DEVOTION TO PRAYER
Series: Commitment Series 2014
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 1st November 2014
Passage: Luke 18:1-8
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 It doesn't rate in my top 10 of all-time favourite movies.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 That's because I've actually never watched it.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 That's because I saw the shorts and decided not to watch it.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:15 But it did, however, win a 1989 Academy Award for Best Picture.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 It's called Driving Miss Daisy.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 It doesn't rate up there amongst my all-time favourites.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 There's no guns from what I understood in the shorts,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:27 and Clint Eastwood doesn't star in it, so it doesn't rate for me.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:33 But it is apparently a good movie, from what I understand.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 I've read all about it and so on and so forth.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:41 There is, throughout the movie, an undercurrent of racial tensions in the movie.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:49 But the main plot is the developing relationship between the two main characters.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:56 The two main characters are Miss Daisy, a stubborn 72-year-old widow,
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 and her African-American driver, Hoke.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:06 Miss Daisy has an accident because she puts her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 I mean, that's the sort of thing that can happen at any time.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 You see it occasionally, they pop up in the newspaper.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 And no insurance company will touch her.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:19 And so she has to get a driver in order to drive her around.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:23 And she hates the thought of losing her independence.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 She wants nothing to do with Hoke.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:30 In fact, on one occasion, she angrily blurts out to him,
00:01:30 --> 00:01:34 I don't need you, I don't want you, I don't like you.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 However, over the years, their relationship develops.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:47 And the film ends, the movie ends on Thanksgiving Day in a retirement village where Miss Daisy now lives.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 It's sort of 25 years since they first met.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 Miss Daisy is 97, Hoke is 81.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 And Hoke is visiting Miss Daisy.
00:01:57 --> 00:02:03 And he notices that she has not eaten her pumpkin pie, which is tradition on Thanksgiving Day.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:09 And she tries to pick it up with her fork, but he gently takes the plate from her and her fork from her.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 And he says, let me help you with it.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:17 And he cuts a small piece of the pie off and he gently feeds her.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 And she's delighted, it tastes great.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:25 And then he gets another piece and feeds her and then another piece and feeds her.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:34 And the film ends with a car apparently fading in the background, sort of making all the connections come together.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:41 What the film does, it documents the wonderful transformation of their relationship
00:02:41 --> 00:02:50 from a refusal to be dependent on Hoke, the driver, to a delightful dependence upon him for even a piece of pie.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:57 And the movie portrays beautifully, I think, the journey of the Christian life.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:05 It is a journey from self-reliance and independence to God-reliance and dependence.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:22 It's a journey from self-confidence and strength to God-confidence and a humbling and acknowledgement of our utter total weakness in everything.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:28 And so we have this core value as a church called devotion to prayer.
00:03:29 --> 00:03:35 And this core value makes a statement as a church, it's a statement to God, to the world, even to our own consciences,
00:03:36 --> 00:03:41 that we exist to do things that we cannot do without the supernatural grace of God.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:53 It's a statement, devotion to prayer is a statement that says we are weak and our confidence is in the supreme majesty of God and his goodness.
00:03:54 --> 00:04:00 We are totally dependent upon God for everything, no matter how big or small.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:05 St. Paul's as a church exists mainly to do the humanly impossible.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:13 Everything good, everything worthwhile, everything eternal and God-glorifying that we want to do as a church,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 we cannot do without the supernatural grace of God.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:25 And it is pride and it is arrogance where we think we can build the church, we can see ministry flourish,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:31 we can see people come to Christ just by putting in the right strategies, saying the right words,
00:04:31 --> 00:04:35 having the right programs in place, even the right people leading the programs in place.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:42 Our culture is a culture of independence.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:50 And when we let that culture permeate the church, you have pride and arrogance.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:55 And Ephesians 6, this is why we're reading this passage for us tonight,
00:04:55 --> 00:05:02 Ephesians 6 verse 12 puts all of our ministry visions and plans and activities in their rightful context.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:10 It says, and you should have Bibles open at this point, Ephesians 6 verse 12,
00:05:10 --> 00:05:17 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
00:05:17 --> 00:05:21 against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual force of evil in the heavenly realms.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:28 The context in which we're gathering right here, right now at 6.42 on a Sunday afternoon,
00:05:28 --> 00:05:35 and the context in which we seek as a church to labour, to know, to treasure and to represent Jesus is a battlefield.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:42 We're in the middle of a long and protracted wall.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:48 And I suspect that most of us, when we came to church tonight, never even had that on our radar.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:57 You know, we didn't jump into a sort of Humvee with a big gun on the back of it, fighting our way to church.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:05 It's difficult for us to understand as we sit here in church, in this building in Chatswood,
00:06:05 --> 00:06:10 in the most affluent city of the luckiest country during the longest period of peace that we've known.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 It doesn't seem like a battlefield, but what did I say last week?
