Sunday, November 29, 2009

Advent 1: The Beginning of Hope

The Beginning of Hope
Jeremiah 33: 14 – 16

I. Introduction.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is the season of the Christian calendar in which we begin to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. It may seem a little early to begin preparing for Christmas. After all, it’s not even December yet! However, starting today, there are only four more Sundays until Christmas.

We are beginning our preparations for Christmas four weeks before Christmas Day. But, we are not the first to begin preparing. Shauna put up our Christmas decorations on Monday of last week. But, Shauna wasn’t the first. Some retail stores and department stores put up their Christmas decoration as soon as Halloween was over. But, these retailers were not the first either.

Perhaps the Prophet Jeremiah was the first to prepare for Christmas when he wrote the words of Scripture we are about to read this morning. These words from Jeremiah were words of hope to a people who were facing one of the most difficult tragedies of their lives. More than likely these words of hope mark the beginning of hope for God’s people. They were probably written (approximately) 587 years before the birth of Jesus.


Read Jeremiah 33: 14 – 16.


If you are like me, then you will agree that there is a big hole in our knowledge of Scripture. We know a lot about the life of Jesus and the birth of the early church. We are comfortable in our knowledge of Creation, the Patriarchs, Moses and the Exodus. We are aware of a period of time when regional Judges ruled over the separate tribes of Israel. We know about the three kings who reigned over the United Kingdom of Israel (Saul, David and Solomon). But, here is when things begin to get very fuzzy. The Kingdom of Israel divided into two Kingdoms: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was eventually destroyed by the Assyrians. The Southern Kingdom of Judah was taken into captivity in Babylon. After a seventy year Exile, the Judahites returned to their land. But, things were never the same again.

Again, if you are like me, you can confess there is a big hole in our biblical knowledge. For me, the hole begins at the end of Solomon’s reign and ends with the birth of Jesus. That’s a 900 year hole!

The first 300 years of this 900 year hole is the period in which prophets spoke God’s word to God’s people. Jeremiah was one of the last prophets. His ministry was in the Southern Kingdom of Judah during the reigns of the last four kings of Judah.

Jeremiah’s ministry began during the reign of Josiah. Josiah became the King of Judah when he was just eight years old. Josiah is known for the ways he reformed Judaism. He ordered a remodeling project for the Jerusalem Temple. During the remodeling, the workers found a strange book. They read the book to King Josiah, and the King acknowledged that this was an important book. But, nobody knew what it was until they read it to a woman prophet named Huldah.

When Huldah told Josiah this book was the Law God had given to Moses, Josiah led the people in a recommitment to follow God’s Word. Josiah had his workers rebuild the Temple and tear down all the altars to false gods all over Jerusalem and Judah.

As long as Josiah was the king, Judah was faithful to God’s Word. But, Josiah was not king forever. He was killed in battle against Neco, the Pharaoh of Egypt. The Pharaoh chose the next king over Judah and levied high taxes against God’s people.

About this time, Nebuchadnezzar became the King of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and captured it for himself. He deposed the King of Judah and placed his own vassal to serve over Judah.

In a short time, Nebuchadnezzar’s vassal (Jehoiachin) rebelled against him. The Babylonian army attacked Judah and placed another king over God’s people. The army also looted the Temple and the King’s palace. They took all the gold and silver back to Babylon and placed it in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace.

This king (Zedekiah) also rebelled against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t going to let this pattern of rebellion continue. So, he laid siege on Jerusalem. The siege lasted for two years. At the end of the siege, the Babylonians utterly destroyed Jerusalem. They tore down the walls around the city; burned the Temple; burned the king’s palace; burned all the houses; and took all the healthy people into captivity.

Jeremiah spoke the Word of God to the people of Judah during these years of political unrest. His message began as a very simple message. He warned that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed if Judah did not turn back to God. This was not a popular message. Jeremiah was ridiculed and persecuted for speaking God’s Word. At one point, Jeremiah was arrested and brought to court. The religious leaders wanted Jeremiah to receive the death penalty. But, a political leader came to his rescue. He was merely placed in prison.

Jeremiah’s message was not popular. However, there were false prophets who were preaching a very popular message. Jeremiah said that Jerusalem would be destroyed. The false prophets said that God would never allow his people to suffer. They predicted that Nebuchadnezzar would eventually be defeated, and God’s people could return to the “good ole days.”


II. True Hope and False Hope.

This is the difference between hope and false hope. Jeremiah preached hope. The false prophets preached a false hope.

False hope teaches that if you will simply have faith in God, all your problems will go away. God will make you healthy, wealthy and wise. God does not allow his people to suffer. Therefore, any difficulty in life is an indication of a lack of faith.

Have you ever heard that message before? I wish that were true. I wish God would simply rescue all his followers out of this economy. I wish the church didn’t have to deal with financial shortfalls. I wish that I never had to do funerals for Christians who suffer from long-term illnesses. As long as we live in this world, we will face the sufferings and pain of what it means to be human. False hope says we will never suffer. God’s hope says that God is with us when we suffer and will bring us out better on the other side of suffering.

False hope also deifies the past. Don’t get me wrong. The past is very comfortable. We have already lived the past. The past is the only thing we really know. We cannot fully know what is going on in the present. It is impossible to predict the future. The past is all we really know, and that is very comfortable. But, God is not the God of the past alone. He is the God of the past, present and future. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the God who was, who is and who is to come. False hope is when we deify the past and do all we can to return to the past.

Again, don’t get me wrong…I think the 1950’s were a great period in the life of the church. Of course, I wasn’t alive in the 1950’s, but I’ve heard some of you talk about it. Our young men returned home from war. They got married. They had babies. They bought houses. They joined churches. Oh, I wish we could go back to the “good ole days.” There are two things I know about the “good ole days.” First, they probably weren’t. Second, God does not call us to mourn the loss of the “good ole days.” God calls us to yearn for a better future.

