Title: Focus on your life
Contents
Mark's exposition 8
focus your life
2007.09.30
Mark 1:35-39
Two woodcutter worked all day cutting wood. One person did it non-stop, and one person did it for 50 minutes with 10 minutes rest. In the evening, I saw that the people who were taking a break were making a lot more firewood. It was so interesting that someone who worked nonstop asked.
"What happened? How did you fire more wood than I did non-stop?"
Then the man who had been resting answered.
"Of course. I took a break for 10 minutes to sharpen the ax blade."
The more we work, and the busier we are, the more efficient we must use our time. Especially if you're a Christian, you can't just start your day in a hurry. Just as musicians tune their instruments before they play, before we start our day, we need to tune our souls on a quiet morning.
Where do I need to tune in? We must tune in to the Word of God. And we must pray and tune in for God's will to be done on this earth. To that end, Mark refers to Jesus' prayer at an appropriate time.
The disciples must have been reminded of many people flocking to the Lord because of Jesus' missionary work and healing work. But Jesus had a clear purpose. So, Jesus rejected the disciples' offer at all, and the purpose of Jesus' coming to this earth was "to save souls." He said and led his disciples.
Today, I would like to examine the characteristics of Jesus' life and the characteristics of a focused life through the text.
1. Jesus lived with a clear sense of mission and vision.
? Verse 38, “He said to them, “Let us go to other nearby villages, and there we will preach, too, for this is what I have come.”
? Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
? John 12:47b “…I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”
? Luke 4:43 "Jesus said to them, "I must also preach the gospel of the kingdom of God in other towns, for I have been sent for this."
Jesus had a clear purpose and vision for coming to this earth. This means that no matter how busy you are, you never lose your priorities.
But when life gets busy, it's easy to miss priorities. So it's easy to mess things up later. But Jesus never knew what to do first and what to do later. There was a clear target. That is why the disciples were able to tell us about the purpose of the Lord when many people seek Him.
The purpose of Jesus' ministry was not just blessing and healing. It was to save lost souls and make the people of God's kingdom.
You and I must also have clear goals and objectives. If I don't know the clear direction I'm going in, I'm bound to drift. When God created us and sent us to this earth, we were born with a clear purpose. Pastor Rick Warren's book, Purpose Driven Life, speaks of our five goals.
First, a life that pleases God (worship)
Second, fellowship among saints
Third, becoming like Jesus Christ (training)
Fourth, serving others (ministry)
Fifth, witnessing the gospel (evangelism, missions)
We must always remember these five purposes. If I could sum up the five purposes in one word, it would be “the glory of God.” What will be the glory of God?
John 4:34 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to complete his work.”
Dear saints, no matter how busy you are, do not get lost in the direction of your life. God's plan for us is for the nations to return to Him through us. Lost souls return to the Lord.
Now, October 21st is a day to invite lost souls. May you embrace them more, pray for them, and dedicate your life to them. That is what God is most pleased with. ‘One soul more precious than the world’ This word means that God leaves 99 sheep behind to find the one lost sheep, and I pray that you will understand the heart of God. I bless you to embrace them with the heart of the Lord.
2. Jesus maintained intimacy with God.
Jesus said that he did not lose his priorities. That priority is to maintain intimacy with God.
Jesus' life prioritized maintaining intimacy with God. He did not act arbitrarily, but lived a life of prayer.
Luke 22:39 “Jesus went out and went to the Mount of Olives according to his custom, and the disciples followed him.”
Hebrews 5:7 “While he was in the flesh he offered up supplications and supplications with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”
In addition to this, Jesus' prayer is mentioned by all of you.
Why did Jesus pray? What does prayer mean?
First, prayer is seeking God's guidance. That is, trusting God.
Second, prayer is seeking power and wisdom from God.
Third, prayer is to maintain intimate communion with God.
? Deuteronomy 4:7 “What nation has found its god as near as the LORD our God is to us whenever we pray to him?”
? Psalm 73:28 It is a blessing for me to draw near to God; I will make the Lord GOD my refuge, and I will proclaim all your deeds.
? Psalm 25:14 “The intimacy of the Lord is with those who fear him; he will show them his covenant.”
Through prayer, Jesus gained clear assurance of priorities and of what God was about to do in the midst of his busy schedule.
dear saints
I bless you in the name of the Lord to draw near to God.
I bless you in the name of the Lord for a close fellowship with God.
? for that
? A time and place to pray and meditate on the Word must be distinguished.
? You must stay away from all noise.
? We must attend worship, the Word, and all meetings of the church with longing.
? At any cost, it is necessary to make a decision to attend the seat of grace.
3. Jesus lived his life to the fullest.
Jesus never cheated or lived a lazy life. He lived the 33-year life given to him with a sense of vocation and did his best with the power and wisdom gained through intimacy with God. So he became our model.
Looking at the context of the text before and after Jesus began his public life, he was really busy. As soon as he was baptized by John, he went out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, began to preach the gospel of God, called his disciples, cast out demons, and even healed all the sick.
World-renowned mental hygienist David Pink says that humans need four things to live healthy and happy.
? working hard, ? playing hard ? giving and receiving love? He talked about worship.
Indeed, the Lord zealously healed the sick, cast out demons, and preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. And sometimes resting, he lived a life of praising, worshiping, and praying the Lord. Of course, he embraced and hugged everyone with his overflowing love.
The true Christian life is to live a life of true happiness, working hard, playing hard, giving and receiving love and worshiping God. This is life to the fullest. A life that gives glory to God is a life that does the best in the work given to you.
First, it tells you to have a dream in your heart. Because all success is conceived in a dream. This means to live with a clear purpose and sense of calling.
Second, it is said to have a longing heart. It means that you have to have a strong desire for it. Because the kingdom of heaven is stolen by the violent, and as long as there is desire, he is not a loser. But I want to say that this longing is a longing for God and longing for God. We must receive a vision from God, and to keep and fulfill that vision, we must maintain a constant intimacy with God.
Third, it is said that adventure is necessary. Each player on the pitch must come out with a determination to win. Because regretting after losing a game without doing your best is of no use. Once you put it into action. Then you will have no regrets. Then you win or become a stepping stone to victory. This is an exhortation to do your best with the time given.
Success or victory will not come just by standing there. When we challenge, fellowship, and yearn for in faith, we discover God's riches and meet mature success through it.
Have a clear vision.
Invest time and place for intimacy with God.
And commit yourself to the best of everything you are given.