00:06:15 --> 00:06:19 What I said last week is that what the Bible does for it,
00:06:19 --> 00:06:24 what God, who is ultimate reality, helps us to see things the way they actually are.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 And that's what the Bible does.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:29 And so here, Paul helps us to see reality.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 He helps us to see things the way they are.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 So verse 10 of Ephesians 6 opens with the word finally.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:41 Now it's not Paul signalling that he's getting to his final point of his letter.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 You know, finally, this is my last point.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 Everyone goes, breathe a sigh of relief.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 It's nearly supper time.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:52 The word is better translated for the remaining time.
00:06:52 --> 00:07:02 Paul is making a statement in his final verses that the whole of the remaining time before Christ returns will be characterized by conflict,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 tension and hardship for the Christian and for the church.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 And frankly, this should not be a surprise for us.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 We've just finished going through the book of Revelation.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:23 Revelation deals, a whole chunk of Revelation in the middle there, deals with this cosmic war that rages until Christ comes and finishes it all.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:31 And so our expectation of the Christian life and Christian ministry is that it will not be easy.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 It will be hard work.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:38 Verse 12 says that the war that we're engaged in is not against flesh and blood.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 It is a supernatural war.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:49 It is therefore futile if we fight this war by and in our own strength.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 We're involved in a battle with a formidable enemy.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 And Paul is quite specific about our enemy.
00:07:55 --> 00:08:00 He says our struggle is against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world,
00:08:00 --> 00:08:04 and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:11 And so if we attempt in any sense to try and spread the influence of the kingdom of God,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:15 that is to see people in Chatswood to know, treasure, and represent Jesus,
00:08:15 --> 00:08:20 we try and spread that influence by using conventional human tactics and wisdom,
00:08:20 --> 00:08:28 that is we trade strength with strength and sarcasm with sarcasm and cunning with cunning and manipulation with manipulation and power with power,
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 we will lose.
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 Our opponents are too great.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:44 You see, the devil and his angels are a great demonic enemy with a defined and disciplined chain of command.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:51 And even though he doesn't possess anything like the power of God himself, Satan is still terribly powerful.
00:08:51 --> 00:08:57 He can only be at one place at one time, but with his army of evil spirits,
00:08:57 --> 00:09:04 he imitates God's presence everywhere and he imitates God's power over all things.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:09 And he imitates God because he desires to be God more than anything else.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:16 And it's that desire to be God, which is at the center of his terrible total spiritual evil.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:26 Verse 12 alludes to this by describing the enemy as the power of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:32 So there are plenty of people in history who have gone pretty low in terms of perpetrating evil.
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 You can think of a few, you know, Stalin and Hitler and a bunch of others like that.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:40 But they're not even coming close to Satan's evil.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 You see, Satan has no conscience.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 He has no compassion.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 He has no remorse.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 He has no morals.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 He feeds on pain and anguish and filth.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 He is supremely cunning.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:58 Verse 11 speaks of the devil's schemes or the devil's methods, if you like.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:03 And he's been honing his schemes and his methods for millennia.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:08 He is an accomplished philosopher and theologian and psychologist.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:14 He has studied for thousands of years enough time to be astonishingly brilliant at every discipline.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 He is the ultimate manipulator and subverter and actor.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:25 And 2 Corinthians 11 says that one of his deadly methods is he masquerades as an agent of God.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 He sets himself up.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:31 He presents himself as one on God's side.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:37 Whatever his tactic, he seldom attacks openly.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:45 His strategies, which are administered by his devils and nearly always unseen, shrewd and perfectly tailored for the victim.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:51 He operates best when he can convince people and even God's people that he doesn't exist or that he's not powerful.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:56 And can persuade us that life, in fact, is not a battle.
00:10:56 --> 00:11:03 He is evil beyond our comprehension and without conscience or principle.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:07 He is diabolically cunning and he is against us.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 He hates Christ.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 He hates God's children.
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 He hates the church.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:23 He hates the mission of St. Paul's Chatswood to see Jesus known, treasured and represented in such a way
00:11:23 --> 00:11:28 that more and more people are rescued from his evil clutches.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:32 He hates the plans that we have to go deeper together in fellowship with Christ,
00:11:32 --> 00:11:36 to serve each other in love and to connect better in our community for the glory of God.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 He hates what we're doing with our building project right now.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 He hates the establishment of ICS.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:46 He will do whatever he can to destroy the work of the gospel in your life.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 That is Paul's cosmic perspective.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 With all its chilling implications.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 See the value of prayer so far?
