Turning Points
There are critical turning points in every story. It’s that moment when the choice is made that will make all the difference. Maybe you don’t realize it at the time. Maybe the decision may not make sense at the time. It’s only when you have the luxury of time and perspective that you see this was a decisive and defining moment.
Things happen. Momentum builds. As a result, the next move seems obvious. But suddenly with little warning, the story makes a sharp left when the whole world expected it to turn right. The narrative reverses field and goes surprisingly against the grain.
The Very Urgent Versus the Most Important
Has this happened in your life? Too many times we lose focus on our original purpose. Why? The very urgent overtakes the most important. We allow circumstances to sidetrack us. We take the obvious next step. Before we know it, we’re so far off mission that Google Maps can’t save us.
But there’s one Person who seized those moments and made the right call…even when it didn’t make sense at the time. Jesus never allows the very urgent to overtake the most important. How? By spending time alone with the One who sent Him, His Heavenly Dad. As a result, the Messiah stays on mission and stays on message.
Sabbath Saturday in Capernaum
That’s what we see in Mark 1:35-36. Jesus is blowing the lid off the joint in Capernaum. It all escalates quickly. VERY quickly. The incredible momentum begins to build when He picks His first four followers, two pairs of brothers who are career commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20).
Stuff really begins to pick up steam on a Sabbath Saturday at the local synagogue. The Rabbi/Carpenter from just up the road in Nazareth gets the privilege to preach. And does He ever! Worshipers have never heard anything or anyone like Him before (Mk 1:21-22). If that’s not enough, Christ performs an on-the-spot exorcism right in front of everybody and sends the evil spirit running packing (Mk 1:23-28).
When Opportunity Pounds
Follow that up with His instantaneous healing of Simon’s mother-in-law after leaving the synagogue (Mk 1:29-31). Clearly word gets out about what’s gone down and it transforms Simon and Andrew’s home into a crowded urgent care clinic well into the night (Mk 1:32-34).
As this crazy day comes to a close, you think you know what’s coming. Jesus sleeps in after a very busy day. When He does wake up, He sets up shop in Capernaum and people continue flocking to see Him.
It only makes sense. He’s the hottest thing in town. He’s gotta leverage the moment. The door is opening and He needs to walk right through. Opportunity isn’t just knocking. It’s pounding with both fists!
Choose Your Own Adventure
At this moment, Mark’s Gospel reminds me of those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books. These little jewels give kids the chance to make critical choices in the storyline and determine the main character’s actions and the plot’s outcome. You get a few options at critical points. Whatever you pick directly impacts the end of the story.
But Jesus does EXACTLY the opposite of what everybody expects. It’s been a super busy Saturday. It was late into the night when He healed the last person and chased away the last demon. Who could blame our Savior for catching a few extra Zs on Sunday morning?
Zero Dark Thirty
If you’re like me, you’re surprised to see our Savior stirring at Simon and Andy’s house before sunrise. Not only is the Rabbi/Carpenter awake but He’s on the move. “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (v35). The sun may not be up yet but the Son of God sure is.
A closer look at the Greek confirms just how early Jesus gets going. The phrase “before daybreak” (Gr. εννυχον/ennuchon) is actually a compound word that literally means “in the night” or “at night.” That’s why some other translations call Christ’s nocturnal exit as happening “while it was still dark” (v35 NIV, NASB, ESV).
Mark follows that up with a few more specifics on just when the Lord leaves. “The next morning” is actually just one little word in the original language (Gr. πρωι/proi) which describes what First Century Jews called the last watch of the night. In other words, between 3-6am. We’re talking Zero Dark Thirty.
100% God and 100% Man
Instead catching a bit more shuteye and recharge for Day 2 of more crowds and a crammed calendar, “Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (v35). He does the opposite of what we might expect. He wakes up early. He leaves before sunrise. Why? To get alone with His Heavenly Dad.
It’s usually at points like this in the story of Jesus that we need to remind ourselves that He’s the God Man. 100% God. No question about it. But He’s also 100% human as well. Theologians cooked up a fancy schamcy term called the Hypostatic Union to try and wrap their heads around the Incarnation of God into a human body.
