Sermon
A Sacred Time
Mark 1: 35-37
FABC of Longmont
9/22/19
by Hunter Irvine
+ Open in prayer.
= Mark 1: 35-37 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. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” (NIV)
1. Duffy Robbins & Merrill Tenney:
A professor named Duffy Robbins has served at Eastern University in Pennsylvania for decades. Duffy is a nationally renowned Youth Ministry professor. I read several of his books when I was a student at CCU, and they were good textbooks. And I have had the privilege to hear him speak twice at seminars. He is a gifted teacher.
Duffy also spoke at CCU a few years ago, and I attended the symposium to listen to him. In that talk, Duffy told of the time he had an opportunity to have lunch with Dr. Merrill Tenney, the outstanding Bible scholar.
(There is a book by Merrill Tenney in this church up in the chapel bookcase. And I have a Bible dictionary by Dr. Tenney on my desk.)
So Duffy was extremely excited to meet Dr. Tenney, and during lunch with the famous scholar, he asked him a big question: “How do you spend your quiet time with God?”
Dr. Tenney replied, “I read my Bible, and I pray.”
That was all he said.
Now I think some other spiritual practices are great.
I sing one song every morning to conclude my quiet time.
Journaling is a special spiritual practice for me.
Many people do a variety of other activities during their personal time with God.
Yet Dr. Tenney got to the foundation of growing in Jesus day by day: Read your Bible and pray.
2. Solitude is needed:
Solitude is a word many people do not like. They equate it with being lonely.
Yet when you seek solitude for your quiet time with God, you will not end up lonely because you will end up spending the time with God!
Spending time with the Lord God Almighty, you will end up fulfilled rather than lonely!
We need to seek solitude, to get away from the countless distractions, so we can spend sacred time with God.
3. Your sacred time? :
Do you have a specific time and place where you spend your sacred time with God?
Of course we can spend time with God anytime, yet having a daily discipline usually promotes consistency.
In the book Manna, by Steve Farrar, in Chapter 5, Red Leather Chair, he tells of his daily practice of waking up early and reading his Bible and praying in the same red chair, morning after morning. He emphasizes that time with the Lord is foundational for the way he lives his life.
Do remember the key is not the time or the place, yet the key is interacting with your Father in heaven.
* All loving relationships require loving interaction. Spending time together, talking, and listening, are all needed for a healthy relationship. Spending such time with our Heavenly Father is imperative!!
4. My sacred time with God:
My personal time with God has been a key to my growth in Christ ever since I was a new Christian.
Most days, I spend time reading the Bible and praying after breakfast. I cherish the time.
* I am the Christian man I am today, because day after day, year after year, I have spent sacred time with God.
5. Jesus got recharged for preaching the Good News:
Did Jesus read His Bible and pray?
Again, from the book Manna, from that same chapter on page 112, Mr. Farrar states, “In the gospel of Matthew alone, we find Jesus directly quoting from the Old Testament seventy-six times.”
And we learn from this passage that Jesus prayed.
Jesus was fully God, and He was also fully human, and even He prayed when on earth.
Spending that time alone with the Father, Jesus got recharged to preach, to teach, and to heal!
Sacred time with the Father prepared Him to preach.
And Jesus preached the good news!
The word “Gospel” means good news.
What is that good news?
+ The Gospel
Jesus Christ died on a cross for the forgiveness of sins of anyone. He was the substitute for the consequence of sins, which is spiritual death. Then He was resurrected. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you will have eternal life with Him in heaven.
+ Invitation
If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, I invite you today to give your heart to Jesus. You can receive Him by simply believing. Believe in Jesus, and you will spend eternity in heaven.
Jesus loves you!!!