00:12:01 --> 00:12:06 And frankly, all would be despair except that it's only part of Paul's cosmic perspective.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 You see, on earth, amongst mortals, Satan has no equal.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 You don't match him in power.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 Not even close.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:19 But in the heavenly realms, on the other hand, he is far exceeded by the triune God.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:27 Colossians 1 and 2 says that the entire spiritual realm owes its existence to Christ.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:34 Thrones, powers, rulers, authorities, invisible and visible in heaven and on earth.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:39 And so Christ is not only more powerful by virtue of the fact that he created Satan,
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 but because he also defeated Satan at the cross.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:46 He has sealed Satan's doom.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:56 Although in this present age, he still exercises control over those who have not found freedom in Christ.
00:12:57 --> 00:13:03 And for those of us, and this is a warning, for those of us who neglect Christ's resources
00:13:03 --> 00:13:11 and rely upon our own strength and human wisdom, we place ourselves in harm's way.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:22 When we decide to take matters into our own hands, rather than patiently relying upon God,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:28 we take matters into our own hands, we place ourselves in harm's way.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 And so what are we to do?
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 That's what the rest of this section is about here.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 In Ephesians 6.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:39 Paul leaves us with two commands that dominate his advice in this last letter, verse of the letter.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 The first is in verse 10.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:45 It says, finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:51 That is, for the remaining time, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 And this command is in fact a passive command.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 That is, it says, be made strong in the Lord.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 In other words, don't find your strength in yourself.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 Be made strong in the Lord.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03 Find your strength in Christ.
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 We are totally dependent upon Christ.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 The power is his.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 The victory is his.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 And without his strength and his victory, we will falter and we will fall.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:19 And yet, we still need to pursue being made strong in him.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:26 And so what Paul does here is he sort of expresses here a proper combination of divine enabling and human cooperation.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:35 And he does it again in verse 11, where he says, put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:48 So if your aim is to persevere in the Christian life and not be defeated by the cunning schemes of the devil, then you must put on the armor, take up the weapons as described here in these verses.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:53 The armor is meant to protect us from the attack of the evil one.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 And it's really simple.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 Truth, verse 14.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 Righteousness, verse 14.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 The gospel of peace, verse 15.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 Faith in 16.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 Salvation in 17.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 And the weapon is the word of God in verse 17.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:12 All things referred to earlier in Ephesians as gifts coming to us from Jesus himself.
00:15:12 --> 00:15:23 Now, when you look at Ephesians 6 and you see this bigger picture of the Christian soldier in the armor of God, they look pretty formidable.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:30 It's like you've got the whole armor on, the helmet, the breastplates, and all of a sudden, your big sword, and you feel like you're 10 foot tall.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 Sort of like I do when you give me a big gun.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 I feel like a whole bigger man than what I actually am without a gun.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 That's what happens in movies as well, I think.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 It kind of feels a bit like that.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 And that's kind of what this soldier can feel like.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:49 Because they've dressed up, formidable image, and there's a call to action.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 And so the soldier gets ready for action.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:56 They've got their sword, they've got all their armor, and then they do something incredibly amazing here.
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 They fall to their knees and they pray.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 Now, that doesn't mean that there's no action.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:13 It means that every action of this soldier, dressed out, ready for this formidable battle, is that every aspect of it is bathed in prayer.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:18 You see, prayer isn't just another one of the bits of the armor.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 It's just not another sort of weapon you've got.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:28 It's meant to pervade everything, all aspects of the cosmic wall that the disciple of the Lord Jesus is engaged in.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:36 But there is a temptation here, I think.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 You know, you've got truth, you've got salvation.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 You know, I'm a Christian.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 I've got my theology worked out.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 Come into a good church.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:50 And you start to think, I can fight this battle.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:58 In the same way, I feel like I'm pretty much indestructible when you've got a 308 strapped over your shoulder.
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 I feel like I'm pretty indestructible here.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:06 And yet, in verse 19, we see that's not Paul's temptation.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:18 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me, so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:23 Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 Now, let's be frank here.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:31 If ever there was a fearless and competent soldier in the cosmic battle, it would have to be Paul.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:35 You see, he's the Chuck Norris of the early apostles.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:41 That's his picture, or the Clint Eastwood, or the John Wayne, depending how old you are.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 This is Paul.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 He's an awesome figure as an apostle of the Lord Jesus.
00:17:49 --> 00:17:55 Wrote one third of the New Testament, planted churches all over the Middle East, spread the gospel as far as you can imagine.
00:17:55 --> 00:18:01 He stood before people like Felix and Agrippa, officials of Rome, soldiers and commanders.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 And he fearlessly spoke the gospel.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:11 And he says here, I can't do that without your prayers.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:21 He says, I am fearful that I would lose courage and I would fail in the pressure of this battle.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:24 And so he asked them to pray for him.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:28 I need your prayers that I would be fearless in this battle.
