Who Is My Neighbor?

Posted by Chris on March 28, 2010 under Sermons

Parables – part 1

1. Jesus used parables
   1. Stories that communicate truth
   2. More engaging and compelling than simple propositions and facts.
   3. Facts can be debated. Stories thrust us into reality of the kingdom.

2. The Parable of the Good Samaritan
   1. Lawyer testing Jesus
      1. The question of eternal life
      2. Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18 – Jesus agrees.
      3. “But who is my neighbor?”
      4. Expecting an exposition, the lawyer get a story
   2. The Story:
      1. The Traveler (Jerusalem to Jericho)
         1. He is ambushed, beaten, stabbed, and robbed.
         2. “He will die if someone does not arrive and help him.”
      2. The Priest:
         1. “Disregard for God’s commands led him to this fate.”
         2. “He will die if someone does not arrive and help him.”
      3. The Levite:
         1. On his way to do service in the Temple
         2. Levite forbidden to touch a dead body
         3. “Surely the man is dead.”
         4. “He will die if someone does not arrive and help him.”
      4. The Samaritan:
         1. The Hero. Who is it? What will he do? Anticipation!
         2. Shock – “It’s a Samaritan!”
            1. Show historical examples of the hostility between Samaritans and Jews.
            2. Why does Jesus use a hero that the hearers will not associate with?
            3. He is calling out their prejudices and showing them that love is about mercy and compassion, not the definition of neighbor.
            4. Hosea 6:6 – What does the Lord require?
         3. No penalty for killing a Samaritan. Stiff penalty for associating with one
         4. This is the Hero of Jesus’ story
         5. He stops, makes bandages from his own garments, oil and wine (his provisions for his journey), takes him to an inn where he is very likely unwelcome, pays the bill and more.
      5. “Which of these three became a neighbor?”
         1. Does Jesus answer the question? (No) He invalidates the question.
         2. When it comes to love, one does not choose one’s neighbor, one chooses to be a neighbor.
         3. Christ-like love does not ask “Who is my neighbor?” Rather, it is active. (“Go and do the same.”)

Worldwide Revival

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Three Subjects To Brush Up On That Just Might Change The World

HISTORY
Salvation history. God is in command of and working through the events in history (vs the deist watchmaker and vs the god who represents our agenda)

Can We Be Confident and Christian?

Posted by Chris on March 21, 2010 under Sermons

1 John 5:13

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Q: How do we know God loves us?
A: He sent his one and only Son so that we might live through Him.

This is Love …

• God loved us first (4:10)
  – compare John 3:16
• Jesus gave his life for us (3:16)
• We may be called God’s children (3:1)
• So, we should love God (5:2) and one another (3:11)

Q: How do we know what is true and what is false?
A: Every ‘spirit’ that does not acknowledge Jesus is false.

Recognizing the Spirit of God

• The problem with false prophets (4:1)
• They left the fellowship of believers because they did not believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of God (see 2:18-27)
• Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God
• Those that do not are not (4:2-3)

(Romans 14, Colossians 2, 1 Corinthians 8-9, 2 John 9)

Recognizing the Spirit of God

• God’s truth overcomes the ‘wisdom’ of the world (4:5-6)
• We can know the truth (2:21)
• So, we can set our hearts at rest in God’s presence and know we belong to the truth (3:18-19)
  – Confessing Christ (2:23)
  – Remaining in the Spirit’s teaching (2:27)
  – Putting love into action (3:19)

Q: How can we know that we know God and abide in Him?
A: Whoever claims to abide in God must live as Jesus did.

Recognizing the Children of God

• Confessing Christ (4:15)
  – Relying on God’s love!
• Walking in the Light (1:5-7)
  – Cleansing from sin (2:1-2)
• Obeying his commands (2:3; 3:24)
  – Especially the command to love one another (2:7-11)

The One Who Has The Son

• Proof of God’s Love
  – Jesus Christ
• Test of God’s Truth
  – Jesus Christ
• Standard of a Godly Life
  – Jesus Christ

Everyday Revival

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Three Simple Suggestions That Might Just Change Your World

And if they change your world, they just might change the world. Last weekend Randy Harris spoke of revival in terms of Christians being more serious about living out the story of Christ. Changes in our attitude and spirit might give us the opportunity and credibility to speak up for Christ in a way that the world would listen.

