Prevailing Prayer
Series: PRAYER WEEK 2017
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 28th January 2017
Passage: Luke 11:1-13
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 And before he knew it, this guy was pinned to the ground.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:08 The bear had its paw on his chest and its other paw up ready to strike him.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:12 And in that moment, this atheist just screamed out,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:13 Oh, God, help me!
00:00:15 --> 00:00:19 And then the bear was momentarily startled,
00:00:19 --> 00:00:25 and the atheist sort of realized the inconsistency of calling out to God for help
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 after living a life that acknowledging God doesn't exist
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 and then calling him, he needs help.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 And then so he throws out an ultimatum instead to God and says,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 Well, in fact, I don't believe you exist, buddy.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:38 In fact, I don't care if you do.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:43 But if you do, then prove yourself that you're good and that you're powerful,
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 as people say you are, and make this bear a Christian.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 He figured that that's a pretty smart move.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 He can then, the bear won't kill him because the bear has to, you know,
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 turn the other cheek and look and not kill him.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 And he'd be able to go on living on like he always has for the rest of his life,
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 not acknowledging God.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 So he figured that was a bit of a stroke of brilliance there in just that moment.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:06 And to his great surprise, in that very moment,
00:01:06 --> 00:01:11 the bear pulled back and knelt down beside him,
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 took his paw off his chest and put his paws together
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 and bowed his head and started to pray.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:22 And he prayed, Dear Father, for what I'm about to receive,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 may the Lord make me truly thankful.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 I don't think it's a true story.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 I'm pretty convinced prayers don't pray,
00:01:33 --> 00:01:37 but it's pretty much universal that people on our planet pray.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 It doesn't matter who the person is.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 You see them on the television.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:45 I've even seen declared atheists in a moment of tragedy get on the TV
00:01:45 --> 00:01:49 being interviewed about something, about some tragedy that's happened,
00:01:49 --> 00:01:53 and they've said our thoughts and our prayers are with the family.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 I mean, you hear that again, you hear it again and again and again.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:59 Even devout atheists have said our thoughts and our prayers.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 I'm not sure exactly what they mean by prayers at that point,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:05 but that is the thing, is that prayer is virtually universal activity.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:09 But what we mean by it, what the atheist means by it on that moment of the TV,
00:02:10 --> 00:02:11 is very different than what I would mean by it.
00:02:11 --> 00:02:15 Individual to individual, what we actually mean by prayer is very different.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:22 And what is significant is that the difference between our prayers
00:02:22 --> 00:02:29 is the difference between what we think about the being to whom we're praying to is,
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 what sort of being that is, what sort of God they are,
00:02:33 --> 00:02:38 what we think about that God, and also what our relationship with that God
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 or that supreme being is.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 You see, when the Buddhist spins his prayer wheel,
00:02:43 --> 00:02:47 or when the Hindu sits in mystic silence,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:55 or when the Muslim gets his prayer mat and faces Mecca five times a day and prays,
00:02:55 --> 00:02:59 they are all reflecting in their own different ways
00:02:59 --> 00:03:04 the character of the God or the gods to whom they're praying to,
00:03:04 --> 00:03:11 and also the relationship and how they think the relationship works with that God.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:15 So our prayer is shaped and defined by the being to whom we pray,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 and that's no different for the Christian.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:22 There are many Bible passages that shape the Christian prayer life.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 For instance, Jeremiah 32, 17,
00:03:25 --> 00:03:37 That verse shapes the way you pray.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 It's talking about God being the creator of all things,
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 and nothing is too hard for Him.
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 That's a shaping prayer.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 That's a verse that shapes our prayer, view of God.
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 Or our relationship with God.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 For instance, the stunning picture of the Christian life
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 that's laid out before us in Romans chapter 8,
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 where it says,
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 We once were slaves to sin and death and fear.
