Summary and Discussion Questions
Based on a sermon by Pastor Trent Thomas
Sunday, October 25, 2026 | Christ Hills Church in Monroe, NC
Mark 1:35-39
The Gospel of Mark is a gospel of action. Jesus is constantly on the move. He teaches, heals, casts out demons, and calls people to follow Him. Mark uses the word immediately again and again, giving us the sense that there is always something happening and another need waiting to be met.
In Mark 1, Jesus has been incredibly busy. He teaches in the synagogue, casts out an unclean spirit, heals Simon’s mother-in-law, and then heals many who are sick or oppressed by demons. By evening, the whole city seems to be gathered at the door!
So what does Jesus do next? Does He take a well-deserved day off? Does He sleep in the next morning? Does He decide He’s earned a little “me-time”? Not exactly.
Mark 1:35 tells us, “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.” Jesus gets up early, finds a quiet place, and spends time with His Father.
What Is Your Morning Routine?
What does your morning routine look like? Do you lay out your clothes the night before? Set an alarm? Get up early, knock out twenty push-ups, grab a cup of coffee, and get moving? Or do you hit the snooze button a few times and hope the day will somehow wait for you?
Most of us have routines. We understand that preparation and discipline help us accomplish what matters. But how often do we give that same kind of attention to our relationship with God?
Jesus had just spent an exhausting day ministering to people. The needs were real, the demands were great, and there was plenty more to do. Yet He deliberately withdrew to pray.
That raises an important question: If Jesus needed time alone with His Father, how much more do we?
Why Did Jesus Pray?
After all, Jesus is God. Why would the Son of God need to pray at all?
First, Jesus was fully God and fully man. In His incarnation, He did not cease to be divine, but He truly took on human nature. He experienced hunger, weariness, sorrow, temptation, and the ordinary limitations of human life. His earthly ministry was lived in perfect fellowship with His Father and in complete dependence upon Him.
Second, Jesus prayed for others. In John 17, we find Him praying for His disciples and for those who would believe in Him through their testimony. That includes us! And even now, the risen Christ intercedes for His people. Romans 8:34 reminds us that Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God, interceding for us.
Third, Jesus prayed to provide an example for His followers. He did not merely tell His disciples to pray. He demonstrated a life of prayer. When they needed instruction, He taught them how to pray, including the model prayer recorded in Luke 11.
Finally, Jesus prayed with His mission in view. He was not distracted by every opportunity or controlled by every demand. He knew why He had come. In Luke 22, as He faced the agony of the cross, Jesus prayed to His Father, focused and ready to submit to His will.
Prayer was not an interruption to Jesus' mission. It was an essential part of how He lived out that mission.
Get Away to See Clearly
Sometimes we need to step away from the noise to see things more clearly. When life is moving at full speed, we can become so consumed with the urgent that we neglect the important.
We all make time for the things we love. We find room in our schedules for sports, travel, hobbies, entertainment, and a little time to ourselves. There is nothing inherently wrong with these things. But most of them are temporary. We cannot feed our eternal souls with temporary things. It simply doesn't work that way.
So, let me ask this question: How is your prayer life? Do you ever deliberately get away to be alone with God? Not just a hurried prayer before a meal or a few words as you fall asleep, but intentional time to quiet your heart, open God's Word, confess your sins, express your gratitude, and seek His direction?
J. C. Ryle, the nineteenth-century Anglican pastor, wrote extensively about the importance of prayer. At its heart, prayer belongs in close relationships. When you love someone and want to know them, you communicate often with them. You talk. You listen. You spend time together.
Prayer is not about mastering a technique or discovering the perfect formula. It is about drawing near to the God who has drawn near to us through Jesus Christ. And if you don't know where to begin, follow Jesus. Start with the Lord's Prayer in Luke 11. Let His example and His instruction shape your own conversations with your heavenly Father.
Your Four-Hour Challenge
Here is a challenge for the next month: Set aside four hours to get away and pray.
That might mean a quiet morning at a park, an afternoon in the woods, or several hours in a place where you can be alone with God without the usual interruptions. Put away your phone and disconnect from the internet. Bring your Bible, a notebook, and a willing heart. Read slowly. Pray honestly. Confess freely. Give thanks generously. Ask God to help you see your life, your family, your work, and your calling in light of eternity.
You don't need to impress God with eloquent words. You need to come to Him through Christ, trusting His grace and seeking His will. Remember, the goal is not to merely become better at the act of praying so you can check another box on your spiritual to-do list. The main idea is to follow Jesus, grow in your love for the Father, and become increasingly focused on the things that last forever.
Mark's Gospel is full of action. But even in the midst of a demanding ministry, Jesus made time to withdraw and pray. He knew the needs would still be there when He returned. He also knew that His mission was greater than the demands of any single day.
May we learn to do the same. Get away, be still and know that He is God, and spend some time with Him in prayer. Then return to your calling with your eyes fixed on Christ and your heart set on things eternal.
Questions for Reflection & Discussion:
What currently occupies the greatest amount of your time and attention? What does that reveal about the things you love most? Are there any changes you need to make?
Jesus deliberately withdrew to pray, even when people still needed His help. What distractions or responsibilities make it difficult for you to get away and spend time with God?
What practical steps can you take this month to set aside four hours for prayer? How might this time help you become more focused on Christ and the things of eternity?