No Whining –
How would this make church and world a better experience? Our culture whines a lot. Especially in America with our limited perspective and our sensationalist media …

Virgin America flight 404 departed LAX on time at 7:30 a.m., flew to the New York area where it was scheduled to land at 3:30 p.m. But with a storm raging and JFK closed, the flight circled and was eventually ordered to land at Stewart Airport at about 5:30 p.m. to wait it out. The storm lasted longer than expected so bus transportation was arranged and passengers eventually made it to JFK by about 1 a.m.

Headlines and news leads featured the word NIGHTMARE frequently. about the HORROR! The NIGHTMARE! The STRANDING! The CRYING BABIES! The FORCED RATIONING!
Martin even noted on Kontain.com that MSNBC coached him to be mad.

Compare to other problems in the news.

We all whine. We commonly greet each other with whining. “How are you?” “Tired, worn out.” I suppose it is more acceptable to be tired than to brag about feeling good. We whine when we are kids and then we graduate to griping. (The pitch and the amount of power that we have is different)Whining and griping gets us off mission. Who wants to follow people with a negative spirit?

The antidote or alternative is gratitude. A virtue for God’s people. How would this change the world?
(I recall a brother who would greet you by saying “I’m blessed.” I paid attention to that.)
Hebrews 12:28 – We are the recipients of the Kingdom, how dare we whine?

No Worrying –
We haven’t given ourselves much confidence when it comes to salvation. Example: People who are dying and worried that they are not good enough. Fear of eternity.
Someone says: “But we shouldn’t be overconfident.” But this isn’t a confidence in our own ability. History and experience and Bible would show that we have no reason to be confident in our own ability. This is a confidence in God and his promises. Confidence comes from surrendering control to God.
That lack of confidence makes us worry. It makes us a church of worriers and gets in the way of the mission. Worry can devolve into fear.

Trust. The antidote is trust and a rich eschatology. When you turn it over to him, why worry? When we turn this over to God but we sit around and worry if we are going to make it to heaven, then that is sinful. Jesus is impatient with people who do not have trust. (See Martha and Mary.)
Someone may say, but if you don’t worry about going to heaven then someone can just live however they want. Not at all. Take away salvation on the basis of merit, and establish that salvation is on basis of trust, then you do not behave a certain way to GAIN salvation, instead trust is a matter of living within the trust we have for God and in God. It’s confidence.
If you trust God to save you, then you are going to live in a way that is going to be the substance of your trust.Everyone who hears me and puts these words into practice. Blessings have already been showered.
Matthew 6:27 and John 14 – Worry and Trust

No Wrath –
Our world is an angry world. Just think of how we could make a difference if we were a people who were less angry and wrathful than the rest of the culture.

Wrath and anger come in a variety of styles: Notice the works of the sinful nature – Galatians 5:19-21.
We are often offended by acts on either side of these. But do we understand why acts of anger and wrath have such a warning?

Anger is a “do-nothing” emotion. About the only positive benefit of anger and wrath: determination.
Imagine working on a project and you have a nagging problem. You might get angry enough to put some effort into it. But if you continue to be fueled by anger you will soon have a mess.

Anger has a way of building like a poison and it becomes more toxic. It will in time turn into resentment and passive aggression. Ultimately becoming hate. This is why wrath has a warning …

Of all the emotions, Anger is the nitrous oxide. Do you understand what I mean? N₂O injectors go into the system and give the car extra speed. But it is used cautiously and carefully or it will burn up the engine.
Anger and wrath have to give way to better emotions and attitudes.
Our families, nation, and churches cannot be fueled on anger. Jesus put a limit on anger.

We have better options at the point of anger is the goal follows the mission.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22. The fruit of the spirit show the better options. Self-control allows us to cultivate compassion kindness (makes us active, not just a feeling) ultimately love.

Angry Church – One of the hindrances of mission is a critical spirit in the Lord’s churches. I have decided that there are certain journals and article in our fellowship that I just cannot read anymore. Not because I have a problem with the authors. Not because I have a problem with their conclusions. And it is not because I do not want to hear truth. But I have a problem with their attitude and their critical spirit. They are uncharitable and critical. They do not seek peace. Often they refuse to communicate directly with the individuals that they pillory. [Journals – Emotional Pornography]

It’s in the culture, too. I walked in the house the other day one of the news talk shows was on and people were in their little boxes arguing. Conservative vs liberal And the tone continued to become a drill that bored into my forehead. Why do we tune into these shows and watch overpaid pundits argue, and then punish our children for behaving the same way? Reveling in rantings. Outpouring of wrath.

