Volume 46, No. 17
Mark 1:35-39
Sermon prepared by Rev. Michael J. Vandyk, Taber, Alta
Proposed Order of Service
Songs include Hymn #247, 209, 262, 280, 579, "Sweet Hour of Prayer"
"Prayer is the Souls Sincere Desire"
Bible Reading: Mark 1:35-39
Text: Mark 1:35
Sermon: "The Place of Prayer"
Theme: The Power of Prayer and Personal Devotions
Sermon
Congregation of Jesus Christ,
As we read the gospel of Mark, it is clear that there is a battle going
on:
The Son of God vs Satan.
We see Jesus being attacked by the devil at every turn: chapter
1:14, John the Baptist is imprisoned; vs.24, evil spirits speaks lies against
him, "Have you come to destroy us?" It reads as if one thing
after another confronts Jesus as he starts his earthly ministry. There
is no time to stop, no time to rest. There is so much to be done as we
read in vs. 33-34, "he drove out many demons, he healed many who were
sick."
Jesus is fighting against the power of Satan. How does Jesus remain strong
in that battle? We need to know because the battle still goes on today. You
are fooling yourself, you are being fooled by Satan if you think everything
is fine. We still face persistent temptation and attack by Satan.
Events like sickness, trouble, pain, hardship, disappointment, even death.
These are constant struggles in this sin-filled world. Where do we get the
strength to stand against this attack, to keep fighting the good fight of
faith?
Where does Jesus get the strength? We might think of him as some kind
of super hero: The Son of God. He has super powers and just keeps going.
Of course it is true that Jesus as Son of God is the greatest, the most powerful
person who ever lived. He demonstrates his divine power in healing, casting
out demons, even raising the dead (Mark 5). But we need to remember that
Jesus was also completely human. He was "like us in every way" the
author of Hebrews tells us, except he was without sin. (Heb 4:15).
Here in Mark 1:35-39 we find a striking event recorded. Jesus slips away
for a time of prayer, a time of personal devotion to be strengthened in his
work through a personal quiet time with his heavenly father. This is very
instructive for us and our devotional life. Here early on in Mark, early
in Jesus’ ministry he takes the time for prayer. Let’s see what
that means for him and for us.
In vs. 35 we read that Jesus got up early in the morning. What time is
that? Likely it means some time around 6 a.m. Wow, that is early. Do you
mean that I need to get up that early and do devotions? Not necessarily,
though many people do just that. More generally, what it means is that Jesus
took the time, a special time to be with his heavenly Father.
We think immediately, "Sure, very nice, Jesus took the time, BUT
I’m really busy, I have no time. I am really tired from working hard
all day. I cannot concentrate."
But just consider this: Jesus, humanly speaking, was busier than you ever
are, than you ever have been, than you ever will be. Even with your business,
your busy family and all the other commitments you have, Jesus was busier.
Claiming busyness as an excuse is a temptation, a lie that Satan sets before
you. You grab hold of it thinking its so true, I have no time. And God likes
me to be busy, so he will understand when I even have no time for him.
The Gospel of Mark shows Jesus busy. In the wording: 1:29, "As soon
as," its just one thing after another for Jesus; 2:8 "immediately",
the very language conveys his busyness. Then there are verses like 1:39 where
Jesus is traveling throughout Galilee because there is so much demand for
him. In 1:45 he could not travel about freely because everyone wanted to
see him. Of course they wanted to see him.
Imagine if there was someone close by who really could help, could cure,
could deliver. Mark 2:13 speaks again of a large crowd that forced Jesus
to escape in a boat. In Mark 3:20 there is such a demand that he can not
even sit down to eat. Have you ever been so busy that you could not even
stop to eat. Jesus was busy like that all the time, every day. The devil
is trying to overwhelm him, whispering to Jesus, "forget your devotional
time, your prayer time, its not important, you are too busy."
Here in Mark 1 we see the importance for Jesus to do the work he is doing,
to stand against the devil, to overcome the flood of sin and evil in the
world, to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Jesus needs to be
strong in that communion with God. Jesus takes the time to pray.
Martin Luther is quoted as saying that if he felt too busy to spend an
hour in prayer and devotion he immediately stopped everything and took two
hours. Not because he was so pious or punishing himself but because he realized
in the temptation to not spend that devotional time, the devil was wrestling
the strength of the faith away from him, hindering his ability to do anything
for his Lord.
How much time do you spend in personal devotions? I’m afraid the
devil has succeeded in convincing many here that it is not important. Or
maybe we can agree it is important but for you there is really no time. Many
here do the equivalent of no devotions. No personal devotions, No prayer,
No Bible reading,
No time in the week, so you feel weak, you are weak. Weak in the faith,
weak in prayer, with little Bible knowledge, little sense of God working
in your life, powerless before the temptations and attacks of the devil.
