Why Pray?

Introduction

If we host a gospel concert, it is not unusual for the church to be full. If we host a prayer meeting, we can fit into our little prayer room. Why is that?

When Jesus was at the most agonizing moment of His life He went and prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. We read that He invited the disciples to join him in prayer and we also read that instead of praying with him they were asleep. How like the disciples we sometimes are.

I know that we do pray and that at certain times prayer is very urgent. But when we read Scripture and see how often it talks about prayer and compare that with the amount of attention it gets in our church programs, I wonder if we really believe in prayer. Is it possible that either we don’t believe in God or that we don’t believe that his invitation to pray is important?

This morning I would like to address the second of these questions, “Why don’t we believe that His invitation to pray is important?” Or to put it another way, “Why pray?”

Does God Need Our Prayer?

What sometimes happens to me when think I about prayer is that I wonder whether it is really needed?

God Is Sovereign

The Bible is very clear about the sovereignty of God.

We read in I Samuel 2:6-8 - “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; upon them he has set the world.”

Psalm 115:3 - Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.”

Jeremiah 18:6 - “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

Daniel 2:21 - He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”

If that is what God is like, what can my prayers possibly add to what happens? One large hindrance to our involvement in prayer is our belief that God does what He will do without our involvement. When Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:8, “your Father knows what you need before you ask him” we wonder why we need to ask Him.

That is a common impression, and yet we also know that we have not only been invited, but commanded to pray. Why pray?

What Power Do We Have?

Recognizing this command to pray, there are other thoughts which may come up in our minds to motivate us to pray. Perhaps there are reasons why God needs us to pray.

God Doesn’t Need to Know

Perhaps we need to pray because God is in heaven and we are on earth and so God needs us to tell Him what is happening on earth and what is needed on earth. Perhaps God doesn’t know about the details and our prayers supply Him with those details so that He knows how to respond.

Yet we know that that cannot be the case. God is aware of all things that are happening in heaven and on earth. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

God Doesn’t Need to Be Persuaded

Another explanation is that God is reluctant and needs to be persuaded. There are times when it seems that this is what is happening. In II Kings 20:1-6 we read the story of King Hezekiah. He was ill and the word of the prophet was that Hezekiah was going to die. But he prayed and it seems that his prayer persuaded God. In II Kings 20:5, 6 we read, “This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you.”

But this would mean that God is not fundamentally compassionate. It would imply that we have a reluctant sovereign and there is just too much Scripture which says otherwise. One such passage is Matthew 10:29-31 which tells us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

God Doesn’t Need to Be Moved

Sometimes it seems that people believe that if they say the right words, pray often enough or eloquently enough then God will hear and act. This is actually a very dangerous way of thinking, for it is a pagan way of thinking. It too assumes that God is not good but if we use the right words, like magic incantations, then He has to answer.

The Bible does tell us that it is good to pray diligently. James 5:16-18 encourages diligence in prayer from the example of Elijah when it says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain...” It is also good to have many people pray. Paul encourages the Corinthians in II Corinthians 1:10, 11, “…On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers...”

But we need to be very careful that we don’t take diligence and having many people pray to the extent that we think that God is more likely to answer if we use certain words, many words or have many people pray. Jesus warned in Matthew 6:7, 8, “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.”

God Doesn’t Need to Have Permission

There is a book titled, “Intercessory Prayer” which presents the theory that God has authority in heaven, but has given authority on earth to human beings. The author points to Psalm 115:16 which says, “The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to man.”

The writer goes on to say that prayer is important because our prayers give God permission to work on the earth, over which we have authority. In fact he goes so far as to say that God is not able to do anything without our prayer. He needs our permission.

I don’t believe that this is a Biblical concept either. God is still sovereign and in Isaiah 65:24 we read, “…before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will hear.” When you look at how God has worked in human history, there are just too many times when God worked when we have no indication that something happened because people prayed. How was it that God called Abraham? There is no indication that prayer was involved. God has a plan and He is bringing about His plan even if we don’t pray.