The poison seeps into our fellowship too often. A wrathful culture spewing its poison. That poison can leak out when we sit down at table with one another. When we come together for worship.
Much of preaching has been filled with such wrath. Anger aimed at people. I pray that I have not done so – I don’t want to. Preaching may be direct, but it doesn’t have to be violent.

A pledge of support comes with this preaching. A word of encouragement that in God’s spirit and with God’s help. You and I can be people who are grateful, fearless, courageous, hopeful, self-controlled, truthful and loving. I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t believe that with Jesus’ help we could really be that.

Here’s a Trustworthy Saying, part 4

Posted by Chris on March 7, 2010 under Sermons

further studies in I Timothy

Trustworthy Sayings

1. Christ came into the world to save sinners (1:15)
2. Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task (3:1)
3. Our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers (4:10)

Teach These Things

1. All ages (5:1-2)
2. Widows (5:3-16)
3. Elders (5:17-25)
4. Slaves (6:1-2)
5. Wealthy (6:17-21)

Promoting Godliness

• The Tragedy of the Trouble-making Mind (6:3-10)
• Flee From All This Man of God (6:11-16)
  – Don’t dance to their tune
  – Pursue godly life
  – Hold on to eternal life
  – Don’t waver

Truisms

• Some people just need to be mad. They want their pain.
• Angry people don’t speak “reason.”
• Some people need to be “right,” regardless of the cost.
• Anxiety spawns triangles–even over distances.
• Upset people lose the capacity to practice grace and will believe the worst of others in an instant.
• Just one willful angry person can stir up a group if the healthier ones do not respond with godliness.
• Anxiety spreads like a virus in a group that lacks immunity provided by godly leadership.
• During times of acute anxiety emotionality trumps rationality, even in a church full of “smart” people.
• Trust is a gossamer thread; once severed it’s almost impossible to regain.
• Information reduces anxiety (but for anxious people, so will misinformation).
• When people lack data, they’ll fill in the blanks.

Teach These Things

1. All ages (5:1-2)
   • Older men, women; younger men, women [Not elders]
     – This is not “diplomatic immunity” for elders
   • Teach gently; be an example
   • Contrast to 5:20 (applied to elders)
2. Widows (5:3-16)
   • Widows in ancient society
   • Help those who have no one else
   • Encourage others to follow God’s ways (care for family, marriage)
   • What principles could guide the way we help others?
3. Elders (5:17-25)
   • Honor those who serve well
   • Beware of frivolous accusations (see Deuteronomy 19:15)
   • Do not be hasty to appoint or accuse; let the evidence surface
   • Bring everything into the open
4. Slaves (6:1-2)
   • The statement accepts slavery without endorsing it
   • There is neither slave nor free in Christ (Galatians 3:28)
   • Show due respect and do not shame the way of God
5. Wealthy (6:17-21)
   • Do not trust in riches
   • Trust in God
   • Use wealth for doing good and sharing (Luke 16)
   • Focus on the future

Elder Ordination Service

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Order of the Service:

704 – Bind Us Together
Coins for Christ – (No Children’s Worship)

Scripture Reading – 1 Peter 5:2-7 [Race Burns]

Reaffirming Our Shepherds

• Introduction of Mat Griffin and thanks to the Reaffirmation Team (Mat, Helen, Jack)
• Mat will thank the congregation for their feedback and report the result of the reaffirmation
• Prayer – Mat

705 – A Common Love
[The five new elders and the seven current will come to the front pews during this song.]

Commitment of New Elders- A Pledge of Servant Leadership
[Benjamin will ask the new elders to move onto the stage]

God has spoken graciously through his church calling you to tend his sheep. You are being asked to assume the responsibilities of shepherd, overseer, and elder.

• Will you serve Jesus Christ as your Lord?
• Will you teach and model the gospel of Christ?
• Will you ensure the healthy teaching that strengthens the Lord’s people?
• Will you guide us patiently and prayerfully?
• Will you lean on the Spirit of God as you equip the church for acts of faithfulness?
• Will you mentor and shepherd the other leaders God gives to the church?
• Will you lead us rather than appease us, resolving to keep us focused on God’s purposes?
• Will you pray for us when we are sick, minister to us when we are hurting, and rejoice with us when we are blessed?
• Will you work in harmony with your fellow shepherds and with the church?
• Will you be great among us by serving as Christ did?