Busy all right. The devil has you busy being "ineffective and unproductive." (2
Peter 1:8)
You can tell if you are this kind of a weak believer if you do not have
a special time set aside. The Bible is speaking to you today. Jesus is demonstrating
for you the importance of setting aside a time, a special time.
Maybe you think you are strong enough in the faith, you can manage without
a special devotional time. Don’t you think Jesus was tempted that way
by Satan too? Satan could say, "You are the son of God, you know what
you are about, you don’t need it." We are so quickly tempted.
We feel we know it all. We don’t need to study the Bible more. We have
better things to do. We are busy.
I want to clear up one other wrong temptation. By special time it doesn’t
mean mealtime devotions. Jesus gave thanks before he ate (Mark 6:41) and
that is good, though I hear even that tradition of mealtime devotions is
slipping. If you don’t have devotions at meal time start, please start.
Gather the family together to read the Bible and pray together. A regular
help like the "Today" booklet is very helpful or go to your local
Christian book store and find something helpful.
Jesus took a special time. Perhaps you can start with 10 minutes in the
morning or at the end of the day, or maybe even in between somewhere. Take
the Bible, some devotional material, read and pray. Get in tune with God.
Consider his will for you, for your relationship to your spouse, kids, family,
in church. Start now, start today, decide right now, pick a time.
Wait —do you hear something? Hear that little whispering noise?
Satan whispering in your ear, don’t listen to this. Just a reading
service. You’re way too busy, there is no time. This is the time here
in church on Sunday but otherwise there is really no other time.
I ask you to set aside the time. Tell your spouse, tell your kids today
and have them help hold you accountable. Give them permission to ask you
if you did your devotions today. As parents we want our kids to do devotions
but how often do they see us doing them? Tell them, I’m setting this
time aside. Make it a strong and firm priority in your life.
We are also given some other helps in this passage. Vs. 35 adds the idea
of a special place. Jesus found a solitary place. For him it was not a special
room or chair. Indeed for Jesus there was no place in the house. With all
the people there he had to get out of the house. I don’t think we have
that problem. But can you tell me your special place? Or is there really
no special place, because there is no time?
You need a place. Satan says, "forget it, there is no place. Even
if you could find some time there is no place." The result is that people
seriously say that they do their devotions while driving. So strong is the
deceptive power of Satan. Even if you turn off the radio and put in a Bible
tape or Christian music CD, still a feeble excuse. We need a place in our
house. We know how to set aside a place in our homes. For most of us it is
automatic that the TV has a place, central place in the living room, and
then we place a smaller TV in every other room in our homes.
We have our special times we watch, We have our special chair we sit and
sit for hours. We never miss our favorite shows, day after day, week after
week. But we have no place, no time to spend with God.
Find a place. I have an office of course, many of us have offices, an
office is a good place. My wife and I sit together at the kitchen table after
the boys are gone to school. It is a quiet place where we read and pray together.
Sometimes we are tempted to say that there is no time but then we hold one
another accountable.
Find a place and a time to be with God, to consider his word, to pray,
to consider your work, your life in the context of his will.
Finally, how long did Jesus stay there? Did he say a quick prayer and
then got going? It says in Mark 1:36 that he was away long enough for Simon
and his companions to go looking for him. In vs. 37 we read that he stayed
away long enough so that "Everyone is looking" for him.
How long do you spend? The tense of the verb, "he prayed," denotes
enduring action, meaning he spent some time in the action. The action he
was involved in was praying, so he spent some time in the praying. Of course
it is true that God can accomplish great things in answer to short prayers.
Elijah prayed to God to show himself to the people and God sent fire from
heaven (1 Kings 18). But if you are going to pray just for the needs of this
congregation it will take you at least 10 minutes.
(Add examples from your congregation - names and situations)
You can add general concerns for young and old, the needs of the world,
the salvation of children, neighbors and friends. You would need at least
a _ hour. And maybe people will wonder where you are. People will come looking
for you. It’s OK because they will find you strengthened and renewed
in your faith and ready to do the things God calls you to do.
We see Jesus’ strength is renewed and he is ready to go on. He says
in vs. 38 that he is ready to go to the nearby villages. He may have faltered
a little bit in all the business but he is not faltering now. He is ready
to preach the good news again. He has been reminded in the devotional time
of the focus of his ministry, the purpose of God through him. In vs. 38 he
says,"That is why I have come." To preach the good news.
What is God’s task for you? Do not let the devil distract you from
that into all kinds of empty pursuits and pleasures. His will, his service,
the spreading of the good news are at the heart of all who follow Jesus in
faith and joy. As believers we are part of that work.
The message to us today is: set aside the time, find a place, take the
time to be in a close personal relationship with your God
Amen.