God Invites Us to Join Him

We know that God is sovereign and really doesn’t need our prayer. So if that is how we think, what motivation do we have to pray? Why pray?

Prayer Is Relationship.

Myron Augsburger says, “Prayer is relationship, not entreaty. Prayer is fellowship, not impression.”

One of the reasons why we must pray is because prayer is relationship. It is the communication which happens between a loving Father and His children.

This aspect of prayer is so beautifully exemplified by Jesus. So many times He spent time alone with the Father in prayer. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” This wonderful intimacy is seen in many of Jesus’ prayers. In His prayer in John 17 we read in verse 20, “Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” That phrase expresses what the whole prayer and indeed the whole of Jesus life tells us about His intimacy with the Father.

As we pray, we also enter into and grow in that same kind of intimacy with the Father and that in itself is an important reason to pray.

Not only do we grow in intimacy, but other things also happen in us through prayer. As we pray, we are kept humble. When we pray it reminds us that God is Lord and that we are creatures. One of the primary postures in prayer, kneeling, communicates the importance of humility.

In prayer we also express our dependence. As we pray, we are reminded that the one who is Lord is the one who has provided and continues to provide all our needs. In Psalm 5:3 we read, “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” What a wonderful expression of dependence on God. We seek Him in relationship and in doing so we express our dependence on God.

II Chronicles 7:14 is a key verse on prayer. It was given to the people by God when Solomon completed the temple in Jerusalem and dedicated it to God. God promised the people, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

This is a significant and important reason to pray. It keeps us in a relationship with God in which we recognize who He is and who we are in relationship to Him. It keeps us humble and dependent.

God Invites Us to Pray

But some people are tempted to end the discussion on prayer at this point. It is important that we pray in order to keep a relationship with God, but some are tempted to suggest that that is all that prayer does. Prayer changes us, it has an impact on us, but it doesn’t change anything else. But the Bible does not support that kind of thinking. Prayer is important as a way of keeping relationship, but it is also important because it is effective. James 5:16 tells us, “…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

The Call to Prayer

This is where the crunch comes. I wonder if we are truly convinced of this. If we were, wouldn’t we pray more? Why pray? Because God has invited us to pray and commands us to pray!

I Thessalonians 5:17 commands, “pray continually.”

Ephesians 6:18 gives a detailed and significant call to prayer when it says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” There is much in these verses on prayer. The call is extensive in that we are called to pray “on all occasions” with “all kinds of prayers” and “for all the saints.” We are to pray “in the Spirit.” But we must note above all that we are commanded to pray!

Jesus Himself calls us to pray in Luke 18:1 where He says, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” This call to prayer comes directly from Jesus and therefore is a strong encouragement to keep on praying.

We see a great example of prayer in the life of Abraham. He had been told by the angel of the Lord that Sodom was going to be destroyed because of the wickedness of that city. This touched Abraham because his nephew Lot lived in Sodom, so Abraham began to pray. He asked God, with humility and yet urgency if the city would be destroyed if there were righteous people in it. He persisted in prayer and was able to gain the release of Lot from the wicked city before it was destroyed.

Hebrews 4:16 urges us, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Follow Jesus’ Example

I mentioned earlier that Jesus had a great intimacy with the Father. He knew the Father well. We also know that Jesus had great power. Yet we see in Jesus life that he not only prayed in relationship with the Father, but also asked for specific things.

In Matthew 19:13 He prayed for the children. He prayed when Lazarus was raised from the dead in John 11:41. In Luke 22:32 he prayed for Peter when he knew he would be tempted. He asked God to forgive those who crucified him in Luke 23:34. The whole of John 17 is the prayer of Jesus for his disciples. He prayed about his impending death on the cross in Matthew 26:36ff in the garden of Gethsemane.

These were more than prayers of relationship. They were prayers of petition for specific situations. Now if Jesus prayed and asked God for things and if prayer was such an important part of His life, even though He was God and was in such a close relationship with God, doesn’t that show us how important it is for us to pray as well?