As the God Man, Jesus is fully man. He’s not some sort of heaven-sent Superman just pretending to be Clark Kent. In other words, He needs a good night’s sleep just like the rest of us. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion the Lord is wiped out when He rolls out of the rack. In doing so, He reveals the priority of His relationship with His Father. It means devoting the very first part of His day to His Dad.
No Distractions
The Lord looks for “an isolated place to pray” (v35). Long before dawn, Jesus gets alone. No crowds. No TV. No iPad. No smartphone. No distractions. If you had the chance to chat with the Sovereign God of the universe, wouldn’t you want to hear Him clearly?
I’m tapping out these words on my laptop early on a Wednesday morning. The sun hasn’t hit the horizon yet. I don’t do this to thump my own chest or earn bonus points from God. I get up in order to eliminate distractions so I can hear from Jesus. Am I tired? You betcha. But He consistently uses these quiet moments to meet with me so I want to hear Him clearly.
God uses our early AM appointments to get me ready for the day. But maybe mornings aren't your jam. You may be able to find a lonely place at lunch. You could be one of those people who can spend time with the Lord just before bed. Whatever time it is, make it a habit get alone with God. With no distractions. I promise, you won’t regret it.
The Divine Dance
Meanwhile back in Mark’s Gospel, we see Jesus getting alone…to pray?!?! Here’s another one of those unexpected turns the story takes. Why would the Son of God need to pray. Why does God need to talk to God? For heaven’s sake, He’s the Second Person of the Trinity. It’s easy to think that if ANYBODY doesn’t have to pray, it’s Jesus!
Did you ever cross your mind that our Savior WANTED to pray? That He LONGED to pray? It makes perfect sense when you think about it. The Holy Trinity is the perfect relationship. Father, Son, and Spirit absolutely love being together. So much so that ancient preachers saw the Three Persons of the Godhead in a divine dance.
The Son Calls Home
After leaving heaven on this holy rescue mission, Jesus desperately wants to hear His Dad’s voice. Think of calling home when you’re on the road. You need to hear the voice of the one you love. I know I do.
There are critical turning points in every story. It’s that moment when the choice is made that will make all the difference. Maybe you don’t realize it at the time. Maybe the decision may not make sense at the time. It’s only when you have the luxury of time and perspective that you see this was a decisive and defining moment.
Things happen. Momentum builds. As a result, the next move seems obvious. But suddenly with little warning, the story makes a sharp left when the whole world expected it to turn right. The narrative reverses field and goes surprisingly against the grain.
The Very Urgent Versus the Most Important
Has this happened in your life? Too many times we lose focus on our original purpose. Why? The very urgent overtakes the most important. We allow circumstances to sidetrack us. We take the obvious next step. Before we know it, we’re so far off mission that Google Maps can’t save us.
But there’s one Person who seized those moments and made the right call…even when it didn’t make sense at the time. Jesus never allows the very urgent to overtake the most important. How? By spending time alone with the One who sent Him, His Heavenly Dad. As a result, the Messiah stays on mission and stays on message.
Sabbath Saturday in Capernaum
That’s what we see in Mark 1:35-36. Jesus is blowing the lid off the joint in Capernaum. It all escalates quickly. VERY quickly. The incredible momentum begins to build when He picks His first four followers, two pairs of brothers who are career commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20).
Stuff really begins to pick up steam on a Sabbath Saturday at the local synagogue. The Rabbi/Carpenter from just up the road in Nazareth gets the privilege to preach. And does He ever! Worshipers have never heard anything or anyone like Him before (Mk 1:21-22). If that’s not enough, Christ performs an on-the-spot exorcism right in front of everybody and sends the evil spirit running packing (Mk 1:23-28).
When Opportunity Pounds
Follow that up with His instantaneous healing of Simon’s mother-in-law after leaving the synagogue (Mk 1:29-31). Clearly word gets out about what’s gone down and it transforms Simon and Andrew’s home into a crowded urgent care clinic well into the night (Mk 1:32-34).
As this crazy day comes to a close, you think you know what’s coming. Jesus sleeps in after a very busy day. When He does wake up, He sets up shop in Capernaum and people continue flocking to see Him.
