[This sermon was originally delivered at Grace Lutheran Church on February 4, 2024. The sermon was preached for Epiphany 5, Series B and was on the gospel text, Mark 1:29-39. This sermon delves into the topic of prayer, the example of Jesus in prayer, and touches upon how we can expect God to answer our prayer.]
Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you, Amen.
Our Gospel text from Mark 1 this morning is full of several mentions of wonderful miracles. The healing of Simon’s mother-in-law is a delightful moment and one we’ll spend some time with in a few moments. But first, we need to set the tone for our Lord’s miracles by setting focus on a different moment in Mark 1, a moment likely overlooked in our reading.
Mark 1:35 “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” It seems almost mundane, so common. Jesus goes and prays. But we shouldn’t just gloss over this moment. Sure, it is common, and that’s a good thing. That alone is noteworthy. It tells us Jesus did this regularly. It was normal for Jesus to leave His disciples, to go out alone, to a desolate place, and there He would pray to the Father. Jesus did this regularly because it was important to Him. It was necessary. Even as the Son of God in the flesh, Jesus kept this intimate connection and relationship with the Father. He prayed without ceasing.
