Mark 1:21-39 | Scrubbing In: The War for Solitude

Good morning, everyone. It is so good to be with you. Welcome back to Week 2 of our series, "Rhythms of Residency."

If you are just joining us, the premise is simple: We are looking at the life of Jesus not just as a set of beliefs to nod our heads at, but as a set of habits to practice. We’re treating discipleship like a medical residency—intense, on-the-job training with the Master Physician.

Now, I have to ask: How did you do with last week's challenge?

We talked about "Scripture Before Screen." We challenged you not to touch your phone until you touched your Bible. Be honest—how many of you felt the twitch? You reached for the phone, realized it, and felt that physical pull of addiction?

That is okay. Actually, that is good. You are feeling the resistance. That is why this is a practice, not a performance. We are here to retrain our nervous systems to find their rest in God, not in the glowing rectangle. We are learning to live out Romans 12—refusing to be conformed to the patterns of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of our minds.

And that brings us to today. We are tackling a habit that is arguably the hardest one for the modern mind to accept. To help you feel the weight of why we need this, I want to take you into the high-stress world of the hospital hallway...

THE HOOK: THE PHANTOM VIBRATION

There is a documented phenomenon in the medical world called "Phantom Vibration Syndrome."

It was first observed in medical residents—young doctors working 30-hour shifts, fueled by adrenaline. They carry a pager or phone on their hip. Every buzz is a crisis. Every beep is a demand.

Eventually, their nervous system gets so wired for demand that they start feeling the phone vibrate when it isn’t even there. They’re in the shower, and they hear the ringtone. They’re trying to sleep, and their leg twitches because their brain is convinced someone needs them right now.

Does that sound familiar?

Most of us aren’t ER doctors, but we are a society collectively suffering from this syndrome. We are terrified of the silence because it exposes us to two paralyzing fears. For some, it’s the fear of Irrelevance: 'If I am not available, I am not valuable.'For others, it’s the fear of Chaos: 'If I stop, I will be buried by the backlog.'Whether it's your ego or your anxiety driving the bus, the result is the same: We feel like we cannot stop.

Either way, the noise of the world—the beeps, the buzzes, the headlines, the demands—has created a vacuum in our souls. We are running on empty because we are constantly outputting but never inputting anything that truly restores us. We are trying to heal the world, or at least manage our little corner of it, while we ourselves are bleeding out in our souls.

We need a way to stop the bleeding. Is there any way to silence the noise and find some rest and peace?

THE METAPHOR: WHAT IS "SCRUBBING IN"?

I believe there is, and Jesus shows us the pathway.

Today, we are talking about the rhythm or practice of Solitude.

Now, usually, when we hear "Solitude," we tune out. We think, "That's nice for monks, but I have a job. I have kids. Ain’t nobody got time for that!"

But looking at Jesus, we see that solitude isn't a luxury for the lazy. It is a safety protocol for the busy.

In this Residency with Jesus you can think of Solitude kind of like "Scrubbing In" for surgery.

And for those who aren't in medicine, you need to understand what this is. "Scrubbing In" isn't just washing your hands like some of you do after you go to the bathroom…Gross.

No Scrubbing in, is a strict, non-negotiable ritual!

Before a surgeon enters the Operating Room, they stop at a deep sink outside the door. They use a foot pedal to avoid touching handles. They take a bristled sponge soaked in antiseptic, and they scrub—aggressively—up to their elbows. They are killing every germ, every trace of the outside world.

Why? Because the O.R. is a "Sterile Field." A patient is lying there, cut open and vulnerable. If a surgeon touches that open wound with dirty hands—hands covered in the bacteria of the street—they won't heal the patient. They will infect them.

Now, here’s my point; the Big Idea for today and it’s written in the from of a rule for life or a practice meant to help us experience and enjoy more life with God. Ready? Here it is:

Don't touch the open wound of your day with a soul that hasn't been scrubbed in the silence of God.

Your family, your job, your schedule, everyday living—that’s the open wound.

And if you run straight from your bed into your phone, and then into your parenting, into your job, you are performing surgery with dirty hands. You are bringing the germs of your stress, your ego, and your exhaustion and anxiety into the vulnerable places of the people you love.