Call to Prayer for…

The Bible invites us to pray for many things and we have numerous examples of the kinds of things we should pray for.

James 5:14-16 is an invitation to pray for healing. Probably the most common request for prayer we hear expressed in the church is prayer for healing. Most of us have been affected by illness and often we desperately need God to act in order to help us during times of illness. The pattern in James 5:14-16 is very clear. If a person is sick, they should call for the elders who will come and pray and anoint with oil. We have done this numerous times in this congregation and I would encourage you to continue to make these requests. We as church leaders are glad to come and serve in this way. Of course, it is not the only way to pray for healing.

Earlier we looked at Ephesians 6:18 where Pauls instructs the Ephesians to pray. He also makes a request for them to pray regarding his ministry. He asks, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Prayer is a significant part of the work of proclaiming the gospel. Paul invites prayer for open doors, for courage and for words to speak. I think that the request made by missionaries most often is a request for prayer for their work. When I went to visit our missionaries in Paraguay, it became clearer to me that the work of prayer for missions is very important. Let us keep on praying diligently for those who are serving God.

There is also a call to pray for those who have sinned in I John 5:16 where we read, “If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life.” This is a command to pray for all those who are believers, who are living in sin. Let us keep praying for them that they will come to repentance and restoration.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians in Ephesians 3:16-19 is a great example of a prayer which seeks God for the spiritual wellbeing of other believers. It says, “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

These are battle prayers and an important part of the victory of God’s kingdom on earth and we need to be diligent in this battle in prayer.

Closet Prayer and Community Prayer

We know all of these things and we do pray for them, but often our prayer is on our own and I know that there are some people who believe that prayer should be a very private thing. We pray at home, but we are reluctant to join others in prayer or to come to a prayer meeting. The Bible affirms that we must pray on our own, but also in community.

Jesus encourages “closet” prayer as an expression of humility. In Matthew 6:5, 6, Jesus warns about making prayer a show when he says, “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. 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.”

But as we read this warning, we need to understand that Jesus is not telling us not to pray in community. What He is saying is that our prayers are not to be for show, but he is not saying that we are only to pray alone.

When you examine the book of Acts, you see how many times the early church prayed in community. Following Peter and John’s release from prison, we read in Acts 4:24, “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.” Jesus himself encourages us in Matthew 18:19, 20, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ^20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” William Barclay writes, “…we are meant to pray as members of a fellowship.”

Conclusion

Why pray? I admit that it is a little hard to come up with a clear answer. If God is sovereign and knows what we need, why do we have to ask Him? If it is not necessary to persuade God or give Him permission, what power do we have in prayer? The answer which satisfies me most is that there is mystery but there must be obedience. The reasons why we must pray are a mystery to me but I can live with this mystery because the call to prayer is very clear.

There are two things which will motivate us to engage deeply in prayer. One is if we are desperate. Not long ago someone asked a few people to pray about a desperate situation. Very quickly the situation was significantly improved and the person who asked for prayer commented, “Why didn’t I ask for prayer sooner?” Many have discovered in their desperation the wonderful blessing of how God answers prayer.

The other thing which will motivate us in prayer is when we recognize that it is important. We can think of many earthly examples of things we do because we know they are important - we change the oil in our vehicles, we remember to shut off the stove, we lock our doors when we park somewhere in the city. When we know that prayer is important, we will pray. I hope that the verses we have looked at this morning will persuade us of the importance of prayer.

But we can’t say we believe in prayer if we don’t pray. So let us make prayer more of a priority in our life. Let us pray diligently in our closet. Let us gather to pray in community. I would invite many to make use of the prayer room, either on Sunday morning or even during the week. We have a prayer team which receives a prayer letter of current prayer items every week. I would invite others to make use of this opportunity. Just ask me and you also will receive the letter.

Prayer is work and I would encourage all of us to be diligent and faithful in the work of prayer to which God has called us.

