006-Mark 1:35-39

INTRODUCTION

As we continue our study of Jesus through the book of Mark. I want to reacp really quick.

End of chapter 1. 

we have seen:

John the baptist introduce Jesus by baptizing him. Jesus is tempted by the devil for 40 days in the wildernes.Jesus called his first disciples. We have seen a day in the life of Jesus.he preached with authority at the temple.He casted out demons.He healed Peter’s mother-in-law. He healed many in Capernaum.

Today we pick the story up at the end of Jesus performing many miracles. It’s a sunday morning and Jesus sneaks out to a remote place to pray.

As we look at this event in Jesus life here is what I want for you to know.

Prayer is at the heart of evangelism.

Prayer and evangelism are directly connected and we cannot do one without the other.

BIBLE VERSEMark 1:35-39 (CSB)

35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.

36Simon and his companions searched for him,

37and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.”

39He went into all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

1 The Priority of PrayerEXPLANATION

35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place; and there he was praying.

Jesus has passed into that hidden place, and there, in the darkness, he kneels: he cries: he supplicates: he speaks with God: he prays.

Is this his rest after a long day? or Is this his preparation for coming labor?

The answer is YESSS…

If you look at the previous few verses you will see that Jesus had just preached at the synagogue, went to eat lunch before lunch he healed Peters MIL… that same evening he healed many who were sick and demon-possessed. 

So yes this is rest from the day before but also preparation for the ministry to come.

We see in Jesus a priority in prayer. Not only for past things but also for future things. 

“When the blessing has really come, and souls are being saved on all sides, then we are to redouble our cries to heaven, that the merciful presence may be retained and enjoyed to a still higher degree.  Fresh from the wonderful successes of that miraculous night, the Christ of God goes on the Sunday morning to open the gates of the day with the uplifted hands of his prayer. Prayer should be our companion at all times.- Spurgeon, C. H.

ILLUSTRATION

Look at other places in scripture:

When He was baptized, we are told that He was “praying.” (Luke 3:21.)When He was transfigured, we are told, that “as He prayed, the form of His face was altered.” (Luke 9:29.)Before He chose the twelve apostles, we are told that “He continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12.)When all men spoke well of Him, and would sincerely have made Him a King, we are told that “He went up into a mountain alone to pray.” (Mark 14:23.)When tempted in the garden of Gethsemane, He said, “Sit here, while I pray.” (Mark 14:34.)

In short, our Lord prayed always and did not faint.

Sinless as He was, He set us an example of diligent communion with His Father. His Godhead did not render Him independent of the use of all means as a man. His very perfection was perfection kept up through the exercise of prayer.

APPLICATION

The sad reality of our days:

The sad reality of our days is that:

We do not make prayer a priority in our lives.

The reason I say that it’s not a priority it’s because we do it without intentionality.But an intimate and effective prayer life never happens accidentally. Jesus prayed in various places:on the mountaina gardenthe wildernesshousesynagoguesecret placein front of crowdsall aloneon the crossJesus Prayed at various timesthe early morningeveningall nightforty daysJesus PrayedShort prayersLong prayersPrayed All NightJesus the sinless son of God made prayer a priority in His life. Have you?

We relegate prayer to a specific time and place. (i.e. church).

Many Jews in Christ’s day said, “We have been to the synagogue”; and when going to the synagogue was over their religion was over too.At this day we are surrounded by persons whose godliness is circumscribed within the four walls of their synagogue, their church, their tabernacle, or whatever else they like to call it. Religion means to many the observance of certain ceremonials at stated times. They put on different clothes, and tread another floor, and then their religion begins. Spurgeon, C. H.There is such a thing as a Sunday religion, and he that has it will be lost.- Spurgeon, C. H.Our prayers should not be relegated to one day of the week to do with a group of other people.It breaks my heart to think of people that come to church and hear a deacon, a teacher or a pastor pray and they think that they have prayed as well. Or worst that they think that’s all they need to pray until next week.If you do not pray alone, you do not pray at all. I care not whether you pray in the street, or in the church, or in the barrack-room, or in the cathedral; but your heart must speak with God in secret, or you have not prayed.- Spurgeon, C. H. “Before Day-Break with Christ.” The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons. Vol. 30. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1884. 136. Print.Is your prayer relegated to a time of prayer at a church service? When was the last time that you go alone with God and poured your heart out to him?2 The Priority of EvangelismEXPLANATION

36Simon and his companions searched for him,  

After the hight of ministry the day before Peter, Andrew, James, and John are all looking for Jesus, Why?

37 and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

Because everyone in the village was looking for Jesus. Most likely because they wanted Jesus to continue to heal more people. To perform more miracles and to serve them more.Jesus was the most popular person around. They were ready to make him their king if possible.I believe however that those times alone in prayer were a reminder of the priorities in his life.He did not care for being the most popular preacher in town, to be the most well like pastor, to have the biggest crowd come to see him perform.Look at his answer.

38 And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.”

His priority was to evangelize the lost. He knew that the people in Capernaum were coming to Him not out of repentance for their sin but because of their attraction to his healing. His purpose is not to heal as many people as possible but to confront men with the demand for a decision whether they will or they will not surrender everything to follow him.

ILLUSTRATION

We must make prayer a priority so that our evangelism can continue to be a priority.

Craig Groeschel Pastor of Lifechur probably the largest church in America says this often:

The greatest threat to your future success is current success.

Jesus had tremendous success in Capernaum, the people and the disciples including were ready for him to continue his service right then and there.

Why is current success so dangerous?Success feeds pride, and pride kills urgency: nothing fails like success.The people saw success, the urgency to keep going faded. When that happens complacency kicks in.The sad reality is that in many churches complacency is the default mode. Another word for complacency could be maintenance. How can we maintain what we have? How can we maintain things are they are?

The reality is that we cannot change what we are willing to tolerate.

APPLICATION

How do we move from a place of tolerance, a place were keeping the status quo, a place of complacency to a place of urgency?

You start with prayer.

Jesus started his day connecting with the heart of God. Being reminded of the father’s love and energized to fulfill his God-given commission.We are also given a commission by God.That commission is to Go and Make disciples. If we don’t spend time with God in prayer it becomes easy to forget our mission here on this earth.Number 2- I’ll borrow again from Craig Groeschel.

Attack, don’t yak

As an organization ages, it moves from a bias for action to a bias for discussion. It’s important to lead with a bias for action. The goal is not activity; the goal is productivity.This is true for individuals as well. When we are younger we had a bias to move and make decisions quickly (sometimes to our own detriment without thinking). As we get older we tend to try to analyze all angles, we try to have control over everything.Look how Jesus made a decision. They came to him telling him people were looking for Him. He said:Let’s keep going to another city. I need to preach the gospel there. He kept moving forward. He kept lost people in the forefront and attack towards the goal of bringing the Gospel to them.APPLICATION

Let me leave you with this final thought.

You can have control or you can have growth, but you can’t have both.

Do you want to control all the decisions in your marriage, in your church, in your business. You can but to have growth it will be incredible difficult. 

How do you release control follow the example of Jesus.

Spend time with God in prayer. Make Prayer a priorityFocus on others. Make evangelism a priority.