Fifth Sunday of Epiphany-Year B February 5, 2012 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39 A Tempting and Lonely Place This sermon was preached by Pastor Jim Page at Trinity Lutheran Church Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace be with you all. Amen. Quiet time. Taking a break. Venturing off for some R and R. Regardless of what we call it, time away is appealing. Time away in a lonely place where phones do not ring and an array of voices are not competing for our attention. A lonely place where it s quiet. Where we can hear ourselves think, feel our own calmed breathing, rediscover the inner rhythms which try in vain to regulate our lives. A lonely place away from news, television, calendars, work, routine. A place of tranquil rest and retreat. There is nothing more tempting than a lonely place. In the morning, while it was still very dark, Mark tells us, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. There is nothing more tempting than a lonely place. We can dream of white, sandy beaches with the gentle warmth of the sun resting on our backs as the coolness of the watery waves lap up against our feet. We envision a majestic, panoramic view of creation from a high point on a mountain the air around us is quiet and the world below looks peaceful. In the daily pace of life, we must be content with a lonely place that is more practical. Solitude in the car on the way to work, a cup of coffee before the sun rises and everyone is out of bed, sitting in our favorite chair in the stillness of night at the end of the day. There is nothing more tempting than a lonely place. We yearn for such places, guard them, and cherish them. Today s gospel reading shows us the importance of such places where rest and prayer are hallmarks of following Jesus Christ. We ve been covering sections of the first chapter of the gospel of Mark in the past few weeks. Mark has told us about the preaching of John the Baptist, the baptism of Jesus, the first call of the disciples, the healing of a demon-possessed man in the synagogue. In this first chapter, Mark uses the word immediately 10 times. Immediately the Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness tempted by Satan. Immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus. Mark can barely catch his breath in telling others what is happening in Jesus life and ministry. Then we hear from Mark, In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. The action of Jesus lends to the question: When did you rest last week? When did you have time away to simply detach in order to care for yourself and be with God? This isn t a question of judgment but one that emphasizes a key aspect of our daily life of faith. Time magazine noted that back in the 1960 s, expert testimony was given to a subcommittee of the Senate on time management. The essence of it was that because of advances in technology, within twenty years or so people would have to radically cut back on how many hours a week they worked, or
how many weeks a year they worked, or else they would have to start retiring sooner. The great challenge, they said, was what people would do with all their free time. I m sure many of us would say that the primary challenge in regard to time is not what to do with all the excess. Even those who are retired from employment often coin the phrase, I m busier now than when I was working. We need to simply look around and see people moving faster, working harder, staying a little longer to get the task done. Yet, the challenge is keeping balance. Breaking the pace and making time to rest in order to stay connected with God as our foundation and nurturing ourselves. Moving beyond intention to rest and making it a reality. Jesus had just healed Simon s mother-in-law of her fever, the entire city is at the doorstep seeking his attention, his presence, what he can give them. Mark tells us that the people, a huge crowd, came to him late into the evening after sunset. Jesus is working overtime. I m sure Jesus was exhausted. Then, in one verse, the pace is broken. In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. The New International Version Bible translation refers to this location as a solitary place. John Ortberg, in his book The Life You Always Wanted, writes the following in response to the importance of rest and solitude, Solitude is the one place where we gain freedom from the forces of society that will otherwise relentlessly mold us. There are only three times in the entire gospel of Mark where Jesus is alone in prayer and this is the first instance. The Son of God, the Messiah, the one who we ve seen cast our demons, attend to the needs of an entire city needed time alone. Time alone to rest away from everyone. More importantly, time alone to connect with God in prayer. To connect with the God who s love was not based on how much he accomplished in the day. A God who was aware of his plight and offered support. A God who yearned to bring renewal. Jesus was not only alone he was alone in prayer. Prayer is a practice that is deeply personal and private. Many are self-conscious of prayer. When I was ordained I learned quickly that any prayer at a family reunion or holiday celebration would lend everyone s eyes to me. Let s be honest. We re selfconscious about prayer. Self-conscious to the point that it disappears from conversation and regular practice in our busy lives. As Christians, we re called to take time in solitude, to rest and connect with God in prayer. It is there that we realize again our dependence on God while seizing God s guidance and peace. We don t know how long Jesus was alone but it ended. He didn t tell the disciples where he was since they were looking for him. When they finally found him they said, Everyone is looking for you! Looking for you to come back to Capernaum. Come back where you healed the sick and astonished people with your preaching. You can imagine the busy leaders and the Capernaum Chamber
