Be Deliberate: Prayer (Mark 1:21-39)
We are Friends of God: John 15:13-17 Prayer is essentially talking to our friend Jesus.
• Notice Jesus says He calls us friends because He has told us told us His father’s business.
o Prayer is listening to our friend give us the wisdom we need for life.
Mark 1:21-39 Three Observations:
• First, Jesus is doing a lot of traveling and working long hours.
• Second, He is doing a lot of ministry. Dealing with a lot of people and demons.
o He is also dealing with a bit of a celebrity status so to speak.
• Third, His prayer life.
o Jesus was the Son of God, Deity Himself. Yet while on earth He had to pray.
• So right in the middle of all this chaos, travel and ministry we see Jesus’ very deliberate prayer life.
Verse 35 It starts with very early in the morning.
• This is contrasted by verse 33 that says “after sunset”
• Then it says while it was still dark. This emphasizes just how early this was.
o Going out in the dark gives Him privacy and hiddenness.
• The passage continues with Jesus got up and left the house.
o As anyone else tried to just stay in bed and pray? Getting up honors the prayer.
o Then He left the house
If He stays in the house, then someone else might get up early and distract Him.
• Now the passage ends with went off to a solitary place where he prayed.
o He had to find a solitary place where there were no other people.
• In this story in Mark Jesus is very deliberate in His prayer time.
o The model of deliberateness he sets here is certainly an example for us.
• Yet despite all of His efforts, His disciples still find Him.
o This speaks to the opposition and difficulty we will face even when we try to be deliberate.
o So press in and be deliberate, but expect push back.
o Pray against the push back.
Verse 38 I have to think that in His prayer time that morning the Father gave Him His marching orders.
• Was it in this prayer time the Father directed Him to go to Galilee?
Corporate prayer: So far I have talked about personal prayer.
• But corporate prayer is also essential to our spiritual life. There is something powerful about praying in unity with other people.
• Thurs at noon: Every other Wed (None Kingdom Life weeks): Sunday before the service: 1st Friday of the month: Prayer covenants, Be deliberate about praying for specific ministries in the church.