00:04:01 --> 00:04:05 We were hostile to God, unable to please Him at all.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:09 We are now free sons of the Father,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 co-heirs of His kingdom in Christ.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 Through being united with Jesus,
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 who died to free us,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:20 we now have this new life in which God Himself dwells with us,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 in us, by His Spirit.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 It's because of the saving work of Jesus
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 that we are raised up from our low position,
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 which is the position of being cut off from access to God,
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 and have been granted free access
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 to the almighty, true, living God,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 creator and sustainer of all that is.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:41 And so what that means for the Christian
00:04:41 --> 00:04:45 is that prayer is not an appendix.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 It's not an addition to the Christian life.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 It's the heart of who we are as His children
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 and how we relate to Him and His Father.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 In fact, I would go one step further.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:55 I didn't say this this morning,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 but I think you can think about it today.
00:04:57 --> 00:05:02 I would suggest that prayer is one of the barometers,
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 if not the key barometer,
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 to indicate what your spiritual state is.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 Prayer is the outworking of your relationship with God
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 in the same way that if I've got no communication
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 with my wife, Natalie,
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 that would be an indication of the state of our relationship.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:22 Don't care whatever,
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 don't care how much money I spend on holidays
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 or whether I buy a clothes or anything like that.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 It's how do I communicate with her
00:05:28 --> 00:05:32 as a fair indication of what my relationship status is with her
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 in the same way it is with God.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 And what we see as a Christian
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 is that prayer is a privilege.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 To be able to go to the creator and sustainer of the universe
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 and to call Him Father.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 And yet with all the privileges that prayer affords us,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 I think the hard truth is that many of us
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 don't pray very much.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 We pray at meals, possibly.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 We whisper prayers before tough meetings.
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 We say something brief as we crawl into bed.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 And I suspect that very few set aside times to pray alone
00:06:03 --> 00:06:10 and even fewer think that it's worthy to meet with others to pray.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:15 I would suggest that our lack of prayerlessness
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 is one of the reasons,
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 one of the chief reasons why our faith is weak,
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 our hope is feeble,
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 and our passion for Christ is small.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 And so what I want to do today
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 is I want to turn our attention to Jesus
00:06:26 --> 00:06:31 to be enthused by prayer from Him.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 We see Jesus at the beginning of Luke 11.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 He is praying.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 And there are at least four things
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 that Jesus teaches us here
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 about prayer in these verses.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:47 And I want these things to shape the way we're thinking
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 as we begin a new ministry year here at St. Paul's,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:54 that for these things to shape our prayer life at St. Paul's.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 So firstly, Jesus teaches us
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 to make our praying God-centered.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 You see, when the disciples come to Jesus
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 to ask Jesus to teach them how to pray,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 as they do in verse 1 of chapter 11,
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 He says in verse 2,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:14 Now the Lord's Prayer is a prayer
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 for us to model our prayer on
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 rather than a prayer
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 that we are to pray with repetition.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 I think it's somewhat ironic
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 that Jesus, in the same context
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 of giving us the Lord's Prayer,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 He says don't keep babbling on as the pagans do.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 That's what He does in Matthew.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 And yet ever since He's given us the Lord's Prayer,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 we've babbled it on consistently ever since then.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 It's not a prayer
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 that we're meant to pray with repetition.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 It's meant to be a model for prayer.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 That's what the disciples are asking of Jesus here.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 And of particular note is that Jesus says,
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 our first desire, our first request
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 should be that God's name be hallowed or glorified,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 that His kingdom be advanced and come.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 And that's what I mean by God-centered prayer.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 The glory of God's name,
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 the advancement of God's kingdom
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 are the primary concerns of prayer.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 And if that's foreign to you,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 if you never plead for the name of God
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 to be holy in the way that you live,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 for Him to be seen as holy in the way that you live,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 or the kingdom of God to come in such a way
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 that you want to totally surrender to Him,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 then don't be content.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 Let me say, as you look forward into this year,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 do not be content to stay stuck at that level of praying.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 Make the glory of God the center of your prayers.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 That's why we exist as a church.
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 We exist to know Jesus, treasure Jesus,
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 represent Jesus for God's glory
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 and the joy of all people.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 So pray again and again
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 in as many different words as you can possibly think of
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 and phrases you can come up with.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 Father, let your name be seen as holy in my life.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 Your will be done.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 Your kingdom come.