Christ Lives In Me

Galatians 2:20

Introduction

I know that a number of you are interested in bird watching. One of the enjoyable things about it is identifying different birds. When you become familiar with them, they become quite easy to identify by their size, shape, flight pattern, coloring and song. However, some birds are very similar and it takes a careful look to see what they really are. The Eastern and Western Meadowlark are very close in size, shape, flight pattern and even coloring. You have to look very closely to distinguish them. Their call, however, is quite different and when you hear it there is no confusion.

How do you identify a Christian? People in other parts of the world believe that Canadians and Americans are Christian because they perceive our country to be a Christian country, but is that an adequate way to identify a Christian? Some might suggest that most people in Rosenort are Christians because most of them belong to one of the four churches. Is that an adequate identity? Does keeping a certain code of conduct identify you as a Christian? Does attending a church identify you as a Christian? Do the friendships you have identify you as a Christian? Does your family background identify you as a Christian? How do we identify a Christian so that there is no confusion?

Galatians 2:20 helps us think clearly about this. There we read, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

This verse says some very important things about what it means to be a Christian. It acknowledges that a Christian is one who is still living on this earth. A Christian has not gone to heaven or isolated him or herself from the world. A Christian life is referred to as “the life I live in the body.” As Christians, we are human, we live in this world and we live in a physical body.

However, as Christians we also have another very important identity which really marks a person as being Christian. This verse indicates Paul’s testimony about what it means to be a Christian. He says, “I have been crucified with Christ” “I no longer live” and “Christ lives in me.” A Christian is one who has died and in whom Christ lives. To be identified as a Christian is not to be baptized, although baptism is a good way to make a statement about whose we are. To be identified as a Christian is not to live in obedience to some code, although those who belong to Christ will live by obedience. To be identified as a Christian has absolutely nothing to do with who your parents are or what they believe. There is only one thing about which there is no confusion, which identifies you as a Christian and that is that Jesus Christ lives in you. A Christian is one who lives by faith in a relationship with the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

John Piper says, “A Christian is not a person who believes in his head the teachings of the Bible. Satan believes in his head the teachings of the Bible! A Christian is a person who has died with Christ, whose stiff neck has been broken, whose brazen forehead has been shattered, whose stony heart has been crushed, whose pride has been slain, and whose life is now mastered by Jesus Christ.”

The glory of this is that we do not enter into such a relationship by our good will and steadfast purpose, but by a faith response to the one who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Being “Christian” equals “Christ lives in me” and this morning, I would like to invite you to look at Scripture to think about what kind of a life that is. If Christ lives in us, how is that life lived?

Living with Direction

A life lived in Christ is a life lived in a very particular direction. It is a life lived in obedience to Christ in every part of life and a life lived in service to God. The direction of a life lived in Christ is a direction of obedience. It is very clear from Scripture that we cannot climb to God by obedience. Piper suggest that obedience is like a railway track not like a ladder. A ladder lets us climb up to some place. Obedience is not a ladder which will let us climb up to God. Rather, it is like a railway track. When Christ is in us, we are set on a particular track and that is the track of obedience to Christ. When Christ lives in a person, their heart is changed so that they do what Christ would do. They begin to live a life of obedience in purity, obedience in love and obedience in service.

Scripture is powerfully clear on this matter. Romans 6:4-6 says, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin...”

Romans 6:13 goes on to say, “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.”

Galatians 5:24 encourages us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

Titus 2:14 also teaches us that Jesus, “…gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

John Piper says, “There is a new "I"—I do still live, but look who it is. It is no longer an "I" who craves self-reliance or self-confidence or self-direction or self-exaltation. The new "I" looks away from itself and trusts in the Son of God, whose love and power was proved at Calvary. From the moment you wake in the morning till the moment you fall asleep at night, the new "I" of faith despairs of itself and looks to Christ for protection and the motivation, courage, direction, and enablement to walk in joy and peace and righteousness. What a great way to live!”

