PRAYER 2015
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 17th January 2015
Passage: Luke 11:1-13
00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Last week, Debbie took us in the passage of the Garden of Gethsemane on prayer,
00:00:05 --> 00:00:11 and Jesus was a little cross at his disciples for sleeping while he prayed.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:16 If you're at the working bee yesterday and you happen to sleep while I preach on prayer,
00:00:17 --> 00:00:18 I'm prepared to forgive that.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 It was a pretty big day.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 Don't forgive me, however, if I happen to sleep while I preach.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 I'm feeling pretty smashed today.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 It was a huge day.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:31 It was very hot.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:32 A lot was achieved.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:37 And I just want to add my thanks to that of Lindy's for everyone who participated.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:39 It was great.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:46 It was a real encouragement for me to see people from every congregation doing a whole range of things across the church.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 And it was wonderful to see all that.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:53 There was people cleaning, which was fantastic to see that happening.
00:00:53 --> 00:01:00 And it's wonderful to be able to go out there this morning and not have a building site as much as what it was.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Painting preparation, as Lindy said.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:08 There was people doing a whole range of things yesterday, and I just appreciate all that.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:14 And Lindy herself, who put in a big day but also provided everyone with a fantastic morning tea.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:21 When I first came to this church, someone said about working bees, they're worth going to for the morning tea itself.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:23 And that hasn't changed.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 And so thank you, Lindy, for that and for everyone else who's involved.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:29 Let me pray.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:40 Gracious Father, I pray that you would help us to pray, that you would teach us more about your priorities in prayer.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:46 And I pray, Father, that this year would be a year of prayer for us as a church.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:50 And so, Lord, for that to happen, we need to be humbled.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 And so, Father, humble us.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 Help us to see our weakness and our dependency upon you.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 And we ask it for your glory.
00:01:58 --> 00:01:58 Amen.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:06 It is the will of the Lord Jesus that St. Paul's be a church of prayer.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:16 He wills that you and I be given to daily prevailing prayer for the filling of the Holy Spirit,
00:02:17 --> 00:02:22 for the progress of the gospel, for personal needs, and for the glory of God's name.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:26 A couple of weeks ago, when I preached on the Lord's Prayer,
00:02:26 --> 00:02:34 I reminded us of the incredible privilege of prayer to be able to go to the creator and sustainer of this world,
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 who's got control of everything in your life and everything in this world,
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 and to be able to call him Father.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 To be able to go to the God of this universe and call him Father.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:51 And yet, with all the privileges that prayer affords us, I think that the hard truth is that for many of us,
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 we don't pray very much.
00:02:54 --> 00:03:00 You know, we pray at mealtime and we whisper a prayer, you know, before a tough meeting.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:07 We say something brief as we crawl into bed before we close our eyes and sleep.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 I suspect that very few of us set aside a time to pray,
00:03:12 --> 00:03:19 and few of us still think it's worth to meet with others to pray.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:25 I would suggest that's one of the reasons why often, not just for us as a church,
00:03:25 --> 00:03:29 but for us in the Western world, our faith is weak, our hope is feeble,
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 and our passion for Christ is small.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:39 Intentional, regular, disciplined, earnest, Christ-centered, God-glorifying, joyful prayer
00:03:39 --> 00:03:43 is not just a privilege, but it is in fact the duty of the Christian.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:50 It's a duty in the way that it's the duty of a scuba diver to put his tanks and his mask on
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 before he goes diving.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:57 It's the duty of a pilot to listen to air traffic control.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:02 Prayer for the Christian is a duty in the same way it's a duty for a soldier in combat
00:04:02 --> 00:04:07 to clean and to make sure that his weapon is loaded.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 It's a duty in the way that hungry people need to eat food.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 It's a duty in the way that thirsty people need to drink.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:19 It's a duty of, in the same way that I as a diabetic need to inject my insulin.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 It's that kind of duty.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 It's a necessity duty.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 It's a lifeblood duty.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 And as we spend the first five weeks of this year on prayer,
00:04:32 --> 00:04:36 my hope is that it will contribute to us seeing that,
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 not just the privilege of prayer, but the duty of prayer,
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 and also for our prayer as a church to become more and more effective
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 as we move into 2015.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 And so what I want to do today is I want to turn our attention to Jesus.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:54 We have him praying at the beginning of Luke 11.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:56 So get your Bibles, turn to Luke 11.
