The Habit of Praying (Rev. Eddie Pyun)
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:35-39
Week of January 18, 2026
Sermon Summary:
This sermon reflects on Jesus’ example of prayer in Mark 1:35–39, showing that prayer is not an optional extra but a vital expression of dependence on God. Paul’s call to “pray without ceasing” is understood not as constant verbal prayer, but as living every moment in conscious fellowship with the Father. Jesus models this by withdrawing to a desolate place to pray precisely when ministry and demands increase. The sermon challenges the idea that prayer is unproductive, emphasizing instead that while prayer may not check off our to-do lists, it entrusts our work and lives to God’s care. Listeners are encouraged to find a “desolate place” and protected time for prayer, especially in the morning, and to come to Jesus in their busyness, trusting in his grace rather than their performance.
Sermon Discussion Questions
Getting Started:
- What is one encouragement, challenge, or truth that spoke to you as you listened to the sermon?
- How is Jesus’s movement described in verse 35? What does this sequence emphasize?
- What words or phrases stand out in the disciples’ statement, “Everyone is looking for you” (v. 37)? What does that reveal about the situation?
Digging Deeper:
- Martin Luther said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Prayer is one of the first things to get pushed aside when life gets busy? Why do you think that is?
- In what areas of your life right now are you most tempted to rely on your own strength rather than bringing things to God in prayer?
- What is usually the first thing you reach for in the morning, and how does that shape the rest of your day? How might your day look different if prayer, even briefly, came before email, news, or social media?
- How does knowing that Jesus was perfectly prayerful in your place change the way you approach your own struggles with prayer?
Prayer:
- Pray for one another.
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