Amen, so what an action-packed opening chapter to the Gospel of Mark, it's kind
of just all action isn't it from the beginning and I want to focus
particularly on the passage from verse 32 to 39, so Mark chapter 1
verse 32, and even when the sun did set they brought unto him all that were
diseased and them that were possessed with devils and all the city was
gathered together at the door and he healed many that were sick of diverse
diseases and cast out many devils and suffered not the devil's to speak
because they knew him and in the morning rising up a great while before day he
went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed and Simon and they
that were with him followed after him when they had found him they said unto
him all men seek for thee and he said unto them let us go into the next town
I may preach there also for therefore came I forth and he preached in their
synagogues throughout all Galilee and cast out devils and the title of my
sermon today is be an early bird be an early bird let's go to the Lord in a
word of prayer father I thank you for this day I thank you for this church
please fill me with your spirit now help me to preach boldly help me to preach
preach what you want me to preach people give them open ears and open hearts and
then we ask all these things in Jesus name Amen
okay so verse 32 that and even when the sun did set they brought unto him all
that were diseased and them that were possessed with devils so Jesus is
healing people casting out devils all day and basically goes straight into the
evening work doesn't he verse 33 says and all the city was gathered together
at the door now there are estimates around that the population of Capernaum
was around 1500 I don't know how accurate that is the Bible doesn't say
but here it says that all the city was gathered together at his door so there's
obviously a lot of people there yeah okay a lot of people it's not described
as a village it describes a city I'd say yeah 1500 probably sounds about right
they're all gathered at his door that's a lot of people isn't it okay that's a
lot of people now it says here and he healed many that were sick of divers
diseases and cast out many devils and suffered not the devil's to speak
because they knew him said he healed many sick cast out many devils sounds
like he put a shift in doesn't it sounds like he put a bit pretty big
shift in there he's got the whole city at his door this is this is in the
evening the sun set at this point and he's in the evening and he's healing
many now divers diseases many cast out many devils okay then look at verse 35
and in the morning rising up a great while before day he went out and
departed into a solitary place and there prayed so he's rising up a great while
before day so after a day and night of healing and exorcism Jesus is getting up
not just a little early but a great while before day yeah you see that there
he rises up a great while before day now you might say oh but that's Jesus he's
God yeah but he was a hundred percent human too wasn't he we saw the other
week of John 4 6 that he was worried with his journey wasn't he and he sat on
Jacob's well yeah we read with his journey Hebrews 4 15 you don't have to
turn this says for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with a
feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet
without sin okay our high priest got up a great while before day having just
done a night shift of healing okay and notice how it's still called the morning
not the night even though it's dark there yeah so there's a great while
before day but it said he rose up in the morning didn't it because you know we
can sometimes especially this country think in the winter when it's kind of
not lighting up to eight well it's not morning yet you know lying in bed it's
hey I know what times the latest it gets dark in England in the winter it's pretty
late isn't it and look according to this it was still the morning wasn't it okay
he got up it was dark but it was still the morning now I don't know exactly
what that cutoff point is but I think we've probably we could probably all
have a guess at that but it was it was a morning but it was a great while before
day which is basically a great while before light wasn't it before daybreak
okay why did he get up so early firstly to be on his own in prayer wasn't it so
said here he got up a great while before day he went out and departed into a
solitary place and there prayed so it was to be on his own in prayer and look
being an early bird is important for number one on our list today number one
it's important for prayer okay it's important for prayer I think it's
essential for prayer in verse 35 so it said in the morning rises up a great
well before day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed
it was a solitary place that's on his own yeah so he's out on his own verse 36
is Simon and they that were with him followed after him and when they had
found him they said unto him unto him all men seek for thee they had to find
him didn't they they had to find him they didn't they weren't just kind of
right behind they were trying to find him kind of makes you think of maybe a
busy mum who's trying to you know just get some time away for the kids for five
minutes and they just always find you don't know they'll always end up find
you chase you around find you he's trying to get some peace and quiet just
wants that that bit of time on his own praying to God now with mums they do
always find you don't know eventually but Jesus he still got that time he went
into a solitary place and they're prayed now many mums on you know on that point
do say and I've heard this a lot from from different mums and different people
over time that I never get any time alone you've heard that before I just
never get any time alone I never get to be on my own I never get that time alone
that Jesus rose a great while before day to get his time alone didn't he he rose
a great while before day but it wasn't to watch his favorite show it wasn't a
catch up on his phone stare at viral videos or anything like that he went out
and depart into a solitary place and they're prayed didn't he now it's
worthwhile getting less sleep isn't it if it means time alone with God surely
it's got to be worthwhile getting less sleep if it means starting your day with
time alone with God turn to Psalm chapter 5
