September 21, 2014
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Sermon Series on “All My Day: A Summer of
Prayer”
Inspired by Marcia McFee
Sermon 12 of series-
“The Empty Cross”
Luke 11:1-13 The Disciples Literal NT
Philippians 4:4-9 The Disciples Literal NT
“Jesus’
Prayer”
Let us pray… (Pray for
God’s illumination…)
I was talking with Terry
Pettengill after our book study a couple of weeks ago I think , and we were
talking about the Lord’s Prayer. She
was telling me that she was reading that at noon time, there are Christians all
around the world that have made a commitment to recite the this pray. There are
people all around the world that come into agreement with each other and rise
up their voices so that God’s Kingdom
will come on earth as it is in Heaven… We are talking Protestants,
Catholics, Baptist…and the like. I have decided that it is something I want to
agree with and I have begun to pray that prayer with all those other voices. It
has been awe-inspiring to think that I am agreeing with not only God but with
God’s children…my brothers and sisters in Christ… all around the world. What
miracles happen when God’s children come together for His glory…?
This summer, we have been
working though the prayer beads that were made as a way to helps remind us what
we should be praying for. I can’t believe we have reached the end of our
strings of beads. It really has been a summer of prayer. Our beads have lead us
through many twists and turns but it has been wonderful traversing the road
with each of you this summer. Let’s recap…the Gold Bead…which reminds us to
begin with adoration ….the bumpy beady….that is to remind us to let go and let
God….the embrace of silence with the “holey
Bead” …the steeping stone bead…our journey of faith… The next one…the
black...the black and white...the gray bead...reminds us to bring our spiritual
struggles to God….and the green bead, represents concern…not worries but
concerns.
How about that red bead…
the one that lets us know that we need to pray for the lovable and not so
lovable people in our lives…even those who do us harm. Then there is the
three purple beads on the string...the ones that remind us to pray for those
“who are standing in the need of prayer.” And
we are not just limited to the three beads…they are there to remind us that
there are those who are needing...waiting...for our prayers for and about them. The green bead from last week is
all about praying for those around the world…praying for the worlds
situations…praying down God’s “kingdom
come on earth as it is in Heaven”… The next bead is the fiery red bead from
last week. This bead is the one that we ask God to work through the Holy Spirit
in us so that we will use our gifts and talents to and for His glory…to “step
out of our comfort zone” and use the Spirit within us to “go forth and make disciples of all
nations.”
So…we
have finally reached the last bead…the empty cross. This bead brings it all
together. With this bead we are agreeing with God’s plan for the world and are
trying to bring about change. As we end our time in “bead Prayer” this
cross is where we pray the Lord’s Prayer. As we pray this prayer we are
rededicating ourselves to be the hands and feet of Christ and pray for God’s
reign over all the earth as it was in the beginning.
So why is it called the Lord’s Prayer you may ask. It is called
this because it is the one that He taught His first disciples as well as those
who have come after them. From the Scripture from Luke this morning shows us,
when the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, He answered them with this prayer.
But not only did He answer them, He told them that if they know how to do good
and give good gifts to their own, being sinful and all, how much more will God
give to His own. And we not only pray once for something, we need to keep
asking until it is answered…and it will
be answered… We have talked about how we need to keep praying throughout this
whole sermon series this summer. We are to trust that God hears and will
answer. Even when we don’t see God at work, we know and believe “that all things are working-together for
good for the ones loving God, the ones being called ones according to His purpose.”
In the letter to the people
of Philippi, Paul talks about this praying without ceasing… The scripture is found
in Chapter 4 verses 4-9. Listen to the Good News about our prayers…
Philippians 4:4-9 Disciples’
Literal New Testament (DLNT)
Be Rejoicing In The Lord,
Kind To All, And Praying To God
4
Be rejoicing in the Lord always; again I will say, be rejoicing. 5 Let your
kindness[a] be known to all people. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious-about
nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgivings, let your
requests be made-known to God. 7 And the peace of God surpassing all
understanding will guard[b] your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Be Considering And
Practicing All That Is True And Commendable
8
Finally, brothers, be considering these things— whatever things are true,
whatever things are honorable, whatever things are right, whatever things are
pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are commendable, if there is
any virtue, and if there is any praise. 9 Be practicing these things which you
indeed learned and received and heard and saw in me, and the God of peace will
be with you.
WE
know…trust…believe…have faith in the fact that God is for us so who can be
against us. As we “agree” with God’s purposes we will see miracles happening
around us…and even if we don’t “physically see it” we know by faith that it is
happening. But…but…we need to come
into agreement with God and with each other. As we pray in faith, as we come together as
one, God’s glory and purpose is released upon the world and we will see His
mighty acts in Christ Jesus. If we would but
just believe…believe in the power of the prayers of the called….the prayers
of “a righteous man.” And we are all made
righteous not by our works but by the work of God that was done one a cross on
Golgotha’s Hill… Marcia McFee states…and I come into agreement with her
statement…An empty cross at the end of
the strand is the final word… the Risen Christ lives in us as we move through
the world as his Body. We sing and pray the Lord’s Prayer together in worship today
as we have prayed it separately throughout the summer in our personal prayer
devotions. This is the exclamation point on this Summer series and we celebrate
God’s presence in “All My Days!” (by Marcia McFee)
People of Christ’s church…my people…can we agree on this…can
I get a witness here? Maybe…jut maybe…as we pray the Lord’s Prayer and rededicate ourselves to God’s vision of the
world, we can affect a change. As we pray “Thy Kingdom come, Thy
will be done” we will be changed and empowered by our own words and the
words of those who come into agreement with us. Perhaps if we…as we…surrender
our wills to Gods will and pray this Disciples Prayer we will be transformed
from the inside out. "Ask
and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you.” As we pray “all our days” just imagine the fear
that will be felt by the “evil one” who is in and of this world. Imagine the chorus that will ring down from
heaven as God ushers in a new heaven and a new earth..
Its the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
Its the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain.
The song of Asian believers
Filled with Gods holy fire
Its every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir
(x2)
Its all Gods children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
Let it rise about the four winds
Caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals
To the faithful gathered on the ground
Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation
Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples
None rings truer than this
(x2)
Its all Gods children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
And all the powers of darkness
Tremble at what they've just heard
Cause all the powers of darkness
Can't drown out a single word
When all Gods children sing out
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
All Gods children Singing
Glory, glory, Hallelujah
He reigns…
Let us pray…pray to
rededicate ourselves to pray ending in the Lord’s Prayer...
Amen
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