Reflecting on Galatians 2:20, Donald Guthrie says, “Paul thinks of himself as having become so closely identified with Christ that Christ dominates his whole experience.“…he thinks no longer of carnal living pursuing the desires and impulses of the self, but a new kind of living, a faith life.”

The question is, “do we live it?” Are we living in obedience to Christ? Do we examine our whole life and always think in terms being “in Christ” whether we are working or playing or relating to others?

Living in Christ involves obedience.

Living with Power

That is a perspective of the Christian life that we are familiar with and agree with as Mennonites, but is it the only aspect of what it means to be in Christ? There are churches which are known as “Full Gospel” churches. The implication of the name of these churches is that other churches are missing something and that they have the full gospel. Is it possible that we are missing something of what it means to be in Christ if we only describe the “in Christ” life as life with a direction of obedience and service? What else could there be? Pentecostals have taught us that living in Christ is living in the power of the Spirit.

We should be careful not to dismiss this by suggesting that it is a Pentecostal emphasis, because it is a Biblical idea. Romans is very clear that we cannot live the Christian life in the power that comes from our own determination. Romans 8:3, 4 says, “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

Being in Christ must be about living in the power of the Spirit. Christ came in order to make the way for us to have our sins forgiven. In doing so, He made our lives a holy receptacle for God to live in. In the Old Testament God taught His people to build a place for Him to live. In the wilderness at Mount Sinai God showed them the pattern for the tent. When the building was completed, it was cleansed. The priests sacrificed lambs in order to atone for the sins of the people and to cleanse the temple and when that was done, the pillar of cloud which had accompanied them came to rest on the tent of meeting and from that point on the people knew that God was in that tent and thus in their presence. When Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem and the building was completed he called on the priests to cleanse the temple and they offered sacrifices to remove the sins of the priests, of the people and to cleanse the building. When that had been completed, there was a cloud which enveloped the temple and it was clear that God came to dwell in that temple. The pattern has been repeated in us. Jesus came to earth to cleanse unclean human vessels. It was not the blood of a lamb which was shed to cleanse people, but the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who have accepted that cleansing are now fit vessels for the indwelling of God Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit.

Living in Christ ushers us into the blessed privilege of living in the Spirit’s power. The power of the Spirit of God is present with us to help us remain in Christ, to help us walk in Christ and to help us proclaim Christ. We do not live in our own power, but in the power of the Spirit of God.

Living in Christ involves surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit!

Living with a Message

But is that the “full” gospel? As an Evangelical Mennonite Church, we also identify ourselves as evangelicals. The root of the word “evangelical” is Greek and means “good message.” The “ev” part of the word is from the Greek word for “good.” The “angelical” part of the word is from the Greek word which means “message.” To be evangelical means that we have a good message, a gospel to proclaim.

The Bible teaches us that to be in Christ means that we have a message to proclaim. II Corinthians 4:11 says, “For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.” The purpose of our living, of our being in Christ is so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal body. Colossians 1:27 also reminds us that “...God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

I was involved in a conversation about this recently. One person was reflecting on what would happen if a medical researcher discovered a cure for cancer and decided that he would not share the cure with others. We would think such a person to be very selfish, perhaps even evil. So many people are dying of cancer that to withhold the knowledge of the cure of cancer from them would be a terrible thing. They went on to say that we as Christians know of the cure of a disease far worse than cancer. The disease of sin does not just afflict a certain percentage of the population, as cancer does. It afflicts every single person living on this earth. It is a disease which is far worse than cancer. The effects of sin destroy not only the body, but cause terrible suffering for all people on earth. A person ravaged by sin can be totally healthy physically, but in terrible spiritual anguish. But sin does not only destroy a person spiritually, it also destroys people relationally and physically. When a person dies, cancer is finally not a problem to them. The consequences of sin, however, if left untreated, do not stop when a person dies. The consequences of sin afflict a person for all eternity. There is no disease which is as bad as the evil of sin in our hearts. As Christians, we know the cure for this disease and if Christ is in us how can we not be involved in communicating the good news of the cure for sin to all those we come in contact with.