It only makes sense. He’s the hottest thing in town. He’s gotta leverage the moment. The door is opening and He needs to walk right through. Opportunity isn’t just knocking. It’s pounding with both fists!
Choose Your Own Adventure
At this moment, Mark’s Gospel reminds me of those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books. These little jewels give kids the chance to make critical choices in the storyline and determine the main character’s actions and the plot’s outcome. You get a few options at critical points. Whatever you pick directly impacts the end of the story.
But Jesus does EXACTLY the opposite of what everybody expects. It’s been a super busy Saturday. It was late into the night when He healed the last person and chased away the last demon. Who could blame our Savior for catching a few extra Zs on Sunday morning?
Zero Dark Thirty
If you’re like me, you’re surprised to see our Savior stirring at Simon and Andy’s house before sunrise. Not only is the Rabbi/Carpenter awake but He’s on the move. “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (v35). The sun may not be up yet but the Son of God sure is.
A closer look at the Greek confirms just how early Jesus gets going. The phrase “before daybreak” (Gr. εννυχον/ennuchon) is actually a compound word that literally means “in the night” or “at night.” That’s why some other translations call Christ’s nocturnal exit as happening “while it was still dark” (v35 NIV, NASB, ESV).
Mark follows that up with a few more specifics on just when the Lord leaves. “The next morning” is actually just one little word in the original language (Gr. πρωι/proi) which describes what First Century Jews called the last watch of the night. In other words, between 3-6am. We’re talking Zero Dark Thirty.
100% God and 100% Man
Instead catching a bit more shuteye and recharge for Day 2 of more crowds and a crammed calendar, “Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (v35). He does the opposite of what we might expect. He wakes up early. He leaves before sunrise. Why? To get alone with His Heavenly Dad.
It’s usually at points like this in the story of Jesus that we need to remind ourselves that He’s the God Man. 100% God. No question about it. But He’s also 100% human as well. Theologians cooked up a fancy schamcy term called the Hypostatic Union to try and wrap their heads around the Incarnation of God into a human body.
As the God Man, Jesus is fully man. He’s not some sort of heaven-sent Superman just pretending to be Clark Kent. In other words, He needs a good night’s sleep just like the rest of us. I’ve got a sneaking suspicion the Lord is wiped out when He rolls out of the rack. In doing so, He reveals the priority of His relationship with His Father. It means devoting the very first part of His day to His Dad.
No Distractions
The Lord looks for “an isolated place to pray” (v35). Long before dawn, Jesus gets alone. No crowds. No TV. No iPad. No smartphone. No distractions. If you had the chance to chat with the Sovereign God of the universe, wouldn’t you want to hear Him clearly?
I’m tapping out these words on my laptop early on a Wednesday morning. The sun hasn’t hit the horizon yet. I don’t do this to thump my own chest or earn bonus points from God. I get up in order to eliminate distractions so I can hear from Jesus. Am I tired? You betcha. But He consistently uses these quiet moments to meet with me so I want to hear Him clearly.
God uses our early AM appointments to get me ready for the day. But maybe mornings aren't your jam. You may be able to find a lonely place at lunch. You could be one of those people who can spend time with the Lord just before bed. Whatever time it is, make it a habit get alone with God. With no distractions. I promise, you won’t regret it.
The Divine Dance
Meanwhile back in Mark’s Gospel, we see Jesus getting alone…to pray?!?! Here’s another one of those unexpected turns the story takes. Why would the Son of God need to pray. Why does God need to talk to God? For heaven’s sake, He’s the Second Person of the Trinity. It’s easy to think that if ANYBODY doesn’t have to pray, it’s Jesus!
Did you ever cross your mind that our Savior WANTED to pray? That He LONGED to pray? It makes perfect sense when you think about it. The Holy Trinity is the perfect relationship. Father, Son, and Spirit absolutely love being together. So much so that ancient preachers saw the Three Persons of the Godhead in a divine dance.
The Son Calls Home
After leaving heaven on this holy rescue mission, Jesus desperately wants to hear His Dad’s voice. Think of calling home when you’re on the road. You need to hear the voice of the one you love. I know I do.