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 It's our text for us this morning.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:03 And there are at least four things that Jesus teaches us here about prayer
00:05:03 --> 00:05:07 and that I want us to turn our attention to.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 The first two I'm going to look at very briefly.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 The last two I'm going to slow down a bit.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 The first two look at briefly because we saw them a couple of weeks ago
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 when I preached on the Lord's Prayer.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 And I want to slow it down a little bit on the last two,
00:05:21 --> 00:05:25 especially because I think these last two things
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 ought to be the heartbeat of our prayer in 2015.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 In fact, not just 2015, but in fact every year.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 Firstly, Jesus teaches us to make our praying God center.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 That's the first thing.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 We saw it a couple of weeks ago.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:42 When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray in verse 1,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 he says to them in verse 2,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 when you pray, say,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:48 Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 As I said a couple of weeks ago,
00:05:50 --> 00:05:55 the Lord's Prayer is a prayer that Jesus gave for us as a model of prayer
00:05:55 --> 00:06:00 rather than a prayer that we are to pray with repetition in and of itself
00:06:00 --> 00:06:04 because both the Matthew version and the Luke version
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 are actually different from one another.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 They're not exactly the same.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 On a particular note is what Jesus says,
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 is that our first desire,
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 our first request in prayer
00:06:13 --> 00:06:17 should be that God's name be hallowed or glorified
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 and that his kingdom advance and he's come.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:24 That is, the first thing is God.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:30 That is, that's what I mean by God-centered prayer.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 The glory of God's name,
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 the advancement of God's kingdom
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 are the primary concerns of prayer.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 And if that is foreign to you,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 if you never plead for the name of God
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 to be seen as holy in the way that you live
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 or the kingdom of God to come in such a way
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 that you want to totally surrender to him,
00:06:48 --> 00:06:54 don't be content to just be stuck there in prayer.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 Make the glory of God the center of your prayers.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 Pray again and again
00:07:01 --> 00:07:05 with as many different words as you can think and muster,
00:07:05 --> 00:07:10 Father, let your name be seen as holy in my life.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 May your will be done
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 and in the process of your will be done in my life,
00:07:15 --> 00:07:19 crucify my will and let your kingdom come.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 That my life be surrendered,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 that this world be surrendered to you.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 Secondly, Jesus teaches us to pray
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 with a sense of security in the Father's love.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 You see, Jesus doesn't want us to feel precarious
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 or insecure in our prayers.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 And he shows this mainly by teaching us
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 to call God Father when we pray to him.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 The prayer in verse two begins simply with Father.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 And then in verses 11 to 13,
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 he unpacks for us some of the security
00:07:50 --> 00:07:55 which is implied in that title, Father.
00:07:55 --> 00:08:00 This is the great promise to encourage us in our praying.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 Which of you fathers,
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 if your son asks for a fish,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05 will give him a snake instead?
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 Or if he asks for an egg,
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 will give him a scorpion?
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 If you then, though you are evil,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 know how to give good gifts to your children,
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 how much more will your Father in heaven
00:08:15 --> 00:08:19 give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 You see, the words there,
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 how much more,
00:08:24 --> 00:08:28 means something utterly crucial for us.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:33 They mean that God is more inclined
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 to hear me and help me when I pray
00:08:36 --> 00:08:40 than I am willing to hear
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 or to help my daughters
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 when they call out for my help.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:51 And that astounds me.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 I find that utterly astounding.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 Why does Jesus mention this?
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 I think he wants us to feel
00:09:04 --> 00:09:08 totally, totally secure
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 in the Father's love
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 when we come to hear him in prayer.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 He doesn't want us to feel insecure.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:20 He doesn't want us to feel precarious
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 or unsure of our acceptance.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 He doesn't want us to feel fearful
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 that we will find the Father
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 out of sorts with us
00:09:30 --> 00:09:34 or even that he will be unconcerned for us.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 And this sense of security
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 is utterly crucial
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 for a life of prayer.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 You cannot sustain a life of prayer
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 if you believe that God is stonewalling you
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 or that you believe that he's angry with you
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 or that you believe that he is neutral to you.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 Prayer is sustained by the confidence
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 that God is our Father
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 and that he is concerned
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 and that his disposition
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 towards the disciple of the Lord Jesus
00:10:06 --> 00:10:10 is exactly what he says it is.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 He is more inclined to give you
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 what you need
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 than the best human fathers.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 That's his disposition.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 Thirdly, Jesus therefore teaches us
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 to prevail in prayer
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 without doubting the Father's love.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 I mean here,
00:10:29 --> 00:10:29 hanging in there,
00:10:30 --> 00:10:30 persevering,
00:10:31 --> 00:10:31 persisting,
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 not giving up in prayer.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 Keep on asking and seeking and knocking
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 until the answer comes
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 or until God says stop praying.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:40 And to me,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 this instruction from Jesus
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 to prevail in prayer
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 on the surface
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 feels inconsistent
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 with the teaching
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 to feel secure
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 in the Father's love.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 Feels inconsistent.