When Christ is in us, it is not only this logical perspective which will move us to be involved in proclaiming the gospel. It is rather the very presence of Christ in us which will move us to let others know of His great gift. It is “Christ in us” which is “the hope of glory.” When Christ is in us, it will be, as II Corinthians 5:14 says, “the love of Christ compels us.” When we know that we have been redeemed and forgiven and been set on the course of a new life, the very presence of Christ within us moves us to make His love and truth known to the world.

Living in Christ involves being involved in proclaiming the good news!

Living in a Presence

From Mennonites we have learned that being in Christ requires a direction of obedience and service. From Pentecostals we have learned that being in Christ means living in the power of the Spirit. From Evangelicals we have learned that all who are in Christ will proclaim the good news about Christ. In recent years there has been a new church movement which has arisen. It is sometimes known as the emerging church movement. Although it is not any particular church or denomination and it is a little difficult to know exactly what is to be identified as “emerging church,” books like “Blue Like Jazz” which are written in the emerging church context help us understand another aspect of what it means to be in Christ. The emerging church seeks to live honestly in the context of a world in which relativism reigns and in which organized religion is often suspect. It recognizes that it will be increasingly difficult to make the gospel known to this culture by inviting them to church. They understand that the only thing that will convince people in our culture of the good news is the presence of Jesus in the life of those who follow Him. What they are teaching us is that being in Christ involves a relationship with Christ that is living and active and present with us every day.

This is, of course, not a new idea, nor simply a modern concept. It is thoroughly rooted in Scripture. John 6:57 is powerful when it reminds us of the words of Jesus who said, “Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” This tells us that it is by “feeding” on Jesus that we will be able to live in Him. “Feeding on Jesus” means remaining in a relationship with Him through reading His word, listening to Him and communicating with Him. Galatians 3:27 teaches us that “…all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” The imagery of clothing implies a close identity. It implies a constant relationship with Christ. The same message comes from 1 Thessalonians 5:10 where we read, “He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” So what this tells us is that the Christian life is a life lived in a constant, daily relationship with Jesus Christ. Wherever we go, whatever we do, whoever we meet, we are always functioning in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Living in Christ is living in relationship with Christ.

All of the Above

One of the ways in which teachers test to see whether their students have understood the material they have taught is to give them a multiple choice test. A question will be asked and a number of possible answers will be given and the student has to check which ones are correct.

If we were to give a multiple choice test on today’s message, and ask the question, “What does it mean to be in Christ?” and give the four choices: a. It means to have a direction of obedience and service in life. b. It means to live in the power of the Spirit c. It means to be involved in proclaiming the gospel or d. It means to live in a relationship with Jesus; how would you answer?

Or would we have to do what teachers often do, and that is offer a fifth option, e. all of the above? Because they are so fully described in Scripture we know that the answer to this question is e. all of the above. To be a Christian is to be in Christ and to be in Christ means that our lives will be directed to living in obedience and service, it means that we will live by the power of the Spirit, it means that we will proclaim the good news about Christ and it means that we will live in a daily, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

That we can divide this concept up so much when we agree that it must mean all of the above and can even identify denominations which emphasize one or the other suggests that these things can also be fragmented in our lives. It causes us to ask: Which piece is weak or missing in your life?

II Corinthians 13:5 invites us, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” This verse gets right to the heart of the matter, “Christ Jesus is in you.” That is what being a Christian is all about. But this verse also invites us to see if that is true when it suggests, “unless, of course, you fail the test.” How do we evaluate our lives? By examining our lives according to the things we have looked at today. If we desire to obey and serve Him, if we submit to the power of the Spirit, if we have a passion to see others know Jesus and if we rejoice in a relationship with Jesus, then we know that Christ is in us.

