SILENCE AND SOLITUDE Learning to Follow - Week 2 6/11/2023 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30 ESV “COME TO ME” Be where Christ is “TAKE MY YOKE” Live as Christ lived "LEARN FROM ME” Listen and Obey what Christ says “YOU WILL FIND REST” Life that has been promised To be like Jesus we have to live like Jesus with Holy Spirit’s help Silence/Solitude Jesus sought out quiet places Jesus sought out places where he was alone Jesus sought out places without distraction So . . .He could pray - listen and commune with the Father But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6 ESV Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. Matthew14:13 ESV The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. Mark 1:12–13 ESV 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. Mark 1:35 ESV And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves Mark 6:31–32 ESV And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. Mark 6:46 ESV And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, Luke 4:42 ESV But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Luke 5:15–16 ESV In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Luke 6:12–13 ESV Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. John 6:15 ESV Sample OT Verses on Silence/Solitude But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk 2:20 ESV For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling, Isaiah 30:15 ESV “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 ESV For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Psalm 62:5-7 ESV The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:1–3 ESV Do you intentionally seek out quiet places? Do you make time to be alone with God? Do you free yourself from all distractions? How we follow determines how we live