This is what it means to have hope. To let go of the past; to live faithfully in the present; and to trust God for a better future.


III. Verse 14… "'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.


The hope Jeremiah preached about was not a return to the “good ole days.” Jeremiah did not promise that God would deliver his people from suffering. In fact, it was just the opposite. Jeremiah warned the people of Judah that their Temple and city would be destroyed one day. He warned them that they would experience extreme suffering. There would be no food in Jerusalem for two years. The streets would be filled with the bodies of those who had died of starvation. The houses would be torn down to reinforce the walls of the city.

BUT… “Days are coming.” There is hope on the other side of suffering. That is a message we need to hear this morning. God’s future is better than the present. God’s future is even better than the past.

God’s future is based on the promises God made in the past. Since, God is the same yesterday, today and forever, we can trust that his promises never fail. God will keep his word.

Perhaps this is the most important thing about hope. The promise is not as important as the One who made the promise. God said, “The days are coming when I will fulfill the gracious promise…” We don’t place our hope in the promise or the preacher. We put our hope on the One who made the promise, because God is capable of living up to his word.


IV. Verse 15… "'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land.


This is not the first time Jeremiah had written about this promise. We find these words (almost identically) in Jeremiah 23: 5 – 6. Yet, even that was not the first time God made this promise. This is a repeat of the promise God made to David in 2 Samuel 7.

There are several ways we could interpret Jeremiah’s phrase “Righteous Branch.” A very literal reading would be that God would one day raise up a “legitimate heir” of David to be the King of Judah. In the context, this makes a lot of sense. Zedekiah was the king, but he was a vassal king for Babylon. Zedekiah was not loyal to either Judah or to the God of Judah. He was loyal to Nebuchadnezzar. Therefore, Jeremiah could have been criticizing the king as an “illegitimate king.”

Another literal reading would be that one day God would give Judah a “Righteous King,” a king who followed in the footsteps of David and Josiah. In this case, it could be said that Jeremiah was calling for another religious reform by criticizing the king as “unrighteous.”

A third possibility is that Jeremiah is pointing to the Messiah. There could be only one “legitimate heir” of David. There could be only one “righteous king.” Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to David and the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s hope.


V. Verse 16… In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.'


Jeremiah’s prophecy ends with a very curious phrase, “This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD (is) Our Righteousness.” There is a footnote in the New International Version, which tells us there is more than one way to interpret these words. The pronoun “it” could possibly be interpreted as “he.”

If we choose to interpret this as “it,” then Jeremiah is predicting that the city of Jerusalem will one day be known by the name, “The LORD Is Our Righteousness.” However, if we choose to interpret this as “he,” then Jeremiah is predicting that the Righteous King and Legitimate Heir of David will one day be known by the name: “The LORD Is Our Righteousness.”

God’s promise to Judah and Jerusalem is a promise of safety and salvation. Safety and salvation cannot come from a city. Safety and salvation come only from a Person. That Person is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Legitimate Heir of David, and the Only Righteous King.

Just as safety and salvation can only come through the Person of Jesus, so true righteousness can only come through a Person. Righteousness does not come from the Law or the Temple. It does not come from living in a certain city or under the reign of a human king. The Lord is our righteousness.


VI. Conclusion.

Jeremiah was way ahead of us in preparing for Christmas. He began preparing 587 years before Jesus was born.

The Birth of Jesus is the Beginning of Hope. Hope that is not based on a promise or a preacher. Hope that is based on the God who made the promise and will fulfill his promise to us to bring the only Legitimate Heir, the only Righteous King...Jesus Christ, the Lord Is Our Righteousness.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Sunday, November 22, 2009: Treasures in Heaven

Treasures in Heaven
Matthew 6: 19 – 24.

I. Introduction.

This Thursday will be Thanksgiving Day. Did you know that Thanksgiving is not a Christian holiday? In fact, I don’t really know what to call Thanksgiving. The word “holiday” comes to us from the two words “holy” and “day.” Christmas is a “holy day.” Easter is a “holy day.” But Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July are not “holy days.” They are national days of celebration, and they are “days off of work.” But they are not “holy days.”

Perhaps you don’t need to be reminded of the first Thanksgiving feast, with turkeys and Indians and Pilgrims. Of course, this is only partially true. There were Pilgrims and Indians, but there probably weren’t any turkeys. And they probably didn’t watch the Dallas Cowboys on television.

More than likely, the first American Thanksgiving was a transport from England. The first American settlers had participated in a long history of harvest festivals when they lived in England. Immediately following their first American harvest, they continued the tradition.

However, I think there ought to be a religious element in our Thanksgiving traditions. On one hand, all good gifts come from God. Therefore, we should be both thankful for all the blessings in our lives and thankful to God for his provision. On the other hand, the greatest blessing in our lives is not a physical blessing. The greatest blessing is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We had a sin problem that separated us from God and made it impossible to save ourselves. Therefore, God sent his only Son to live, die and rise again to provide us with forgiveness and eternal salvation. We have eternal hope as a result of what God has done for us.

This is the reason why I like to observe the Lord’s Supper on the Sunday morning before Thanksgiving. There are some Christian traditions which do not refer to this as the Lord’s Supper. Some Christians call this the Eucharist. “Eucharist” is the English form of the Greek word eucharisto, which means “give thanks.” The simple act of eating and drinking is a reminder to give thanks to God for what he did for us in Jesus.

When I announced a series of sermons on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, I planned to stop the series for Advent. (Advent begins next Sunday.) I considered preaching a Thanksgiving sermon today as well. However, this Scripture in the Sermon on the Mount makes a good Thanksgiving sermon. So, I planned my Sunday morning preaching around this Scripture as a Thanksgiving sermon.

Read Matthew 6: 19 – 24.

