Lesson 43

LESSON 43 – Mark 1:35-39

Mark 1:35-39 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 38And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. 39And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

What does this first sentence tell you about Jesus' habits?

He got up long before 6AM, which is when the Jewish day started, and left the house to pray. By doing that, what was He saying about prayer?

Why do you think that prayer was the first activity of His day?

What was He saying about being with His Father? Talking to Him? Hearing from Him?

Why did He want to be alone to pray? He did this more than once.

Luke 5:15-16 so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. 16And he withdrew himself into the wilderness (desert), and prayed.

Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

What do your prayer habits indicate about you? Is prayer important to you? Is it a necessity to you as it was to Jesus? Do you understand that you need prayer to give you the right focus and attitude to meet the day's challenges? Do you view prayer as talking with and listening to the One Who loves you most?

Principle: We must never think that we can do without talking with our heavenly Father. From Him, we receive encouragement, help, strength, direction, comfort and whatever else we need. He loves us. He wants to talk to us every day. (Hebrews 3:7)

Some time passed and the disciples awoke and started looking for Him, because more people had come for help. The disciples finally found Him and told Him that more people were seeking His healing power. Jesus said that He needed to go on and preach the message that He had been sent to give. He wanted them to understand what was most important, giving the Word of God to a lost world. (Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.) Luke 4:42-43 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

Many people followed Jesus. He could have had a healing crusade in that town. Yet He said He must go to other places to tell them of the kingdom of God. He was showing that although healing of the body was important, healing of the spirit was even more important because it would last forever.

Jesus kept His focus on the directions that His Father had given Him in His prayer times. Jesus intended to do the will of His Father, not the will of man. Jesus put the will of His Father first, above all else. He wasn't dismissing healing as unimportant, but He chose the better part, obeying the Holy Spirit's instructions and doing what He had been sent here to do.

What have you been sent here to do? Everyone has a God-given purpose to fulfill here. If you're not sure or don't yet know what that involves, begin to ask the Lord to reveal His purpose in sending you to this place, at this time.

Ask Him to help you understand why you are here, and what His plan is for you. He wants you to know it and to fulfill it. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Ask Him to prepare you for what He wants you to do. You already know that you will need to know the Word of God in whatever He has for you in the future, so spending time learning the Word of God is part of your preparation for doing the work of God.

"let's go to the next towns..." - Jesus didn't say this because He wanted a change of scenery. He only did those things that He was directed to do by the Holy Spirit. He kept His focus on the will of the Father. He had confidence in what the Father's plan for Him was. Ps 37:23 The steps of a good person are ordered by the LORD, and he delights in His way.

Ask the Lord to order your steps each day; ask Him to go before you to make the events of your day turn out to glorify Him and then watch how God will work.