Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Series on the Gospel Of Mark

Scripture: Mark  1: 9-39 July 13, 2025

Message: “The Solitary Place!”

By Pastor George Gnade

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Introduction:

1. Last week, we began a new series on the Gospel according to Mark. We learned that his full name was John Mark, and he was related to Barnabas.

a. We also learned how he became a close friend of Peter and wrote this gospel with Peter’ approval and help.  b. Finally, we talked about the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist and how the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove.  

2. Today we are going to consider how Jesus responded in different situations. 

A. Let us begin with His temptations in the wilderness. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell us about this. But this is the shortest description of the three.

1. In Mark 1:11, it says: “At once, the Spirit sent Him into the desert.”

a. How strange that this is the very first thing the Holy Spirit told Him to do. Not only that, He did it immediately after He descended on Jesus. He did it “at once.”

b. This has significance for us. Clearly this was meant to be a test! Often when a person accepts Christ into his heart, the Holy Spirit tests us to make sure we meant it!

c. The Spirit didn’t do this so Jesus would fail. He did it to show Jesus and the rest of us that the Holy Spirit comes into us to help us succeed. If we learn to listen to Him, we will succeed too!

2. In Jesus’ case, He was sent into a solitary place where Satan would tempt Him using all the persuasion and trickery that he has. 

a. Isolation is often used by Satan because it makes us feel like no one will know what we do wrong. Staying with other Christians as often as possible helps the new Christian to overcome. 

b. The desert or wilderness is neither safe nor attractive.  Our passage points out how Jesus was with the wild animals. Doesn’t that sound scary?

c. Not only that, there was very little food for Him to eat. This was a good place to fast, but it certainly was not an attractive place to go. After 40 days, I’m sure Jesus was tempted to change stones into bread.

3.  For these very reasons, times of hardship are often used by Satan to tempt us too.  Obviously hardships and loneliness are part of this life! Without Christ, this is often where and why we fall. In fact, if the truth be told, this is where and why we often fall as Christians. 

a. What does the Bible say? It says Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15)! 

b. In the desert, Jesus did not sin! In fact, He used this experience to teach us how not to sin. He prayed and leaned on God’s Word and quoted God’s Word every time Satan tried to deceive Him.

B. Secondly, just as the solitary place can be a place for testing us, it can also become a place where God consoles and helps us.

1. Something else unusual happened to Jesus in the desert. When thing got unbearable, angels were sent by God to attend to Him (Mark 1:13). The same thing happened in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22: 42-44). Just as God helped Jesus, God often steps in and helps us. 

a. There are many stories of Christians who have been severely tempted or gone through horrible hardships. Then, just when that person needed it the most, God sent someone to help him. 

b. They did not always know if the person was an angel, but looking back on it, it certainly seemed to be an angel.  This would back up what it says in Heb. 13:2 where the author wrote: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.”

2. Not only that, the world is so full of distractions that Jesus taught us to go into a solitary place to pray.  The K.J.V. calls it “a closet” (Matt. 6:6). But Jesus couldn’t even find a place to hide even in His own home. 

a. In Mark 1:32, after Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law,  “that evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed…” 

b. In vs. 35, it goes on to say: “Very early in the morning, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place to pray.” So the Holy Spirit led Jesus to use the solitary place as a way to just get away from it all and pray. He did this many times after that. 

3. Things did not get any better, they just got worse. Over and over again, Mark points out how the word spread and how everyone wanted to come to Him for help.

a. After healing a man who had leprosy, Jesus told him to please go and not tell anyone. But the man was too full of joy to keep it to himself. So the crowds kept growing. 

b. It got so bad, His own family thought he was going to go crazy and went to help Him (Mark 3:20-21, 31-35). But Jesus used their request to see Him as an opportunity to explain to those around Him that everyone who loved the Lord was part of His spiritual family. 

c. That is why we sing songs like: “I’m so glad to be a part of the family of God.” It is why Christians often refer to other Christians as their brothers or sisters in the Lord.

When their own family deserts them because they chose to become a Christian, it is up to God’s family to help fill that gap.

4. One night after a long hard day, Jesus again chose to go into mountains to pray. The next day, His disciples went looking for Him. When they found Him, they wanted Jesus to go back into town. But Jesus said He had to move on so people in the other towns would come to know Him too.

C. A third reason why Jesus loved to go into solitary places to pray was to seek guidance from His Father in heaven.

1. This included one of the most important decisions He would ever make – the decision to choose His twelve apostles. Did you ever ask yourself how difficult that must have been?

a. Sometimes pastors are criticized for showing partiality.  They seem to spend too much time with some while much less time with others.

b. But that is exactly what Jesus did in order to train the 12 to take His place and spread the gospel after He died. What decision could be more important than that?

c. Then He also chose Peter, James, and John to get more attention than the others. This led to jealousy between them. But Jesus had special tasks for these three.

2. Finally, Jesus chose Judas, even though He knew what Judas would do. I can’t imagine how difficult that must have been.

a. But did you ever consider how often Christians have to choose leaders for the church and it does not always turn out the way they thought it would? 

b. Maybe God wanted us to learn from Jesus’ experience that He is able to help us even when things go wrong. God was never taken off guard by our sins, not even by Adam and Eve. 

c.. The Bible says before the creation of the world, God the Father and the Lord Jesus already knew exactly what they would do. So it is with us.

In conclusion: May the Lord help us to know the dangers of the solitary place as well as the blessings if we use our time with Him correctly and let the Spirit lead us. Amen!