Psalm chapter 5 and verse 1 Psalm 5 1 says give ear to my words Oh Lord
consider my meditation hearken unto the voice of my crime my king and my God for
unto thee will I pray my voice shout now here in the morning Oh Lord in the
morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and we'll look up we should start
and we'll look up we should start our day with prayer shouldn't we we have to
start a day of prayer my voice shout thou here in the morning not my voice
might thou here in the morning if I can get my sorry backside out of bed not my
voice might thou here in the morning if I don't get distracted by my messages
first or not my voice might thou here in the morning if I managed to get to sleep
after staring at a screen right beforehand at night you know I decide
I've had enough of whatever I've decided the hours I need to sleep yeah no my
voice shout now here in the morning shout now here in the morning and that
time alone means that you can pray without distractions doesn't it that
time in the morning it's without interruptions it's without it's got to
be without your kids there if your mum's dad's as well without them they're
talking to you calling to you distract you keeping on them while they are my
voice shout thou here in the morning okay and and when you're talking to God
surely it's worth being on your own to talk to God isn't it now you might think
well that's not easy I've got maybe a baby that's up at this time find a time
find a time and the best time is first thing in the morning isn't it without
important without interruption the importance of prayer isn't it important
prayer what a blessing we've all been given to be able to pray to God to be
able to talk directly to God yeah how many people are really taking advantage
of that and how many people are preferring those extra 10 minutes 15
minutes sleep to getting up and talking to God my voice shout thou here in the
morning now Jesus is God isn't he and when Jesus is praying he's speaking the
words of God okay but we aren't gods are we despite what some of these weird
religions will try and tell you we're not gods Simon and the others also got
up a great while before day to follow Jesus I didn't they verse 36 is and
Simon and they that were with him followed after him and when they had
found him they said unto him to him all men seek for thee so they're up early
looking for the Word of God aren't they okay then they're up early looking for
Jesus Christ the Word of God and being an early bird is important for number
two Bible reading okay number two Bible reading turn to Psalm 143 Psalm 143
and verse 8 143 verse 8 says cause me to hear thy loving-kindness in the morning
for in thee do I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift
up soul unto thee how do we hear his loving-kindness by reading his word yeah
I don't think anyone is in any doubt of that we hear his loving-kindness by
reading his word why in the morning because we should start our day with the
Word of God shouldn't we okay if you want to know the way wherein you should
walk you need to look at the map before you start walking don't you you need to
know where you're going you need to know your route before you start walking you
don't want to wander off into your day and get the map out when you're already
lost yeah you know I'm gonna walk off I don't know where I'm going what I'm
doing but I'll get the map out at some point and what a waste of time you've
had before that then it's hard to find when you're where you are on the map
doesn't it you go out with a map you go out before before you know you've looked
at the map and suddenly you're trying to find where you are you don't know where
you are you don't have your reference points in the same way it's like that
with the Word of God and and the thing is that's if you're not too stubborn to
then look at the map once you got lost because how many people go out with a
map you know they know where they're meant to go and then they you know
especially us men you know I don't need a map you know well I know I'll find it
you know follow you know start fee especially maybe the old-fashioned men
were more like that we just shove on our sat-navs now don't we you know but the
old-fashioned men you know I'm gonna get this through I know I'm going you know
my kids always moan at me if we're in the supermarkets I'm gonna find it just
ask someone no way weakness giving it but but truthfully you won't you know a
lot of the time you'll be stubborn to look at the map and when you do look at
the map it's pretty hard to focus sometimes isn't it it could be pretty
hard to focus especially once the distractions around yeah especially once
people are talking to you maybe the kids are shouting you're trying to find where
you're going the phones going you know you got all these other issues problems
going on now and look when you're up early when you're up early with the Word
of God you can give it 100% focus can't you 100% folks you're up before anyone
else is up or at least if you know you and your if you're married your spouse
gets up you know you're not there to get up to have a chat get up pray to God
read the Word of God and look then you know then you can focus on what you're
doing where you're going and what you want to start the day like that don't
you I want to start the day like I said and and you ignore all that and then
suddenly you're already in trouble you'd be in trouble within five minutes of the
day can't you okay and you need that Word of God to ground you at the
beginning of day you need that prayer to ground you as well speak to God and
listen to what God's got to say to you his word is a lamp unto our feet and
light unto our path don't don't leave the lamp in a drawer at home you know
and then get it out halfway through the day okay well I got it on my phone yeah
but at what point are you getting out well I read my Bible in the evening
okay so you've just gone through a whole day without that lamp you've gone for a
whole day without that map haven't you 2000 years ago everyone wasn't walking
around with a copy of God's Word though were they okay turn to John chapter 8
and by the way this sermon I actually I started kind of writing bits of it when
I started going through the Gospel of John chapter 8 early in the week and
then I kind of realized I'd written like half a sermon and I'd only done one one