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 I mean,
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 if God is more caring
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 than the best earthly father,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 then why would he sometimes
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 be so slow
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 to respond
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 to me?
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 It seems strange
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 that Jesus put both of these
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 two things beside each other.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 On the surface,
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 it seems strange.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 In verses 5 to 8,
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 Jesus tells the story
00:11:20 --> 00:11:20 of a man who goes
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 to his friend's house
00:11:22 --> 00:11:22 in the middle of the night
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 to say that a guest
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 has just arrived,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 he hasn't got enough food
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 in his fridge
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 and he needs some food
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 to feed him.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 And so he asks his friend
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 for three loaves of bread,
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 but his friend says,
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 go away,
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 the door's locked,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 I put the cat out
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 for the night,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 the children are asleep
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 and frankly,
00:11:42 --> 00:11:42 I can't be bothered
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 coming downstairs.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 Go to the 7-Eleven store
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 and find something there.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 And yet this friend
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 keeps knocking,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 he keeps asking
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 until his friend
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 in frustration
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 gets up.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 Notice that he doesn't
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 get up because he wants
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 to help his friend,
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 but because his friend
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 keeps revailing,
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 keeps persisting,
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 keeps knocking
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 and think,
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 oh my goodness,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 I'm going to have to
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 open the door
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 and give him his food
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 so I can go back
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 to bed for the night.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 It doesn't feel
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 very attractive.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 It's not a very
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 attractive vision
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 of prayer
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 in my mind.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 God only answers
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 because I annoy him
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 enough to give him
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 what he wants,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 to give us what we want.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 I mean,
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 I'll be frank with you,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 when my kids
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 badger me
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 for an answer
00:12:37 --> 00:12:37 to a request
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 of theirs,
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 it's never attractive.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 More often than not,
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 it's because
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 the reason why
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 they badger me
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 is because
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 I don't want
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 to go out of my way
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 to fulfill the request.
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 Can we go to the park?
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 Really?
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 I mean,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 that involves
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 me packing it,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 well,
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 that involves
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 not packing everything
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 in the car.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 It means food,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 it means water bottles,
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 it means sunscreen,
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 it means hat,
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 it means,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 and then when we get there,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 it's not like
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 I'm going to sit back
00:13:12 --> 00:13:12 on the bench
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 and read the paper
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 and have a drink.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:15 It means I've got
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 to do all the pushing,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 I've got to,
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 can we go to the park?
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 Maybe tomorrow.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 See,
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 it's never attractive
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 and that's the sort of vision
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 that we have here
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 of prayer
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 or a vision of God,
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 in fact,
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 but immediately
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 Jesus says
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 that there's a lesson.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 So I say to you,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 ask
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 and it will be given to you.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 Seek
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 and you will find,
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 knock
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 and the door will be opened to you.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 Three things here
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 stress the importance
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 of not giving up
00:13:45 --> 00:13:45 in prayer.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 One is the present tense
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 of the verbs
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 that what they say
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 is continuous action.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 Keep asking,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 keep seeking,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 keep knocking.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 The second is
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 that Jesus commands it.
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 He commands
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 the continuous actions
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 and repeats it again
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 in verse 10.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 And the third thing
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 that stress is prevailing
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 is that the three words
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 used get increasingly
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 closer to the answer
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 as we press upon God.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 asking
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 is the simplest
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 thing
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 and requires
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 no movement.
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 Seeking
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 turns asking
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 into an activity
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 of pursuit.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 Knocking on and on
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 on the door
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 again and again
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 signifies
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 an utter earnestness
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 and perhaps
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 even a sense
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 of desperation
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 and a sense
00:14:32 --> 00:14:32 of weakness
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 that I'm totally
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 dependent
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 that God,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 you need to
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 answer this.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 And so Jesus,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 he clearly wants us
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 to be like this friend
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 who kept knocking.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 He wants us to prevail
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 in prayer
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 and prevailing
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 in God-centered prayer
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 particularly.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 The point of these verses
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 is to show us
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 that prevailing prayer
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 that is persisting
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 and persevering in prayer
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 is utterly
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 crucial
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 for us.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 Jesus stamps
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 this truth
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 on our memories
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 with this
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 terrible image
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 of this friend
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 who won't help
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 unless he's being
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 bothered to help.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 But notice
00:15:17 --> 00:15:21 he makes this
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 sudden turn
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 in verse 11
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 and he shifts
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 from the image
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 of the grumpy friend
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 to the image
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 of the caring
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 father again.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 He qualifies
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 his point
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 in verses 11
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 to 13
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 and saying
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 that God
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 is not like
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 that friend.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 He's not like
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 the owner
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 of the house
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 who can't be bothered.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 God is
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 the caring,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 loving,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 approachable father
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 and so yes,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 sometimes
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 he gives us
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 what we need
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 only after
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 a long
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 season
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 of prevailing
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 and persisting
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 in prayer
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 but no,
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 it's not
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 because he's
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 like the grumpy
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 friend.