For the past four weeks, we have read Jesus’ teaching about our religious expression. Jesus taught us to exercise Spiritual Disciplines in our private lives. We should give financially in private. We should pray in private. We should fast in private. Now, Jesus has shifted from our private lives to our public lives. We might make an argument that Jesus has also shifted from our religious lives to our secular lives. The only problem with that is the fact that Christians don’t have secular lives. Everything we do in private is done in the presence of God. Everything we do in public is done in the presence of God. Everything we do in church is done in the presence of God. Everything we do at work, school or home is done in the presence of God. God is equally concerned with how we live in public and in private.

Jesus’ teaching here is organized around three illustrations. All three of these illustrations can be described as contrasts or as a choice between two opposites: treasures on earth versus treasures in heaven; good eyes versus bad eyes; and Lord God versus lord money.

The first and third contrasts are simple. The second requires some explanation. Let’s save the most complicated for last and understand how Jesus used it in this context.


II. Verses 19 – 21… Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

People in the ancient world did not use money, banking and investments like we do today. The most valuable things to ancient people were precious metals and fine clothing or fabrics. These treasures were vulnerable to at least three enemies. Fabrics could be eaten by moths. Metals could rust or corrode in the desert heat. And, all treasures were vulnerable to thieves.

If you think about it, modern day treasures are also vulnerable. Of course, we use pesticides to get rid of insects. We use climate controlled storage to reduce the threat of corrosion. However, theft continues to be a problem. In addition to theft, we also face the effects of inflation, depreciation, the strength of the U.S. dollar on the international market as well as devaluation from market fluctuation.

The ultimate worth of your treasure depends on where it is stored. Any treasure stored on earth is vulnerable. It is perishable and cannot last forever. Yet, treasures stored in heaven are neither vulnerable nor perishable. Treasures stored in heaven are the only treasures that can stand the test of time.

What is the difference between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure? Earthly treasure includes anything that has value on earth. Money, gold, diamonds, houses, cars, stocks, investment funds… All earthly treasure can depreciate in value or it can be stolen. By contrast, heavenly treasure includes anything that has value in heaven. These treasures have eternal value, will never depreciate in value, and cannot be stolen from you. Heavenly treasure should be defined in broad terms as anything that lasts forever. We could argue that salvation is a heavenly treasure. However, Jesus was speaking to his disciples who were already saved. Salvation is a heavenly treasure, but this is not all Jesus is talking about. Jesus also has in mind treasures like: holiness, obedience, serving others, souls won to Christ, and disciples nurtured in their faith.

The key to understanding Jesus’ words is not the definition of “treasure.” I believe the key is what is meant by “storing up.” I believe this refers to accumulating resources. When we accumulate earthly treasure we risk losing all we have. In Jesus’ economy, only heavenly treasures are to be stored up. Earthly treasures are to be used while we are on earth.

Accumulating resources is not the same thing as saving for the future. Christians should save for the future. Accumulating resources is not the same thing as making a lot of money in order to provide for our personal needs and the needs of our families. Christians should work and earn money for ourselves and our families. Accumulating resources is being stingy and greedy and covetous with earthly treasure.

This is perhaps the greatest threat to American Christianity. We spend a lot of our time thinking about the implications of the growing Islamic population and the complacency of the church. However, we need to worry about how we are using our earthly resources. Earthly treasure is not intended for accumulation. It is intended to be used to the glory of God and for the pursuit of God’s Kingdom.


III. Verse 24… "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Slavery is a repulsive institution to us today. However, this was an important part of the ancient culture. It was so important that the New Testament is filled with imagery and illustrations about slavery. In fact, the Bible teaches us that all humans will be slaves to something. We can be slaves to sin, death, fear, or to Jesus.

Here, Jesus says we can be slaves either to God or to money. This is a choice between the Creator or the creation. You and I are going to be slaves to something. But, we get to choose our master.

Imagine what a difficult situation it would be for a slave to have two masters. The relationship would work fine as long as both masters agreed. Yet, it would be impossible for the slave to meet the demands of two masters who were making opposite demands. God and money are not usually in agreement. They make opposing demands.

The literal word translated “money” in this Scripture is the word mammon. Mammon includes money, but it is much broader than that. It includes money and all earthly possessions. Basically, it refers to anything of value.

Jesus is not saying we should not have money and possessions. This is what I think Jesus is saying…

It’s OK to have possessions. It’s not OK for your possessions to have you. It’s OK to save money. It’s not OK to think money can save you.

Do you wonder why the words “In God We Trust” appear on all of our money? I think it is there to remind us not to worship money. It’s like a sermon “to go” carried around in your wallet. Every time you buy a cup of coffee, a hamburger, a new car or a new house, there is a reminder. Money cannot save you. Only God can save. Only God should be worshipped and trusted as Lord.


IV. Verses 22 – 23… "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

This illustration has always confused me for two reasons. First, I don’t understand what Jesus is saying. Second, it doesn’t seem to fit well in this context. Jesus began by talking about money and ended by talking about money. In the middle, it seems that he is talking about the difference between good eyes and bad eyes.

However, it does make sense when we realize that the Bible often uses the eye figuratively and connects it to the heart. The eyes reveal the condition of the heart. We also see this same concept in the expression “fix your eyes on” something. A person fixes his or her eyes on the thing that is most important to them. The eyes reveal the heart by showing our ambitions.

Jesus did not literally say the words “good” and “bad” in describing human eyes. The word “good” is literally the word “single.” “If your eyes are single, your whole body will be full of light.” The word “bad” is literally the word “evil.” “But if your eyes are evil, your whole body will be full of darkness.” Since “light” and “darkness” are opposites, it seems that Jesus intends for us to interpret “single” and “evil” as opposites as well.

The “evil eye” is a concept that was familiar to Jesus’ ancient audience. It is still a familiar concept in the Near Eastern world. The evil eye does not refer to witchcraft or a hex. It refers to covetousness, stinginess, greed and theft. A person who looks at you with an evil eye is a person who wants to take your stuff.