or two verses so I actually thought okay I'm gonna separate this so turn to John
8 and verse 2 he said and early in the morning he came again into the temple
and all the people came unto him and he sat down and taught them okay this is
Jesus here now God is making a point again here that it's early in the
morning the info is there for a reason isn't it I was gonna just said in the
morning he's made a point it's early in the morning in Mark it was a great while
wasn't it okay and he and that we're gonna see some more of these in a minute
he makes a point here it's early in the morning okay that Jesus he it says and
early in the morning he came again unto the temple and all the people came unto
him and I think okay you could sell it as much later I think it was it was
pretty soon after and he sat down and taught them but Jesus arrives at temple
in Jerusalem early in the morning all these people come to be taught by the
Word of God don't they so the people are so hungry for the word that they're
there early in the morning yeah okay all the people came unto him I doubt
there were many having lions out of those I think all the people came unto
him do you think there is anyone there that thought yeah well they're all going
to Jesus but didn't get so much sleep last night I'm gonna stay in bed forget
forget the Word of God no I mean they actually had to make an effort to go and
listen to the Word of God didn't they to go and hear the Word of God and they
made that effort they're up early and they're at the temple you know I mean
you have to go there but it seems from chapter 9 it was probably the Sabbath
day the way it reads it looks like because it then we see it's Sabbath day
life it doesn't look like a days gone by or any other days in between that and
you might be thinking well you know they could have thought it's my one day off
it's my one day off you know I've got stuff to do it's my one time to relax
it's my lion day a lot of people think that Sundays a lot of us have grown up
in the world Sundays a day to lie in bed isn't it watch a load of junk on TV
people do without even getting out of bed you know the kids are downstairs
turning on the cartoons in many houses around this out or whatever other
rubbish they're watching that's what goes on sadly around this around this
country and around a lot of the world but since when did God say that on the
Sabbath day what were they doing on their on their their rest day they'd go
into the temple listening to early early in the morning and Jesus was up early in
the morning in the temple wasn't he okay now verse 38 back in back in mark 1
verse 38 and he said unto them let us go into the next towns that I may preach
there also for therefore came my fourth so being an early bird is also important
for number three being productive being productive Jesus is up a great while
before day to be alone with God and now he's off to work yeah now he's off to
work even after prayer and Bible time you get so much more done in the morning
if you get out of bed don't you everyone knows the morning is the time
you're productive isn't it and I don't think it depends on who you are either I
think pretty much everyone the mornings the time you're more productive he said
let us go into the next towns plural so he's got a lot of work ahead of him yeah
now turn to Proverbs 24 will I read Proverbs chapter 31 verse 15 so Proverbs
31 is describing the dream woman here yeah okay the one that heavy every man
is sinking and now I'm joking but this is you know kind of the benchmark isn't
it progress 31 15 says she rises also while it is yet night and giveth meat to
her household and a portion to her maidens so she goes a step further the
virtuous woman she's up a great while before day in fact a great great while
before day isn't she okay now she's up while it's still night because she has
to fit in time with God before preparing breakfast I've no doubt the
virtuous woman is getting up and she's praying to God and she's really a Bible
before she's preparing food for a household yeah okay now you might be
saying wait a minute brother and I'll be exhausted I'll be no good to anyone
getting up at night getting up that long before morning but there's a truth in
life isn't there there's a truth in the Bible and there's a line obviously
there's a line okay there is a line but the less you do and the more you sleep
or for many lie in bed unable to sleep the more tired you often are that's the
truth isn't it there's a line of course you don't want to under sleep and to the
point where you just burn the candle at both ends you're bleary-eyed the whole
time but a lot of people who all they're going about his sleep they're just
always tired aren't they and I've noticed I've noticed you know growing up
and a lot of the time the more I slept the more tired I felt when you kind of
go over that point and you're sleeping long lines you just feel tired you feel
sluggish you feel like the sluggard all day don't you now you're in you're in
Proverbs 24 and verse 30 says I went by the field of the slothful and by the
vineyard of the man void of understanding and lo it was all grown
over with thorns and nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall
thereof was broken down then I saw and considered it well I looked upon it and
received instruction yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the
hands to sleep so shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth and thy want as an
armed man now look at verse 30 there the slothful is a lazy these these people
don't have understanding they're not wise are they verse 31 the place is a
mess okay the place is a mess it's all grown over with thorns nettled had
covered the face a stone wall thereof was broken down verse 32 and 33 he's
basically saying here that laziness and idolizing sleep go hand in hand yeah
people all they're talking about is sleep and how much sleep they want how
much sleep they're not getting it goes hand in hand with laziness doesn't it
look I'm not getting on I know there are some people here got kids up all night
and everything else I'm not getting on at them yeah but but look there is a
truth there isn't there and people it does it goes hand in hand and verse 34
so shall thy poverty come as one that travelth and I want as an armed man is
saying you'll end up like poor people that are always traveling because if
