Contemplation Series

From the Ashes

Week 3 - Contemplation

Scripture: Mark 1:35

Introduction

Welcome to week 3 of our From the Ashes Sermon Series as we take a 6-week journey to the cross together. Each week we are looking at a different aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry during His time here on earth. Each week we are getting a glimpse into the abundant life possible in and through Christ.

In week one we discussed temptation and last week we tackled Christ-like humility together.

This week we take a look at one of Jesus’ most powerful habits; contemplative prayer or being still and quiet with God.

Most everyone I know wishes they had a more devoted, more powerful, and purposeful prayer life. One of the major issues we all share is the busy pace of life and constant stimulation we experience. All of this seriously impedes our ability to slow down.

To be honest, it just feels awkward to be still.

(Illustration Idea: Invite the congregation to stand up in their places and start a counter for 1:00. Have everyone close their eyes and attempt to sit down when they think 1:00 has passed. The goal here is to see if you can have enough focus in quiet to correctly judge time. Reveal when the 1:00 is up and see how everyone did.)

It was hard to be still, even for a minute wasn’t it? That minute of stillness felt like half an hour to some of you.

On some level, this exercise draws our attention to the challenge of stillness, contemplation, and prayer generally. And specifically that we are uncomfortable with being still and silent.

When I was working for AMR, which is one of the largest ambulance companies in the world I had fellow manager that had worked as a paramedic in Las Vegas. We were all sitting around talking one day and I asked what was the most common call that they went on?

He said for the locals, it’s just like anywhere else- the typical calls one would see on a daily basis.

But for the tourists, he said the most common call with them was “Las Vegas Syndrome”. “Las Vegas Syndrome” is not an actual disease, but a street term given to incidents that involve certain visitors who basically cannot handle Las Vegas. A person with “Las Vegas Syndrome” is someone with not enough sleep, not enough water intake, too much sun and, of course, too much alcohol. So many people want to do so many stimulating things that they will literally run themselves into a waking coma- walking around the city with a blank look on their faces, babbling about nonsense, and needing medicated assisted sleep for at least 12 hours to start to recover their brain chemistry.

Out of curiosity- how many people here feel that way just about living in 2022 right now? (Tic Toc worst culprit)

Our lives are so loud, busy, and frantic, that many of us have grown accustomed to the noise and we feel out of place when it all stops- just like the experiment we did a few moments ago about being quiet for 1 minute. I get it, I’m like most of you- I used to think that being busy was the ultimate sign of Godliness…but now I’ve learned differently.

But it will come as no surprise that the Bible has a different way for us. A more fulfilling way, and there are several principles we can put into immediate action that I can’t wait to share with you.

Prayer

Let’s get started.

Main Teaching

Before we get too deep today, I want to first draw attention to one of the terms I’m using. I’m using the word contemplation to describe a behavior we see modeled in the Bible.

I’m using it to describe a peaceful, silent, calm place of prayer in the life of a believer.

As Christians, we are supposed to be following the words and actions of Christ Jesus, and one of the things that really marked Jesus was His prayer life.

For example, Mark 1:35, where we see Jesus walk off into the desert early in the morning to be alone in prayer.

Mark 1:35 (Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.)

Did Jesus sit in silence? Did He sing? Did He bring a laundry list of items with Him? Did He pray through His favorite Psalms? We don’t know, but when I think about contemplation, stillness, and connecting with God I think about this verse, and it moves me.

Honestly, who doesn’t want a powerful and purposeful prayer life?

Who doesn’t want all the fullness and adventure a life of discipleship offers? Listen to the way Richard Foster describes prayer;