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 And that's why he instructs them in verse 18.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:35 To pray in the Spirit at all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:41 With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints, including me, the Apostle Paul.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 Now, the prayer he's calling for here is comprehensive.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 We're to pray on all occasions.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:53 That means it's both regular and it's constant.
00:18:54 --> 00:18:59 And what he's calling us to do here as Christians who have been adorned with the armor,
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 he's calling us to consistently be praying.
00:19:04 --> 00:19:10 Adopt an attitude of prayerful dependence on God for everything in their life.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:17 That's why he says pray with all kinds of prayers and requests.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:21 Being alert and always keep on praying because you don't want to give up.
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 You don't want to fall asleep.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 Prayer is essential.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:37 And if prayer is so essential for Paul in this cosmic battle, I seriously have to ask the reason.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:41 Is the reason why we're losing ground, particularly in the Western church,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:47 has it got anything to do with the lack of genuine prayer and commitment to prayer?
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 Have we got comfortable?
00:19:53 --> 00:19:57 It's my conviction that we are weak because we do not pray as we ought.
00:19:58 --> 00:20:05 As American theologian Joel Beeky says, the greatest prayer problem with the church is prayerless praying.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:12 And prayerless praying is where we don't really see our need and our dependence upon God,
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 but we just mouth it anyway.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:20 It's where we can articulate real and right knowledge and needs,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:24 but actually don't give ourselves up to God,
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 pour our hearts out to God,
00:20:26 --> 00:20:33 as if we actually needed God to act in order for there to be a victory.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:42 Prayerless praying is mouthing words without a heart or an attitude of prayerfulness.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 It's praying,
00:20:50 --> 00:20:53 Lord, give me today my daily bread.
00:20:56 --> 00:21:01 But having a fridge full of food,
00:21:02 --> 00:21:06 not really needing to pour my heart out to God,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 because I know there's some in the freezer.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 I pray the prayer,
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 but do I really, truly believe
00:21:14 --> 00:21:18 that God provides for my needs every single day
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 and without his provision,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 it doesn't exist.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 It doesn't happen.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:27 That's prayerless praying.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 Mouthing the right words,
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 but with a heart that says,
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 I'm not really dependent.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:39 The other problem with prayer is a lack of prayer altogether.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:43 Because a non-existent prayer life means that I'm self-righteous
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 because I don't confess my sins to God.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:48 It means I'm ungrateful because I do not give thanks to God.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 It means I'm presumptuous
00:21:49 --> 00:21:52 because I just assume he's going to provide my daily bread for me.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:55 I don't ask God for my daily needs.
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 I'm self-centered because I don't ask God to bless other people.
00:21:58 --> 00:22:01 I'm irreverent because I do not praise God or seek his kingdom to come.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:04 I'm unfriendly to God because I don't enjoy relating to him.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 And let me tell you,
00:22:07 --> 00:22:09 I've been a Christian for just over 20 years.
00:22:10 --> 00:22:15 And nothing makes me feel more like a faithless hypocrite
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 than prayerlessness.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:19 This is the one Christian discipline
00:22:19 --> 00:22:23 that I have struggled with for 20 years.
00:22:25 --> 00:22:28 And for the last few years, I've worked out why.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 Because I like to be in control.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:42 And I suspect I'm meant to feel like a faithless hypocrite
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 because of my prayerlessness.
00:22:45 --> 00:22:49 Jesus ends his parable on the persistent widow in Luke 18
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 with a really important question.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 You see, the beginning of the parable in verse 1,
00:22:55 --> 00:23:00 Jesus tells the reason why he's sharing this parable.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:03 It's to show them, that is to show his disciples,
00:23:03 --> 00:23:07 that they should always pray and not give up.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:11 The very thing that Paul has encouraged the Ephesians to do in chapter 6,
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 to keep on praying.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 That's the point of the parable.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:20 And so his question at the end of the parable
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 has some real force to it.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 It's there in verse 8.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 When the Son of Man comes,
00:23:26 --> 00:23:29 will he find faith on the earth?
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 See what Jesus does there?
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 He connects prayer,
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 that's the point of the parable,
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 with the question of,
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 will there be faith when I come?
00:23:41 --> 00:23:43 He connects prayer and faith,
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 trust, dependency on him,
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 together.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 Together.
00:23:50 --> 00:23:54 Jesus is saying in Luke 18,
00:23:54 --> 00:23:57 that continual prayer until he comes
00:23:57 --> 00:24:00 is not only the evidence
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 that we are people of faith,
00:24:03 --> 00:24:06 but also the means of building faith
00:24:06 --> 00:24:09 and dependence on him until he returns.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:14 prayerless praying or non-existent prayer life
00:24:14 --> 00:24:17 reveals an independent,
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 self-confident,
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 faithless heart.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 Can you see the conflict
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 between that and the person
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 who declares themselves
00:24:28 --> 00:24:30 to be someone who trusts in the Lord Jesus?