This contrast becomes more apparent to us when we realize that the Greek word for “single” is a form of the Greek word “generous.” In other words, this is what Jesus was saying: “If your eyes are generous, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eyes are covetous, stingy or greedy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”

Jesus is talking about money and possessions! This is how we choose to serve God over money. This is how we “store up” treasures in heaven. The answer is the way we use our earthly resources. We can be generous, or we can be stingy and greedy. The generous person serves God with their entire life—not just on Sunday mornings. The stingy and greedy person thinks only about their own life—and one day wakes up and finds that all their resources have deteriorated, depreciated and have been lost.

V. Conclusion.

Today, we are about to give thanks to God for his greatest blessing in our lives. That blessing is not our money, possessions, jobs, or even our families. God’s greatest gift is the life, death and resurrection of his Son Jesus.

We struggle with giving our lives to God as the only Master and Lord. We know that God is the only Creator. We know that only God can save us. But there are times when we think we need a little more money, a new and bigger house, a shinier car, or even a new job. We think that money, houses, cars and jobs can make us happy.

We know better. But we still do it. As we take the Lord’s Supper this morning, think of all the things you have placed your hope in. Think of all the things you thought could save you and make your life better. As we take the Lord’s Supper this morning, let this be your confession…Jesus is my Savior and Lord. The job is already taken. Money, houses, cars and jobs cannot make my life better.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sunday, November 15, 2009: Fasting and Spiritual Disciplines

Fasting and Spiritual Disciplines
Matthew 6: 16 – 18.

I. Introduction.

How much of the Bible do you believe? I remember a man me asked a question along theses lines during my ordination. It wasn’t so much of a question as it was a statement about what he believed and an opportunity for me to state what I believe. He said, “I have heard some people say they believe the Bible is true from cover to cover, even the maps. What do you believe?”

I can agree with that, because I believe the Bible. I think we can say that as a church. The Bible is the authority for all we believe and teach. In fact, every time we gather as a church, we read the Bible. We study and apply the Bible every week in Sunday School. I preach the Bible on Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening. Our youth and children read, study and apply the Bible in all our gatherings. We are a people of the Bible.

However, saying we believe the Bible is one thing. Actually doing all that the Bible says is another thing entirely. Today might just be a good test about what we believe about the Bible. At least it might be a test of whether we practice what we preach.

Read Matthew 6: 16 – 18.

These are the words of Jesus. They fall in the context of the Sermon on the Mount. For the past several weeks, I have been preaching through the Sermon on the Mount. Next Sunday will not be the end of the Sermon on the Mount, but it will be my last sermon from this series until after the first of the new year. I am going to interrupt the Sermon on the Mount to preach about Advent and preparing for Christmas.

At this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is preaching about righteousness. He introduced the subject of righteousness by describing the importance of internal righteousness. The Jewish Pharisees and Teachers of the Law had an external righteousness, but their hearts were far from God. Jesus taught us that righteousness begins in the heart. God is the only One who can make us righteous. God is the only One who can place us in a right relationship with himself.

Jesus took the idea of human sin and moved the boundary that separates obedience and sin. The boundary between obedience and sin is not a physical boundary; it is a spiritual boundary. In other words, it is possible to avoid sin in your body while harboring sinful thoughts and feelings in your heart.

However, the Christian life is not restricted to the state of our hearts. Once God has changed us on the inside and placed our hearts in a right relationship with God, our bodies and physical lives will reflect this change. Specifically, Christians will demonstrate financial generosity, a life of prayer and the discipline of fasting.

As Baptist Christians, we are accustomed to hearing sermons about giving our money to the church, to missions and to the poor. (Sermons about giving are probably not our favorite sermons, but we have all heard the pastor preach about money.) We hear a lot of sermons about prayer. (These are usually our favorite sermons…God has the resources to supply all our needs if we will just come to God in a spirit of dependence.) Yet, when was the last time you heard a sermon about fasting? It’s in the Bible. We believe the Bible. We preach the Bible. Are we willing today to hear Jesus’ words about fasting and apply them to our lives?


II. Fasting.

Fasting is an interesting topic in the Bible. There are numerous references to fasting in Scripture, but there is not any practical advice about how to fast. Some people believe this is because fasting was so widely accepted as a spiritual practice that the ancient people did not need additional instructions. They had learned how to fast from their parents and from the Jewish priests. Fasting was a common religious expression of ancient Judaism.

Literally speaking, fasting is to abstain from food for a period of time. One of the most common ways fasting is employed is to show repentance for sin. This was the reason why the people of Ninevah fasted after hearing Jonah preach about God’s judgment. The people were convicted of their sins, felt guilt over what they had done and fasted. This was a way of demonstrating guilt and repentance.

Another example in the Old Testament occurred when someone sought God’s mercy or direction in an upcoming decision. We see this in the stories of Moses and Elijah. Moses fasted before receiving the Ten Commandments from God. Elijah fasted when he fled from the wicked Queen Jezebel. By fasting, we can remove one of our daily distractions and devote all of our time to prayer and seeking God’s will for our future.

The Prophet Isaiah described what true fasting was supposed to look like. Isaiah 58: 6 – 7, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

We can apply Isaiah’s words to twenty-first century life by choosing to skip a meal and give our food or money to those who do not have food. This is a justice issue. You and I have more than enough food. It might inconvenience us a little bit to skip a meal, but we would not starve to death in one day.

There are spiritual reasons to fast, and there are justice reasons to fast. However, I think the very best reason to fast is to discipline our bodies. Hunger is one of our most basic human desires. Fasting is a way to break our own selfishness and devote our bodies to God. Fasting is a way to submit ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Will we be controlled by the same basic instincts that control the rest of humanity? If we are just like the rest of humanity, then self is Lord.