00:08:49 --> 00:08:54 Your rule be established over my life.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 In all things, that's what you're praying.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 So secondly, Jesus teaches us to pray with a sense of security
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 in the Father's love.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:07 Jesus doesn't want us to feel precarious or insecure in our prayers.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:12 And He shows this mainly by teaching us to call God Father
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 when we pray to Him.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 The prayer in verse 2 begins simply,
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 Father.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 And then in verses 11 to 13,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 He unpacks for us some of the security
00:09:23 --> 00:09:28 which is implied by the word Father.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 This is a great promise to encourage us in our praying.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 It says,
00:09:32 --> 00:09:32 Which of you fathers,
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 if your son asks for a fish,
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 will give him a snake instead?
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 Or if he asks for an egg,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 will give him a scorpion?
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 If you then, though you are evil,
00:09:44 --> 00:09:48 there's Jesus' assessment of me as a father,
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 if you then, though you are evil,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 know how to give good gifts to your children,
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 how much more will your Father in heaven
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 The words,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 how much more there,
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 mean something utterly, utterly important for us.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 They mean that God is much more inclined
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 to hear me
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 and help me
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 when I pray that I am willing to hear
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 and help my girls
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 when they ask for my help.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 I find that
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 so, so astonishing.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 So, so astonishing.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:29 You know,
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 if my girls are asking for help,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 they're in need,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:38 I will do whatever I can
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 to assist them at that point.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 You know,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 one of them got dumped in the beach,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:46 you know,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 we're on holidays,
00:10:48 --> 00:10:48 came up,
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 as you do,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 and I,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 I didn't sit there going,
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 yeah,
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 they'll be right.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 They'll work it out.
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 I've got other things to do.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 And,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 and,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 and,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 and what it's saying here is that
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 the God is much more inclined
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 to hear and help me
00:11:06 --> 00:11:10 than I am to take those extra steps
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 to help my daughter
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 who's gasping for breath.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 Why does Jesus mention this?
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 I think He wants us to feel
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 secure in the Father's love
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 when we come to Him in prayer.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 He doesn't want us to feel precarious.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 He doesn't want us to feel unsure
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 of our acceptance.
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 He doesn't want us to feel fearful
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 that we will find Him
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 out of sorts with us
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 or that He will find us,
00:11:32 --> 00:11:32 that we'll find Him
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 unconcerned about us.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 This sense of security
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 is utterly crucial
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 in the life of prayer.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 You,
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 I don't think you can sustain
00:11:41 --> 00:11:41 a life of prayer
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 if you believe God
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 is stonewalling you
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 or that He's angry with you
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 or even neutral to you.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 And that is why
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 a life of perseverance in prayer
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 has its absolute
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 foundation,
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 security and assurance
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 in the gospel.
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 They're not disconnected.
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 Prayer is sustained
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 by the confidence
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 that God is our Father,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 that He is concerned
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 and that His disposition
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 towards us
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 is as Jesus says it is,
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 He is more inclined
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 to give you what you need
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 than the best human father
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 is inclined to give their children
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 what they need.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 Thirdly,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 Jesus teaches us
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 to prevail in prayer.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 without doubting
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 the Father's love
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 and I mean
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 hanging in there,
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 I mean persevering,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 persisting,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 not giving up
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 in a life of prayer,
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 keep on asking
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 and seeking
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 and knocking
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 until the answer comes
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 or until God says,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:34 frankly,
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 stop praying about that issue.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:37 To me,
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 this instruction
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 from Jesus though
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 to prevail in prayer,
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 it feels
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 a little inconsistent
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 with His teaching
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 to feel secure
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 in the Father's love.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 I mean,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 if God is more caring
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 than the best earthly father,
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 then why would He
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 sometimes be so slow
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 to respond to our prayers?
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 There seems to be
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 a little bit of inconsistency
00:13:02 --> 00:13:02 there for me.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 It seems strange
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 that Jesus would put
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 both of these things
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 together,
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 side by side.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 In verses 5 to 8,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 Jesus tells the story
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 of a man who goes
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 to his mate's house
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 in the middle of the night
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 because a mate of his
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 has turned up
00:13:19 --> 00:13:19 to his place
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 and he hasn't had enough food
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 and he needs to feed him
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 in the middle of the night
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 and he's obviously diabetic,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 his sugars are running low
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 or something like that,
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 he needs to eat now
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 and he can't wait for breakfast.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 And so he goes
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 to his mate's place
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 and he says,
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 give me three loaves of bread.
