1. William H. Hinson tells us why animal trainers carry a stool when they go into a cage of lions. They have their whips, of course, and their pistols are at their sides. But they also carry a stool, the most important tool of the trainer. He holds the stool and thrusts the legs toward the face of the wild animal. Those who know maintain that the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. A kind of paralysis overwhelms the animal, and it becomes tame, weak, and disabled because its attention is fragmented.
2. Jesus only lived about 33 years. Even a long life seems short but this one was very short. He might have been tempted to run from one thing to the next. Instead, he had to prioritize his time – by day and by hour. Mark 1:35-39 35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
3. The night before (first day of week) Jesus had expended a lot of energy in healing – Mark 1:32-34 32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
He had already cast out a demon in the synagogue
He had already healed Peter’s MIL
That night people came
4. Jesus’ Priorities while everyone was looking for him:
I. Personal Priority of Prayer
A. Intentional – He planned when he would pray – this time, early; Luke 6:12 – all night
D.L. Moody once said, “We ought to see the face of God every morning before we see the face of man.”
B. Isolated – private times of prayer as well as corporate times of prayer –“desolate place”
C. Involved – “Prayed” = continued praying; (Matthew 7:7)
The pattern of: Reverence; Response; Requests; Readiness
D. Incorporating – John 5:19 – the Son can do nothing of his own accord
He was incorporating the presence and power of God in his life; How much more – US?
Tony Campolo told about being in a church in Oregon where he was asked to pray for a man who had cancer. Campolo prayed boldly for the man’s healing.
That next week he got a telephone call from the man’s wife. She said, "You prayed for my husband. He had cancer." Campolo thought when he heard her use the past tense verb that his cancer had been eradicated! But before he could think much about it she said, "He died." Compolo felt terrible.
But she continued, "Don’t feel bad. When he came into that church that Sunday he was filled with anger. He knew he was going to be dead in a short period of time, and he hated God. He wanted to see his children and grandchildren grow up. He was angry that this all-powerful God didn’t take away his sickness and heal him. He would lie in bed and curse God. It was an awful thing to be in his presence.
But the lady told Compolo, "After you prayed for him, a peace and a joy that had come to him. The last three days have been the best days of our lives. We’ve sung. We’ve laughed. We’ve read Scripture. We prayed. Oh, they’ve been wonderful days. And I called to thank you for laying your hands on him and praying for healing."
And then she said something incredibly profound, "He wasn’t cured, but he was healed."
II. Personal Priority of People
Why Seek Jesus? Not much different than why we seek him today.
A. For personal needs – salvation; blessings;
B. For selfish needs –
1. Improves my image to be associated with Jesus in some circles
2. Popularity – selfie with the celebrity
3. Messiah needed an army
C. For other people’s needs (Intercession 1 Timothy 2:1)
III. Personal Priority of Preaching Mark 1.38-39
38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
A. We need Gospel, Good News
Once reserved for Caesar
Now about Jesus
B. Intended for all people, not just the small town of Capernaum
Oswald Smith wrote: “No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.”
2 Corinthians 10:16: “So that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence.”
1. Acts 6:4 – Prayer and Ministry of the word FOR PEOPLE
a. Not just for Jesus and apostles – us, too
b. I encourage you to have a daily time with God
• Plan it
• Practice it
• Pray with Scripture
Adrian Rogers wrote the post, “How to Have a Meaningful Quiet Time.”
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a sin to avoid?
• Is there a lesson to learn?
• Is there a new truth to carry with me?
2. Also look for opportunities to share good news – Romans 10:14-15 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?[c] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
3. In the fifteen hundreds there was a Protestant reformer in England by the name of Hugh Latimer. He was known as a great preacher of his day and he had many opportunities to preach. One of his opportunities was to preach before the King Henry VIII of England. He thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the King. He also thought that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the King was going to want to hear.
As he contemplated this, he said that he heard a voice, “Latimer, remember you are preaching before King Henry VIII who, if he wills, can take away your life.” Then he heard another voice, “Latimer, remember you are preaching before the King of Kings, do not displease him.”
Latimer struggled. Would he preach what man wanted to hear or would he preach what Christ would have him preach. Latimer chose to preach what Christ would have him to preach. Ultimately it cost Latimer his life. It cost Jesus his, too! It will cost us too!