We need to wash our souls before we touch the world. But I'm not just preaching a metaphor; this is how Jesus actually lived. Scripture has a lot to show us from Jesus’ life about why this is important and life giving. Look with me at the text.

MOVEMENT 1: THE SEDUCTION OF CAPERNAUM (The Success Trap)

Open your Bibles to Mark chapter 1.

Mark is a great little book. It’s like the action movie of the Gospels. The author, Mark, He moves at a sprint. And in verses 21-34, we see Jesus has what every leader dreams of: The Perfect Day.

Jesus walks into Capernaum. He goes to the synagogue, and He crushes the sermon. The people are "astonished" (v.22). Then, He casts out a demon (v.25). Then, He goes to Peter’s house and heals his mother-in-law (v.31).

He is batting a thousand. The ministry is exploding. And then vv 33 tells us "And the whole city was gathered together at the door."

Look at it with me:

Mark 1:21–34 NIV

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. 29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Did you catch verse 33? "The whole town gathered at the door."

This is the dream! The waiting room is packed. The reviews are five stars. If Jesus had a PR team, they would be popping champagne. They would say, "Jesus, don't change a thing. We are going to franchise this. Capernaum loves you!"

And this is where the danger lies!

We tend to think the enemy only attacks us through failure. But the Bible shows us that the enemy also, often attacks us through success.

Why? Because success is "sticky." It covers us in the "bacteria" of pride, busyness, and demand. The crowd is cheering. The demons are screaming. The noise is deafening. It’s a wall of sound—wailing, shouting, bargaining, begging. It’s the sound of infinite need.

And the temptation for Jesus is to think: "I'm so useful here! I don't need to stop. I don't need to pray. I just need to keep working. The people need me!"

So the trap is set. The O.R. is full of patients. But the Surgeon knows something they don't: If He doesn't step away to Scrub In with the Father, He will lose His mission in the noise.

So, what does the Master do?

MOVEMENT 2: THE HUNT FOR THE PRODUCT (The Fallen Condition)

Well, the crowd is shouting. The brand is booming. The disciples are likely sleeping with smiles on their faces, dreaming of how big the crowds will be tomorrow.

But look at verse 35. This is the pivot point of the entire passage.

Mark 1:35 NIV

35 Very 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.

While the rest of the world is sleeping off the adrenaline of the revival, Jesus is up. He slips out the back door. He leaves the noise. He goes to the eremos—the wilderness, the lonely place. He goes to Scrub In.

But look at the reaction of the disciples in verse 36. And here’s a little Bible study note for ya. Reading verses in a couple different translations can really be helpful. Where the NIV says Simon "went to look for him," the NRSV gives us a much more accurate translation:

Mark 1:36 NRSV

36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him.

That word "hunted" comes from the Greek word katadioko. It isn't a casual word like "looking for your keys." It is a hunting term. It literally means "to track down," "to pursue closely." It is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament for an army hunting its enemies to destroy them!

Now, the disciples didn't want to destroy Jesus. But they were pursuing Him with a frantic, desperate energy. Why?

Sadly, they aren’t hunting for Jesus because they miss their Friend. They are hunting Him because they want the Product.

Imagine the scene. Peter wakes up. The sun is up. There is already a line of people down the block—cripples, lepers, donors, influencers. Peter knocks on Jesus’ door. "Hey, Boss, showtime! The people are waiting!"

No answer. He opens the door. Empty bed.

Panic sets in. "Where is the asset? Where is the talent?" Peter runs out. He tracks Jesus down. He finds Him out in the rocks, praying. And look at what he says in verse 37:"Everyone is looking for you."

We can almost hear the accusation in his tone. "Jesus, what are you doing here? You’re wasting time! You’re needed! We have momentum! Get back to the O.R.!"

Friends, this is the Fallen Condition of our hearts. We are addicted to being needed and we believe we can organize the chaos of our lives on our own. At best most days we treat God like a genie meant to serve our demands.

