Getting Back to the Source

Well good morning

How is everyone on this very hot Sunday

You know I think I walked around and asked nearly everyone this week

What did you do to anger God?

Boy its been hot this week hasn’t it?

That’s ok though

It just shows God’s sovereignty over everything

When we just sit here and roast

Amen!

You know I remember when I was in primary leader ship development school course

For you guys that are brand new to the army

we call that BLC

but I remember when I got this course

it wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be.

Let me explain here for just a moment

I remember my instructor was one of those

hard-core

prior drill sergeant

wanna be SF type guys

if you know what I’m saying,

He was one of those guys

That would literally come in and do a Barracks check

at 2 o’clock in the morning

make everybody get up out of bed

stand in the hallway

Then tell everybody to go back to sleep after he had gotten accountability

Knowing that you most likely weren’t gonna be able to go back to sleep.

I mean he was just one of those guys

You know what I mean

I’m pretty sure some of us can relate

And in full confession

He was that guy that you kind of hoped

slipped on something in the kitchen

Maybe woke up in the hospital and didn’t come to

Until after graduation.

Know what I’m saying.

And I know that sounds harsh coming from a pastor

but I think if you’ve been in the army

longer than a day you know exactly what I’m talking about.

But at the same time when you look at instructors like this

I’ll be honest

they are usually the ones that you learn the most from

and I remember one thing that he taught me

extremely well was land navigation

In fact he taught me so well

that to this day

every time I am taken to a land navigation course

I always finish first

without fail.

And it has nothing to do with how smart I am

or how great I am at Land nav.

No it has to do with what he called

getting back to the source or getting back to the basics.

And I remember specifically

that he was speaking to the infantry guys

When he was giving us the land nav class

Because these infantry guys always thought they were better than everybody else

But at the same time they

And from his experience

They were usually the ones who missed a point or two

when it came down to the course.

And think on this

Because this could cost you honor grad

Could cost you commandants list, by missing a point

So it was in fact a big deal.

But he would preach every single day

get back to the basics

get back to the source of where you came from.

Stop trying to be so fancy

stop trying to do it by yourself

get back to the source.

And that’s what we’re gonna talk about today

we’re gonna talk about getting back to the source of our faith.

Because I really think and I really feel

The one of the biggest mistake

we make as Christians

is that we believe that this life

this walk of faith

is somehow to be done alone or

somehow to be done without prayer

Or without reading the word of God

or growing in your faith

We have somehow fallen into this paradigm

That Christianity is only one aspect of who I am

Rather than it being all of you.

It’s so today like I said

I want to talk to you about getting back to the source

Most importantly

but I also want you to understand how getting back to the source

will lead you into your life of purpose and a focus on the mission

And help you begin to understand

how to be a blessing to others

So if you would.

Please open up your Bibles to

Mark 1:35–39 NLT

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

Prayer

So first take a notice at the situation Jesus is in,

I mean He is busy

He has already potentially healed thousands of people

He is casting out demons everywhere he goes.

And he is becoming very quickly

The greatest thing to ever hit the nation of Israel

I mean look at verse 28

Mark 1:28 NLT

The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.

Can you imagine what it would have been like for him?

You’re talking about a people group that

Had been conquered by Rome

Was being taxed to the point they could barely make ends meat

You had people dying of disease and being harassed by demons

But then you have Jesus walk on the scene

A man who is literally walking on water

bringing people back from the dead

It makes sense as to in the following chapter

Why Jesus’ own family thought he was crazy

Because when you look at the details

He had thousands of people

Trying to get to him

This no body

From a tiny town called nazareth

Had thousands of people

Some simply trying to just touch his garment

Hoping

Praying that they would be healed from whatever

Was causing them pain

Or hardship

I mean can imagine what this must have been like

For Jesus, let a lone his disciples

You know I remember when I was a kid,

My Dad who was a pastor

Was always busy

I mean it seemed like every single night he was

On the phone

In a meeting

Had some type of emergency

And I remember watching my Dad

Watching how busy he was

Watching how needed he was

And I remember thinking there is no way I would ever

Go into such a ridiculous profession

Well here I am years later,

I mean look how that turned out…lol

God always gets what he wants doesn’t he

But you know whats amazing

No matter how busy he was

No matter how needed he was

He was always focused on the mission

And what I find truly unique

Is that through my Dad

God used our entire family

God used my Dad as the vehicle in which

He used each and every one of us,

I mean you look at my family and literally

I have one brother who has been in out of the ministry

But is currently using his business to start up a ministry

My other brother who worked for my dad

Actually living with the homeless for a while

Actually gave up a six figure job to work with the homeless

The drug addicts

The people that

Most throw away

Who is now working with my other brother

Starting up a ministry

My cousin is a pastor of a church up in Michigan

And let me tell you that was a shocker

I grew up with that kid and boy that was the last thing we thought he’d become

And here you have my Dad, going on 70 years old

Who is

Still preaching every Sunday

Still busy as ever

Still going into the office every single Day

But you know what?

He never complains

Never has a negative to say about the ministry

He is right where he needs to be

He is right where God wants and needs him to be

His ministry is his life

Its everything to him

Its what fuels him

Helping people is what gets him up in the morning

Its what drives him to succeed

Its what gives him purpose in life

But I remember growing up as a kid

He would always

Impress upon us

The importance of getting alone with God

Getting deep into the source of life

That’s were my Dad gets his motivation from

That’s were he gets his energy from.