Here we see the Son calling home. Just to let you know, the Father would love to hear from us when we have a moment. When’s the last time we called our heavenly home?
Just how close are the Father and Son? So close that on the night before His murder Jesus asks His Dad that His followers “may be one as We are one…May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me” (Jn 17:22, 23). Our Savior wants us to enjoy the depth of His relationship with His Father.
Too Busy NOT to Pray
Jesus also prays BECAUSE of the gravity of His mission. In the words of Bill Hybels, He’s too busy NOT to pray! This quiet time alone with His Dad resets Christ after that crazy Saturday in Capernaum. You can bet He thanks Abba for all He was able to do the day before.
But this is just the beginning of what He came to do. There’s so much more to do. So many more people who need to hear the Good News of God’s kingdom. So many more who need a healing touch. So many more who need the love that will drench the planet from a Roman cross at Calvary. This quiet moment allows the Messiah to stay on mission and stay on message.
In High Demand
This becomes glaringly apparent as we pick up the action in Mark’s Gospel. Suddenly Jesus is no longer alone. “Later Simon and the others went out to find Him. When they found Him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for You’” (v36-37). Here’s something we’ll a lot more of in Scripture. Simon Peter taking the lead. In this case, he’s probably leading the other three fishermen.
Pete and the boys let Jesus know He’s in high demand back in town. Now’s Your chance. Opportunity is pounding on the door. Come on back to Capernaum and capitalize on the buzz and excitement that just went down on the Sabbath! Let’s do this!!
Keeping Jesus All to Ourselves
Who can blame them? That was quite spectacle on Saturday. The only problem is that folks want a show, not a Savior. They want miracles, not a Messiah. Be honest. We’re still doing the same thing. We would still rather watch Him than worship Him. Let’s not be too quick to throw the Galileans under the bus.
In his version of this same story, Luke tells us how the people did everything they could to try and keep Christ from leaving town. “They begged Him not to leave them” (Lk 4:42). They hope to keep Jesus all to themselves. Instead of sharing Him with the world, He would be their local attraction.
Trending on Twitter
But once again, the Lord makes the unexpected choice. He tells His boys, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came” (v38). After spending a quiet time alone with His Father, Jesus refuses to allow the very urgent to trump the most important. He won’t allow the fact that He’s suddenly trending on Twitter to trash what he came to do.
Because of His morning, the Messiah stays on mission and stays on message.
Christ Includes Us
Did you catch that Jesus says “WE must go” (v38 emphasis added)? He could do it all by Himself but He includes His brand new followers. He certainly doesn’t need them. The Lord is still involving us in His work to this day. Christ invites us and includes us in His mission. We don’t just have front row seats to watch Him do His thing, He wants us on the playing field right next to Him!
Think about what might have happened if Simon and the boys had been able keep Him in Capernaum. The Messiah’s message never leaves town. He never completes His mission. If that’s the case, do you I ever hear about God’s amazing grace?
A couple of thousand years later, we’re still trying to put Jesus in a box. Too many times I’m trying to force Him to follow my agenda and stay focused on my to-do list. Hey, here’s an idea…let’s join Jesus in what He is doing. He says the same thing to us that He did to Simon and the boys. “We must go.”
The Lord Has Target Lock
And with that, they hit the road. “So He traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons” (v39). So that Sabbath Saturday in Capernaum was simply a sneak preview of what was to come (Mk 1:21-28). Because of His morning in prayer, the Lord has target lock. No mission creep here.
Prioritizing Prayer
So if prayer’s good enough for the Son of God, shouldn’t it be something I must prioritize? Do I rationalize away my lack of quiet time with God by pointing to my calendar? Have you seen all I have to do today? Seriously, am I really busier than Jesus? Not so much. Instead, there’s a pretty good chance I’m too busy NOT to pray.
Setting our eyes on Jesus allows us to choose the most important over the most urgent. We start making unexpected decisions. People will probably scratch their heads when they think we’ll go one way but we go in an unanticipated direction. Only from God’s perspective do these choices make perfect sense.
When I do set aside time in the morning with Him, a funny thing happens. His choices become my choices. His mission becomes my mission. His message becomes my message. Other than God, who saw THAT coming?
