He Lived Forever: Combating Fame in Ministry
Combating Fame in Ministry
Let’s return to Mark 1. Here Jesus rejects rising fame to move on in ministry because of the revelation by the Father during prayer telling him to go to other villages.
35 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. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
When fame and success in ministry come we need even more time in meditation. The most difficult time to pray is when praise and honor come. It’s difficult to maintain a spiritual dependence, and praise for other people. The reason is that our focus becomes on maintaining that praise from others for ourselves. Our motive so easily creeps to seeking the honor of man instead of God alone. Our motive becomes to impress people, get honor from them. When fame threatened Christ John 5:44 tells us he crept away to pray. When they tried to make him king in John 6:15 he snuck away.
Jesus continues in prayer before choosing leaders. In Luke 6:12-13 he spent all night in prayer on the mountain before calling the twelve to himself. Not only for decision but because He delighted to be with the Father. We love to be in the presence of the people we love. A pastor told me that when he takes time for study he does not let anyone into his study. But his son, eight or nine years old, will just come and sit in a chair next to his father without saying a word. He just loves to be in the father’s presence. Why does Jesus choose the 12? Peter, Andrew, James and John are not the ideal candidates. Have you ever considered why Jesus chose Judas? Because He has a word from the Father. How different would our churches be if all our teachers, elders, trustees, and deacons were chosen after an hour of prayer directed by the Lord?
More than choosing leaders Jesus prays before his major revelations. When Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ in Luke 9:18 and before the transfiguration in Luke 9:28-29 we see Jesus laboring in prayer. The transfiguration even begins in prayer. Jesus and the three are gathering in prayer on the mountain and out of that prayer the heavens opened. Was this what happened every time Jesus prayed? An interesting side thought here. Elijah when he was discouraged came to this mountain and was ministered to by God, possibly the preincarnate Christ. Moses came to this mountain as well for encouragement for the Father. This is the place where God showed Moses his glory and shouted his name (Exodus 33). Now Elijah and Moses appears on the same mountain, maybe even the same place and encourage Christ. Perhaps Moses and Elijah are here to return the favor and rejuvenate Jesus for the mission ahead.
Jesus prays before raising Lazarus from the dead, in John 11:41-42. Jesus comes to the tomb and sees and Martha and Mary and though He knows what He is going to do, he stops and cries with them. At the resurrection of Lazarus Jesus says God I have already prayed but to prove to everyone here I will pray again.
When it came time for Peter’s trial Jesus knew what was coming. He knew Peter would deny. Deny Jesus, deny the miracles that he saw, deny the healings he witnessed, Peter would have been left useless to God. But Jesus prays for him. And Peter is restored through prayer in John 21.
Can I tell you something? Jesus’ resurrected form is still a servant. In the 21st chapter of John Jesus has made a fire, he caught the fish, he makes breakfast for them. The resurrected Christ did that. If Jesus walked into this room, you wouldn’t notice him because he would be the most humble person in this room. He’d be waiting on all of us.
This thought makes me want to cry out “UNCLEAN!” Peter is completely restored. One of the things that Peter cries out during his sermon on the day of Pentecost is he accuses the people of denying Jesus. How could he accuse them of that sin unless he has completely repented and been restored? As a result, 3000 souls are saved. Think on this. The power of Pentecost is born out of the prayer of Jesus for Peter that he would endure the persecution and be restored.
Jesus prays himself to the cross. And He prays on the cross. He prays to accept the father’s will and for the forgiveness of those who harm him. He says “they know not what they do.” Is that true? In Acts Peter accuses the same people who chose Barrabus over Jesus, he tells them they knew full well what they were doing.
Let me wrap up: Christ spent much time in prayer, and all the great events of His life were made to pass by the prayer which preceded it. God has an individual plan for each one in His prayer. You have no idea what God has for you to do. No idea. And as you walk in heart communion, he will reveal it.