III. Rewards.

Jesus’ words about fasting followed closely the formula he used to describe giving and prayer. He described the way the hypocrites fasted and the rewards they could expect. More than likely, this is a reference to the Pharisees. They fasted two days every week: Mondays and Thursdays. On one hand, this sounds very spiritual to fast twice a week. On the other hand, that is exactly what the Pharisees wanted people to think. They didn’t fast in order to be closer to God. They fasted in order to be seen by others.

The mistake the Pharisees made in fasting was the same mistake they made in their giving and their prayers. They wanted applause and congratulations from other people. It doesn’t matter how spiritual you might act in public. If you are trying to impress other people with your spiritual life, that is the only reward you will get. Do you want the earthly reward of having people think you are spiritual? Or, do you want the heavenly reward of pleasing God? Choose which reward you prefer. Because you can only get one reward.


IV. “When” You Fast.

Twice in this Scripture passage, Jesus used the word “when.” Again, this is part of the formula he used in describing financial gifts, prayer and fasting. Jesus didn’t say “If you give, pray and fast.” Jesus didn’t say “You should give, pray and fast.” Jesus assumed that giving, praying and fasting are already a part of our lives. In other words, giving, praying and fasting are spiritual disciplines that all Christians should practice.

Baptists don’t spend a lot of time talking about spiritual disciplines. We concentrate on evangelism and missions. We celebrate when our children make professions of faith. We get excited when an adult hears the Gospel and commits to become a Christian. But, what do we do with new Christians? For that matter, what do we do with people who have been Christians for twenty years or longer?

This is the purpose of the spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines relocate our religious expression from the beliefs of our hearts into the actions of our bodies and lives. This is what it looks like to have an experiential faith…Experienced in our hearts, minds and bodies.

Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1978, 1988), is one of the most popular books about spiritual discipline. In the book, Foster introduces his reader to what he calls the 12 “Classical Spiritual Disciplines.” These are the disciplines Christians have practiced for centuries: Meditation, Prayer, Fasting, Study, Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, Service, Confession, Worship, Guidance and Celebration.

On one hand, the spiritual disciplines are work. They do not come naturally to human beings. Yet, look at what our lives produce naturally. At our very basic nature, we are sinners. We face temptation every day. And, some days we don’t need temptation…We volunteer for sin without any pressure from Satan or from other people. Foster compares our natural lives to the churning of the ocean. Every day, the ocean churns, and this natural movement of the ocean produces dirt and weeds and trash. Without any discipline in our lives, we produce sin and rebellion and self-serving actions.

On the other hand, spiritual disciplines are not the same thing as trying to work to earn our salvation. No amount of work can ever bring about forgiveness of sin, eternal salvation or a proper relationship with God. This is the work of God’s grace in our lives. The spiritual disciplines come AFTER God’s grace has saved us and forgiven our sins and placed us in a proper relationship with God.

The best way I know to describe this is to think in terms of a farmer. Farmers are some of the hardest working people we will ever meet. There is always ground to plow, seeds to plant, weeds to kill, bugs to kill, crops to fertilize, harvest to gather, and then it all starts over again… However, the farmer has no control over whether or not the crops will grow. Only God can grow the crop.

While the farmer does not cause the crops to grow, he still has a lot of work to do to ensure that the conditions are right.


V. Conclusion.

I cannot bring about a change in my own life. You cannot bring a change in your life. Only God can bring about a change. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, God is at work to change us and shape us into the image of His Son Jesus.
But, just like the farmer…There is a work we need to do. The work ensures that the conditions are right for God to grow us into the men and women he wants us to be. Reading the Bible, praying, giving, fasting, meditating…These are like the work of the farmer.
Are you doing the work Jesus expects you to do? Are you preparing the soil of your life so God can grow you?

Jesus did not command us to give, pray and fast. Jesus assumed that giving, praying and fasting are the works you are already doing so God can make you the Christian he wants you to become.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Sunday, November 8, 2009: The Model Prayer

The Model Prayer
Matthew 6: 5 – 15.


I. Introduction.

When Shauna and I got married (October 2, 1993), we made a deal with our parents. My parents live in Mississippi. Her parents live in Texas. The deal was to alternate Thanksgiving in Texas and Christmas in Mississippi. The next year we would switch families: Thanksgiving in Mississippi and Christmas in Texas. This plan didn’t last very long…It lasted until Collin was born. Then the deal changed. I became the bad guy when I announced to both families that we would have Christmas Day at home. But they were more than welcome to join us for Christmas Day at our house. And both sets of grandparents have accepted our offer, but never at the same time.

One year Shauna’s parents spent Christmas Eve with us so they could watch the grandchildren open their presents. Shauna planned and cooked and entire Christmas lunch. But after the gifts were opened and before it was time for lunch, we decided we would go out for breakfast. Do you know how hard it is to find a place to eat breakfast on Christmas morning? We drove all over town before we finally found a place to eat…IHOP. And it was packed.

IHOP is one of those few places that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. They never close.

When I was in college, I noticed something interesting about IHOP. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. BUT…They have locks on the doors. Why would they even need locks on the doors? They never close. The doors don’t ever get locked.

I suppose the locks are there “just in case.” IHOP does not close, but the locks are there “just in case” they want to close.

This may seem a little silly…God is not like IHOP. You and I have immediate access to God anytime we pray. God is always open. He does not sleep or get tired. God is available to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There are no locks on God’s door.

We have access to God through prayer. As we read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, let’s look at what Jesus had to say about prayer…


Read Matthew 6: 5 – 15.


II. Verses 5 – 8…"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus introduced the Model Prayer by first describing two negative examples of prayer. First, there is the hypocrite who does not love to pray. Hypocrites love for other people to see them praying and to hear the words of their prayers. A hypocrite is an actor who prays for show or a person who puts on a mask to hide the wickedness on the inside. There are two ways to describe the prayers of the hypocrites. On one hand, they are more concerned with what other people think about them than what God thinks about them. On the other hand, hypocrites pray with no heart. They pray with their bodies and their lips and even with their minds—wondering what other people think about them. But their hearts are far from God. Don’t pray like a hypocrite who prays with no heart.