©2017
Jay Jennings
Just how close are the Father and Son? So close that on the night before His murder Jesus asks His Dad that His followers “may be one as We are one…May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me” (Jn 17:22, 23). Our Savior wants us to enjoy the depth of His relationship with His Father.
Too Busy NOT to Pray
Jesus also prays BECAUSE of the gravity of His mission. In the words of Bill Hybels, He’s too busy NOT to pray! This quiet time alone with His Dad resets Christ after that crazy Saturday in Capernaum. You can bet He thanks Abba for all He was able to do the day before.
But this is just the beginning of what He came to do. There’s so much more to do. So many more people who need to hear the Good News of God’s kingdom. So many more who need a healing touch. So many more who need the love that will drench the planet from a Roman cross at Calvary. This quiet moment allows the Messiah to stay on mission and stay on message.
In High Demand
This becomes glaringly apparent as we pick up the action in Mark’s Gospel. Suddenly Jesus is no longer alone. “Later Simon and the others went out to find Him. When they found Him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for You’” (v36-37). Here’s something we’ll a lot more of in Scripture. Simon Peter taking the lead. In this case, he’s probably leading the other three fishermen.
Pete and the boys let Jesus know He’s in high demand back in town. Now’s Your chance. Opportunity is pounding on the door. Come on back to Capernaum and capitalize on the buzz and excitement that just went down on the Sabbath! Let’s do this!!
Keeping Jesus All to Ourselves
Who can blame them? That was quite spectacle on Saturday. The only problem is that folks want a show, not a Savior. They want miracles, not a Messiah. Be honest. We’re still doing the same thing. We would still rather watch Him than worship Him. Let’s not be too quick to throw the Galileans under the bus.
In his version of this same story, Luke tells us how the people did everything they could to try and keep Christ from leaving town. “They begged Him not to leave them” (Lk 4:42). They hope to keep Jesus all to themselves. Instead of sharing Him with the world, He would be their local attraction.
Trending on Twitter
But once again, the Lord makes the unexpected choice. He tells His boys, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came” (v38). After spending a quiet time alone with His Father, Jesus refuses to allow the very urgent to trump the most important. He won’t allow the fact that He’s suddenly trending on Twitter to trash what he came to do.
Because of His morning, the Messiah stays on mission and stays on message.
Christ Includes Us
Did you catch that Jesus says “WE must go” (v38 emphasis added)? He could do it all by Himself but He includes His brand new followers. He certainly doesn’t need them. The Lord is still involving us in His work to this day. Christ invites us and includes us in His mission. We don’t just have front row seats to watch Him do His thing, He wants us on the playing field right next to Him!
Think about what might have happened if Simon and the boys had been able keep Him in Capernaum. The Messiah’s message never leaves town. He never completes His mission. If that’s the case, do you I ever hear about God’s amazing grace?
A couple of thousand years later, we’re still trying to put Jesus in a box. Too many times I’m trying to force Him to follow my agenda and stay focused on my to-do list. Hey, here’s an idea…let’s join Jesus in what He is doing. He says the same thing to us that He did to Simon and the boys. “We must go.”
The Lord Has Target Lock
And with that, they hit the road. “So He traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons” (v39). So that Sabbath Saturday in Capernaum was simply a sneak preview of what was to come (Mk 1:21-28). Because of His morning in prayer, the Lord has target lock. No mission creep here.
Prioritizing Prayer
So if prayer’s good enough for the Son of God, shouldn’t it be something I must prioritize? Do I rationalize away my lack of quiet time with God by pointing to my calendar? Have you seen all I have to do today? Seriously, am I really busier than Jesus? Not so much. Instead, there’s a pretty good chance I’m too busy NOT to pray.
Setting our eyes on Jesus allows us to choose the most important over the most urgent. We start making unexpected decisions. People will probably scratch their heads when they think we’ll go one way but we go in an unanticipated direction. Only from God’s perspective do these choices make perfect sense.
When I do set aside time in the morning with Him, a funny thing happens. His choices become my choices. His mission becomes my mission. His message becomes my message. Other than God, who saw THAT coming?
©2017
Jay Jennings
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