Prayer, word, and Deed

Mark 1:35-45

35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"

38Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." 39So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

40A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

43Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Introduction

Verse 35-39

When people learned that Jesus had power over nature to heal the response was overwhelming. Everyone wanted to see him.

Now Jesus’ response in time of extreme business incredible popularity is not what many would expect.

Jesus’ response is different than what we would do.

Because you and I when we come into popularity the first thing that goes is quite solitude and prayer.

Jesus the busier he gets He prays.

Here we learn the supreme priority of Prayer

Early in the morning Jesus got up and when to solitary place to pray.

Now we have to understand that solitary is the same word for desert (aromas).

Jesus didn’t happened to just find a room with a view rather he left the city to go to the desert to pray.

If you and I are flaw and weak people and Jesus being the Son of God felt he needed to pray the busier He Got how much more we need it?

Verse 35 says Very early in the morning and , while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house

.36Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37and when they found him

These verse teaches us two things…

1. Jesus must have been praying for hours

2. This must have been routine thing Jesus did or how else would they have found him?

Where do you go when your happy and successful? (Shopping, bank)

Where do you go when your world is falling apart? (Bars, Waters)

Illustration: Jason who went every morning before and after work to pray for his sick son.

What does all this mean?

Nothing else is more important…

Illustration: King David, when he came back his enemy destroyed the village and killed the women and the children.

Why?

Because in prayer we learn the dynamic core of sonship.

Whenever Jesus prays the first word that comes out of His mouth is “Father”

When the disciples asked him how to pray he said, Father…

Essence of prayer is not

1. Give us this day our daily stuff

2. Forgive us our wrong doing

Essence of prayer is knowing that in Christ, the cosmic creator is our father.

The power of Jesus’ life is his joy of Sonship.

And in prayer he goes back to it everyday and that’s what gives him the joy in ministry.

Not only does it give him power but also purpose of his ministry.

Prayer is the very foundation of Jesus’ life.

Prayer is not to get things from God but it is to get God.

When we know the unconditional fatherly love of God.

Your don’t need the human power, approval comfort or control.

They don’t work on you they don’t enslave you

You can handle anything, the lost

You don’t have to scrounge for love or approval of man.

YOUR FREE (Because of Prayer)

We see an example of what prayer looks like by looking at this leopard.

40A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

First, do you realize what this man just did? Leopards were not allow to come to into inhabited places.

The leopard comes to Jesus and bows down and that point he is breaking all the codes. And he is really at Jesus’ mercy because if Jesus does not say anything at any moment there could of be stoning if people have not picked up an stone.

By coming to Jesus he is absolutely putting his life in front of Jesus

But look at what he says, “if you are willing you can make me clean”

He does not say “You have to make me clean, he does not say because I have risked everything to be hear.”

What he is saying is I come to you, I trust you, but I will not tell you what I need. You do what you see fit but if you are willing I pray that you make me clean.

If Jesus is who he says he is, how can you possibility know and understand your own needs before you know and understand him?

Now that’s prayer…

Why did Jesus go pray? What next?

He tells us

38Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."

Yet,

You see Jesus touching this leopard?

41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

Jesus didn't tell the leopard what to do first.

He touched and taught (gave instructions).

Preaching must be reaction of compassion of the lost same as gifts.

44"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

What happens next is amazing

Through out all history we had religion

You have to work hard and be pure to go to heaven

Therefore through out history whenever two things got together clean and unclean. The clean became unclean

Suddenly Jesus touches the leopard and he says “You go and do ceremony stuff”

But Jesus does not do it. Every single rule and regulation, Jesus should go and make himself ceremony clean.

But he does not

For the first time in history the clean and unclean come together and the unclean has become clean.

Jesus is cleanliness. It does not matter what you did what lifestyle you live.

I am clean itself.

So look what happens here, its profound.

Jesus tells the leopard not to tell anyone but instead he began to talk freely

45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

And look what happened.

They have traded places.

What was once leopard who was outcast from society now is free and Jesus is outside in lonely place.

They have traded place…

It is foreshadow of what is to come.

Jesus who has no sin has become sin for us.

All you have to do is accept this truth.

LET US PRAY.