Response: “With God’s help we will.”

Read John 13:1-17 – [The current elders will now join the new five and present them with the “servant towels.”]

As a reminder of the Lord’s example of servant leadership, we offer you this small symbolic token of this day for your encouragement. This is a towel embroidered with the words of Jesus. We hope it serves as a reminder of Christ’s grace to you, your commitment before God and our support of your oversight.

Russ McConnell will lead a Prayer of Blessing.
During Russ’ prayer, the “current elders” will be laying their hands on the “new five” – a gesture that demonstrates the sharing of God’s spirit and their affirmation as elders.
[After this prayer, all assembled on the lower stage may return to the pews.]

Part 3 – A Pledge of Support: The Commitment of the Congregation

Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:17 [Tanner Robbins]

Church, our worship today confesses our belief that God has called these men to shepherd our congregation. Our actions from this point forward ought to reflect that belief and it requires commitment on our part.

Brothers and sisters …

• Will you follow these men in service for the sake of Christ?
• Will you be respectful of their leadership and imitate their faith?
• Will you support them in prayer and serve them in peace?
• Will you “lift up their arms” even as they care for our souls?
• Will you do all of this knowing that it pleases the Lord and shows the world the perfection of his ways?

If you so agree and pledge, then I ask you to affirm by saying: “With God’s help we will!”

Prayer of blessing for the church:
[Kevin Hesslen will ask God to help us live up to this commitment.]

Invitation for Responses

• Larry Todd will offer the invitation.
• The five new elders will assemble down front (spread out) to receive responses. This indicates that these new shepherds are ready to engage in the ministry of prayer for the sake of the congregation and for the glory of God.

Song for Responses
448 – Greatest Commands
Sending Out Prayer – Bill Dickey
[Bill will thank the congregation for participating in the reaffirmation and charge us to go out in service to Christ.]

Here’s a Trustworthy Saying, part 3

Posted by Chris on February 28, 2010 under Sermons

further studies in I Timothy

Blameless Leaders

• Trustworthy Saying 2 – Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task (3:1)
• Family and Character
• Deacons: Worthy of Respect
• Deaconess or Wives (I Timothy 3:11)?
• Romans 16:1

Deaconess or Wife?

• We know that Phoebe was a deacon (Romans 16:1)
• The word in I Timothy 3:11 is “wife” or “woman”
• Ordination is not the issue – faithfulness is the issue
• Verse 12 continues profile of deacons

Why Leaders Like This?

• “… you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household” – 3:14-15
• “… in the last times some will turn away from the true faith …” – 4:1

Hypocrites

• Hypocrisy is alluring because it carries the title of God and gets applause from others
• It does not produce godliness
  – Why bother?
  – Can’t be perfect
  – Focus on outward discipline

  

Godliness

• Trustworthy Saying 3 – 4:8 or 4:10
• 4:8 – Godliness
• 4:10 – Hope and Salvation
• Our trust (faith) is in the living God who saves us all

Charges

1. Reject silly myths – don’t encourage senseless prattle
2. Train for godliness – current and eternal benefits
3. Teach and be an example
4. Do not neglect spiritual gifts

Now and Then

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Right now, many of us are thinking about what we want to be doing an hour from now. Here we are in the now – but we are focused on then.
Right now, the sermon is starting, but THEN I will be in live at the restaurant.
Right now, the sermon is starting, but THEN I will be heading to the golf course.
Right now, the sermon is starting, but THEN I will be settling into my recliner and looking for something on TV that will make me take a nap.
Right now, the sermon is starting, but THEN I have a meeting to attend and some shopping to finish before ministry tonight.
Right now, the sermon is starting, but THEN I will be driving the van back after taking others home.
Right now, the sermon is starting, but THEN we will still be chatting with friends.

This may seem like a ploy to get your attention. It is. But the message isn’t that good Christians don’t let their minds wander. No. In fact I want to encourage you to use the ability to think about NOW and THEN – just like Jesus does in his parables.

Matthew 13:44-46 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Make up two words: Now-ness and Then-ness. Now-ness is everything about the present reality of the kingdom. Then-ness is everything we know about the future reality of the kingdom.

