Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm19960221.htm

MARK: GOSPEL OF THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, GOD'S SERVANT
Part III: The Continuing Spiritual Revitalization For Divine Service
(Mark 1:21-39)
  1. Introduction
    1. It's relatively simple to start a ministry for the Lord. It is quite another thing to continue it well!
    2. One of the biggest, most exhaustive Sabbath days the Lord Jesus spent in His earthly ministry is recorded for us in Mark 1:21-34. Yet, what happened just after this day was completed reveals to us the dynamics of God that kept Him going effectively, a lesson very much needed in today's Church burn-out victims!
  2. The Continuing Spiritual Revitalization For Divine Service, Mark 1:35-39.
    1. Jesus spent a very arduous, active, tiring Sabbath day at Capernaum at the start of His earthly ministry:
      1. To open the day, He taught powerfully in the synagogue, Mark 1:21-22.
      2. Apparently during the service, Jesus was confronted by a demon possessed man and He exorcised him on the spot, Mark 1:23-26. That must have been humanly tiring to say the lea st!
      3. Right after the service, Jesus entered into Peter's home and healed his mother-in-law, Mk. 1:29-31.
      4. Jesus had a bit of a break for rest, but not for long. News of his exorcism of the possessed man in the synagogue and news of his healing Peter's relative quickly spread throughout all Galilee so that throngs brought demon possessed and ill people to the house after sunset for healing, Mark 1:32-33. Thus, Jesus, though tired, healed and exorcised many on the spot until late into the night, Mark 1:34.
    2. However, the next morning before daybreak, Jesus went out to a lonely place to pray, Mk. 1:35. What happened there is explained in Isaiah's predictions about these prayer times of the Messiah as follows:
      1. G. Campbell Morgan, a renowned expositor, concludes that Isaiah 50:4ff describes what went on during these prayer times of the Lord, The Gospel According To Mark, p. 38.
      2. Isaiah 50:4-5 describe an early morning rendezvous of God the Father with God the Son as follows:
        1. God the Father would apparently habitually rouse Jesus from sleep for communication purposes, Is. 50:4c, cf. Young, The Book Of Isaiah, v. III, p. 298f.
        2. At that time, the Father would tell Him what was on the schedule for the day and what words Jesus was to use in teaching so that He would encourage weary, needy listeners, Is. 50:4a,b; Ibid., Young.
        3. Thus, Jesus would heed what the Father said, submitting to that schedule and teaching content for the day, and go from there refreshed and equipped for another busy day of ministry, Is. 50:5.
    3. When Peter came and found Jesus praying alone, the words between Peter and Jesus reveals this to be so:
      1. Peter came looking for Jesus, wondering why He was all by himself when there were throngs of people in the town affected by His ministry to them the day before who were willing to follow Him, Mk. 1:36f.
      2. Jesus told Peter that He had to leave Capernaum that day and teach in other towns, Mark 1:38. This was His purpose for coming, a purpose that was much broader than meeting just Capernaum's needs!
      3. Apparently, the Father had just instructed Jesus to leave Capernaum in spite of the positive following as His mission was much broader than getting bogged down there. He had to spread out to the other towns in the district and teach t hem truths that they needed for their spiritual needs!
      4. Thus, equipped with specific instructions for the new day, Jesus was supernaturally refreshed and directed by the Father to put the past, busy, tiring day behind him and go forward.
Lesson: Jesus humanly drew His strength for continuing His ministry from personal encounters with the Father to find out (a) the geographical location, (b) the people and (c) the actual words he was to use to teach in ministry, and (d) to d o so on a daily basis! In this way, He was able to bear the burden of keeping up with his great pace in the Father's ministry with vitality.

Application: If Jesus needed to come "come apart into a lonely place" for direction and strength from the Father for His work, we also certainly need that same help from God through His Word and personal prayer for the same vitality to keep going also! We must "come apart" for Scriptural direction as to ( a) the geographical location, (b) the people to whom we are to minister, (c) the words we are to use in communicating with them, and (d) do so on a daily basis, or we will "come apart"!