Retreats

The Secrets of The Secret Place

The Secret of Retreats

Two weeks ago I challenged you about The Secret of Time. I gave you some homework to do; to listen to the message again and engage with the Spirit to help you “make more time” for Father. Over the next two months I am going to give you ideas of things to do with your time to engage with Father. Intentionally making time is important inorder to give you the opportunity to implement some of these ideas.

I hope you did your homework!

The first idea for the usage of your new found time:

The Secret of Retreats

How many of you just got really uncomfortable?

You are probably thinking, “Nate, I hate retreats!!!!!!!!!

Trust me, I used to feel the same way, and honestly there are still times I feel that way.

Raise your hand if you have ever been to any kind of church OR spiritual retreat?

For those that just raised your hands; raise your hand if you would describe any or your retreats as a “mountain top”, “spiritual high”, “awakening”, or “positive experience”?

Raise your hand if you have ever been registered for a retreat and you were tempted to not go to the retreat.

How many of you have been invited to go to a retreat but you said something like, “No I have something else I have to do so I can’t go”, or some other version of “No”? However, maybe, just maybe, you could have actually gone!

Final rhetorical question. Why do we struggle to retreat?

Things that are good for us seem to be things we struggle to say “Yes” to.

Any time retreats come up spiritual attacks almost immediately come.

The goal of those attacks is to keep you from retreating.

Why?

Spiritual momentum happens when you spend time in the Secret Place …………………… Retreating.

WHAT IS RETREATING?

It is not your 20 minute to hour quiet time in the day.

Retreating is a lenghty period of time (a day or days) you schedule to intentionally set down the demands of your life and sit with the Father.

No “work break” distractions.

No to do list.

No recreation.

No technology.

No other ministry objectives.

You and God.

Maybe even you and God and a group of other people doing the same thing.

JESUS IS OUR PRIMARY EXAMPLE OF RETREATING:

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, Matt 14:23

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. Luke 6:12

Jesus is God and he lived in human form as a man.

He lived in a body with all of it’s human limitations.

Jesus modeled the example of retreating in his life and he taught it by example as well.

STANDING FOR THE READING OF THE WORD:

(Congregation reads the underlined sections)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. 35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Mark 6:30–44

Pastor: This is the Word of The Lord!

Congregation Response: Thanks be to God!

Before you are seated, fistbump your neighbor and say, “GOT & SEE”

WHAT DO WE SEE IN THIS SCRIPTURE:

FIRST - THE APOSTLES WERE WORKING THE FIELDS OF HARVEST

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.

What were they doing?

If we look back to Mark 6:6-13 we see Jesus had sent the disciples out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

The disciples went from town to town preaching that people should repent.

Along the way they drove out many demons and healed the sick.

Because the disciples were successful in their preaching, their casting, and their healing many people were coming and going. So many were pressing in upon them that they did not even have time to eat.

At first look I saw this eating as physical food.

But it is more than physical food.

They were definitely physically hungry……..but they were also spiritually hungry.

The disciples had been working and they were tired (physically and spiritually). They needed to be filled.

SECOND - JESUS CALLS THEM TO RETREAT:

Think about this for a moment.

At this moment in time, the disciples were at their highest personal experience moment in their ministry thus far.

What does Jesus do?

He calls them to retreat.

Why would Jesus do such a thing at such a momentous time?

People were coming to them and to Jesus because of the preaching, the castings, and the healings.

Why leave when the moment is so high?

Have you ever heard one of these sayings:

"Make hay while the sun shines."

"Strike while the iron is hot."

"Get it while the getting's good."

Most of us would not stop to retreat when “the going is good”.

However, maybe that is actually the best time to retreat because it costs you more!!!!

Jesus knows the needs of the disciples and it is not to keep on serving and doing ministry, it is not to keep on harvesting.

They needed to retreat and they probably didn't even realize it.

Are we any different?

I have been on so many retreats in which guys are kicking and screaming on the way in and on the way out they are expressing gratitude over and over and over and say something like, “I didn’t realize how much I needed this.”

THIRD - PRESENCE IS THE KEY TO LASTING REST

Jesus………. “said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”

Mark 6:31(a)-32

There are two key things in this passage that Jesus is doing with the disciples

Come with me.

To a solitary place.

Jesus is teaching the disciples the discipline of retreating.

Getting alone with the Lord, away from the normal areas of life, is a key to receiving rest for the soul; …………………… The Secret Place, a solitary place.

The phrase “solitary place” is used in the NIV.

In the ESV it is referred to as “a desolate place”.

In the KJV it is referred to as “a desert place”.

The solitary place, the desolate place, and the desert place of retreating carry multiple layers of meaning in the Gospel narrative.

Physically: The term refers to an uninhabited and uncultivated region—a genuine withdrawal from the press of human activity. It is a different location.

Spiritually: The desert place represents a space where spiritual growth becomes possible.

Jesus didn’t simply tell the disciples to relax and take a nap. He invited them to come with him, and his presence made the difference.

His presence makes the difference today!

The quiet place, then, is fundamentally about encountering God’s presence away from distraction—a principle where one withdraws from life’s frenzy to seek the Lord, open his Word, and enjoy silence………in a place away.