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 He's obviously pretty hungry.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 Give me three loaves of bread.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 But his friend,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 you know,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 from upstairs goes,
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 oh my goodness,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 you know,
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 leans out the window.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 The door's locked,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 the cats are out,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 I put my teeth out,
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 you know,
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 and the children are asleep,
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 you know,
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 go down to 7-Eleven
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 and grab some loaves
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 of bread from down there.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 But his mate
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 just keeps knocking
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 and asking
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 until his friend
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 finally,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 you know,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 jams on his boxer shorts
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 and wanders downstairs.
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 But he doesn't get up
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 because he wants to.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 It's not because
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 he wants to help his friend,
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 it's because his friend
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 has been prevailing,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 persisting,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 persevering
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 in knocking
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 and knocking
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 and knocking.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 It's like a car alarm
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 that's gone off
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 in the car park
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 and won't shut up.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 It feels like
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 an unattractive image
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 of prayer,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 doesn't it?
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 God only answers
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 because we annoy him
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 enough for him to answer.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 You see,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 when my kids
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 badger me
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 for an answer
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 to a request of theirs,
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 it's never attractive.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 Neither is my response either,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 but it's never attractive.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 More often than not,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 it's because frankly,
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 I don't want to go out
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 of my way
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 to fulfill the request.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 It's going to cost me something,
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 either dollars
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 or energy or...
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 Just like this man
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 in this house,
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 go away,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 it's the middle of the night.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 It's not an attractive
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 image of prayer
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 and frankly,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 it's not really
00:14:55 --> 00:14:55 an attractive image
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 of God,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 is it?
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 But immediately,
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 Jesus says,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 there's a lesson
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 to learn here.
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 He says,
00:15:01 --> 00:15:06 See,
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 three times,
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 there are three things here,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 sorry,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 that stress
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 the importance
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 of not giving up
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 in prayer.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 Firstly,
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 it's the present tense
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 of the verbs
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 that signifies
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 a continuous action.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 Keep asking,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 keep seeking,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 keep knocking.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 The second is that
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 Jesus actually commands
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 this continuous action
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 three times.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 And then he repeats
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 the three words,
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 again in verse 10.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 And the third thing
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 that stress is prevailing
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 is the three words
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 used here
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 get increasingly
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 close to the answer
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 and if you like,
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 show a pressing in on God.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 You know,
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 asking,
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 it's the simplest thing,
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 it's basically
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 where we mostly give up.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 Asking,
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 it requires no movement at all,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:48 just ask God
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 and see what happens.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 Seeking
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 turns the asking
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 into
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 an activity
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 of pursuit
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 and then the knocking
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 on again
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 and again
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 and again
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 signifies
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 an utter earnestness,
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 perhaps even
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 a desperation
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 that this prayer
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 must be answered.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 Jesus clearly
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 wants us
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 to be like
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 the friend
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 who just
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 was out there
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 and just kept knocking,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 just kept knocking.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 He wants us
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 to prevail
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 in prayer,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 to prevail
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 in God-centered
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 prayer.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 Not prayers
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 for your Ferrari
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 and stuff like that,
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 in God-centered
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 prayer.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 The point of these verses
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 is to show us
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 that prevailing prayer,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 persisting,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 persevering in prayer
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 is utterly important
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 for us.
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 You see,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 and what Jesus does
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 is he stamps
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 this truth
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 into our memories
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 with this terrible image
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 of this
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 mate
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 gone to bed
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 who just cannot be bothered
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 to get up and help
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 without being bothered
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 enough to help.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 But then notice
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 what Jesus does,
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 is he makes this sudden turn
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 in verse 11.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 And he shifts
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 from the grumpy mate
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 to the image
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 of the caring father
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 again.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 Jesus qualifies
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 his point
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 in verses 11
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 to 13
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 by saying
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 that God
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 is not
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 like your friend
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 in the house.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 God is the caring,
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 loving,
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 approachable father.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 So yes,
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 sometimes
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 God gives us
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 what we need
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 only after a long,
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 long season
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 of prevailing
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 and persisting
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 in prayer.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 But no,
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 it's not because
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 he's uncaring,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 it's not because
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 he's insensitive,
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 it's not because
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 he's unable.
