I returned from my vacation in
The weather there was a lot drier than here, and I
even spent time at the beach.
I look forward to seeing you real soon!
Pastor jeff
July 29 Sermon on Luke 11:1-13
There is power in prayer so keep
praying
When you heard me read the Lord’s Prayer as part of today’s gospel,
perhaps some of you thought I had a problem with my glasses, because it seemed I left out a couple of
lines.
It’s not my glasses, but
rather this is the “short version” of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught His
disciples privately, as it is recorded in St. Luke’s gospel.
The “longer
version” that we are all familiar with, appears as a part of one of Jesus’
sermons, which he preached to a crowd, and is in the Gospel of Matthew.
Are they really
different? No, they say the same thing,
but the longer version adds a couple of explanatory phrases.
For example, in the long prayer “Thy Kingdom come” is
explained by the next phrase “Thy will be done”.
*
John Troti is the librarian at Union Seminary
in
One day John was out, garbage bag in hand, picking up cans, when a man
came up and asked “What are you doing that for?”
John replied that he got a tenth of a cent each for the Adult Mentally
disabled by collecting the cans.
“Do they make you prove it?” the man asked.
“Prove what?”
“Do they make you prove you’re mentally disabled
before they give you the tenth of a cent?”
You don’t have to prove anything to God before you pray – or when you
pray. You are a child of the heavenly
Father, and he is waiting to hear your prayer.
Jesus says simply begin “Our Father who art in heaven…” and trust
that he will listen –and that he wants good things for you.
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Jesus understood that we need to know that in this universe there is a
God whose matchless strength is a fit contrast to our weakness, and that this
mighty God cares for us as a father cares of his children.
If your little daughter asks for a serving of fish, do
you scare her by putting a snake on her plate?
Of course not.
You wouldn’t think of doing something like that. If you know how to give good things to your
children, don’t you think your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to
those who ask Him? Luke 11:11-13
When the days grow dark and the nights grow dreary, we need to be
thankful that our God gives us His Spirit to lead us through life’s dark
valleys, and into sunlit pathways of hope and fulfillment.
When we are staggered by the chilly winds of adversity, and battered by
the raging storms of disappointment – when through our folly and sin we stray
into some destructive far country, we need to know there is someone who
understands us, and will give us another chance.
*
Francis Collins is a distinguished scientist and the director of the
Human Genome Project. He writes “Prayer for me is not a way to manipulate God
into doing what we want him to do.
Prayer for me is much more a sense of trying to get into fellowship with
God. I’m trying to figure out what I
should be doing, rather than telling almighty God what he should be doing. Look at the Lord’s Prayer. It says Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. It wasn’t our Father in heaven, do what I
want - my will be done.”
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As St. Cyprian wrote: When we pray “Thy will be done, we are not giving
God permission to do what he wishes, but rather that we should be able to do
what God wishes. For whom
stands in the way of God to prevent him performing his will?
I do. My thoughts and deeds are
prevented form full submission to God.
So I pray that God would do his will in me. But for his will to be done in me, there is
need of his power – his aid and protection, since nobody is strong in his own
strength, but is kept safe in God’s compassion and mercy, So we pray, empower us with your
Spirit, giving us the strength and wisdom to do your will today.
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The problem is that God’s will can be
difficult, and it’s tough to keep at difficult work, particularly when we don’t
get immediate results. We start out
committed. Perhaps
excited about the opportunity to witness, to have a part in God’s kingdom, to
work for Jesus. But finally we
may just give out – and then give up.
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For example, think about our “Daily Bread Ministry”. Each Tuesday morning, a few dedicated
volunteers offer food for the needy in our community - food that we have to
offer thanks to your generosity.
It reminds us that the needs of our community - and of the world are so
vast – the opportunities to serve the Lord are unlimited – and our resources so
limited. It is easy to lose heart. Those who do feel an obligation – who
sincerely want to do right – and are consistently trying –
are prone to becoming discouraged.
Then we could lose sight of the fact that Christians are not
necessarily called to change the world.
That is God’s business.
Our business is to practice charity, to do works
of compassion – not to worry to much about the ultimate good that we do, the
ultimate outcome, the results. That’s God
business – the ultimate outcome.
Our business is to do what we can, where we can, when we can – to
witness that God’s reign - His kingdom - is coming, bit by bit, step by step,
even in us.
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In other words, we are to be persistent in God’s work, even when we
don’t see results, even when it is not easy, because God has been persistent in
loving us.
We, despite our good efforts, are not going to solve the problem of
hunger. But we do not lose heart. We give and do what we can.
And then we pray. We ask God to
take our efforts and use them. We ask
God to do for us that which we cannot fully do for ourselves. Our labor is a prayer that God’s will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. Thy kingdom come – to us
and through us.
*
Father Barry Foster is a priest in
loudly: “Stay.”
A man across the street watched with amused interest, and grinning
suggested: “Father, I know you are a
man of God who believes in the power of prayer, but why don’t you just try
putting on the emergency brake?”
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Jesus teaches us that there
is power in prayer. He gave us a pattern for prayer: Begin with praise, reminding ourselves that
we are not relying on our strength alone; then make your requests known unto
the Lord.
In the Lord’s Prayer, our
requests for ourselves are contained in three petitions - three general
categories;
Provisions, pardon, protection
Provisions - “our daily bread” - our material needs for today;
Pardon - “forgive us our trespasses” - our need to be reconciled with God and our neighbors
- forgive us as we forgive others;
Protection - “Lead us not . . . deliver us” - seeking God’s protection in the future - that we not yield when tempted, and that
we might be delivered from evil.
So
pray for all your material needs, your
personal relationships, and for protection, guidance and deliverance in the
future - which covers just about
everything in your life.
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We may think that if we pray to
God for something once or twice, or even three times, God ought to act. But in our gospel, Jesus says don’t stop praying - be persistent - like the
man knocking on that door at mid-night - refusing to take no for an
answer. Luke 11:5-8
Be persistent - “Ask and it shall be given unto
you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and
the door shall be
opened unto you.” 11:9
While Jesus teaches us to
keep asking, He doesn’t say that you
will always get what you want when
you want it.
- And everyone who seeks will
find - but he didn’t say what the seeker will find. Only that a door would be opened.
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Whatever your problems - or
troubles that come your way
No matter what weighs down your heart and mind
Never forget that there is power in prayer,
So
pray, be persistent - keep praying