The second negative example Jesus gave us was the pagan. Jesus makes no mention of whether the pagans prayed in public or in private. Instead, Jesus criticizes their “babbling.” Other translations call this “vain repetitions.” The NIV chooses to interpret this as “babbling,” because the Greek word used is probably an onomatopoetic term imitating the sound of a language other than Greek (battalogeo). In this case, Jesus is not discouraging repetition or even persistence in prayer. He is discouraging us from babbling on and on and on…

The reason the pagans babbled in their prayers was to find the right words acceptable to their gods. Pagan prayer was an attempt to flatter the gods and thus to coax them to act. If the gods did not answer prayer, it was because the pagans prayed incorrectly. So, they prayed on and on and on...uttering words that had no meaning. In other words, the pagans prayed mindless prayers.

Hypocrites pray heartless prayers. Pagans pray mindless prayers. Jesus calls us to pray with engaged hearts and minds. Prayer is to be a passionate and heart-felt communication with God. Prayer is to be thoughtful and mindful.

The Model Prayer is Jesus’ remedy to the heartless and mindless prayers demonstrated by the hypocrites and pagans. Therefore, we should never turn Jesus’ words into a


III. Verses 9 – 10…"This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In introducing the Model Prayer, Jesus instructs his disciples that this is “how” they should pray and not “what” they should pray. This is why we refer to this prayer as a model. It does not prescribe the proper formula for praying. Instead, it describes one model or example of prayer.
It is significant that the Model Prayer can be divided into two sections. Both sections contain three petitions (or requests) of God—a total of six petitions. The first section is all about God. The second section is about human need.

The first petition: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”

Prayer begins in the intimacy of a child speaking with his or her father. But this intimate relationship with God as heavenly Father is balanced with the holiness of God’s name. More than likely Jesus spoke this prayer in Aramaic rather than Greek. If this is the case, we might expect Jesus to use the Aramaic word “Abba,” since we have examples of Jesus’ addressing God as Abba in other places. This would be like our English word “Daddy.” And we all know there is a difference between a “Daddy” and a “Father.” A father is a male parent. A daddy is a father who is involved in the life of his children. Our relationship with God is not like a father who sends child support payments to his children. Our relationship is like a daddy who is involved in every aspect of our lives. He wants the very best for us and is so involved in our lives that he blesses us with his time and good gifts.

Yet this intimacy with God as our heavenly Daddy should be balanced with the holiness of God’s name. Name in the Bible is always a reference to a person’s character. Person and name are so closely related that they cannot be separated. Both God’s name and character are holy. That is to say God is separated from everything that makes us human beings. We are human and imperfect. God is not human and is perfect. We are sinners and subject to temptation. God is sinless and cannot be tempted by evil.

It is important to note that God does not become more or less holy as a result of our prayers. Matthew recorded this petition as a third person passive. Since it is addressed to God in a prayer, many New Testament scholars refer to this as a “divine passive.” A divine passive calls on God to act and to accomplish something that is impossible for us to accomplish on our own. It could be translated “Let your name become holy.” In other words, this is not our telling God how holy he is. This is our praying that the rest of the world will one day recognize the holiness of God.

The second petition: “Your Kingdom come…”

This petition is also written in the third person passive. This is another instance of a “divine passive”—calling on God to do something we are incapable of doing. It could be translated “Let your Kingdom come.” In other words, the Kingdom of God is not something we have the power to bring about. Of course, this has not stopped people from trying to bring about the Kingdom. Some people think they can bring the Kingdom of God to earth through military conquest; terrorist acts; or even through the ballot box. This is not what the Kingdom of God is about. The Kingdom of God is the realm in which God is the King. One day there will be a place where God rules supremely. Until that day comes, the Kingdom of God is present on earth in the lives of men and women like us, who have given over control of our lives to God as our King. On one hand, we have a responsibility in bringing the Kingdom of God to earth—living under the rule of God and preaching the Gospel to those who live under the rule of Satan. On the other hand, only God can bring his Kingdom.

The third petition: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

For the third time, we see another “divine passive” in Jesus’ prayer. Jesus prayed, “Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus teaches us through this petition that there is a place where God’s will is always accomplished. That place is heaven. If God’s will were always accomplished on earth, then we would experience heaven on earth. Perhaps that is what Jesus is teaching us to pray—Make this life “heaven on earth.”

IV. Verses 11 – 13…Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

While the first half of the Model Prayer is about the greatness of God and God’s great purposes for the world, the second half concentrates on human need. Human need is the very foundation of prayer. Only needy people pray. Self-sufficient people have no reason to pray: they can take care of their own needs. However, none of us is totally self-sufficient. We are needy, even when we do not like to admit our needs.

The fourth petition: “Give us today our daily bread…”

With the fourth petition, Jesus has changed his focus from the miraculous to the mundane. There is nothing in life more basic than bread. For modern Christians, bread is something we can live without. If we don’t have bread, we can just eat meat. That was not the case in Jesus’ day. Bread was the primary source of food for the ancient world. If there was no bread, there was no food. Perhaps we should interpret Jesus’ prayer as a prayer for food.

Notice how much food Jesus prayed for. Just enough food to make it through the day. This is not a greedy prayer. It is a needy prayer. It is a prayer of absolute dependence on God to give us enough food to sustain life for one more day. I believe it is grounded in the Old Testament story of the manna in the desert. God provided manna for the Hebrew people to eat and instructed them only to gather enough for one day. When they gathered enough to last to the next day, the leftover manna spoiled. You and I are more accustomed to pray for enough money to make it to the end of the month or the end of the year. Jesus demonstrates that we are to be so dependent on God that we could not live through today without his provision.