There are some who attend church regularly and who live pretty decent lives who think that Christianity is about making a decision and having assurance of eternal life. I want to assure you that it is. But it is also about living “in Christ” every day. If the extent of our faith is hope for eternity, we have not really understood what it means to be Christian. Eternal life is life in the presence of God and that eternal life begins now. Christ living in us is what identifies us as Christians.

I would challenge all of us to take the test mentioned in II Corinthians 13:5. Living in Christ means all of the above. When Christ is in us, such a life is possible. Philippians 4:13 encourages us, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

May we live in Christ!

You Alone, O Lord!

Psalm 4

Introduction

I believe in God, but there are some uncomfortable realities in my life that might cause one to question whether I really do believe. A few weeks ago I had something that was really bothering me and I was so restless because of it that I hardly slept at all that night. I got maybe 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I know I am not alone because others have confessed to me that they sometimes have the same struggles to sleep. If I believe in God, why can’t I trust Him and fall peacefully asleep? I pray often, but many times I wrestle to pray. I ask myself, “Why pray?” When I pray it is a struggle to have confidence that God is really hearing my prayer. I feel as if I am working mightily to address a reluctant sovereign. How can I say that I believe in God when my praying is such a struggle? There are times when all I see is trouble and I wonder if God is active at all. I question whether God has done anything. I wonder where the miracles I read about in the Bible or in other stories are today. How can I say that I believe in God when I don’t see Him at work?

Sometimes these feelings are intense and other times I have hope and encouragement. Am I alone or are there others here who feel the same way and experience the same things?

Psalm 4 reflects this turmoil, but also suggests a path to peace. Let me read the Psalm for you.

Many writers identify this as a companion to Psalm 3 and suggest that Psalm 3 is a morning Psalm, whereas Psalm 4 is an evening Psalm. In Psalm 3 we read, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again…” In Psalm 4 we read, “I will lie down and sleep in peace…” As an evening Psalm, it provides great comfort in directing us to hope in God as we end the day, perhaps with turmoil in our hearts.

It is a little difficult to outline the Psalm and most writers admit that there is no clear outline. One thing that happens in this Psalm is that there are repeated words and it seems that these repeated words provide us with a picture of turmoil, a path out of turmoil and a picture of peace. In verses 1 & 3 we have the word “call.” In verses 4 & 8 we have the concepts of “being on our beds” and “sleep.” In verses 6, 7 we have the concepts of “good” and “abound.” These three words help us find peace in the turmoil of unanswered prayer, peace in the turmoil of sleeplessness and peace in the turmoil of hopelessness. Craigie says, ““…however strong the accuser or oppressor may be, ultimately it is only God who matters. And however deep the anguish and uncertainty may be, God can provide that inner peace which makes sleep possible.” This is the outline I would like to follow.

Let us read the Psalm together out loud and then think about these there concepts.

Turmoil of Unanswered Prayer

The Turmoil

The first verse speaks of the turmoil of prayer. We see in this verse an expression of the wrestling which prayer often is and we hear the longing in it. In it we find four expressions of asking – “answer me,” “give me relief,” “be merciful to me” and “hear my prayer.” The first expression is, “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.” Here we find an appeal to God’s character, hoping that in His righteousness, God will answer. We see in this appeal a wrestling, a desire for God to answer prayer.

The second phrase is better translated, “make room in my distress.” The actual Hebrew word is “room” and is a much more vibrant picture than the word “relief” which we find in NIV. It indicates that the writer feels trapped by his circumstances and wants some space. The picture reminds me of the scene in one of the Star Wars movies when Princess Leah, Han Solo, Luke and Chewbaca find themselves in the garbage bin of the enemy spaceship and the walls start moving in to crush the garbage. Have you ever had prayers at times like that? They also represent a wrestling.

The next phrase recognizes that it is only by the mercy of God that we have any hope at all.

The final prayer is a request that God will hear the prayer of the one praying. The whole verse seems to me to represent a struggle in prayer. We know that we can go to God, we know that He hears prayer, we know that He is righteous and merciful; but in the time of prayer we are often just struggling to be heard, struggling to even know that God will answer.