And my Dad will tell you

And he will swear by it

Getting back to the source of life

Is something every single one of us

Can benefit from

Is this is exactly what you see Jesus doing here in the Scriptures

Look at verse 35

Mark 1:35 NLT

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

You know what I find unique

what I find similar

between my dad and Jesus Christ,

in the moment that they are the busiest

in the moment that they are the most stressed out

in the moment where they are exhausted from doing what God has called them to do,

Both get alone with God the father

Look at this passage again let’s read it one more time

Mark 1:35 NLT

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

Jesus Christ

our Lord and Savior

God in the flesh

Even he Needed to take a knee

Even He needed to get alone with God

Why

Because he was weak?

Because he’s not everything we think he is

Or because He was fully God and fully man and

Sometimes you just need a break

And you need to get in touch with the source

Right?

Sometimes you need to re-energize

restore yourself

bring yourself back to center

And get alone with God

And I think arguably

in my own honest opinion

I think this is the biggest mistake that Christians make today

We think we can do it on our own

I don’t need to pray

I don’t need to get into the word of God on a daily basis

I don’t need to spend time with God the father on my knees.

Ladies and gentlemen if Jesus Christ

The son of God needed to get back to the source

If Jesus Himself needed that time alone with God

That means that you need it that much more.

And think on this

How many times in our own lives do we run into issues that just seem insurmountable

And it feels as though

God has abandoned us

It feels as though

God has just left us to drown

feels like that doesn’t it sometimes

But if we are honest with ourselves

God never left

We just stopped coming to Him

We stopped getting a lone with God

We stop coming to the source

You know I remember when I was a sergeant first class in New Hampshire

I had some of the hardest times of my life

My career wasn’t going well to say the least

My marriage wasn’t going well either

It got to the point that Susan and I were fighting at a rate that

I didn’t know if you were going to make it

And In the spirit of full disclosure

I didn’t know if the army was going to keep a lot of us around,

I mean this was in the middle of the downsizing

I thought for a while that as a SFC at 14 years they were going to straight kick me out

and yet the only thing that pulled me through

The only thing that gave me strength to press on

was the fact that I was going through seminary

Inadvertently I was connected to the source

Because while I was going through some of the hardest times of my life

I was also in the word of God on a daily basis

and it provided me

the hope

the purpose and

the restoration

that I needed to get by on a daily basis

Guys we cannot do it alone

it was never supposed to be that way

That’s the whole purpose of prayer

That’s the entire purpose of having the Holy Spirit

Indwelling each and every Christian

You can have that one on one relationship

With you Lord and Savior

The source of all life

I don’t know if you’ve ever realize this

but prayer is reliance on God

it is asking God

to step in at that moment in time

when you can’t do it anymore

At that moment when you are on your knees

Crying in desperation

Desperately needing a win

Prayer is the formula

That is saying God help me

I need you

I cant do this alone

Its going back to the source

You know one of the first questions I ask

When someone comes to see me.

How is your walk with God going?

How is your prayer life?

Why do you think that is?

And really think on this

Even Jesus needed time to replenish his strength

Even Jesus went to the source multiple times in the Gospels

What makes you think

You’re so strong

That you can do this life without Him?

It was never meant to be that way

The reality is when you fail in your prayer life

Not only do you fail in life

But you fail in your God given purpose

You fail in your mission as a Christian

And when you are connected to the source

When you are reliant on the source

You are right where you need to be

Which leads me to my final point

Reliance on God will enable you to fulfill his objective for your life

Look at verse

Mark 1:36–39 NLT

Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

You know as I was doing the studying for this sermon

I saw a new perspective on this passage that I had never seen before

I saw a formula for success

That I honestly had never truly broken down before

Look what one commentator says,

as the disciples seek to lure him back “to the scene of so many personal triumphs and to where he has such a tremendous following.”

Jesus prays, as he is faced with the temptation to stay in a place of security and success rather than to fulfill the mission God has given to him. The people and the disciples are only interested in what he can do to heal their physical afflictions

And so it would be very easily to just stay and bask in the glory wouldn’t it

The author continues... So Jesus seeks the strength that only communion and fellowship with the Father can provide.

Do you realize what you have inside of you?

Do you realize what has been guaranteed to you as a Christian?

You have the promise of eternal life

The promise of happiness

Of joy

Of hope, residing in you through the power of cross

For the forgiveness of sin,

You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of God

You have been justified,

Made righteous

And going through a process of sanctification

By the work of the Holy Spirit

And our job here on this earth is made clear in our Kings final command

Go and tell the world about me

Thats the point of verse 38

Mark 1:38 NKJV

But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

Jesus could have very easily succomb to the fame

But instead He got alone with the Father

And carried on with the mission

So that you and I could benefit from His life

Ladies and gentleman,

You have the promise of eternity within you

and Just as Jesus did,

He has also commanded us

and the only way

You are going to be able to fulfill your God given purpose

In this life

Is if you are connected to the source.

Maybe your mission is one person

Maybe your mission is to be a blessing to others through

Your God given talents

But there is not a single person

On this planet is going to live up

To His standards

To resist the temptations of the world

To be what he has called us to be

Without connecting to the source

If you take anything away from this sermon today

It’s that in the moments that are the hardest

In the moments when you feel the deepest temptation

In the moments of your greatest joy,

Go to God

Go to God in everything

A deep personal relationship with God

Will give you purpose

Will give you meaning

And i will bless you in ways you could never imagine

Lets close in prayer

Numbers 6:24–26 NLT

‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’