Withdrawing

Mark 1:35-39

This past Monday, I was hit by a metaphorical freight train. Out of nowhere on Monday afternoon came a fever, head cold and aches that sucked all the energy out of my body and I slept for 48 hours without being able to read or even think. It was only on Thursday that I was able to sit up in bed and begin to do some work.

Monday afternoon as I was lying there in my misery, someone who loves me very much reminded me that I was getting what I deserved because I had not been taking her advice to take some time off each week. And then she said, “What are you preaching on this week? Jesus withdrew to a solitary place? Boy this is ironic.” She was getting warmed up here. “If Jesus needed to get away don’t you think you need to do the same? Are you going to start taking some time off each week?”

I asked her if she could preach this Sunday since she was doing such a good job but she declined the opportunity and I am here to give a pale imitation of the convicting message that was delivered to me.

This will be the shortest sermon I have ever given and I may come back in a few weeks to talk at more length about this topic, but there is one point to make that is not very complicated. This is what my Annie so lovingly said to me on Monday, “If Jesus needed to get away don’t you think you need to do the same?”

There is a children’s television show my daughters used to watch when they were children that had a song I still remember.  They would show a picture with four objects and then sing, One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn’t belong. Can you guess which one is not like the other, before I finish this song? And so there might be a saw, a hammer, a screwdriver and a loaf of bread, with the bread not belonging with three tools.

Well, when you read the first couple chapters of Mark’s Gospel, there is likewise one account that does not seem to fit with all the other accounts. If you have your Bible, open with me to Mark 1.

Mark opened with an account of John the Baptist who baptized Jesus. Jesus called the disciples to follow him and announced that the kingdom of God was near. He set out then at a fast pace to give evidence after evidence that the kingdom of God was indeed near. Jesus drove out an evil spirit, healed Peter’s mother-in-law and many others, casting out more demons, withdrew to pray, cured a man of his leprosy, and healed a paralytic.

Now which of those things does not seem to fit? Which of those things is not like the other?

Why did Mark stick in this story about Jesus withdrawing to a solitary place to pray?

Jesus began his ministry with an evil spirit being cast out in the middle of his teaching in the synagogue. That night, the crowds came to Peter and Andrew’s home, bringing those who needed healing and freedom from demonic possession. And this was the life of Jesus the rest of his ministry. Only with great effort could Jesus get away from the crowds who came after him.

People coming and wanting, pleading, asking, demanding, crying out, insisting, that Jesus come and help them.

I think that this story is in here because Jesus actually did need to get away. In Luke 5:16 we read
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

But the story is also in here because Peter must have often told that story. After Peter preached his first sermon on the day of Pentecost, what do you think the life of Peter was like? Peter also experienced the demands of people coming to him for help. He worked to resolve conflicts in the church. Peter learned that he, like his master and Savior, needed to withdraw and pray.

The early church was a hotbed of activity. So much was happening and Mark himself was a part of this life. He traveled with Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. He worked with both Paul and Peter. His own life was one full of responsibility and activity. When Peter told this story, Mark learned to appreciate the value of it.

Jesus needed to withdraw to pray. Peter needed to withdraw to pray. Mark needed to withdraw to pray.

I have had an increasing number of responsibilities and over the past several weeks have been going from meeting to project to meeting to task. I sat in Sunday School last Sunday and began writing down notes about what to preach on this Sunday. I had not been getting enough sleep and was tired Monday morning at 8 when someone came over to the house to talk to me. Then I met with Errol and we worked on VOH finances. We had a meeting at the US Embassy and then I had a lunch meeting to plan worship for Easter. I was worn down when this flu hit me and I had no resistance.

I am not the only one who lives a busy life. Errol Muller at the Village of Hope had a never ending series of responsibilities and tasks that come at him. He is constantly receiving phone calls from people to ask about this or that. When you go to see him at VOH, he is constantly on the move and to meet with him is to walk with him or see him disappear for an extended period of time while he deals with his many responsibilities.

I know many of you in this congregation have very busy lives as well and so the message for this morning needs to be heard by all of us.

If Jesus needed to withdraw to a solitary place and pray, don’t you also need to do that?

I’m not talking here about having a daily devotional time. You can sit down in the morning before going to work and read your Bible and pray and that is good. I’m talking about more than that. I’m talking about withdrawing, getting away from your activity and meetings and the omnipresent cell phone.

As I was lying in bed this week, I asked myself at one point, “Is the kingdom of God advancing as I lay here doing nothing?” And the answer was, of course, yes.

If I take a day off a week to get away and read and relax and pray, will the kingdom of God suffer in any way? Of course not! In fact, the kingdom of God will benefit because I will be better able to do the work I am supposed to do.

Errol told me yesterday that he has begun taking an afternoon a week off, to drive up in the mountains, go sit in a café in Azrou, in some way to get away and relax. I can see the difference it is making for him.

I have been telling him for a long time that he needs to do this and now I intend to follow his example and begin doing it myself.

Jesus needed to do it. Peter and Mark needed to do it. Errol and I need to do it. Do you think you are the first person in history who does not need to withdraw on a regular basis and pray?

Some of us are able to handle more pressure than others. Some of us are able to go for a longer time than others without suffering from the lack of some time off. But I don’t think any of us would not benefit from being more disciplined in getting away once a week.

Tell someone today what you do to withdraw. What do you find helpful? Where do you go? What do you do? By telling someone else, you may help that person and you will encourage yourself to actually take time this week to withdraw.