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 There's another
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 reason.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 What makes
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 it
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 difficult
00:16:14 --> 00:16:14 for us
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 is that
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 Jesus
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 doesn't
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 directly
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 tell us
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 the other
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 reason
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 but he
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 does
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 indirectly.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 He says
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 in verse 11
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 that a good
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 father
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 will not
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 give his
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 son a
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 serpent
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 if he
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 asks for
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 a fish.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 In other
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 words,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 a good
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 father
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 will only
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 give his
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 children
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 what is
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 good
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 for them.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 That is
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 the only
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 answer
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 that Jesus
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 gives us
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 as to
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 why
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 he wants
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 us to
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 prevail
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 in prayer.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 When the
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 father in
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 heaven gives
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 us a slow
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 answer,
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 when he
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 wills that
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 we persevere
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 for a
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 season in
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 prayer without
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 an apparent
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 answer,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 it's because
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 he's giving
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 us a fish
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 and not a
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 snake.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 That's the
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 only reason.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 He is
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 giving us
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 what is
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 good for
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 us.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:15 There is
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 something in
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 the persevering,
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 the asking,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 the seeking,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 and knocking
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 that we
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 need and
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 that he's
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 giving to
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 us.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 The prevailing
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 prayer is
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 part of his
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 gift to
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 us.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 It is
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 good for
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 us.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 The power
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 of prayer
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 never means
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 that God
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 stops being
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 God.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 We do
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 not have
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 the wisdom
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 or the
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 grace to
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 run the
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 universe.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 God is
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 God.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 He will
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 continue to
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 decide how
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 to run
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 the universe
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 his way.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 The
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 Christian is
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 to live
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 by faith
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 in his
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 goodness and
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 in his
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 sovereignty and
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 we'll talk
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 more about
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 that next
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 week.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 And the
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 promise that
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 will encourage
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 us in
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 prevailing in
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 prayer is
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 simply verse
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 10,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 everyone who
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 asks receives,
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 he who
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 seeks finds,
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 and to him
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 who knocks the
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 door be
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 opened.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 God is
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 not
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 unresponsive to
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 our prevailing
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 prayer.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 We do
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 not pray
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 in vain.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 He is
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 our father
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 and when
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 he hears
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 his children
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 he responds.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 He is
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 not deaf
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 or indifferent
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 or powerless.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 He hears
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 and he
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 acts.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 And
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 specifically
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 what does
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 he hear
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 and what
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 does he
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 act for?
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 And so
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 the final
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 thing that
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 Jesus,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 final direction
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 if you like,
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 that Jesus
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 gives us
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 in prayer
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 is in
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 a sense
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 of circling
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 back to
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 the very
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 first point
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 of God
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 centredness.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:45 And if I
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 understand Jesus
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 here correctly,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 he means
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 for it to
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 be the
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 prevailing
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 heartbeat
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 of our
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 prayer life
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 here at
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 St. Paul's
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 this year.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 And in fact,
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 I want to
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 suggest every
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 year,
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 but let's
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 just focus
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 on 2015.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 The prevailing
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 heartbeat
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 of our
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 prayer life
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 for 2015.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 Jesus
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 teaches
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 in verse
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 13
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 that our
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 prevailing
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 in prayer,
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 our pleading
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 and knocking
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 and seeking
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 and asking
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 should be
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 prevailing
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 upon God
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 for the
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 filling of
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 the Holy
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 Spirit.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 If you
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 then,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 though you
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 are evil,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 know how
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 to give
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 good gifts
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 to your
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 children,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 how much
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 more
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 will your
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 Father in
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 heaven
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 give you
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 a fish?
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 What's the
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 fish?
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 The good
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 thing that
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 we need?