00:24:30 --> 00:24:33 You see,
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 we can say all that we like,
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 all we like that we believe
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 in the sovereignty of God
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39 and that God ordains everything
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 and that he elects stuff
00:24:40 --> 00:24:42 and he purposes all things to be,
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 he's in control of all stuff,
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 and we can marvel people
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 with our knowledge
00:24:46 --> 00:24:48 and of these doctrines of grace
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 and,
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 but the place where we demonstrate
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 that those things that we say
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 that we value,
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 we actually value in our hearts,
00:24:57 --> 00:25:00 is metaphorically
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 on our knees in prayer.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:08 Prayer is where our theology
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 of the sovereignty
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 and the goodness of God
00:25:11 --> 00:25:14 translates into actual action,
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 which is what core values do.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 My friends,
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 the context in which we as a church
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 exist to know Jesus
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 and treasure Jesus
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 and represent Jesus
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 for God's glory
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 and the joy of all people
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 is a cosmic war.
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 That's the context
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32 in which we gather here right now
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 and in which we seek to do
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 all the ministry that we're doing
00:25:35 --> 00:25:37 and it doesn't look like it
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 on the surface.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 It doesn't look like
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 we're involved in cosmic war.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 The people driving past there
00:25:40 --> 00:25:42 at Fuller's Road right now
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 are not thinking,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 ooh,
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 battlefield going on there.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 That's not what they're thinking
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 and let me tell you,
00:25:46 --> 00:25:48 when they drive past here
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 and if they do,
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 you know,
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 if they're not watching
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 where they're going,
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 they have a glance over here
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 and they see a sign
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 on the front of the building
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 that says time to build
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 and they notice
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 that we've got some building program
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 going on here
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 and if they drive a bit further
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 just before they turn left
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 or go straight ahead,
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 they'll notice
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 there's another one
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 right next door.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 Alto are doing a building project too
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 and on the surface,
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 both of them look
00:26:06 --> 00:26:08 the same kind of thing
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 except Alto's bigger than ours.
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11 It's the same kind of stuff.
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 Alto's got a building project
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 and Paul's Chatswood's
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 got a building project.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 It all looks the same
00:26:15 --> 00:26:23 but our one draws the attention
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 of Satan
00:26:24 --> 00:26:26 in a way that Alto's one doesn't.
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 Satan is against us
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31 in the way that he's not against them.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 Alto will sell and service cars,
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 Holden cars, mind you,
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 on their site
00:26:37 --> 00:26:40 and ours is a battlefield headquarters
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 for the souls of lost people
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 in Chatswood.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 Two very different things.
00:26:44 --> 00:26:47 We are locked in battle
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 every day for everything we do
00:26:48 --> 00:26:51 and let me tell you,
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 right now,
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 your leadership,
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 God,
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55 and I can only thank God for this,
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 your leadership in your church
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 right now
00:26:56 --> 00:26:58 is more acutely aware of it
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 than I've noticed
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 in the last number of years.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 More acutely aware
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 of the battle that rages
00:27:03 --> 00:27:05 every day
00:27:05 --> 00:27:09 and it's causing us
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 to pray.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 We've been walking
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 in some very hard days
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 for months now
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 and we are being driven
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 to prayer
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 and God is revealing
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 that he is in control
00:27:17 --> 00:27:19 on a whole number of things.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 But bit by bit,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:24 God has been humbling us.
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 We have become
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 less confident
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 in ourselves
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 and more confident
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 in God.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 Everything we want to see
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 happen here as a church
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 will happen
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 will not happen
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 without the supernatural
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 grace of God.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 Are you aware of it?
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 Are you aware
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 that he's in control
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 of everything
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 in life?
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 You see,
00:27:49 --> 00:27:51 we don't exist
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 to preach.
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 We exist
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 as a church
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 to preach
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 in the power
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 of the Holy Spirit
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00 so that people
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 are supernaturally awakened
00:28:01 --> 00:28:03 from unbelief
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 and changed
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 beyond what
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 any human being
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 can cause
00:28:08 --> 00:28:10 in their life.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 We don't exist
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 to teach kids' church.
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 That's going on
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 over there right now
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 somewhere.