you're constantly traveling you're not working just all over the place you're
gonna be poor and I want as an armed man basically gonna be desperate like
someone armed that's how I see that okay now verses 33 and 34 I'm guessing
probably most people recognize them they're actually repeated as well in
another passage of Proverbs where we're also they're given the solution so turn
to Proverbs 6 Proverbs chapter 6 and from verse 6 Proverbs 6 6 says go to the
ant thou sluggard consider her ways and be wise which having no guide overseer
or ruler provided her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest
how long wilt thou sleep I've sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep
yet a little sleep a little slumber little folding of the hands asleep so
shall thy poverty come as one that travelth and I want as an armed man now
the solution is in verses six to eight isn't it go to the ant are sluggard
consider her ways and be wise consider the ways of the ant which having no
guide overseer or ruler provided her meat in the summer and gathereth her
food in the harvest she doesn't need anyone telling you how to get up and
work does she okay she's busy when there's work to be done she's bit when
there's work to be done she's up working she's doing she doesn't need someone
nagging at her she doesn't need she doesn't need this preaching you know
tried preaching to the ants I know they don't need it yeah they don't need any
of this do they because the ant the ants having no guide overseer or ruler she
just gets on at works and that we should be considering we should be looking at
that and saying okay that's how I need to be I need just get on and get working
get grafting but again it's contrasted with the eternal sleeper isn't it the
yet a little sleep a little slumber somebody's just constantly just craving
desiring wanting chasing that sleep little folding of the hands to sleep now
look we need sleep yeah of course we need sleep there are people that go too
far the other way and then they're just they're just completely tired of fully
sleep all day it could be dangerous obviously if you're driving as well
can't it okay but there's a line isn't there and I think a lot of us we just
chasing or account people can count hours can't I used to do this when I was
younger you know I've got to get this amount of sleep or I'm not gonna be as
productive with this and with sport and other things but when you just focused
on that you're not focused on work you know focus on on just doing what you
need to do verse Proverbs 20 13 you'd have to earn this says love not sleep
lest thou come to poverty open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with
bread we've got a not love sleep don't we and again look I'm not talking about
people that there are people with illnesses and sicknesses as well I'm not
talking about that I'm talking as a rule in life we shouldn't be loving sleep
should we we shouldn't be chasing sleep focusing idolizing some people idolize
sleep hey that's all they can think about it's all they want we shouldn't be
like that we should love not sleep lest thou come to poverty open thine eyes if
thou shalt be satisfied with bread get up get working get on with the day and in
fact a lot of time you get more energy and the productivity comes in the first
part of the day doesn't it why is that because at night you're just getting
tired you're starting to wind down you should be in a way you should be winding
down as you get to bedtime because it's hard to see if you've literally just
been 100 miles an hour and then you just get home and try and go to sleep I
remember years ago working in in a restaurant and I couldn't sleep and you
know and it was hard work because I literally oh you know you're just busy
busy busy and then you get high right it's you know 11 12 whatever time time
to go to sleep can go to sleep and and suddenly that was then my evening when
I'm trying to wind down for a couple of hours but look you know the evening is
when you're not going to get much done isn't it you do need to wind down before
bed but the morning is the time to get on with it get up get productive get
stuff done you'd be amazed at how much you can get done early in the morning
okay verse 39 of mark 1 says and he preached in their synagogues throughout
all Galilee and cast out devils by a number for here being an early bird is
important for doing great things for God okay it's important for doing great
things for God Jesus is up and at them early morning and he's casting out
devils everywhere and this is a theme throughout the Bible where great men of
God are getting up early and doing great things okay Abraham gets up early to
offer Isaac as a sacrifice in Genesis 22 3 now you'd be more likely to hope
that you slept in wouldn't you I know a lot of you would probably just hope that
you'd missed it I mean he's up early he's up early to offer Isaac if you have
a look at Genesis 22 Genesis 22 in verse 3 Genesis 22 3 says in Abraham rose up
early in the morning and saddled his ass and took two of his young men with him
and Isaac his son and clave the wood for the burnt offering and rose up and went
unto the place of which God had told him so Abraham's up early in the morning he's
not just up in the morning again it's there for a reason he's up early in the
morning to do something for God God had told her do it gets up early to do that
now you don't have to turn there but he was up early in the morning a few
chapters earlier and saw the remains of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 27 to
28 where it says and Abraham get up early in the morning to the place where
he stood before the Lord and he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and toward
all the land of the plain and beheld and lo the smoke of the country went up as
a smoke of a furnace maybe getting up early also helps you see the great
things that God has done amen you know amen you looking and looking at the
great things that God has done now I'm gonna go through a few here you don't
have to turn there okay Jacob rose up early in Bethel before meeting his
future wife Rachel in Genesis 28 18 and Jacob rose up early in the morning and
took the stone that he had put for his pillows and set it up for a pillar and
poured oil upon the top of it and then he goes out then he meets then he meets