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 The Holy
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 Spirit to
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 those who
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 ask him.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 That's the
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 fish that
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 he delights
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 to give
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 us.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 Luke tells
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 us in
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 chapter 3
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 that while
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 Jesus was
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 praying,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 the Holy
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 Spirit descended
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 on him
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 like a
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 dove.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 The
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 outspouring
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 of the
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 Spirit at
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 Pentecost
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 came at
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 the climax
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 of a
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 10-day
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 prayer vigil.
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 And in
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 Acts 4
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 verse 31,
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 when the
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 church had
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 prayed the
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 place they
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 were gathered
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 were shaken
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 and they
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 were filled
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 with the
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 Holy Spirit,
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 prevailing
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 prayer is
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 the pathway
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 to the
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 outpouring
00:20:12 --> 00:20:12 of the
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 Holy Spirit.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 This is a
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 constant need
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 for the
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 church,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 ongoing and
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 continual
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 spiritual
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 renewal.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 It's
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 interesting that
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 as you go
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 through the
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 New Testament
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 that even
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 under the
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 leadership of
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 the apostles,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 it is
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 evident that
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 there is
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 still a
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 need for
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 continual
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 renewal in
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 the church.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 Just as
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 Israel's
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 election as
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 God's people
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 was demonstrated
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 at Mount
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 Sinai, so
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 the church
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 is constituted
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 by the
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 descending and
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 the filling
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 of the
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 Holy Spirit
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 in Acts
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 2.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 But just
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 as Israel
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 is continually
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 called upon
00:20:53 --> 00:20:57 to Sinai-like
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 covenant
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 renewals,
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 so the
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 church,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 even when
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 it doesn't
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 seem to
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 be in
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 any form
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 of major
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 decline,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 receives
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 fresh and
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 ongoing
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 fillings of
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 the Holy
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 Spirit
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 throughout the
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 New Testament.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 Many
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 Pentecosts
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 happen right
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 throughout Acts,
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 chapter 4,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 chapter 7,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 chapter 8,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 chapter 10,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 chapter 13.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 There is a
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 continual need
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 to renew
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 the fullness
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 of the Spirit
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 amongst the
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 church.
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 And we see
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 in the Old
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 Testament that
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 the fullness
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 of the Spirit
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 in general
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 is connected
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 to the
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 prevailing
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 prayers of
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 the church,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:40 especially
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 in the face
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 of challenge.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 And I
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 don't know
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 about you,
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 but I can
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 see a
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 significant
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 number of
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 challenges
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 before us
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 as a
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 church
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 right now.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 Why would
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 we want to
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 prevail in
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 prayer for
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 the filling
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 of the
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 Holy Spirit
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 in us
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 as a
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 church?
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 I can
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 think it's
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 because of
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 our mission
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 statement that's
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 written on our
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 walls that we
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 as a church
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 exist to know
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 Jesus, treasure
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 Jesus, and
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 represent Jesus.
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 Why do we
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 want to do
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 that?
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 For God's
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 glory and
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 the joy of
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 all people.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 St. Paul's
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 wants to see
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 God's name
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 hallowed
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 amongst us.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 God's name
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 is a
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 God's name
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 and
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 when it is,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 we and
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 all people
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 connected with
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 that will
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 experience
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 maximum joy.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 And so
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 we ought to
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 prevail in
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 prayer for the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 Holy Spirit
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 to come,
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 that our
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 mission statement
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 might be
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 fulfilled.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:49 As Tim
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 Keller has
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 written,
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 spiritual
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 renewal is
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 a work of
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 God in
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 which the
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 church is
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 beautified and
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 empowered because
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 the normal
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 operations of
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 the Holy
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 Spirit are
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 intensified.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 He goes on
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 to suggest
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 that historically
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 there is an
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 outpouring,
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 where there is
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 an outpouring of
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 the Spirit on
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 and within the
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 congregation,
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 the presence
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 of God
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 amongst
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 people,
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 amongst God's
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 people,
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 becomes evident
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 and palpable.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 He said,
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 when that
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 happens,
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 when spiritual
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 renewal happens,
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 sleepy or
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 stagnant Christians
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 wake up.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 He said,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 there is a
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 new and
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 deeper conviction
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 of sin and
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 repentance,
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 not for major
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 behavioural sins
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 but for
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 attitudes of
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 the heart.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 But with
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 that they
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 experience at
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 the same time
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 a far more
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 powerful assurance
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 and the
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 nearness of
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 the love of
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 God with
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 the end result
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 is that Christians
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 become both
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 humbler and
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 bolder at the
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 same time.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 The more
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 deeply one
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 feels our
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 sin,
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 our debt,
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 the more
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 intensely we
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 will feel the
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 wonder of the
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 payment of that
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 debt for us
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 by the Lord
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 Jesus.