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 We don't exist
00:28:16 --> 00:28:18 to teach kids' church
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 but to teach kids' church
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 in the power
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 of the Holy Spirit
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 so that young people
00:28:22 --> 00:28:24 are supernaturally converted,
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 built up in the faith
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 and loved beyond
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 what any of the kids' church
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 teachers can do
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 for them.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:32 We don't exist
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 to sing
00:28:33 --> 00:28:35 but to sing
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 in the power
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 of the Spirit
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 because the affections
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 of our hearts
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39 have been supernaturally awakened
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 and the glory
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 of Christ
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 is treasured
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 beyond what
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 any music
00:28:44 --> 00:28:46 can produce
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 for us.
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 We don't exist
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 to do evangelism
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 and missions
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 but to do evangelism
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 and missions
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 in the power
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 of the Holy Spirit
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 so that hard
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 unbelieving hearts
00:28:56 --> 00:28:58 will be supernaturally changed
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 to soft
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 Jesus receptive
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02 believing hearts.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 Friends,
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 I want to see people
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 come to Christ,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 treasure Jesus,
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 I want to see people
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 living lives
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 for his glory,
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 I want to see people
00:29:08 --> 00:29:10 healed from scars,
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 from grudges,
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 grudge bearers
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 turning into forgivers
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 and haters
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 to lovers
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 and grumblers
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 and whingers
00:29:16 --> 00:29:18 turned into joyless
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 rejoicers,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 I want to see
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 joyless people
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 into hopeful people
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 that judgmental
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 turned into
00:29:25 --> 00:29:28 people who are merciful.
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 I want to see all that
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32 happening in people's lives
00:29:32 --> 00:29:35 and I can't do it.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 It is a supernatural
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 work of God.
00:29:38 --> 00:29:41 Everything we aim
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 to accomplish
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 as a church
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44 is impossible
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 without God's
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 supernatural action
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 and frankly
00:29:47 --> 00:29:50 that is so liberating
00:29:50 --> 00:29:52 but it's also
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 so incredibly humbling
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 because it means
00:29:54 --> 00:29:57 that I am weak
00:29:57 --> 00:30:02 and I guess
00:30:02 --> 00:30:04 weakness
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 and humiliation
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 which always
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 comes before
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 humility
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 is one of the
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 first things
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 needed for a
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 vigorous prayer life.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 Recognizing
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 that you have
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 no power
00:30:19 --> 00:30:22 in this world
00:30:22 --> 00:30:24 but God does
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 and so friends
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 I want to call
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 for you to pray
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 right now
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 for our building
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 project
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 for it to be
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 finished on time
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 and in budget.
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 There is right now
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 and I can't believe
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 I'm saying this
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 with a smile
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 on my face.
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 Right now
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 there is
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 $50 to $60
00:30:39 --> 00:30:41 that could go
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 against us
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 and the immediate
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 response is
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 take control of that.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 Don't spend the money.
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 No, no, no, no.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 It's stuff that's
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 already committed
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 and it could go
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 against us.
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 You know
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 if you stick
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 an excavator
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 out there
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 in the car park
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 and all of a sudden
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 they start digging
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 stuff and they find
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 dirty dirt in there
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 I know that's
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 a weird statement
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 they find
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 dirty fill in there
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 all of a sudden
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 the bills go
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 through the roof.
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 Find a couple
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 of sheets of asbestos
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 in the car park
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 boom
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 through the roof
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 and expenses
00:31:09 --> 00:31:11 and we can't
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 cover that
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13 and so
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 there's about
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 50 to 60
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 in this project
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 that could go
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 against us
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 we've got no
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 control over it
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 whatsoever
00:31:19 --> 00:31:21 and if it goes
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 against it
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 it's going to
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 hurt us a lot.
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 So pray
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 that it will
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 go in our favour.
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 Pray that God
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 would act.
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 Pray that
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 George Altamonte
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 the chairman
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 of the Altai group
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 over there
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 who's been
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 generous to us
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 already
00:31:34 --> 00:31:37 will be even
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 more generous
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 towards us
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 just because
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 we're his neighbours.
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 If God
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 can get
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 Pharaoh
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 to move
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 Pharaoh's heart
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 to say to the
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 Israelites
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 yeah go
00:31:46 --> 00:31:48 and take
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 all the wealth
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 of Egypt
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 with you
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 he can move
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 the head
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 of the Altai group
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 to give us
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 a few more dollars.
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 Seriously
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 pray that
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 God
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 would move.
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 God
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 has promised
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 to do for us
00:32:02 --> 00:32:02 things that we
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 cannot do
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 for ourselves
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 when we
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 pray.
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 God
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 has designed
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 and ordained
00:32:07 --> 00:32:07 and planned
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 and promised
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 that he will
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 act when we
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 pray.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 God
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 has promised
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 to act
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 when we
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 get on our
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 faces
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 before him
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 and we
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 confess our
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 sins
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 and give
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 thanks for
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 his grace
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 and plead
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 for him
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 to pour
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 out his
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 supernatural
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 blessings
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 on our
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 lives
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 and our
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 families
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 and our
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 church
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 and our
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 city.
