In this message Pastor Scott teaches from Mark 1:35. By praying in silence and solitude, we take intentional time in the quiet to be alone with God. That is what we explore in this sermon.
Sermon Notes
RHYTHMS OF GRACE
Week 2 – Prayer in Silence and Solitude
“You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life." Dallas Willard
"There is nothing else. Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” Dallas Willard
Something about the way I was following Jesus was not producing the level of transformation that I knew was possible.
If you want to experience the life of Jesus, you must adopt the lifestyle of Jesus by the power of the Spirit.
GOD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SPIRITUAL TRAINING
“Rhythms of grace” are habits/practices based on the life and teaching of Jesus that create time and space for Jesus followers to be transformed by God.
“By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:5b-6
SERMON IN A SENTENCE:
By praying in silence and solitude, we take intentional time in the quiet to be alone with God.
“ And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
Jesus had a practice of withdrawing often
WHY DID JESUS WITHDRAW OFTEN?
Jesus withdrew from people
What is solitude?
Intentional retreat for the purpose of experiencing the presence of God.
In solitude we are not trying to escape, we are seeking to engage.
“The world of recognition, achievement and applause disappears, and we stand squarely before God without props.” Adele Calhoun
"I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements: noise, hurry, crowds. Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.” Jim Elliot
“We are usually surrounded by so much inner and outer noise that it is hard to truly hear our God when he is speaking to us.” Henri Nouwen
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a
“Getting away, quiet and alone, is no special grace on its own. But the goal is to create a context for enhancing our hearing from God and responding back to him in prayer.”David Mathis
Jesus withdrew to pray
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
“You don’t create intimacy…you make room for it.” - Paul Miller