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 Nominal
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 Christians or
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 Christians by
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 name only
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 begin to
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 realise that
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 they don't
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 actually have a
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 living relationship
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 with the Lord
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 Jesus by grace,
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 they get
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 converted.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 And when this
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 begins to
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 happen, it
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 electrifies people.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 this is
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 spiritual renewal
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 in the church.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 It electrifies
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 people.
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 Long-time
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 members start
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 getting up and
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 talking about
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 being converted
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 and speaking of
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 Christ in
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 radiant terms and
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 expressing repentance
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 in new ways.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 And the early
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 stages of renewal
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 shake up everyone
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 else in the church
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 as nominals,
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 other sleepers
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 start to get
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 renewed by the
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 Spirit as well.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 Corporately,
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 there's a sense
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 of more passion
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 and freedom
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 and presence
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 of God
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 in corporate
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 worship.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 And as a result
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 of his outpouring
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 of the Spirit,
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 new people are
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 brought in the
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 church and
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 begins to
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 grow.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 On the one
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 hand, the
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 renewed believers
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 create a far
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 more attractive
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 community as
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 they share and
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 care and they
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 love for one
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 another and
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 corporate worship
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 becomes something
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 that they aspire
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 to be part of
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 and desire to be
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 part of week by
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 week.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 There is a
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 beautifying of
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 the community
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 of the King
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 that attracts
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 people from
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 the outside.
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 And on the
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 other hand,
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 Christians who
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 begin to
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 experience God's
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 beauty and his
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 power and his
00:25:13 --> 00:25:15 love, put their
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 relationship with
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 Christ and the
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 church first in
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 their lives.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 They become
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 radiant and
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 attractive witnesses,
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 more willing and
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 confident in fact to
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 speak about the
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 Lord Jesus, their
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 faith in him.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 They become more
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 winsome in the way
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 they speak and less
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 judgmental when they
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 do so and more
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 confident in their
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 own church and so
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 they start bringing
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 people along.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 That's renewal of
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 the Spirit.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 people get
00:25:40 --> 00:25:42 converted, potentially
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 even in significant
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 numbers.
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 And so there is an
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 impact of the
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 community surrounding
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 the church and even
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 the broader
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 culture.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 So spiritual
00:25:51 --> 00:25:53 renewal produces
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 people who become
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 involved in works of
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 social concern and
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 social justice.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 The reason for this
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 is that real,
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 genuine relationship
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 with Jesus results in
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 real, genuine
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 holiness and it
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 changes not just
00:26:10 --> 00:26:12 your private life but
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 your public life as
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 well.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 That's spiritual
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 renewal.
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 True religion is not
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 merely a private
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 matter providing some
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 sort of internal
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 peace and
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 fulfillment.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 It transforms our
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 behavior and our
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 relationships and that
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 is public.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 life.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 Let me make one point of
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 clarification.
00:26:36 --> 00:26:38 I'm not saying that
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 spiritual renewal equals
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 church growth.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 That's not what I'm
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 saying.
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 The fact is that many
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 churches do grow
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 rapidly but there are
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 telltale symptoms of
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 lifelessness.
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 Much growth can be
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 transferred growth rather
00:26:55 --> 00:26:57 than conversion growth.
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 life.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 There is no, not
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 necessarily a deep
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 conviction of sin and
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 repentance and
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 therefore few people
00:27:03 --> 00:27:05 attest to any sort of
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 dramatic change in
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 lives.
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 When this sort of
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 growth happens in a
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 church, the church
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11 makes no impact on the
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 local social order
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 whatsoever because
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 people do not carry the
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 Christian faith out
00:27:16 --> 00:27:18 into the use of their
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 wealth and into their
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 work and into their
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 public lives.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 With our deep renewal of
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 the gospel in our
00:27:24 --> 00:27:26 hearts, our external
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 lives will be sealed
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 off from what we
00:27:28 --> 00:27:31 believe and our
00:27:31 --> 00:27:33 beliefs will never
00:27:33 --> 00:27:35 result in concrete
00:27:35 --> 00:27:37 change in our lives.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 So when I talk about
00:27:39 --> 00:27:41 spiritual renewal, I
00:27:41 --> 00:27:43 mean deep renewal of
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 the gospel in our
00:27:44 --> 00:27:46 hearts, which is the
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 work of the Holy
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 Spirit through the
00:27:47 --> 00:27:49 word of God and it's
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 often throughout the
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 New Testament and
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 throughout history
00:27:52 --> 00:27:54 connected to the
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 prevailing prayers of
00:27:55 --> 00:27:57 God's people for an
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 outpouring of the
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 Spirit upon his
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 people.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 Now there is much
00:28:03 --> 00:28:03 that can be said
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 about spiritual renewal
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 of the church, but we
00:28:06 --> 00:28:08 will concentrate on just
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 that last point.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 Biblically and
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15 historically, the
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 non-negotiable universal
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 ingredient in times of
00:28:18 --> 00:28:20 spiritual renewal is
00:28:20 --> 00:28:23 corporate, prevailing,
00:28:23 --> 00:28:26 intensive, kingdom
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 centred prayer.