The fifth petition: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…”

“Debt” is one of the ways the Bible describes sin. It is a debt we owe to God. But, it is a debt we cannot pay. The only hope we have is that God will forgive our debts, or cancel our sins. Again, we are needy in the presence of God. We cannot solve our own problems.

I don’t like the second half of this petition. I don’t want God to forgive me “as I have forgiven others.” I want God to forgive me “better than I have forgiven others.” But, there is a connection between my forgiveness and God’s forgiveness. The person who has been forgiven knows how to forgive. But forgiveness is a gift from God. God gives us forgiveness for our own sins, and God gives us a forgiving spirit.

The sixth petition: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one…”

Where the fifth petition dealt with past sins, the sixth petition deals with future sins. On one hand, we need God’s forgiveness to deal with our past sins. On the other hand, we need God’s protection to prevent sins in our future.

God does not tempt us or cause us to sin. However, there is a biblical precedent that God does test our faith. The purpose of temptation is to bring about a negative result—sin. The purpose of testing is to bring about a positive result—increased faith and resistance to sin. This leads me to believe that Jesus is teaching us to pray about our weakness.

In Psalm 26: 1 – 3 David prayed, “Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”

But when David saw Bathsheba, he failed miserably. David was not strong enough to resist temptation. Jesus was strong enough to resist 40 days of temptation from Satan in the desert. I am not strong enough. Therefore, I must pray for God to keep me away from all temptation.

V. Conclusion.

When Jesus taught us about prayer, he did two things. First, he gave us a teaching about what prayer is and what prayer is not. Second, he gave us an example.

I believe this demonstrates that prayer is something that can be learned. But, the best way to learn prayer is NOT by reading a book or attending a class. The best way to learn prayer is by practice. Listen to Jesus' teachings on prayer, then follow his example...

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Sunday, November 1, 2009: Righteous Praying

Righteous Praying
Matthew 6: 5 – 8.


I. Introduction.

In the hymnal rack in front of you, you will find a couple of cards. One card is labeled “Welcome.” This is the information card we want you to fill out if you are visiting with us today. Many people choose not to fill out this card and remain anonymous. But, we want to get to know you and share with you more information about out church. The other card is labeled “Prayer.” This is a way for you to submit your prayer requests to us.

Our church prays for all the requests that come to us. We have individuals who pray privately for each other and share their requests by email. We have a prayer room ministry. The prayer room is located on the Second Street side under the portico. People sign up for one hour per week, with the goal that we will have people praying for the needs of our church and community around the clock. And, we have a prayer service on Wednesday nights.

All told, this demonstrates that our church believes in prayer. Perhaps it would be better to say, we believe God answers prayer. The idea that God answers prayer is central to the Christian faith.

In the past twenty years, there have been numerous scientific studies conducted to prove the power of prayer. Three of these studies took place in 1988, 2002 and 2006. In 1988, patients undergoing heart by-pass surgeries were divided into two groups. One group was prayed for. The other group was not prayed for. The prayed for group recovered from the surgeries quicker. In 2002, cancer patients were divided into two groups. One group prayed for themselves. The other group did not. The group of people who prayed for themselves did not have better health results. However, the study revealed that these people were better able to cope with the effects of their disease.

The 2006 study focused on heart by-pass patients, but there was something different about this study. This study used the best scientific methods known to researchers. It is called a “double blind” study. This time, there were three groups of people. One group was told that they were being prayed for by a group of strangers. The second group was told that they MIGHT be prayed for by strangers, but were not prayed for. The third group was told that they MIGHT be prayed for by strangers, and were prayed for. Of the three groups, the group that knew they were being prayed for had the most post surgical complications. Some of the researchers interpreted the results as proof that prayer does not work.[1]

How many of you are going to stop praying now that a group of scientists has “proven” that prayer does not work?

I find all three of these studies questionable—even the first two that allegedly “prove” the efficacy of prayer. These studies are questionable, because God cannot be measured or observed by scientific method.


Read Matthew 6: 5 – 8.


In this passage, Jesus described three people praying…


II. Verse 5…"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

The first person Jesus described was the hypocrite. A hypocrite is an actor, a person who puts on a mask in order to pretend to be something he is not. There are two types of spiritual hypocrites. First, there is the person who does spiritual things for outward show. He pretends to be spiritual on the outside so that other people will congratulate him, reward him or even vote for him. Second, there is the person who does spiritual things to make himself feel better about his own life. This hypocrite thinks that by acting spiritual he can cover over his own sinfulness and spiritual inadequacies.

Jesus was describing the first kind of hypocrite. Notice that Jesus said the hypocrites “love to pray.” If Jesus had just stopped right there. If Jesus had placed a period after the word pray. This would be a great compliment for any Christian, ancient or modern. Wouldn’t you love to be recognized as a person who loves to pray?

Jesus didn’t stop there. The hypocrite does not “love to pray.” The hypocrite loves to pray where other people can see him praying and hear the words of his prayers.

I think the key to interpreting this verse is found in the purpose clause. There is nothing wrong with praying in church or praying on the street corner. It is wrong to pray anywhere for the purpose of being seen by others. There is a place for public prayer in worship and even public prayer on a street corner or other public gatherings. There is no good reason to pray for the purpose of attracting attention to yourself.

Ultimately this is what it means when we use the phrase, “give glory to God,” or the phrase, “glorify God.” To glorify God is to give God the credit; to acknowledge that God is the one working in our lives; to acknowledge that the power within us is not from our own strength and abilities…it is the power of God. Attracting attention to ourselves takes attention away from God.

Jesus does not give us a definition of prayer in this passage—he will define it for us in chapter 7. In this context, all Jesus is concerned with is our attitude toward prayer. But, perhaps we need a definition…

I like to say that prayer is “depending on God.” People who need God are people who pray. The opposite of that is also true…People who pray are people who need God. How many times have you thought that you could handle certain situations in life on your own strength? When we think we are smart enough and strong enough, we neglect prayer. We think we can do it on our own strength.