We need to live in and think about the NOW-ness of the Kingdom of Heaven and the THEN-ness of it.
We need to live in and think about how the THEN of the kingdom has to do with the NOW.

We are conditioned to think about how the NOW shapes THEN. The future is today. The choices you make today determine the sort of person you will be. But this parable says that the THEN determines the NOW. The treasure is found and then the man buys the field. The pearl is discovered and then the man sells all that he has.

Unfortunately, the Kingdom is usually a THEN subject and we have not always related it to NOW. We know the treasure is buried in the field and one day we hope to own it, but we aren’t making the connection with how the THEN needs to shape NOW.

Unfortunately, we don’t always connect church to the Kingdom of Heaven as we should. And this is going to sound strange, but one of the problems is that we focus too much on “getting to heaven.” (Afterlife thinking – It’s all about THEN, with no thought for NOW.)

Go for the Gold – There is Doubt about victory. 2/100 of a second may keep one from winning gold [at the Winter Olympics]. But what if we went into a sport knowing that we would win? Would we still play? Would we play to win? Would we play like we already were winners? (The concentration camp prisoners knew that they were liberated even before they were freed.)

The good news is that you have been given the treasure. You have found the pearl.

Getting to Heaven

• This is how some of you became a Christian: You wanted to get to heaven and didn’t want to go to hell.
• If this is where you are at today, then I have good news: It is simple. Jesus has secured your entry into heaven. “But you don’t know what I have done.” Maybe I don’t but God does and the blood of Christ and the Love of God has covered over that sin and brokenness. All we have to do is accept it. When you are baptized into Christ you are united with Christ in his death (and dead to the power of sin) and you will be united with him in his resurrection. Why complicate this? It’s that simple.
• For the rest of us who have been baptized because we wanted to get to heaven – why is it that we still fret and wonder if we are going to get to heaven THEN? Why do we still talk about it as if there is something else we are supposed to do NOW to get to heaven THEN other than trust God? Why do we still depend on ourselves? Why do we think that there is some work we have to do NOW if we want to get to heaven THEN?
• And what is the point of all the energy and effort we expend on managing the church and laboring in God’s service is getting to heaven THEN isn’t dependent on what we do NOW other than trust Jesus? Sometimes we don’t seem to be able to understand how receiving the Kingdom in full THEN has anything at all to do with NOW – other than stay out of trouble.

I think this is because we have NOW and THEN unbalanced.

We want to get to heaven THEN, but we don’t know how to talk about the kingdom of heaven NOW.

Bad Ideas from Imbalance:

1. Faith and religion is something like fire insurance – Don’t we sometimes make our faith into something we take care of now so that when this is over then we are okay. Beyond this obligation we can do whatever else we want with our life as long as we don’t upset God. Simplistic and visionless view. A bad investment in a NOW that has no connection to God’s THEN.
2. This life and this world is just a waiting room. We are supposed to get the word out because God isn’t doing anything about it. (This is an exaggeration, I understand but do we notice that?) NOW is unimportant. THEN is all that matters.
3. NOW and THEN are disconnected. Church is a project or product that God has given to us to keep us busy. It is something we have to maintain or build.
   • (But scripture never says that we are responsible for building the kingdom of heaven. We can build up each other but God is building the Kingdom. We can purify ourselves, but God purifies the church).
   • We give kids things to keep them busy to pass the time. Meaningless diversion. If the THEN is all that matters, then church (which is NOW) is not very important. How does it fit?

Better Idea:

• Church is much more than a project or something we have to maintain.
• There is a THEN of the Kingdom that breaks into the NOW – (Little green signs outside – those little green signs indicate to us that the NOW of the field is not its THEN. It’s NOW is effected by its THEN)
• God has a building project. He has put little green signs all over our world. The rightful owner of this world is going to do much more with the world around us then we might imagine.
• Our salvation is going on right now. God is turning over the soil and filing the papers to renovate this world. “The present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:31)
• The church is not a meanwhile project, it is the first sign of the reconstruction project. We are the field with the buried treasure. We are the man reinvesting his property in hidden treasure.
• We are about more than “Getting to Heaven,” the Kingdom of Heaven is breaking into our NOW and we are living in it and living up to it.
• We are a people who treat the NOW based on the THEN that we trust is coming our way.