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 Not whether the
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 prayer is local or
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 global.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 Let me make that
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 point.
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 Not whether prayer is
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 local or global.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 Kingdom centred prayer.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 Kingdom centred prayer is
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 focused on God's
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 presence and his
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 kingdom.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 It's a sort of prayer
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 that is modelled for us
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 in the Lord's prayer.
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 It is a prayer for
00:28:53 --> 00:28:56 grace, for us, the
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 people of God, to
00:28:56 --> 00:28:59 confess sins, to
00:28:59 --> 00:29:01 humble ourselves, a
00:29:01 --> 00:29:03 compassion and zeal for
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 the flourishing of the
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 church, a yearning to
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07 want to know God, to
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 see his face, to see his
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 glory.
00:29:09 --> 00:29:11 Such prayer need not, in
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 fact, usually does not
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 begin as an organised
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 church program.
00:29:15 --> 00:29:17 It most often begins with
00:29:17 --> 00:29:20 people who spend time in
00:29:20 --> 00:29:22 personal, prayerful,
00:29:23 --> 00:29:25 self-examination.
00:29:25 --> 00:29:27 With confidence in the
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 gospel of grace, they
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 examine themselves for
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32 idols and they set those
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 idols aside.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 Kingdom centred prayer is
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 prevailing prayer.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:39 By this I simply mean that
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 prayer should be
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 constant, not sporadic,
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 and not brief.
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 Not because, as I've
00:29:44 --> 00:29:47 already said, that Jesus
00:29:47 --> 00:29:50 wants us to grovel or
00:29:50 --> 00:29:53 that he doesn't care, but
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 sporadic, brief prayer
00:29:54 --> 00:29:56 shows a lack of
00:29:56 --> 00:29:58 dependence on God and
00:29:58 --> 00:30:00 unhealthy self-sufficiency.
00:30:00 --> 00:30:02 And so we must pray
00:30:02 --> 00:30:04 without ceasing to pray
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 long and to pray hard for
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 spiritual renewal.
00:30:07 --> 00:30:09 When we do, we will find
00:30:09 --> 00:30:12 that the very process in
00:30:12 --> 00:30:14 praying itself is
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 bringing about that which
00:30:15 --> 00:30:17 we are asking for.
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 Get that?
00:30:21 --> 00:30:23 The very process of
00:30:23 --> 00:30:25 prevailing in prayer is
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 bringing about the thing
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 that we're actually asking
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 for.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:31 To have our hard hearts
00:30:31 --> 00:30:33 melted, to tear down
00:30:33 --> 00:30:36 barriers, and to have the
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 glory of God break
00:30:37 --> 00:30:37 through.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:42 And so as we begin
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 another year together, I
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 want to urge you to take
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 time to pray for
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 yourselves.
00:30:47 --> 00:30:49 That you would enter a
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 season of self-examination.
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 That we would enter a
00:30:53 --> 00:30:55 season of self-examination.
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59 And that you, that I,
00:31:00 --> 00:31:02 may be with full gospel
00:31:02 --> 00:31:05 assurance hard on
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 ourselves.
00:31:06 --> 00:31:13 ask that God would show
00:31:13 --> 00:31:16 you ways in which you don't
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 represent Christ as you
00:31:17 --> 00:31:19 should, in your
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 relationships, in your
00:31:20 --> 00:31:22 work, in your family life,
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 in your habits, in your
00:31:23 --> 00:31:25 attitudes, in your
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 relationships within your
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 church.
00:31:27 --> 00:31:29 Take time to pray for
00:31:29 --> 00:31:31 yourselves that God will
00:31:31 --> 00:31:35 make things you know about
00:31:35 --> 00:31:38 the gospel so real in your
00:31:38 --> 00:31:42 head and in your heart that
00:31:42 --> 00:31:46 it will change everything in
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 your life.
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 love.
