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“Recharge Your Batteries” Mark 1:35-38 *Click for Audio* Pastor Kevin Vogts Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany—February 4, 2018 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The theme for our sermon this morning is “Recharge Your Batteries,” based on today’s Gospel Reading from the first chapter of Mark, especially this verse: “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.” What exactly did Jesus do during the three years of his public ministry as he traveled about the Holy Land? In today’s Gospel Reading, the evangelist Mark paints for us a picture of the work Jesus did during those years. Part of that picture is PREACHING the word of God. Mark reports, “He traveled throughout Galilee, PREACHING in their synagogues. Another part of the picture is the miraculous HEALINGS Jesus performed. Mark recounts the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, and also says: “Jesus healed many who had various diseases.” Yet another part of the picture is Jesus’ demonstration of his power over the devil. As Mark tells us: “He also drove out many demons.” So, here we have in today’s Gospel Reading a succinct picture of the work Jesus did during the three years of his public ministry. He PREACHED the Word of God; he HEALED many who had various diseases; and he DROVE OUT many DEMONS. But, there is yet another part of the picture, yet another aspect of Jesus earthly ministry that we might overlook. Our text tells us that during those years as he traveled about, Jesus not only PREACHED the Word of God, he not only HEALED many who had various diseases, he not only DROVE OUT many DEMONS. Jesus also spent time in PRAYER: “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.” When we think of our Lord Jesus in prayer, perhaps the first image that comes to mind is this familiar painting of his fervent prayer in a time of TROUBLE, the night before his death, in the Garden of Gethsemane: “He knelt down and prayed . . . Father, if be possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus was asking, “Father, if there is any other way for my mission of salvation to be accomplished, let it be so. Yet if there is no other way, I willingly give myself up to suffer and die for the sins of the world.” Just a few hours later, Jesus was led out to a place called Golgotha, where he was put to death by crucifixion. Put to death as a sacrifice for sin. Not his own sin, for he was without sin; he died for our sin. He paid the price for the sin of the whole world, he paid the price in your place. Because of his sacrifice, the sin of the world is forgiven, your sin is all forgiven. Paul puts it this way in Colossians: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself. . . by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” The Good News is, because of Christ’s sacrifice, that is how God sees you, right now: “Holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” John writes, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life . . . This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Through Christ you have been made God’s own child, and like an earthly parent lovingly listening to their child, your heavenly Father hears you in prayer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” The prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches US to pray in times of TROUBLE. As James says, “Is any of you in trouble? He should pray.” What are the troubles you are facing in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer. Psalm 27 promises, “In the day of trouble I will keep you safe.” Learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in times of TROUBLE. The Gospel of Luke reports that the night before he chose the 12 Apostles: “Jesus went out to the hills to pray, and spent the whole night praying to God.” The night Jesus spent praying before choosing the 12 Apostles teaches US to pray when faced with IMPORTANT DECISIONS. What important decisions are you facing in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer. Paul writes in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Learn from Jesus’ night of prayer before choosing the Apostles to pray when faced with IMPORTANT DECISIONS. We will end the Epiphany season next Sunday by commemorating the Transfiguration of Our Lord, when Jesus was glorified on the mountain. Again, the Gospel of Luke reports that this too was for Jesus an occasion for prayer: “He went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.” The Transfiguration was the high point of Jesus earthly life, when he was revealed in all his true, divine glory. The prayer of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration teaches US to pray in times of JOY and special occasions. What are the high points, the joyous special occasions in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer. As Paul says in Ephesians, “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Learn from Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Transfiguration to pray in times of JOY and special occasions. But, in our text this morning, Jesus was not praying because it was a joyous special occasion like the Transfiguration. Jesus was not praying because he was faced with an important decision, like choosing the 12 Apostles. Jesus was not praying because it was a time of trouble, as in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was just an ordinary, busy morning, like many in his earthly ministry. So, why DID Jesus pray that day? The Gospel of Luke explains: “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Jesus’ solitary prayer in the early morning hours teaches US to pray, not only in times of trouble, not only when faced with important decisions, not only on special occasions, but to pray EVERY DAY, to pray on ordinary, busy mornings, just as he did that day. Learn from Jesus to take time every day to “Recharge Your Batteries.” Paul puts it very simply in 1st Thessalonians: “Pray without ceasing.” And in Colossians, “Devote yourselves to prayer.” Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men.” The Christian is like a rechargeable flashlight. And it is through prayer, and reading and hearing God’s Word, both in your own home and here in God’s house, and through the Sacraments, like our Holy Communion this morning, that you “Recharge Your Batteries” so your light will shine. A Christian who does not pray, or read and hear the Word, both in your own home and here in God’s house, or receive the Sacraments, is like a rechargeable flashlight that is never plugged in to its power source. Eventually the light will fade and the batteries go dead. Do you ever feel like someone has pressed the fast-forward button on your life—everything is so busy and hectic, you just don’t have time for all the demands upon you? That’s how our Lord’s life was going in today’s Gospel Reading. Mark says, “The whole town gathered at the door.” It seems everyone wanted to see Jesus, to hear him preach, to feel his healing touch, to experience his power. As the disciples exclaimed when they finally found Jesus the next morning, “Everyone is looking for you!” And how did Jesus respond to all these crushing demands placed upon him? “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.” Jesus’ solitary prayer in the early morning hours teaches US to take time to “Recharge Your Batteries.” There’s a poem that puts it this way: I got up early one morning, and rushed right into the day. I had so much to accomplish I didn’t have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me and heavier came each task. “Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered. He answered, “You didn’t ask.” I got up early this morning, and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish, I had to take time to pray. Learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in times of TROUBLE. Learn from Jesus’ night of prayer before choosing the 12 Apostles to pray when faced with IMPORTANT DECISIONS. Learn from Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Transfiguration to pray in times of JOY and special occasions. And, learn from Jesus’ solitary prayer in the early morning hours to take time to pray in your busy life, to “Recharge Your Batteries,” at the beginning of the day in your own house, and at the beginning of every week here in God’s house. “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.” Amen. Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

