but He was also human and faced the difficulties of the flesh.

He knew the words of Proverbs 4:23…

Proverbs 4:23 ESV

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.

Jesus himself said in Luke 6:45…

Luke 6:45 ESV

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

The old saying is true and helpful that what goes in will come out

“Guard your heart, for it is the wellsrping of life.” “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Jesus understood at a deep level that intimacy with The Father was the primary thing his soul needed and then from a place of deep love and connection with the Father he did ministry!

Let me ask you, if this was the case for Jesus, the second person of the triune God, Why is it often not true for us?

Why do we treat Intimacy with God less valuable than breakfast?

I ask you this not to bring shame on all of us but to really help you and I think about that reality.

Jesus was dependent upon intimacy with God. It was His primary desire as He walked this earth. He knew that the key to overcoming the flesh was the power of God…

The famous theologian and reformer Martin Luther is credited with saying…

"I have so much to do today that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." 

You have too much to do not to pray.

Do you treat intimacy with God like every moment of your life depends upon it?

Do you treat it like a baby dependent upon it’s mother for food? Like a branch that is connected to a towering tree? Like a car that runs on the fuel we put in it?

Not only is it the fuel necessary for all of life, it is the reason for life itself.

Intimacy with God is what you have been created for. God created the first man and the woman to be in relationship with Him. When they broke that, Jesus came to restore that intimacy and when he returns we will step into the fullness of that reality.

Today we have that access already through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

Let me ask you, is connection and intimacy with God your number 1 goal in life?

How would your life be different if it was?

The disciples fail to understand what Jesus is doing…

Read Mark 1:36-37

The disciples come to Jesus failing to recognize that what he was doing is the most important thing he could have been doing.

“Jesus there is so much to do, so many people to heal, everyone is looking for you”

They thought what was pressing was paramount.

They thought the needs and the crowds were most important when Jesus was showing them what was most important.

How often do we do the same?

“I just don’t have time for prayer.” “I can’t get away from the kids.” “Sundays are our rest and recoup day.” “My job is just too demanding for that.”

We think that something that is pressing is paramount.

I love Jesus’ response to His disciples

Read Mark 1:38-39

He doesn’t even acknowledge their urgency, in fact he focuses not on what was begging for His time, but what was most important… His ministry of preaching.

Jesus knew that signs and miracles are not what saves people, its His word

Prayer heightens awareness

I can imagine that Jesus, again bearing flesh, wrestled with what he came to do.

I wonder if in that moment, his time of intimacy with God led to his resoluteness to forgo miracles and continue preaching

Jesus operated out of the overflow of intimacy.

CLOSING

I wanna close today with a final thought and some really practical steps that I believe can bless your daily pursuit of Christ…

Closing thought is this… Don’t mistake pressing for paramount.

You have been created for intimacy with Jesus.

The reason that Jesus died is not for anything He did but for what you broke.

Your sin has broken the conduit for intimacy

Jesus has restored that through His death and resurrection

The most important thing you can do in life is not more stuff, its more sitting.

Sitting in His presence and knowing Him more

Here’s a really practical guide I want you to try if you have no idea where to start

Set your alarm 15-30 minutes earlier than normal.

Open to the Psalms or follow a Psalms reading plan.

Pray through a Psalm every morning.

Pray Psalm 27