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 What makes it
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 difficult for us
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 is that Jesus
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 does not tell us
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 directly
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 why the answers
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 to our prayers
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 are postponed.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 That's what makes
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 this passage so difficult.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 He doesn't give us
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 an answer why.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 But he does
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 tell us
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 indirectly.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 He says in verse 11
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 that a good father
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 will not give
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 his son
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 a serpent
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 if he asks
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 for a fish.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 In other words,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 a good father
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 will only give
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 his children
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 what is good
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 for them.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 And that's the
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 only answer
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 to the question
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 in this text.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 When the father
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 in heaven
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 gives us
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 a slow response,
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 when he wills
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 that we
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 persevere
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 for a season
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 in prayer
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 without an
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 apparent answer
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 whatsoever,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 when he wills
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 that we keep
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 knocking,
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 knocking,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 knocking,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 knocking,
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 it's because
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 he's giving us
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 a fish
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 and not a snake.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 That's the only
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 answer we get
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 from the text.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 He is giving us
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 what is good
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 for us.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 There is something
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 in the persevering,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 in the asking,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 in the seeking,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 in the knocking
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 that we
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 need.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 You see,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 the power of
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 prayer
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 never means
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 that God
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 stopped being
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 God
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 and that we
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 start being
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 God.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 That is,
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 we start
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 telling God
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 what he
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 needs to do.
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 That's not
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 what power of
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 prayer is.
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 We do not
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 have the
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 wisdom or the
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 grace to run
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 the universe.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 God is God.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 He will continue
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 to decide how
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 to run the
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 universe the
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 ultimate,
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 the best way.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 The Christian
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 lives by faith
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 in God's
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 goodness and
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 his sovereignty.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 And the
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 promise that
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 will encourage
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 us in
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 prevailing
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 prayer is
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 simply verse
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 10,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 everyone who
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 asks receives,
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 he who
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 seeks finds,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 and to him
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 who knocks,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 the door will
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 be opened.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 He's not
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 unresponsive to
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 our prayer.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 We do not
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 pray in vain.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 He is our
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 father.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 When he hears
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 his children,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 he responds.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 He's not deaf,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 he's not indifferent,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 he's not powerless,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 he acts and he
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 hears.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:45 The final
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 direction that
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 Jesus gives us
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 here in prayer,
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 and it's really
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 important for us
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 to understand about
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 this concept of
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 prevailing prayer,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 just keep knocking
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 and knocking and
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 knocking and
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 knocking until we
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 get the answer.
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 Because the final
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 direction, if you
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 like, is a
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 circling back to
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 the first point
00:19:58 --> 00:20:01 of God-centered
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 prayer.
00:20:03 --> 00:20:03 And if I
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 understand Jesus
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 here, he means
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 for this to be
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 the prevailing
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 heartbeat of our
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 prayer life here
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 at St. Paul's,
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 and the heartbeat
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 for your prayer
00:20:11 --> 00:20:14 life for 2017,
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 Jesus teaches
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 in verse 13
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 that our
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 prevailing for
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 prayer, our
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 prevailing prayer,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 our consistent
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 persistence, our
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 knocking and
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 knocking and
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 knocking and
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 seeking and
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 seeking and
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 seeking, should
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 be a prayer for
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 the seeking of
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 the Holy Spirit.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 If you then,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 verse 13,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 if you then,
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 though you are
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 evil, there it
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 is again, know
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 how to give good
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 gifts to your
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 children.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 How much more
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 will your Father
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 in heaven give
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 the Holy Spirit
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 to those who
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 ask him?
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 You see, that's
00:20:47 --> 00:20:50 the fish that he
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 delights to give
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 us.