Kind of like Peter in our text. Pete sees Jesus as a vending machine for miracles. And if the machine isn't dispensing product, it’s broken. Peter thinks the goal of life is Conquest—take over the city, win the crowd. Conquer the day, my to do list, my agenda!!

But Jesus knows the goal of life is isn’t conquest, rather it’s Communion—to be with the Father.

Church, this is why we fear silence. Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician, famously said, "All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone,” with God.

Why is that? Why do we fill every gap of our day with a podcast, a scroll, a text, or the radio? Why do we take our phones into the bathroom?

Because in the silence, the "Producing" stops. The "Output" stops. The anesthetic wears off. And we are left with the terrifying question: "If I am not useful, do I still matter?" “If I stop, will I drown under the ever increasing demands in my life?”

Friends, don’t miss this! We have a High Priest who knows what it’s like to live your life!

I know none of us in this room are Jesus, but isn’t it awesome that the Creator God knows what it’s like to be hunted, to be tracked down. Our God knows what it’s like for everyone to want a piece of you?

To the exhausted moms in this room.

When you escape to the bathroom to hide from your children for just a few moments of peace and quiet and those little fingers encroach under the door… those little voices cry out… “mom” where are you!” Jesus knows what it’s like!

Church the world hunts us. Your email is hunting you. Your boss is hunting you. Your kids are hunting you. And the lie of the enemy is: "If you stop, you will die. Or maybe less dramatic, if you stop, things will pile up beyond your ability to get back on top of it!”

If you disconnect, you will drown."

And here in the text we find Peter screaming right along with the world, "Jesus, go back to work!"

But Jesus models for us a better way, a yoke that is well fitting.

He shows us the truth: "Even Jesus cannot do the work of the Father if He is not with the Father."

MOVEMENT 3: THE CLARITY OF THE CROSS (The Gospel Turn)

Now, here’s the shock.

The disciples finally catch up to Jesus. They are out of breath. Peter says, "Everyone is looking for you! Let’s go back! The market is hot!"

And in verse 38, Jesus drops a bomb. He says: "Let us go on to the next towns... for that is why I came out."

Wait. Jesus, are you serious? There are sick people in Capernaum right now! There are people in line suffering! And You’re walking away? You’re leaving the revival to go to a place where nobody knows You?

Yes.

This is the hardest lesson for a Resident to learn: Being available to the crowd is not the same thing as being obedient to the Father. And there is no rest to be found for our souls outside of the Father’s will.

Just because there is a need doesn't mean it is your call. We have to learn the difference between following the demands of the crowd and following the heart of the Father.

If Jesus had stayed in Capernaum, He would have healed more bodies, but He would have missed His mission.

In the Solitude, in that "desolate place," Jesus realigned His compass. The crowd screamed "Immediate Gratification," but the Father whispered "Eternal Salvation."

The crowd wanted a Healer to patch up their bodies for a few more years. Jesus came to be a Savior to defeat the disease of Sin and Death forever.

If He stays in Capernaum, He becomes the King of Galilee. He gets the Crown without the Cross. He becomes a dispenser of hospice care for a dying world. But in the silence, the Father reminds Him: "You didn’t come to be famous. You came to die."

So Jesus leaves the popularity of Capernaum to walk the road that eventually leads to Jerusalem. And notice where that road ends. It ends in another "Desolate Place."

Think about the Garden of Gethsemane.

That was the ultimate Solitude. Jesus takes his three best friends—Peter, James, and John—and asks them to watch with Him. And what do they do? They fall asleep.

Jesus is left entirely alone. He is sweating drops of blood. He is staring into the cup of God’s wrath.

And then, on the Cross, He experiences the Cosmic Solitude. The sky turns black. The Father turns His face away. And Jesus cries out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"

And here is the Gospel.

Jesus entered the Solitude of Judgment. He entered the silence of separation. He was hunted by sin and death, and He let them catch Him.

Why? So that when you and I enter the silence, we never have to be alone, nor do we have to be afraid.

Jesus took the Silence of Judgment so that we could have the Silence of Joy! He was forsaken so that you never would be!

This changes everything.

It means Solitude isn't a penalty box; it is a Sanctuary.