When we act out of our own strength, abilities and intelligence, who gets the glory? I get the glory and the credit when I am the one who performs. A good example of this was last Wednesday night in game one of the World Series. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cliff Lea was incredible. He pitched a complete nine inning game against the New York Yankees (The Evil Empire). He gave up only six hits, no walks and one unearned run. The Phillies won 6 – 1. After the game, everyone wanted to interview Cliff Lea. I watched him say the same thing in every interview: “I wasn’t nervous. Why should I be nervous? I am playing the same game I have played my entire life. I put in all the work and all the practice to get to where I am today. I’m doing what I always wanted to do.”

Baseball is not necessarily a spiritual activity. So, it’s probably a good thing that Cliff Lea put in all the work and practice to get to where he is. The way he pitched against the Yankees shows that he is very good at what he does. I would want him on my team. But, he took all the credit and the glory for what he accomplished.

This is not the way God wants Christians to live. Honestly, there is nothing we can do for ourselves. All human beings are sinners, and our sin separates us from God. We cannot resolve our sin problem and our separation from God. So, God sent his Son to die on the cross to provide us with the only solution. Therefore, we owe our spiritual lives to God and not to ourselves.
Of course, spiritual life is not all that God provides. God is the source of our physical lives as well. All of our strength comes from God. All of our financial resources comes from God. Even the breath that we breathe, comes from God. Without God, we could do nothing. Prayer is the way we acknowledge to God and ourselves that we owe everything to God.

The hypocrites do not love to acknowledge their dependence on God. The hypocrites love for other people to think they are spiritual people.


III. Verse 6…But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

The second person Jesus described was the person who prays with the right attitude. True prayer happens in a private, intimate encounter with God.

Again, allow me to emphasize that Jesus is not condemning the practice of prayer in public worship. We know this because of the way Jesus talks about rewards. Proper prayer seeks God’s rewards over the rewards of other human beings. Other people might reward us when we pray beautiful, spiritual, public prayers. God rewards us even when our prayers are secret prayers.

The most obvious reward God gives us is answered prayers. However, not all our prayers are answered the way we want them to be answered. I have always believed that God answers all prayers. Sometimes God says “Yes.” Sometimes God says “No.” Sometimes God says “Wait.”
When God answers our prayers with a “Yes,” there is an obvious reward…A new job, a healed body or a restored relationship.

When God answers our prayers with a “No” or a “Wait,” the reward is not so obvious. Yet, there is still a reward. The reward might not be what we had hoped for, but there is a reward. The reward in God’s “No” or God’s “Wait” is the reward of greater faith. Perseverance makes our faith grow stronger. Perseverance demonstrates that we do not have the strength to make it on our own and that our desires are not always the best thing for us. God knows what is best for us and shows us his ways are higher and better than our ways by answering “No” or “Wait” to some of our prayers.

The reward of faith can only come from a private prayer life. The reward of being applauded and congratulated by other people comes by praying for show. However, you can only have one of these rewards. You must choose which you prefer. If you pray for applause, that is the only reward you will receive. If you pray for increased faith, that’s the reward you will receive…But be prepared. You might not like the way God grants increased faith. Sometimes it comes through the answers “No” and “Wait.”


IV. Verse 7…And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.


The third person Jesus described was the pagan. These were the men and women of Jesus’ day who worshipped false gods. Some of these gods were depicted by idols. Others were internal gods like the human spirit or human intellect.

People who prayed to false gods did not receive answers to their prayers. There is an obvious reason for that…False gods do not have the power to answer prayer. When their prayers went unanswered, the pagans had to develop reasons to explain what was going on. A simple explanation was that they were praying to the wrong gods. A more complicated but more popular answer was that they did not pray in the proper formula. So, the pagans developed complicated and repetitious formulas for their prayers. Their prayers were heavy on naming their gods and praising their gods for what they thought the gods had done in the past. Only after naming the gods and praising them could the pagans begin to list their petitions. They thought they could flatter the gods and thus coax them to answer prayers. If the prayers went unanswered, the pagans thought they must not have prayed properly, didn’t use the god’s preferred name or perhaps did not flatter the god enough.

Jesus tells us that prayer is not about flattering God or coaxing God to act on our behalf.


V. Verse 8…Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

God already knows what we need. God is already interested in your life—your spiritual life and your physical life. God wants to intervene in your life. You do not have to coax God into your life. He stands ready and willing to step in when you call.


VI. Conclusion.
Three times (verses 5, 6 and 7), Jesus said “When you pray.” Notice that Jesus did not say, “If you pray,” and he did not say, “I command you to pray.”

In Jesus’ view of the Christian life, prayer is such an important part of our lives that he assumes we already know we are supposed to pray. Not only do we know we are supposed to pray, but we are already practicing the discipline of prayer.

More than likely, it would be easy for me to make you feel guilty about how much you pray. You know you are supposed to pray, and you probably know you should pray more. But, I don’t think Jesus’ words are intended to make us feel guilty. Jesus’ words are intended to encourage us in our prayer life.

There is no exact formula for praying to God. God loves you so much that he sent his Son to provide you with forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. God knows your deepest needs—spiritual and physical.

However, there is a proper attitude for prayer. Do not think of prayer as a way to show off your spiritual life. Think of prayer as a private and intimate conversation with your Heavenly Father, who loves you and wants to bless you physically and spiritually.

Since Jesus used the phrase “When you pray,” we should think of prayer as an important part of our spiritual lives. All Christians are expected to pray. But, we should not think of prayer as a duty or an obligation. This would make us “Prayer Pessimists.”

Jesus wants us to be “Prayer Optimists.” God loves us and wants to hear from us. Prayer is more of a privilege than an obligation. Prayer is more of an occupation than a duty.


[1] http://www.physicianscholar.org/print/id/117083