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 That's the fish
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 right there.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 Luke tells us
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 in chapter 3 that
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 Jesus, that while
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 Jesus was praying,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 the Holy Spirit
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 descended on him
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 like a dove.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 The outpouring of
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 the Spirit of
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 Pentecost in Acts
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 chapter 2 came at
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 the climax of a
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 10-day prayer vigil
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 and in Acts
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 4.31 where the
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 church had prayed,
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 the place where
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 they gathered was
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 shaken and they
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 were all filled
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 with the Holy
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 Spirit.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 I would suggest
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 that prevailing
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 prayer is the
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 pathway to the
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 outpouring of the
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 Holy Spirit and
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 this is a constant
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 need for the
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 church.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 It's a constant
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 need for us here
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 at St. Paul's
00:21:25 --> 00:21:28 for ongoing
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 and continual
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 renewal.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 Even under the
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 leadership of the
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 apostles in the
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 New Testament,
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 it is evident that
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 there is still
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 and there was
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 still a need
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 for continual
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 renewal in the
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 early church.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 Just as Israel's
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 election as God's
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 people was
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 demonstrated at
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 Mount Sinai,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 so the church is
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 constituted by the
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 descending and
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 filling of the
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 Holy Spirit in
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 Acts 2,
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 but just as Israel
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 was continually
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 called right
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 throughout the
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 Old Testament to
00:21:59 --> 00:22:02 Sinai-like
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 covenant renewals
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 with God,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 likewise the
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 church,
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 even when it
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 doesn't seem to
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 be in any form
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 of major decline,
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 receives fresh
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 feelings of the
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 Holy Spirit.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 If you look at
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 the book of Acts,
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 there are many
00:22:14 --> 00:22:17 pentecosts in
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 Acts 4,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 31,
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 755,
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 817,
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 1044,
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 and 139.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 That is,
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 there's a
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 continual need to
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 renew,
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 continual need for
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 fullness of the
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 Holy Spirit for the
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 church.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 I had a conference
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 church,
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 a few years ago,
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 I heard American
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 Pastor Tim Keller
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 conduct a seminar
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 on the history of
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 revival,
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 which is basically
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 what I mean and
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 what he means when
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 we're talking about
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 spiritual renewal.
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 And he gave you a
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 glimpse of what the
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 outpouring of God's
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 spirit looks like in
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 the local church.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 And let me tell you,
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 it was compelling for
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 someone like me,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 it just set my heart on
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 fire when I listened to
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 him say this.
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 He said,
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 spiritual renewal,
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 he's also written
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 about it,
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 which is what I'm
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 quoting here.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 He said,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 spiritual renewal is a
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 work of God in which
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 the church is beautified
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 and empowered because
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 the normal operations of
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 the Holy Spirit are
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 intensified.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 When there is an
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 outpouring of the
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 Spirit on and within
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 the congregation,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 the presence of God
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 among his people
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 becomes evident and
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 palpable.
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 When spiritual renewal
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 happens, sleepy or
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 stagnant Christians
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 wake up.
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 There is a new and a
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 deeper conviction of
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 sin and repentance
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 not just for the
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 major behavioural
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 sins but for
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 attitudes, deep
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 attitudes in the
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 heart.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 But with that,
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 they experience,
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 the same people
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 experience the far
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 more powerful
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 assurance of the
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 nearness of God
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 and his love for
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 them.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 And with the end
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 result, the
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 Christians become
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 both humble and
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 bold at exactly the
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 same time.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 The more deeply one
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 feels his or her
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 debt of sin, the
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 more intensely he or
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 she feels the
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 wonder of the
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 payment on their
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 behalf.
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 He goes on and
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 says,
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 nominal Christians
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 or Christians by
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 name only begin to
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 realise they don't
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 actually have a living
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 relationship with
00:24:04 --> 00:24:07 Jesus, with Christ by
00:24:07 --> 00:24:09 grace and they get
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 converted.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 And he said it
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 electrifies people.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 Long-term members are
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 getting up and talking
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 about being converted
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 or speaking of Christ
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 in radiant terms and
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 expressing repentance
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 in brand new ways.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 The early stage of
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 renewal shake up other
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 nominals and sleepers
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 into renewal.
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 And corporately,
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 there's a sense of
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 more passion and
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 more freedom and the
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 presence of God in
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 corporate worship is
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 just palpable.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 As a result of this
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 outpouring of the
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 Spirit, new people are
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 brought into the church
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 and the church begins
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 to grow.
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 On the one hand, the
00:24:38 --> 00:24:41 renewed believers create
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 a far more attractive
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 community of sharing and
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 caring and often great
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 worship.
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 This is the beautified
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 community of the King.