00:32:25 --> 00:32:29 when we
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 pray we
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 are declaring
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 that the
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 supernatural
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 action of
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 God
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 is essential
00:32:33 --> 00:32:35 in the
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 life of
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 St. Paul's
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 Chatswood.
00:32:38 --> 00:32:40 So is it
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 not breathtaking
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 to hear Jesus
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 say
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 ask
00:32:43 --> 00:32:45 and it will
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 be given
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 to you?
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 Is it not
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 breathtaking
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 to hear Jesus'
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 brother James
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 say
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 you want
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 something
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 but you
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 don't get
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 it
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 because you
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 do not
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 ask God
00:32:56 --> 00:32:58 or to put it
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 out positively
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 if you'd
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 asked me
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 I would
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 have given
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 it to you.
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 It's astonishing
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 that God
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 acts in
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 response to
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 prayer.
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 It's astonishing
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 because the
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 all-knowing
00:33:10 --> 00:33:12 all-seeing
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 all-planning
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 all-powerful
00:33:14 --> 00:33:14 God
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 wills
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 for our
00:33:16 --> 00:33:18 Christ-exalting
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 prayers
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 to be the
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 occasion
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 of his
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 action.
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 that's
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 mind-blowing
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 in my
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 mind.
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 And so
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 devotion to
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 prayer is a
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 core value
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 of this
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 church.
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 My desire
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 for us
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 at St.
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 Paul's
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 is to be
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 more like
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 the 97-year-old
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 Miss Daisy
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 than the
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 72-year-old
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 Miss Daisy.
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 Joyfully
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 dependent on
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 our gracious
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 God's
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 provision
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 daily
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 provision
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 in such
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 a way
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 that when
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 we pray
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 give us
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 today
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 our daily
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 bread
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 we
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 actually
00:33:55 --> 00:33:57 mean it.
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 We
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 actually
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 mean that
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 we are
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 dependent
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 upon him
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 for
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 everything.
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 And so
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 may this
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 core value
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 not just
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 be written
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 on the
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 paperwork
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 and on
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 the walls
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 and posters
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 and stuff
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 around the
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 place
00:34:12 --> 00:34:14 but written
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 in our
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 hearts
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 in such
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 a way
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 that it
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 shapes
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 the
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 attitude
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 and
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 activity
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 of our
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 lives.
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 Let me
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 tell you
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 what it
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 does for
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 the full
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 time staff
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 here at
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 St. Paul's
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 this is how
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 we shape
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 it.
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 Likewise
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 with Christ
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 in a
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 Bible
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 situation.
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 I give
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 full time
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 staff here
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 one day
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 a month
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 committed
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 to just
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 prayer
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 for this
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 church
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 and for
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 the
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 ministry
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 of this
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 church.
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 One
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 day a
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 month
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 and I
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 think
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 it's
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 the most
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 valuable
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 thing
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 not that
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 they do
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 other things
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 which are
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 valuable
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 but it's
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 the most
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 valuable
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 thing.
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 I'm
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 always
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 encouraged
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 when I
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 look at
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 my
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 diary
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 and know
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 that staff
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 member is
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 committed
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 today in
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 prayer.
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 They're
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 praying
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 today.
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 And
00:34:49 --> 00:34:51 they also
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 report to
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 me on
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 their private
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 devotional
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 lives.
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 They're
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 actually being
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 saturated
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 in the
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 scriptures
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 and actually
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 have a
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 life of
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 prayerfulness.
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 And so
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 St. Paul's
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 as a church
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 we're committed
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 to constantly
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 bringing all
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 things to
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 God in
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 prayer,
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 intentionally
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 building
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 prayer into
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 the centre
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 of our
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 life together
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 and developing
00:35:10 --> 00:35:14 a culture
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 where
00:35:14 --> 00:35:16 natural
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 and
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 unstructured
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 prayerfulness
00:35:18 --> 00:35:20 just comes
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 out in
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 our
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 interactions
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 with one
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 another.
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 Not just
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 it's time
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 for prayer
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 meeting.
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 Not just
00:35:26 --> 00:35:26 that.
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 I pulled
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 the face
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 kind of
00:35:29 --> 00:35:29 stuff.
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 But not
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 just the
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 prayer meeting
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 time but
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 natural
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 interactions
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 with one
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 another where
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 we converse
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 about stuff
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 and we
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 share things
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 with one
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 other.
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 We just
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 pray for
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 your
00:35:38 --> 00:35:38 brother.
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 I just
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 want to
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 pray for
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 your
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 sister.
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 Natural
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 prayer
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 flowing
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 out.