Here’s a Trustworthy Saying, part 2

Posted by Chris on February 21, 2010 under Sermons

further studies in I Timothy

Salvation

• Trustworthy Saying 1 – Christ came into the world to save sinners
• But some have shipwrecked their faith
• Exclusive, sectarian, legalist
  • Anti-Gentile
  • Anti-grace

The “Certain Ones”

• putting value on controversy: myths and endless genealogies which amount to speculation (1:4);
• engaging in empty discussion (1:6);
• responding to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (4:1);
• guided by the hypocrisy of liars (4:2);
• forbidding marriage and promoting abstinence from foods (4:3);
• emphasis on godless and silly myths (4:7);
• desire for controversy and disputes about words (6:4);
• believing godliness is a means for gain (6:5)

Conduct of the Saved

• Pray for everyone without exclusion (2:1)
• Peaceful lives, quiet, godly, holy (2:2)
  1. It pleases God who wants all to be saved
  2. The work of the one mediator (Christ) gave himself as a ransom for all
  3. Paul’s mission was to proclaim this to all, not a select few

Conduct in God’s Household

• I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household – I Timothy 3:14-15

Problems

• Disputes, controversies
• Hatred, gossip
• Immodesty, trouble-making
• Disruption of households
• Shame in families and community

Men, Women, Salvation

• Men: Lift hands in prayer, not anger
• Women: Dress modestly, not gaudy and extravagant
• Let women learn in quiet and submission [See I Timothy 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 1 Peter 3:4, Titus 2:2, 2 Thessalonians 3:12]
• Order of creation argument

Genesis and 1 Timothy

• Genesis 4 – Anger and violence
• Genesis 3 – Deception and shame
• Saved through (the) child-bearing
• Poetic Statement: Eve brought Adam down, but through Eve, Adam is ultimately saved

What’s Wrong With the Women?

• Artemis Cult
• Women influenced by disruptive teachers
• Self-indulgent (5:6)
• Gossiping (5:13)
• Some follow Satan (5:16)

Blameless Leaders

• Trustworthy Saying 2 – Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task (3:1)
• Family and Character
• Deacons: Worthy of Respect
• Deaconess or Wives?

Prayer

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

In his book, Pray Always, Tony Ash tells of his experience as a young man when he was a something of a legalist. To get back at him, some friends asked him if public prayers were a part of his congregation’s practice. When he said that they were, his friends asked how he and his people could claim to adhere strictly to the Bible when Jesus taught us to pray in private (Matthew 6:6). Tony says that he was caught out and desperate and fled to his minister for an answer.

I have to admit that I have wondered that myself. Are we violating Jesus’ teaching each time we lead a public prayer? When we encourage one another to flock to their shepherds for prayer, is Jesus displeased? Have you ever wondered about this? Are you wondering now that I have brought it up?

I could point out to you that Jesus is making three statements to his disciples about righteousness that have the same point – don’t strive to be righteous just to gain favor with others. Don’t pray like hypocrites who draw attention to themselves. Likewise don’t give gifts or fast just to draw attention to ourselves. Jesus doesn’t exclude prayer, giving, or fasting. And to make his instruction to be secret literal to the point that secrecy and privacy become the goal is just as much a distraction from God.

I could also point out that if Jesus literally wanted us to all pray in secret, then his followers would seem to have ignored him. For there are important examples of community prayer in the New Testament. No, I don’t think they ignored Jesus. Rather I think they understood his point in the Sermon quite well and they also listened when he taught them to pray by saying “Our Father …”

• So we see Jesus himself encouraging the people to bring him their children so that he might pray for them (Matthew 19:13)
• We hear Jesus teaching us that when two or three of us agree, he is in our midst (Matthew 18)
• We notice that Jesus was upset because greedy people had turned the temple into a den of thieves instead of letting it be the house of prayer that it was supposed to be (Mark 11:17)
• We see Jesus inviting Peter, James, and John to join him in prayer (Luke 9:28)
• After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples gathered in homes to pray, and they prayed together to ask God to choose one to take Judas’ place (Acts 1)
• Those early disciples often did what Jesus did, they went to the temple to pray (Acts 3)
• They also gathered together to pray and give thanks (Acts 4)
• And the apostles wouldn’t wait on tables because they didn’t want to be distracted from the ministry of prayer (Act 6) and when they found seven others to lead, they put their hands on them and prayed over them (Acts 6)
• Peter and John prayed for the Samaritans so that they would receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8)
• God himself sent Ananias to lay hands on Paul so that he might be restored (Acts 9)
• When Peter was in prison, the church gather at Mary’s house to pray for him (Acts 12)
• When Paul and Barnabas were sent out to preach the gospel, the church in Antioch prayed over them (Acts 13)
• Paul himself envisioned churches devoted to prayers – prayers of all kinds. Men and women praying for one another.
• James urges those who are in trouble to pray. He urges the sick to call upon the elders so that they might pray and anoint the sick person with oil. He urges us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another (James 5)

