Sabbath Sanctuary God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 5

 Day 5 Luke Chapter 5

“But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:15-16 NASB).

Jesus was busy. He came to serve and help the hurting. People were sick, hurting, and hopeless. The crowds thronged Him. He was going about the Kingdom’s work, doing only what He saw the Father doing.

“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed’” {Jn. 5:19 NASB}.

 The news spread quickly about His ministry, and people came from the surrounding towns and villages to receive their healing. The people were constantly surrounding Him and putting demands on Him. Though there was much work to be done, Scripture notes that Jesus often slipped away from the madness, the crowds, and the busyness to pray. The Incarnate Son of God needed to take a break from all the good He was doing to pray and seek the Father for strength and encouragment.

Let’s remember to stop and pray during this Advent season. We may be doing great things for the Kingdom—leading the choir, practicing for the Christmas play, feeding the hungry, caring for the poor—we must learn to pause in the midst of the busyness of the season to stop and pray. That is the only way we will experience the peace Christ promises. Scripture takes the time to note Jesus’ habit of praying. If He needed to pray in the quiet before the Lord, then so do we. 

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Advent: Seeking Christ Day 6

Day 6 Luke Chapter 6

“It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God” (v. 12 NASB).

There are so many wonderful things in Luke’s sixth chapter on which to write. The beatitudes, healing a leper on the sabbath, builders, and foundations built on the rock. This theme of prayer, however, arrests me once again. Two chapters in succession make the effort to note the prayer life of Jesus. Scripture once again exhorts us with Jesus, the Son of God, as our teacher in the importance of prayer. Prayer should not be some rote, liturgical, recitation, though there is nothing wrong with liturgical prayer, I have found some of the richest prose in prayers of liturgy. Prayer, though, is meant to be so much more. E.M. Bounds’ words on true prayer are enlightening:

“Prayer as a mere habit, a performance, or a routine, is a dead and rotten thing. True praying engages and sets on fire every high element of the Christian’s being. Prayer is born out of vital oneness with Christ in the fullness of the Holy Ghost. It springs from the deep, overflowing fountains of tender compassion and concern for humanity’s eternal good. True prayer is a consuming zeal for the glory of God; it involves a thorough conviction of the difficult and delicate work of the ministry and the imperative need of God’s help. Praying grounded on these solemn and profound convictions is the only true praying. And only ministry backed by such praying sows the seeds of eternal life in human hearts and builds others up for heaven. Ministry today may be popular, pleasant, attractive, intellectual, intriguing, and successful with little or no prayer. But the ministry which accomplishes God’s purposes must be born of prayer from beginning to end.”[1]

Jesus spent the whole night in prayer. The Scripture says that at daybreak He chose His twelve disciples. The decision was not made lightly, it was made in all-night prayer. Though He spent that night cloaked in prayer, one that He chose became a traitor. This illustrates that even betrayers may be allowed in your life to sharpen you; to drive you to your knees. 

This Advent season may not be a joyful occasion for many. The holidays can be a dark, lonely time for more people than we care to acknowledge. Let this time of rush and busyness and losing our breath in the day-to-day hustle of preparing for the holiday, not give precedence to slowing down, taking a breath, and praying so that we instead, prepare for Him.

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[1] Penelope J. Stokes, ed., E.M. Bounds: Power Through Prayer (Minneapolis: World Wide Publications, 1989), 40-41.

Advent: Seeking Christ Day 5

Day 5 Luke Chapter 5

“But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray” (Luke 5:15-16 NASB).

Jesus was busy. He came to help the hurting and the sick and the crowds thronged Him. He was going about the kingdom’s work. The news spread quickly concerning His ministry and people came from the surrounding towns and villages to receive their healing. He was constantly surrounded by crowds of people and the sick. Though there was much work to be done, the Scripture purposes to note that Jesus often slipped away from the madness and the crowds and the busyness to pray. The incarnate Son of God needed to take a break from all the good He was doing to pray and seek the Father.

Let’s remember during this Advent season to stop and pray. We may be doing great things for the kingdom—leading the choir, practicing the Christmas play, feeding the hungry, caring for the poor—we must learn to pause in the midst of the busyness of the season to stop and pray. Scripture takes the time to note this habit of Jesus to pray, if He needed to pray in stillness before the Lord, then so do we.

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