“Recharge Your Batteries”
Mark 1:35-38

Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany—February 4, 2018

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The theme for our sermon this morning is “Recharge Your Batteries,” based on today’s Gospel Reading from the first chapter of Mark, especially this verse: “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.”

What exactly did Jesus do during the three years of his public ministry as he traveled about the Holy Land? In today’s Gospel Reading, the evangelist Mark paints for us a picture of the work Jesus did during those years. Part of that picture is PREACHING the word of God. Mark reports, “He traveled throughout Galilee, PREACHING in their synagogues.

Another part of the picture is the miraculous HEALINGS Jesus performed. Mark recounts the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, and also says: “Jesus healed many who had various diseases.”

Yet another part of the picture is Jesus’ demonstration of his power over the devil. As Mark tells us: “He also drove out many demons.”

So, here we have in today’s Gospel Reading a succinct picture of the work Jesus did during the three years of his public ministry. He PREACHED the Word of God; he HEALED many who had various diseases; and he DROVE OUT many DEMONS.

But, there is yet another part of the picture, yet another aspect of Jesus earthly ministry that we might overlook. Our text tells us that during those years as he traveled about, Jesus not only PREACHED the Word of God, he not only HEALED many who had various diseases, he not only DROVE OUT many DEMONS. Jesus also spent time in PRAYER: “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.”

When we think of our Lord Jesus in prayer, perhaps the first image that comes to mind is this familiar painting of his fervent prayer in a time of TROUBLE, the night before his death, in the Garden of Gethsemane:

“He knelt down and prayed . . . Father, if be possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus was asking, “Father, if there is any other way for my mission of salvation to be accomplished, let it be so. Yet if there is no other way, I willingly give myself up to suffer and die for the sins of the world.”

Just a few hours later, Jesus was led out to a place called Golgotha, where he was put to death by crucifixion. Put to death as a sacrifice for sin. Not his own sin, for he was without sin; he died for our sin. He paid the price for the sin of the whole world, he paid the price in your place. Because of his sacrifice, the sin of the world is forgiven, your sin is all forgiven.