Rachel now admittedly here the stone might have had something to do with that
okay I don't know if I if you had a stone for a pillow maybe you might be up
early as well or maybe you wouldn't have got a great night's sleep you'd be in
bed late just trying to get a couple more hours but okay that might have
something to do with it now again you don't have to turn to these but I'm
gonna give you a few quick fires okay so Moses was told to get up early to
speak to Pharaoh in Exodus 8 20 and to warn him of the plague of flies if he
doesn't says and the Lord said unto Moses rise up early in the morning and
stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth the water and said to him thus saith the
Lord let my people go that they may serve me and Exodus 9 13 to warn him of
the hail and the Lord said unto Moses rise up early in the morning and stand
before Pharaoh and said to him thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews let my
people go that they may serve me in Exodus 24 4 Moses got up early before
sprinkling the blood of the Covenant on the people it says and Moses wrote all
the words of the Lord rose up early in the morning and build an altar under the
hill and 12 pillars according to 12 tribes of Israel same in Exodus 34 4 to
write the commandments the second time and he hewed two tables of stone like
unto the first and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up unto Mount
Sinai as the Lord had command him and took in his hand the two tables of
stone Joshua is an early bird to in Joshua 3 1 and Joshua rose early in the
morning and they removed from Shittim and came to Jordan he and all the
children of Israel and lodged there before they passed over he and all the
children of Israel not just Joshua he's leading them he's up early lenient
Joshua 6 12 but before destroying Jericho and Joshua rose early in the
morning and the priest took up the Ark of the Lord in Joshua 7 16 to deal with
Achan and the cursed thing so Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought
Israel by their tribes and the tribe of Judah was taken Joshua 8 10 to defeat AI
and Joshua rose up early in the morning and numbered the people and went up he
and the elders of Israel before the people to AI in 1st Samuel 1 19 El
Kanna and Hannah were up early worshiping God before Hannah's barren
womb was finally open and they rose up in the early morning and worship before
the Lord and returned and came to the house to Ramah and El Kanna knew Hannah
his wife and the Lord remembered her in 1st Samuel 9 26 Saul and Samuel got up
early before Samuel anointed Saul as future king of Israel and they arose early and
it came to pass about spring of the day that Samuel called Saul to the top of
the house saying up that I may send thee away and Saul arose and they went out
both of them he and Samuel abroad 1st Samuel 17 20 David arose early before
defeating Goliath and David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep
with a keeper and took and went as Jesse commanded him and he came to the
trench as a host going forth the fight and shouted for the battle nearly done
guys 2nd Chronicles 29 20 Hezekiah rose early before getting the kingdom right
with God then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the rulers of the
city and went up to the house of the Lord Job rose early to offer burnt
sacrifices in case his children sinned in Job 1 5 and it was so when the days
of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up
early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of
them all for Job said it may be that my sons have sinned and curse God in their
hearts thus did job job continually they came early in the morning here Jesus
preached in Luke 21 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear
him in the temple for to hear him they came early to the sepulcher before seeing
the resurrected Christ in mark 16 2 and very early in the morning the first day
of the week very early in the morning the first day of the week they came up
sorry they came unto the sepulcher at the rise of the Sun and the apostles were
up early teaching right off their jailbreak in Acts 5 21 and when they
heard that they entered into the temple early in the morning and told early in
the morning and told if you want to do great things for God you need to get up
out of your pit don't you you need to get up out of bed if you want to do
great things for God are we not doing great things for God at this church we
are aren't we we are doing great things for God at this church everyone here is
a part of that 10 30 a.m. services are hardly before daybreak are they 10 30
a.m. is hardly before daybreak turn of Psalm 57 Psalm 57 now these verses we're
about to read are repeated at the beginning of Psalm 108 it's clearly
important and look what we've just read as well nothing as we've heard many
times nothing is coincidental is it in the Bible you know it's all there for a
reason and that is taught and there are only some of the what I could have
listed more as well they're just some that I wanted a list and just show you
early in the morning early in the morning early in a great minute got up
early in the morning to do things for God okay verse 7 says my heart is fixed
Oh God and by the way great women as well obviously we've seen that the
virtuous woman was up even earlier okay so we might get you know the great men
need to get up early the great women need to get up well it's still night
according to the Word of God there that's a benchmark verse 7 says my heart
is fixed Oh God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise you're in sorry
Psalm 57 this is that was verse 7 verse 8 awake up my glory awake sultry and
harp I myself will awake early I will praise thee O Lord among the people I
will sing unto thee among the nations for thy mercy is great unto the heavens
and thy truth unto the clouds be thou exalted O God above the heavens let thy
glory be above all the earth singing and giving praise to God is worth getting up
early for isn't it it's got to be worth getting up early for I myself will awake
early I will praise you Lord among the people that's in the congregation that's
Church isn't it his mercy for us is great unto the heavens it's got to be
worth it hasn't it missing the first him just missing the first him of church is