We don't "Scrub In" to earn God's attention. We Scrub In because Jesus died to secure us the Father's ear. This isn't a "have to"—it is a "get to." It is our life support. It is the only way we cleanse our souls so we can walk back into the world as healers, rather than people who infect the open wounds of others.

The "desolate place" is no longer empty; now because of Jesus, it is filled with the presence of a God who promises to always glad to see you!

MOVEMENT 4: SCRUBBING IN (The Residency)

So, what does this mean for us, the Residents seeking to follow our Master Physician?

Solitude is how we Scrub In spiritually.

We live in a dirty world. We are constantly touching the germs of anxiety, anger, comparison, and fear.

Imagine if a surgeon ran into the O.R. from the street, hands covered in dirt, screaming, "There’s no time to wash! This patient needs me! I’m just so busy!"That would be disastrous. Their "help" would actually be an infection.

Friends, if you run straight from your bed into your phone, and then into your office, and then into your parenting, you are performing surgery with dirty hands.

You are bringing your anxiety into your meeting. You are bringing your exhaustion into your marriage. You are bringing your ego into your parenting.

This is spiritual malpractice.

Solitude is not a vacation. It is not "me time." It is not a spa day. Solitude is the spiritual discipline of standing at the sink with the Attending Physician and washing your soul before you touch the world.

It is saying: "Father, wash my mind. Realign my heart. Remind me who I am. Remind me that I am not the Messiah—You are. I am young ox, yoked up to Jesus the Lead ox! You carry the weight of the outcome; I’ll follow Your lead."

Church, if Jesus—the Son of God, the One with infinite power—needed to scrub in with the Father before He ministered, how arrogant are we to think we can live our lives without it?

Here’s the principle one last time:

Don't touch the open wound of your day with a soul that hasn't been scrubbed in the silence of God.

THE HAND-OFF

So, how do we do this?

The temptation right now is to say, "Okay, I’ll try to be quiet for an hour tomorrow." Don't do that. You’ll fail. You will sit there, and your brain will scream at you. The "monkeys in the brain" will start jumping. The noise of the hunt will find you.

Start small and treat it like a practice. Train in it.

To the Residents in Connect Groups: In the coming weeks in your "Labs", you will move into "Formation Part 1,” and you will do something called a "Formation Audit."

You will look at your habits, your schedule, and your relationships, and you will get to ask a terrifying question: "Who is this turning me into?"

And here is why today’s sermon matters: You cannot do an formation audit while you are running!

You cannot inspect the engine of your life while you are driving 80 miles per hour down the highway. If you try, you’ll die. You need Solitude to do the Audit. You need to step away from the noise of Capernaum, find a desolate place, pull the car over, pop the hood, and honestly ask, "What is forming me?"

And whether you are in a group or not, I have a challenge for every single person in this room. Last week, we practiced "Scripture before Screen." This week, I want to give you a tool.

I know that for many of you, silence is scary. You don't know what to do with your brain when it stops. And so many of us need a guide. You need an Attending Physician to walk you through rounds.

So, I want you to download a free app called The Pause App (by John Eldredge and Wild at Heart Ministries). It is a simple, guided tool that will teach you a practice called "Benevolent Detachment"—essentially learning to be alone with God and "give everyone and everything to Him."

This is the practice you can build into your rule of life: The Guided Scrub-In.

Before you walk into work. Or before you walk into your house after work. Or before you start the car. Pull over. Put the phone on Do Not Disturb. Open the app. Hit "3 Minute Pause."

Let the guide help you scrub in. Let it help you cast your cares on Him. Let it help you detach from the "Hunt" of the world and attach to the love of the Father.

Here’s the take away: Jesus is both your Model and your Mediator.

As your Model, He practiced solitude to stay connected to the Father. But as your Mediator, He went further—He entered the solitude of Judgment so you could enter the solitude of Joy.

Because of Him, when you step into the silence, you will not encounter a Judge; you will encounter a God who promises to meet with you and is glad to see you!

Friends, don't walk into the O.R. of your life with dirty hands.

The Master is waiting in the desolate place. And He isn’t there to judge you for being busy; He is there to wash you, hold you, and send you back out with His power and presence!

Let’s pray.