FOURTH: INVITATION

What happens next is super confusing on the surface.

Jesus tells the disciples to come with Him, for the purpose of retreating to a quiet, solitary, desolate, desert place to be with Him to receive rest. However, all of the people beat them there.

The end result is that there is NO rest to be had……………..more work came pressing in.

Why would Jesus lead them to a quiet, solitary, desolate, deserted place to “retreat” and it not happen?

On top of that, Jesus doesn’t send the people away.

Jesus has compassion on the people and teaches them.

Jesus invites more work to occur.

Jesus could have valued the needed rest of the disciples over the needs of the people.

Yet it appears He did not.

It appears He chose the people over the disciples.

It appears on the surface that rest and retreating did not happen.

What Jesus does do is He teaches the people, and the disciples, from His words!

That is the key!

Jesus took all of them to a different location and He taught them from His words.

When we choose to retreat, and intentionally draw away from the world, we set the stage to receive His words that we desperately need.

Are not the words of Jesus the bread of life.

The words of Jesus are the manna from heaven that feeds the souls of all mankind.

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4

Jesus brought the disciples and the people into the wilderness to retreat.

They all needed to retreat.

They all needed rest for their souls.

The disciples needed rest from their work of ministry. (Maybe even to avoid “pride creep from settling in”. What Jesus proactively keeping them humble?)

The people needed rest because the priests were not doing their jobs and were neglecting their roles to love and care for the people. The people’s souls were famished because they did not have a good shepherd.

They all needed His presence to find rest and Jesus intentionally took all of them to that place.

Rest is found in retreating unto the presence of the living God!

FIFTH: PROVISION HAPPENS IN RETREATING

When we come to The Secret Place and dedicate time to retreating we simply come with what we currently have and we get filled. That is what happens in The Secret of Retreating.

We come with five fish and two loaves.

We leave with 5,000 people being fed.

We leave with provision to carry on.

The abundance of food left over after feeding five thousand means that there is more to go around and much more where it came from. Those who come to hear the teaching of Jesus and share in His bread will receive the same abundant blessing……………..the blessing of being fed by Him.

Testimony:

Sometimes you don’t even know the provision has happened. Over the years I have been to probably twelve WORD Retreats. Each retreat is very different. However, their is one very similar result. God Impacts People Who Retreat!!! My favorite stories are guys who leave and claim nothing happened and they did not receive what they were hoping for. However, after a period of time, a few months or even a few years, I have had guys come back to me and say, “I don’t know what has happened to me but I need to find out. The day I left that retreat something has shifted in my life and I need to figure out what it is. I want more of it and it is finaly time fo rme to admit that.”

Provision happens when you retreat. Sometimes the fruit is immediate, other times it ages with time!

SIXTH: THE DESERT CHANGES IN THE SITTING

In this passage, twice in the beginning of the passage Mark tells us that the place of retreat is described as a desert place. However, notice what the desert place turns into when Jesus speaks.

39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

Mark 6:39

When we come to The Secret Place and dedicate significant time by retreating our desert place turns into green grass.

(PAUSE FOR A FEW MOMENTS)

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:1–6

Jesus is the good shepherd.

Jesus is the true shepherd.

Jesus changes your deserts into green grass you can rest on and be nurished.

At the very beginning of this passage Jesus, the disciples, and the people were in a village or a town.

Jesus knew that the disciples and the people needed food, not physical food but spiritual food.

Notice that Jesus, the good shepherd, did not bring the food and water to them.

Jesus brought them to a place, a different place, in which the spiritual food and water resided.

The principal task of a shepherd is to bring sheep “TO” food and water.

Jesus brought all of them to a quiet, solitary, desolate, desert place to be with Him to receive rest.

“WHEN”......................... you retreat you will be fed by Jesus.

WHY DO WE RETREAT? WHY IS IT A PRACTICE THAT WE MUST REGULARY INVEST TIME INTO?

The church has been called out into the world to LOVE PEOPLE.

Alot of the time that love is manifested by doing something about the social problems that plague the world.

Everywhere we turn, we find the need of a hungry crowd and little or no food.

However, Jesus instructs us, just like he did the disciples, to feed them.

We must minister to the spiritual needs at the root of many of these social problems. In order to minister to spiritual needs we must ourselves start from the source of the spiritual food.

Disciples of Jesus need to do more than lament the social problems, lament the hungry crowd, and lament the lack of food and resources. The church is stymied when we think that the task is impossible or the cost too great.

We need to often be reminded that there is a greater source of provision.

By investing our time “RETREATING” to The Secret Place, into the Presence of Almighty God, we are reminded of the source of this supernatural provision.

We are reminded that we have a God who provides for us and for the mission of the gospel.

We are often challenged to tackle impossible problems with limited resources. However, we also have the great joy of watching our God take what we have, 5 loaves and 2 fish, and watch God feed 5,000. That is our God.

CLOSING:

Church, invest your newly “made time” in retreating.

Step away from the noise so you can draw near to God and return refreshed for His purposes.

To be energized to be an instrument immediately ready to be used.

Spiritual solitude through retreating serves the purpose of equipping us to serve others.

Only it when we are filled are we able to then pour out.

Retreat is not running from your responsibilities; it is running toward the One who gives you the strength to fulfill them."