a him that you then haven't sung to God that day yeah that you haven't sung to
God amongst the people that look I get their problems sometimes yeah there some
people travel distances some people get trains that aren't reliable etc but if
it's because you're not getting up early then that that's that's pretty shameful
isn't it that's pretty shameful we're here to exalt God above the heavens
all of us aren't we every one of us here he said he said here he said be thou
exalted Oh God above the heavens let thy glory be above all the earth like I said
one off lateness is one thing and we're all gonna have reasons why now and again
we're late okay now and again we're late for church but the great men of God got
up early and got things done yeah I would say the great men and women of God
got up early got things done I think Abraham was sneaking out the tabernacle
and Sarah was just you know snoring away in there they were up they were up early
okay first Thessalonians 5 5 in fact yeah turn there turn left turn the first
Thessalonians look if you get up early you'll go to bed early won't you if you
get up early you're gonna go to bed early set your alarm get up early and
soon enough you'll want to go to bed early won't you if you start doing it
regularly you're gonna be tired early what do you want to be up late at night
for anyway and again there are people that have to work late at night I'm not
talking about them but those people that work in the day and and mums as well
that have kids and once those kids are in bed if you wanting to stay up late at
night and now you can't get up early in the morning you can't pray to God
because your kids have got you up you can't read your Bible because your kids
have got you up you can't you know you can't get productive and get on with
your day because now suddenly you've got other things to get on with well the
Bible says the Bible says here first Thessalonians 5 5 ye are all the
children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of
darkness what do you want to be up late at night for why do you want to be up
late at night because let's be honest when people can't get out of bed when
they're always late in the mornings you could start questioning and I'm not
saying you should do this but many will start questioning well what are they
doing at night what are they what are they up to at night and you don't want
people questioning that and I'm not I'm not casting aspersions at anyone here
I'm just saying people will naturally just be like well you must be up late at
night if you can't get up in the morning so what are you doing at night now some
people are working I some people are up with kids and stuff but Proverbs 4 16
talking about the wicked the evil men it says for they sleep not except they
have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to
fall a lot of wickedness happens at night doesn't it doesn't it there are
people that can't sleep until they've done something sinful okay there are
many people in this world that cannot go to sleep until they've done something
sinful the drinking is usually at night if it's not if it's day as well then it
gets even worse isn't it the drugs the gambling we talked about last night the
sinful move last week the sinful movies the porn the online gambling the junk
food the majority happens at night doesn't it it does there are people that
that they could be good all day it comes to evening and night and that's when the
biscuits have to be cracked open that's when the chocolate comes out that's it
it's something about night isn't it what why don't you need that in a day it's
like now it's my night now it's my evening now I'm gonna sin you know and
eating junk is sinful really isn't it okay I'm not saying it's on the level of
other sin but it is isn't it okay and that's when people do it that's when
people do it and all the all of it well when are the pubs busiest at night when
are the clubs even open at night I mean can you imagine like a daytime night
wouldn't be called a nightclub a day club yeah and there are a few I know I know
there's what and there for people that haven't gone to sleep yet after the
night and then they go to the club in the day well they're still high on drug
but it's all at night the parties how many raucous parties start early early
well maybe they do but they get raucous at night don't they it's all at night
all the sins at night it's you know and yeah people can sin in a day but the
majority the vast majority is at night so why do we as children of light as
children of the day why do we want to be up late at night what are you doing up
late at night what are you doing and and sadly a lot of the time it's something
you shouldn't be doing or at least there's more temptation isn't there
there's more temptation when you're sitting around at night all I just can't
get to sleep and then what you do what do a lot of people do I can't get to
sleep so then when it's when it's morning time they switch off the alarm
or they don't even put on the alarm because I think it's 1 a.m. I'm still
not asleep 2 a.m. you know and I'm still staring at that I'm still staring at
YouTube just can't work out why I can't get to sleep you know your eyes are wide
while you're looking at all this flickering light and everything else
no get up early just get up you get to bed at 4 a.m. get up early get up early
and then after a couple of nights you're gonna go to bed early aren't you that's
what will happen you'll end up tired you go to bed early get up early get
productive and hopefully you'll go to sleep and avoid the temptation won't you
Ecclesiastes 5 12 says the sleep of a laboring man is sweet whether he little
or much but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep so the
sleep of a laboring man is sweet whether he little or much a lot of people
they're sleepy after they just shove down a load of food don't they but if
you're working hard you don't need that big feed to go to sleep do you but the
abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep look get up get productive
and you'll get to sleep at a proper time won't you you're up you're busy you're
working and whether that's mental work or physical work you're gonna be tired
at night you're gonna be tired okay especially if you're getting up early
in the morning now look practically speaking I find that if I set my alarm
for a particular time and I routinely get up at that time it doesn't take long
