When Everyone Is Looking For Jesus

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.