of Commerce yearning for Jesus to stay as he was drawing huge crowds into the city. It was an option that would bring security, respect and prosperity. I wonder how Jesus felt when his time alone was interrupted. Imagine that your away for some private prayer time and someone came looking for you, how would you feel? How about angry that your alone time had ended; grateful that you re needed; guilty that you left when others were looking for you in their need; or torn between your need for private time and the desire to help. Grounded in a time of rest and prayer Christ s moves forward confident with a renewed courage in his mission in following God. Let us go to the nearby towns, so I can preach there as well. That is why I have come. We have our mission of living our faith in the roles we play each day. Time alone to rest and pray is essential in holding to what is important in bringing God s presence into our midst. Following Christ s example, we are called to be deliberate in spending time with God away from the distractions and the needs brought upon us. To be with God in prayer to connect with our source of being, our foundation, the one who loves us and whom we seek to follow in our lives of faith. How can we practice this time of solitude and prayer? First of all, keep it as a priority. If time alone with God isn t a priority in your life, there are many other things that will take its place. Secondly, schedule it-it s not a waste of time! What we schedule is what has priority in our daily lives. We are conditioned to believe we have to always being doing something; producing something. This is why solitude requires relentless perseverance. Write it down on your daily schedule. It can be a five minute break or a longer interval. If you re committed in your schedule, it s more likely to happen. Finally, gain peace and renewal guilt free! Rising above the forces that can mold you will allow God to mold you into the person He wants you to be. Bring your concerns to God with an open, honest heart and allow God s peace to come upon you. In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. Let us pray Gracious God, thank you for your word and it s power to mold, to guide, and to inspire us in our daily discipleship. Amidst the needs and concerns of this week; may we be encouraged to take time to rest and be in prayer with you. In those quiet and holy times, soften our hearts to you and others, inspire our spirits with your peace, and strengthen us to move forward in service to you and others as your disciples. In Christ s name we pray. Amen.
Yet, looking at this verse as a justification for rest is not Mark s intent even though our initial regard leads us to hear such a claim. Digging deeper, Mark wants us to know about a unique character of a lonely place. That being, there is nothing more tempting than a lonely place. The lonely place, that place where we come to grips with what is most urgent in life and important for ourselves, is not a place of calm but a place of temptation. The lonely place is not a place of retreat, but a place of crisis and decision. The word here translated lonely place is better defined as wilderness. Wilderness in the Bible is a place of danger, where temptation stalks. Mark uses this word throughout chapter one with the meaning of place where crucial and risky decisions are made. John preached repentance in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. The wilderness is the place where God s will is clear and the demand for obedience is urgent. It s also the place where the temptation to disobey and the possibility for betrayal is felt the most powerfully. There is nothing more tempting than a lonely place. And the temptation came for Jesus. Like all temptation, it seemed innocent but the ramifications were vast. We read: Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, Everyone is searching for you. In other words, come back to Capernaum. Come back where you healed the sick and astonished people with your preaching. The folks from the Capernaum Chamber of Commerce want you to stay given the crowds that you are drawing into the city. Set up shop under the marquee, Jesus of Nazareth Preaching and Healing Mission. It would bring security, respect, and prosperity. In this lonely place, Jesus faced two paths leading out. One path back to Capernaum and a life of comfortable popularity. The other led to Golgatha and a costly sacrifice. One path led to cries of Hosanna! The other with cries of Crucify him! This wasn t a lonely place of quiet reflection. It was a place of momentous decision between the Kingdom of Self versus the Kingdom of God. Jesus decided, Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do. Henri Nouwen, Roman Catholic priest and Bible scholar wrote, The secret of Jesus ministry is hidden in that lonely place where he went to pray. In the lonely place Jesus find the courage to follow God s will and not his own; to speak God s words and not his own; to do God s work and not his own. In our faith, we also experience those lonely places. Those wilderness times marked by crisis or heightened awareness when we must choose between God s will or our own. There s nothing more tempting than a lonely place. Sometimes the lonely place is a place of disarray a place we would not go unless we had been driven there. The bonds of marriage are fractured, a job loss, health crisis, death of a loved one, a person we trusted betrayed us. It s easy to suffer in silence telling ourselves that God would not give you more than you can bear. Yet, what seems holy and sacrificial like Jesus going back to Capernaum is the very temptation God s wants us to avoid. Most of the time, our lives are marked by lonely places that are not so turbulent or fast. The places in our home, our ordinary routine, those places where we make crucial decisions in our lives.
The lonely place, the place of temptation and decision, the place where we decide to follow God s call or our own motives, can be at the breakfast table during a hectic morning; a moment of insight in reading a book or watching a television show; an argument with a loved one; when we are exhausted or refreshed. There s nothing more tempting than a lonely place.