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 This can attract people
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 from the outside.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 On the other hand,
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 Christians who begin to
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 experience God's beauty
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 and His power and love
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 put their relationship
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 with Christ and His
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 church as first in
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 their lives.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 They become radiant and
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 attractive witnesses,
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 more willing and
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 confident to talk to
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 others about their
00:25:06 --> 00:25:08 faith, more winsome and
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 less judgmental when they
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 do so, and more confident
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 in their own church and
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 thus more willing to
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 invite people to visit
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 their own church.
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 And as a result, there
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 are numerous conversions,
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 significant, even at
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 times astounding, church
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 growth occurs.
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 And so there is an
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 impact on the community
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 surrounding the church
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 and even the broader
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 culture.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 Spiritual renewal
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 produces people who
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 become involved in
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 works of social concern
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33 and social justice.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 The reason for this is
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 that real holiness
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 changes the private and
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 the public lives of
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 Christians.
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 True religion is not
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 merely a matter, a
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 private matter, providing
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 internal peace and
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 fulfillment.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 Rather, it transforms
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 our behavior and our
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 relationships.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:54 man, that just,
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 bring it on.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:59 You know, that's what
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 spiritual renewal,
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 pray for that for
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 St. Paul's.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:04 Pray for that across
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 the church.
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 That just sets my
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 heart on fire.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 You see, when
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 Callie is talking about
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11 spiritual renewal, as
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 I believe the Bible
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 does, he means a deep
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 renewal of the gospel
00:26:15 --> 00:26:17 in our hearts, which is
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 the work of the Holy
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 Spirit through the word
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 of God.
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21 It's not some random
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 thing that happens
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 without the word of
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 God.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:26 It is something where
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 the Spirit of God does
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 a deep work in our
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 hearts through his word
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 and brings us alive.
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 Let me just stand over
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 here just for a moment
00:26:36 --> 00:26:39 and put my community
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 group hat on and say,
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 get in a community
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 group in 2007-8.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 This sort of stuff
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 happens in community.
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 Get into a community
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 group for your joy, for
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 your maturity, for
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 your growth, and for
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 your transformation as
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 a Christian.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 And if your community
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 group is not praying for
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 this kind of renewal,
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 then work for this kind
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 of renewal in your
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 community group.
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 Okay, that's my plug.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 This is the sort of
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 stuff I want to see
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 happen here at St.
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 Paul's this year.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06 Will you pray for it?
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 Pray for this kind of
00:27:07 --> 00:27:09 renewal in your heart
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 for you and for us
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12 corporately in this
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 coming week.
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 This is prayer week.
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 Make it a focus this
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 coming week.
00:27:15 --> 00:27:17 There is so much to
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 say about spiritual
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 renewal of a church,
00:27:19 --> 00:27:21 but we will, let me
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 just focus on what is
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 biblically and
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 historically the one
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 non-negotiable
00:27:26 --> 00:27:28 universal ingredient in
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 times of spiritual
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 renewal.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 Corporate, prevailing,
00:27:33 --> 00:27:36 intensive, kingdom-centered
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 prayer.
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 A pleading for God, for
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 the fullness of the
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 Spirit.
00:27:41 --> 00:27:43 Kingdom-centered prayer
00:27:43 --> 00:27:45 is focused on God's
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 presence and His
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 kingdom.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 It's the sort of
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 prayer that is
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 modeled for us in the
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 Lord's prayer.
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 It is a prayer for
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 grace to confess our
00:27:52 --> 00:27:54 sins, to humble
00:27:54 --> 00:27:58 ourselves, prayer for
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00 compassion and zeal for
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 the flourishing of the
00:28:00 --> 00:28:03 church and for a
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 yearning to know God,
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07 to see His face, to see
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 His glory.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:12 Such prayer need not,
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14 in fact, I would say,
00:28:14 --> 00:28:17 usually does not begin as
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 an organized church
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 program.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 All right, first way to
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 begin is let's organize a
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 church prayer program.
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 Let's have some prayer
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 meetings.
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 That's not normally how
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 it starts.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 It often begins with
00:28:27 --> 00:28:29 people like you, people
00:28:29 --> 00:28:32 like me, who spend time in
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 prayerful self-examination.
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 That's where it begins.