I believe that Jesus’ followers understood what he was teaching about prayer. And I think they understood from Jesus that pray includes our private petitions to God, but that it also involves our communal and public behavior and the way we express unity and our trust in God’s power. I think they understood that prayer is ministry and that healing and encouragement and forgiveness of sins come through prayer. What else can God’s people do other than speak to their father? I think they knew that prayer was the way that they asked for God’s spirit. They did not presume to command God’s spirit like magicians, but they could ask like servants.

So if Jesus’ early followers knew this, can we? I believe that we can. I believe that we should. I believe that we must.

So let’s overcome the unnecessary reduction of prayer to a secret mental exercise. Prayer is just as embodied as the Lord’s Supper, we don’t reduce it to a picture of a cracker and juice. Prayer can be meaningful when it takes place in time, space, and with others. I am sure that when we are sick we want people to pray for us and we are cheered up to know that they are, but when they come visit and hold our hand or lay a hand on our shoulder or even anoint us with oil, we experience prayer in our body, mind, heart and soul.

• Prayer is more than just mental – it is an embodied and spiritual practice. Kneeling, bowing, raising hands – whatever is done is a way that we participate in God’s life.
• We are not Gnostics. Such focus on the internal that the external is denied. The Gnostics were the first virtual community. Why don’t we all just agree to get online – read a prayer, listen to a sermon, think about the right things and that’s it?

And let’s also know that prayer is about God’s power and his spirit. Prayer is not something to add a little religion to our life. It isn’t just invocation. It isn’t the greeting card, preamble, email instruction, wish list that it is often reduced to:

• I admit that I struggle with this when I am asked to “carve out” prayers for special occasions. Why am I asked to do this? Probably because there is some sense that people have that we ought to have a little show of religion, or an invoking of the divine before congress does its work or before people graduate or before two sports teams knock each other around for no real reason. I don’t mind bringing a word of blessing to people who always seem to appreciate and eager for more … but where is the more?
• Let’s be the more church. We, the church, cannot settle for little carved out blessing prayers. We need to let our shepherds and ministers lead us in prayer – I mean more than just saying the words. Let them lead us in the ministry of prayer.
• For prayer is appealing to God that he will work among us …

And that being the case, let’s overcome this proud notion that we don’t need prayers. Let’s do away with the idea that prayers are reserved for those who identify as sick or sinners. We have important work to do, we have a mission. The first work of that mission is prayer in everything. How dare we send out missionaries and ministers without praying over them? How dare we let shepherds and ministers do their work without being prayed for!

But we often miss the opportunity because we don’t want to be showy. We must pray for them because we aren’t putting our faith in them, but in God. Who would want a surgeon to show up with dirt in his fingernails and liquor on his breath and have him describe how he’s going to cut us open? We would insist that he sober up and wash his hands (or we would ask for another surgeon). Who accept it if our pilot showed up and said to the passengers, “I’ve been awake for three days straight.” We would insist he get some rest and we wouldn’t buy it if he said “No, I’m good. The technology does all the work.”

You should insist that your ministers and elders have been sufficiently prayed over. Ask them, “Who has prayed for you today – and then pray for them.”

God at work among us – What’s the first work of evangelism? PRAYER (Matthew 9)

Our growth: Love one another, Support Leaders, Prayer MINISTRY

So let our prayers be like Jesus – He was man and he was God. Jesus is not the reduction of God. He is the fullness of God. The gospel is not a slogan. It is a person who came with power. When we pray in Jesus’ name we are reaching out and touching a power that cannot be limited to our mental or emotional experience. Just as Jesus was real, so is the spirit of God that we touch in prayer.

(Invite down people to be prayed for …)