Paul puts it this way in Colossians: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself. . . by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” The Good News is, because of Christ’s sacrifice, that is how God sees you, right now: “Holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”

John writes, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life . . . This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Through Christ you have been made God’s own child, and like an earthly parent lovingly listening to their child, your heavenly Father hears you in prayer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

The prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane teaches US to pray in times of TROUBLE. As James says, “Is any of you in trouble? He should pray.”

What are the troubles you are facing in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer. Psalm 27 promises, “In the day of trouble I will keep you safe.” Learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in times of TROUBLE.

The Gospel of Luke reports that the night before he chose the 12 Apostles: “Jesus went out to the hills to pray, and spent the whole night praying to God.” The night Jesus spent praying before choosing the 12 Apostles teaches US to pray when faced with IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

What important decisions are you facing in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer. Paul writes in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Learn from Jesus’ night of prayer before choosing the Apostles to pray when faced with IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

We will end the Epiphany season next Sunday by commemorating the Transfiguration of Our Lord, when Jesus was glorified on the mountain. Again, the Gospel of Luke reports that this too was for Jesus an occasion for prayer: “He went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.”

The Transfiguration was the high point of Jesus earthly life, when he was revealed in all his true, divine glory. The prayer of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration teaches US to pray in times of JOY and special occasions. What are the high points, the joyous special occasions in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer. As Paul says in Ephesians, “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Learn from Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Transfiguration to pray in times of JOY and special occasions.

But, in our text this morning, Jesus was not praying because it was a joyous special occasion like the Transfiguration. Jesus was not praying because he was faced with an important decision, like choosing the 12 Apostles. Jesus was not praying because it was a time of trouble, as in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was just an ordinary, busy morning, like many in his earthly ministry. So, why DID Jesus pray that day? The Gospel of Luke explains: “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Jesus’ solitary prayer in the early morning hours teaches US to pray, not only in times of trouble, not only when faced with important decisions, not only on special occasions, but to pray EVERY DAY, to pray on ordinary, busy mornings, just as he did that day.

Learn from Jesus to take time every day to “Recharge Your Batteries.” Paul puts it very simply in 1st Thessalonians: “Pray without ceasing.” And in Colossians, “Devote yourselves to prayer.”

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men.” The Christian is like a rechargeable flashlight. And it is through prayer, and reading and hearing God’s Word, both in your own home and here in God’s house, and through the Sacraments, like our Holy Communion this morning, that you “Recharge Your Batteries” so your light will shine. A Christian who does not pray, or read and hear the Word, both in your own home and here in God’s house, or receive the Sacraments, is like a rechargeable flashlight that is never plugged in to its power source. Eventually the light will fade and the batteries go dead.

Do you ever feel like someone has pressed the fast-forward button on your life—everything is so busy and hectic, you just don’t have time for all the demands upon you? That’s how our Lord’s life was going in today’s Gospel Reading. Mark says, “The whole town gathered at the door.” It seems everyone wanted to see Jesus, to hear him preach, to feel his healing touch, to experience his power. As the disciples exclaimed when they finally found Jesus the next morning, “Everyone is looking for you!”

And how did Jesus respond to all these crushing demands placed upon him? “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.”

Jesus’ solitary prayer in the early morning hours teaches US to take time to “Recharge Your Batteries.” There’s a poem that puts it this way:

I got up early one morning, and rushed right into the day.
I had so much to accomplish I didn’t have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me and heavier came each task.
“Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered.
He answered, “You didn’t ask.”
I got up early this morning, and paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish, I had to take time to pray.

Learn from Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane to pray in times of TROUBLE. Learn from Jesus’ night of prayer before choosing the 12 Apostles to pray when faced with IMPORTANT DECISIONS. Learn from Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Transfiguration to pray in times of JOY and special occasions. And, learn from Jesus’ solitary prayer in the early morning hours to take time to pray in your busy life, to “Recharge Your Batteries,” at the beginning of the day in your own house, and at the beginning of every week here in God’s house.

“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.”

Amen.

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