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37 So this is prayer week, and
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 if you do nothing else
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39 this week, spend this
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 prayer this week in
00:28:40 --> 00:28:43 prayerful self-examination
00:28:43 --> 00:28:45 with confidence.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:47 And on one hand, total
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 confidence in the gospel
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 and what you have in
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 Jesus.
00:28:52 --> 00:28:56 Be hard on yourself at the
00:28:56 --> 00:28:58 same time and search out,
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 examine your heart for
00:28:59 --> 00:29:02 idols that that displace
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 Jesus as the supreme
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 treasure and Lord of your
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 life.
00:29:05 --> 00:29:09 kingdom-centered prayer is
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 prevailing.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:12 By this, I simply mean that
00:29:12 --> 00:29:14 prayer should be constant,
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 not sporadic.
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 It shouldn't be brief.
00:29:16 --> 00:29:18 Not because, as we've already
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 seen, that God wants us to
00:29:19 --> 00:29:21 grovel or that he doesn't
00:29:21 --> 00:29:23 care, but sporadic, brief
00:29:23 --> 00:29:25 prayer shows a lack of
00:29:25 --> 00:29:27 dependence on God.
00:29:27 --> 00:29:29 It's a healthy self-sufficiency,
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 an unhealthy self-sufficiency.
00:29:31 --> 00:29:33 We must pray without ceasing,
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 we must pray long, we must
00:29:35 --> 00:29:37 pray hard for spiritual
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 renewal.
00:29:39 --> 00:29:41 And when we do, we will find
00:29:41 --> 00:29:44 that the very process itself
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 is bringing about the very
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 thing that we're asking for,
00:29:47 --> 00:29:49 to have our hard hearts
00:29:49 --> 00:29:52 melted, to tear down barriers,
00:29:52 --> 00:29:54 barriers, and to have the
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 glory of God break through
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 that we might see his face.
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 So as we kick off a new year
00:30:03 --> 00:30:06 of ministry, we are doing
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 what we have done for a
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 number of years, beginning
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 the ministry year in a week
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 of prayer.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:13 And we do this, I think,
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 for a number of reasons.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 One is we make a statement
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 as a church.
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 It's a statement to God,
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 it's a statement to the world,
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 it's a statement to our own
00:30:21 --> 00:30:23 consciences, that we exist
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 as a church to do things
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 that we cannot do without
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 the supernatural grace of God.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 I believe that God has given
00:30:29 --> 00:30:31 us a vision for the future
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 for us as a church.
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 We launched it back in
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 November last year.
00:30:35 --> 00:30:37 But he's given us a vision
00:30:37 --> 00:30:39 which is just so hard
00:30:39 --> 00:30:41 and so difficult
00:30:41 --> 00:30:45 that we ought to consistently
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 be going back to him to ask
00:30:46 --> 00:30:49 him for the ability to
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 fulfill the vision he's given
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 us because we cannot do it
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 ourselves.
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 Everything good,
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 everything worthwhile,
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 everything eternal,
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 and God glorifying that we
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 want to do as a church,
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 we cannot do without the
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 supernatural grace of God.
00:31:00 --> 00:31:02 And so as we begin this year
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 together, I would urge you to
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 take time to pray for
00:31:04 --> 00:31:06 yourselves, that you would
00:31:06 --> 00:31:08 enter into a brand new season
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 of self-examination.
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 If you're not used to praying,
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 maybe the first prayer is,
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 Lord, help me to pray.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 Teach me to pray.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:21 Ask that you may be with full
00:31:21 --> 00:31:23 assurance in Christ,
00:31:23 --> 00:31:27 nonetheless hard on yourself.
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30 Self-examination.
00:31:30 --> 00:31:32 Lord, expose the idols of my
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 heart.
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 Ask that God would show you
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 ways in which you don't
00:31:37 --> 00:31:39 represent Christ as you should
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 in your relationships, in your
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 work life, in your family life,
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 in your habits, in your
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 attitudes, in your
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 relationships here, even with
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 church.
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 Take time to pray for
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 yourself.
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 That God will make things you
00:31:49 --> 00:31:51 know about the gospel, things
00:31:51 --> 00:31:53 that you've heard over and
00:31:53 --> 00:31:58 over and over again, make
00:31:58 --> 00:32:00 their way to your heart so that
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 it explodes your affections for
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 Christ.
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 Amen.