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 We're
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 as a
00:35:46 --> 00:35:46 church
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 committed
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 to
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 encouraging
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 and equipping
00:35:49 --> 00:35:49 for prayer
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 on a
00:35:50 --> 00:35:50 personal
00:35:50 --> 00:35:50 family level
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 and incorporating
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 prayer into
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 every church
00:35:53 --> 00:35:54 activity.
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 And so let
00:35:55 --> 00:35:55 me just
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 take Jesus'
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 question and
00:35:57 --> 00:35:57 make it a
00:35:57 --> 00:35:58 little bit more
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 pertinent for
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 us at
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 St.
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 Paul's.
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 When the
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 Son of
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 Man comes,
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 will he
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 find faith
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 at St.
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 Paul's?
00:36:07 --> 00:36:13 I want to
00:36:13 --> 00:36:13 ask you,
00:36:13 --> 00:36:13 are you
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 more like
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 the 72
00:36:15 --> 00:36:15 year old
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 Miss
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 Daisy
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 clinging
00:36:17 --> 00:36:17 to
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 independence
00:36:18 --> 00:36:20 or the
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 joyfully
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 dependent
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 97 year
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 old
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 Miss
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 Daisy?
00:36:23 --> 00:36:27 I believe
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 Christ will
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 find faith
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 at St.
00:36:29 --> 00:36:31 Paul's if
00:36:31 --> 00:36:31 we learn to
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 live a
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 life of
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 prayerful
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 dependence
00:36:34 --> 00:36:36 until he
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 comes in
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 every day
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 across all
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 the church
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 and all the
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 activities of
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 this church.
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 And my hope
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 and my
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 prayer is
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 that we
00:36:46 --> 00:36:47 become more
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 like 97
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 year old
00:36:48 --> 00:36:48 Miss
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 Daisy.
00:36:49 --> 00:36:51 And this
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 core value
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 of devotion
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 to prayer
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 is written
00:36:53 --> 00:36:55 in our
00:36:55 --> 00:36:55 hearts.
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 Let's pray.
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 Gracious
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 Father,
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 you are
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 sovereign
00:37:03 --> 00:37:03 over all
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 that is
00:37:04 --> 00:37:06 and we
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 are so
00:37:07 --> 00:37:07 dependent
00:37:07 --> 00:37:07 upon you
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 and yet
00:37:08 --> 00:37:08 Lord,
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 in our
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 sinfulness
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 and our
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 sinful
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 pride,
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 we cling
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 to our
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 independence.
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 Oh,
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 Father,
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 there is so
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 much more
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 power and
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 freedom just
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 by surrendering
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 to you
00:37:19 --> 00:37:21 the God
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 who is not
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 just a
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 God who
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 is sovereign
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 but a
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 God who
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 is merciful
00:37:25 --> 00:37:25 and good
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 and just.
00:37:27 --> 00:37:27 Father,
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 we pray
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 that we
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 would be
00:37:29 --> 00:37:29 delightfully
00:37:29 --> 00:37:31 and joyfully
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 dependent
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 upon you
00:37:32 --> 00:37:32 in all
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 things.
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 Lord,
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 as I've
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 asked our
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 church across
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 all the
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 services today
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 to pray
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 for our
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 building
00:37:40 --> 00:37:40 project,
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 I pray
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 that this
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 50,
00:37:42 --> 00:37:42 60 grand,
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 whatever it
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 is that
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 could go
00:37:44 --> 00:37:45 against us,
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 that it
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 will go
00:37:45 --> 00:37:46 for us.
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 I pray,
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 Father,
00:37:49 --> 00:37:49 that you
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 would
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 intervene
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 and act
00:37:52 --> 00:37:54 in amongst
00:37:54 --> 00:37:54 the lives
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 of all
00:37:55 --> 00:37:55 these people
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 that we
00:37:56 --> 00:37:56 have no
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 control over,
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 builders and
00:37:58 --> 00:38:00 Alto Group
00:38:00 --> 00:38:01 and everything
00:38:01 --> 00:38:01 else.
00:38:02 --> 00:38:03 Willoughby Council,
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 everyone,
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 so that it
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 will go in
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 our favour.
00:38:07 --> 00:38:08 And when it
00:38:08 --> 00:38:08 does,
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 that it
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 would cause
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 us to
00:38:10 --> 00:38:11 rejoice,
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 deeply rejoice
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 and give
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 thanks to you.
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 may we
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 be reminded
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 constantly,
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 Father,
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 that you're
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 in control,
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 you have
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 all the
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21 power in
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 the world
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 where we
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 virtually have
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 none.
00:38:24 --> 00:38:24 May that
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 be a comfort
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 and a joy
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 for us,
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 in Jesus'
00:38:27 --> 00:38:27 name.
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 Amen.