before I'm used to that time so yeah sometimes you have to adjust your
routines for things for kids for other things you get that time on your own you
get that time look it doesn't take long for your body to adjust to it and soon
enough you're waking up before the alarm a lot of the time aren't you you know
when the alarm does go off you're not kind of like you know you're just kind
of eyes can just come straight open okay that's the time I get up it doesn't take
long to make that routine because I think you know I've said this to people
before I think when you start right well that day I don't have to get up now I'm
having the lion the next day gets harder because the next day you now can't get
sleep at night okay because you've just slept into whatever time because I've
got my morning off I've got my lion I've got my day or whatever you know
whatever it is for people and then a lot of time you can't then get to sleep and
then you've just messed it up again just get up at the same time get up pray read
your Bible you're tired go to bed early you know lounging around in bed yeah
it's fleshly really isn't it it's fleshly get up get stuff done and like
say it's harder when you keep changing the time and routine for me routines
great you know and and look some people try and fight against it but but I think
routines great routines healthy for kids as well you know kids kids get them up
at the same time getting to bed at the same time and they're used to it and
they're not going to be tired you know we're there to look after them to help
and we don't want them just fatigued all day get get to bed early get up early
and if that's the problem with work and night shifts because there are people
that weren't night shifts aren't there okay and that can be hard because well
wait a second I've got to work all night I've got to sleep in a day but it kind
of same principle if you're working at night sleeping in a day you can still
get up early for your night shift can't you so you still get up in your version
of the morning pray read your Bible and get things done now you know I know
people I used to be to some degree when I was younger as well one of these where
you basically trying to just do everything like fit in everything you
can and everything sort of last minute so you know we've seen I'll get that
what's the latest I can get up to still get to work on time but it's such a
stressful way of living isn't it and I know there's a lot of people that live
like that but it's such a stressful way of living but in your mind I get more
seat and I get this done and just get up early get up early spend time with the
Lord you know cut out that that you know that extra 10 20 half hour whatever is
just cut it out get up early and if you can't get to bed early is it the end of
the world you look at the end like regardless even if you're like look the
kids I've got to do this I can't get six hours seven hours whatever it is you
feel you need eight hours nine hours whatever is you feel you need it's more
important to be up praying to God and read your Bible on your own no
distractions and starting a day with it well I know because I could do that at
night you know I get I get a time at this time no start your day with it and
add that in well I could do it on my lunch hour add it in yeah do it on your
lunch hour but do it first thing in the morning yeah if you're a mum and you're
up in the night with the kids resists a temptation to miss your prayer and your
Bible reading and stay in bed because it's a temptation isn't it and really
it's a temptation of sin because you kind of will always are all with its
baby was up a lot but is that extra heart whatever it is is that extra half
out of our is that really gonna change everything or don't you think that doing
what God says and praying to him first thing in the morning doing what the
example and getting up early the example throughout the Bible reading your Bible
seeking Jesus first thing in the morning don't you think that's going to be more
important than that extra bit of sleep surely it is surely it is what about
you've had a late Saturday night you're exhausted after a tough week at work
getting up on us getting up on a Sunday a lot of people find tough don't they
I've worked hard all week though you know I'm still gonna get up I'm still
you know I'll make it to church maybe I'll just make it to the evening
service well maybe well you know it's hard you know I live a bit of a distance
and again many people travel a lot further than me but if I can get here at
930 a.m. with five children every single Sunday I'm sure everyone here can get
here for 10 a.m. now I know some some can't okay some literally travel from
too far and can't without staying a night I'm not talking about them okay
but for everyone else you know you just get up early okay okay again if you're
relying on public transport it depends but I think the trains that I don't know
someone tell me afterwards if I'm wrong but I think you still there are people
that get the train and still get here for 10 a.m. okay so unless I'm wrong with
that if you look close enough it just means you're not getting up early enough
get up early the Bible says get up early okay but regardless of getting a church
what should you be doing before you come to church praying and what else
read your Bible you should be getting up in the morning spending time praying
reading the Bible then coming to church because what's the difference oh no well
I'll just do it at church what we're reading one chapter is that what you're
doing today reading one chapter get up early pray and read your Bible that's
what that's what how every Christian should start their day whether it's
Sunday Saturday whether it's your birthday you know it doesn't matter get
up read your Bible pray and then come to church and you know some could say even
have a sing-song as well but you're coming to church you know you sing but
but the Bible does say to lift up your voice to him as well doesn't it well I
think we should be fine time to do that as well then come to church and do great
things for God because that's why we're here we're coming here to get in every
single every single great light or maybe not every single great man it gives you
example I bet every single great man was getting up early in the morning but