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 So I'm going to lead us in
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 prayer now.
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 I'm going to pray,
00:31:52 --> 00:31:55 starting off with confession,
00:31:55 --> 00:31:57 and then having prayed with
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 confession, I'm going to move us
00:31:58 --> 00:32:02 into a time of the assurance of
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 our relationship with God in the
00:32:03 --> 00:32:05 Lord's Supper together.
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 Father.
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 So if you'd like to bow your
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 heads, we'll pray.
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 O Lord God of heaven,
00:32:21 --> 00:32:23 the great and awesome God,
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 you have most
00:32:24 --> 00:32:27 magnificently revealed your
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 power and goodness to us in the
00:32:28 --> 00:32:30 person and work of your Son,
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:32:31 --> 00:32:36 Thank you that in him, by
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 grace and mercy, you have
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39 brought us to know and to love
00:32:39 --> 00:32:41 you and to delight in your
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 commands.
00:32:43 --> 00:32:45 And yet, our gracious Father,
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48 we confess that our love for you
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 is flawed.
00:32:50 --> 00:32:52 We love ourselves and our
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 concerns ahead of you and your
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 people and your kingdom.
00:32:56 --> 00:32:58 We think little about some sins.
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 We think big about some sins, but
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 little about others.
00:33:03 --> 00:33:05 We think often of sins in terms
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 of
00:33:05 --> 00:33:11 issues, mistakes, flaws, rather
00:33:11 --> 00:33:13 than attitudes of independence
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 from you.
00:33:15 --> 00:33:17 Father, we gossip and we malign and
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 we harm our relationships.
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 We are greedy for gain.
00:33:23 --> 00:33:25 We'll be dishonest if we think we're
00:33:25 --> 00:33:27 not seen and we can get away with
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 it.
00:33:27 --> 00:33:30 We are drawn to the works of
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 darkness.
00:33:32 --> 00:33:34 And yet, even times we delight in
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 hidden wickedness.
00:33:37 --> 00:33:39 Turn our hearts from such wickedness
00:33:39 --> 00:33:41 and help us to delight in your
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 goodness.
00:33:43 --> 00:33:45 Please forgive us, Lord Jesus.
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 Help us to live knowing your eyes,
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51 see everything, and wanting to
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 please you, our King.
00:33:52 --> 00:33:56 We ask that you would pour out upon
00:33:56 --> 00:33:58 us your Holy Spirit.
00:34:00 --> 00:34:02 Give us the patience and the
00:34:02 --> 00:34:05 endurance to keep prevailing for
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 that request.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:09 Revive us with a passion for you and
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 your purposes.
00:34:11 --> 00:34:14 May we be a true light to your
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 goodness in this dark world.
00:34:16 --> 00:34:19 Keep us from hypocrisy and pretense.
00:34:19 --> 00:34:22 Please bless your church family at
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 St. Paul's.
00:34:23 --> 00:34:25 May our work and our witness be
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 blessed because your name is
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 great.
00:34:28 --> 00:34:30 May our unity be testimony to love
00:34:30 --> 00:34:32 that we have for one another in
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 Christ.
00:34:33 --> 00:34:36 Grant us your favour as we minister
00:34:36 --> 00:34:39 in your name to the communities in
00:34:39 --> 00:34:42 which we live and we work and carry
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 the name of the Lord Jesus.
00:34:45 --> 00:34:47 Revive us, Lord Jesus, we pray.
00:34:47 --> 00:34:49 Our magnificent King.
00:34:50 --> 00:34:52 We thank you, our Father, that in
00:34:52 --> 00:34:54 your love and mercy you gave your
00:34:54 --> 00:34:56 Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 cross for our salvation.
00:34:58 --> 00:35:01 By this offering of himself once and
00:35:01 --> 00:35:04 for all time, the Lord Jesus made a
00:35:04 --> 00:35:07 full and perfect, total, sufficient
00:35:07 --> 00:35:09 sacrifice for the sins of the whole
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 world.
00:35:10 --> 00:35:12 And he commanded us to continue
00:35:12 --> 00:35:14 remembrance of his precious death
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 until he's coming again.
00:35:16 --> 00:35:19 And so hear us, merciful Father, and
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 grant that we who receive these
00:35:20 --> 00:35:23 gifts of your creation, this bread and
00:35:23 --> 00:35:25 this wine, according to our Saviour's
00:35:25 --> 00:35:27 command, in remembrance of his
00:35:27 --> 00:35:29 suffering and his death, may be
00:35:29 --> 00:35:31 partakers of his body and blood.
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 Amen.