it's given us plenty of examples throughout the Bible of great men of God
great men of God getting up early in the morning to get things done getting and
we're coming here to do great things we're coming here to praise the Lord and
we should be getting up early to praise the Lord like I said you miss one hymn
two hymns three hymns you miss the church service for a lion you've just
basically gone now I'm not praising you this morning God I want to sleep sleep
some more important to me no get up early get to church being an early bird
is important for number one prayer and we and we talked about that number two
Bible reading number three being productive in your day as well you just
you sleep in you're just lazy I've done this many times over the years I need a
lion get a lion that day is a borderline right off you know by the time I am I
what am I doing you know and so many kids do this don't they and look kids you
get older some of you already teenagers and stuff so many kids will just lie in
bed for hours ten eleven it's not and then what are they just up got all that
sleep I'm just yeah give me stuff to do no they generally will mope out of bed
they're exhausted because you're not built for sleeping that long yeah you
might be able to force yourself to oversleep to go back to sleep it's not
healthy it's not we should be doing should be getting up early love not
sleep that's loving sleep isn't it love not sleep okay being productive and
number four was doing great things for God get up early and do great things for
God and look if it's a problem you have here because some that we all have
different problems we all have sins and issues and problems and and and you know
struggles with the flesh that other people don't yeah we all have our own
individual issues if it is a problem for you just from you look you got two
options today you could sit here and think just getting on me yeah and to be
honest this was not a good service to come in late to it and it might have
been it might have been the trades or ever else I don't know yeah not a good
service coming late for but look it's an important service okay this is important
message and and if you can't listen to this and go right I'm changing the word
of God is clear here isn't it I think I made it I think I've shown you enough
scripture it's not just my opinion okay the word of God is clear if you can't
listen to a sermon like this and go away okay you might be a little bit grumpy
with me for the day that's cool go away and just go no look I'm getting right
I'm gonna sort this out I'm a Christian and I'm gonna be known for being up
early and getting out up and out like the great men of God did if you can't do
that then you've got a question your heart you've got to say look what's my
problem because it's a word of God talking to me here and for those of you
that don't have this problem you know again but just apply it to something
else in your life because so many other parts of the word of God are gonna speak
to you aren't they and you're gonna go okay look I need to get right with God
I need to make sure that I'm doing my utmost to be right with God but that
starts doesn't it with prayer Bible reading okay that your day has to start
with that and it has start with not just a quick flick five minutes I will quit
well I'll just read it you know I've spoken the past over the years who their
morning is a devotional song you know it's like devotional song read your
Bible you know yeah Psalms are great read the Psalms as well in fact
something I want to start doing and my wife's been doing is putting a psalm at
the end of her Bible reading each time and I think that's great because it's
kind of you almost adding a prayer at the end as well aren't you prayer or
song to God but regardless get up and read your Bible read your Bible read
some proper amount of your Bible as well minimum it's got to be minimum three
chapters through once a year surely minimum bare minimum has to be three
chapters a day and really should be much more but three
chapters a day it's got to be the bare minimum if you're not doing that doesn't
matter if you're getting up at 4 a.m. if you're not reading your Bible and you're
not you're not praying to God in the morning then you might as well we get be
one of the one of the sluggards as well that are lying in so look get up read the
Bible get productive as well if you're getting up early and then you're just
putting your feet up and doing nothing all day then again you know that this
should be speaking to you you're up early get productive get stuff done be
busy you know and you'll be happier for it you have more energy for it as well
and your body will adjust doesn't it your body adjusts to what you do if
you're just lounging around feet up all the time I'm so tired you know I'm just
you know exhausted for whatever reasons your body will just adapt to that and
that's what your body is used to doing lying around lounging around in fact
you're probably your mind adapts to just moaning all day as well get up get get
busy get stuff done be productive pray read your Bible do great things for God
let's be more like the great men of God and less like the great sluggards yeah
okay be an early bird let's pray
father I thank you for your word I thank you for you know all the great examples
we have in the Bible the great men of God and and thank you for just making it
clear we're just so many times you're telling us about people getting up early
and doing things for God getting up early praying reading by reading your
Bible busy men of God who weren't just lounging around saying I need me time
and you know just sitting there doing nothing you know getting up getting busy
doing things for you and then ultimately we'll be blessed we'll be happy when we
follow your word I pray that you just help all of us in here to be like that
help us not you know take the Word of God seriously not to just kind of scoff
at it and scoff at the preaching but to you know let it change us let it change
our lives we all we all want to to do better for you we want to be more like
you want us to be we don't want to be be you know be just fighting against your
instruction in our life and and thank you for your word thank you for this
church please bless this afternoon help us get out and get many souls saved this
afternoon Jesus the name we pray all of this Amen