The Path

How do we find a path from that turmoil of prayer to the peace of knowing that God will answer?

The second and third verses give us that path.

It is a little hard to know how to understand the direction of Psalm 4:2. I read two quite different interpretations. One interpretation was that this is the Psalmist speaking to his enemies and questioning their motives and actions. Another writer came at this from the perspective that this is God speaking to the Psalmist showing him the path to peace. I am taking it from that perspective.

Even though we may believe in God, we will not have confidence that He answers prayer if we engage in the actions mentioned in this verse.

First of all, we will not find peace if we turn His glory into shame. How do we turn His glory into shame? We do so if we treat Him with contempt and if we don’t recognize how glorious He is. God is creator and redeemer and if we diminish that hope in Him, we turn His glory into shame. If we forget that He is the ultimate and only one who can really bring relief and help we reject His glory

How often, instead of recognizing God’s glory, we “love delusions.” Another way to translate this is to speak of “loving emptiness.” In II Chronicles 28:16 it says that “At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help.” How often we go for help to that which cannot deliver. We find relief in a bottle or in a wrong relationship, or in spending money or in some other way. We try to make room for ourselves instead of asking God to make room for us. We will not trust Him if we love emptiness. I know exactly how I do that. Instead of praying, I talk to a friend. Instead of asking God, I search for answers within my own mind.

The third way in which we often look for help is in seeking what is false. NIV has “false gods” and that certainly was one way in which the ancients did it. The same King Ahaz who went to foreign leaders for help also went to false gods for help. In II Chronicles 28:22 we read, “In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus.” The margin note on Psalm 4:2, however, shows us that the word “gods” is not in the original and so this is only one interpretation. The accurate translation is “seek lies.” How do we seek lies? How many of us believe lies in order to find relief from a situation? Last week Bryan talked about pornography. How many men believe the lie that pornography will give them fulfillment? How many women believe the lie that they are only worthy or attractive if they have a perfect body (whatever that is). How many of us believe the lie that if only we had a better job, or lived in a different place we would be happier.

As long as we turn God’s glory into shame, or love emptiness or seek lies we will not have the confidence that God is hearing and answering our prayers. The first step to peace about answered prayer is confession that we do seek help from other places than God.

The second step to peace about answered prayer is acknowledging the promise found in the first part of Psalm 4:3 and that is to “know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself.” When we have the confidence that God loves us, what a difference that makes! This verse gives us so much hope and encouragement. It tells us that God has taken the initiative to redeem us. When we come to God in prayer, we are not emerging from the darkness by our effort to look for the light that is at the end of the tunnel. We are responding to the one who has called us and redeemed us and who already cared for us before the world began.

The words “set apart” are loaded with wonderful promise about what God has done for us. We are not ordinary people who live without hope. We have been called children of God. God has set us apart for Himself. Those whom He has called, who have responded to His call have a special place not only in relationship with God, but in the entire universe. The church, the people of God, are the most important people in the world because of the special relationship they have with the living God who is the creator of the universe.

The Peace

If we reject the path of delusion and know that we are set apart, we will have the great confidence expressed in the second part of Psalm 4:3. We will know that “the Lord will hear when I call to Him.”

This is confidence! This is peace!

Is the answer not apparent right now? That is OK because “the Lord will hear.” Does no answer present itself before our minds? That is OK because “the Lord will hear.”

Turmoil of Sleeplessness

The next section is connected by the mention in verse 4 about “when you are on your beds” and verse 8 which says, “I will lie down and sleep in peace.” It invites us to think about the peace which is possible in the turmoil of our sleeplessness.

The Turmoil

Having already embarked on interpreting “O men” in verse 2 as referring to God’s address to the Psalmist, we will continue in consistency with that approach by looking at verse 4 as the turmoil which so often comes to us when we should be sleeping.

Although this looks like a wisdom saying about how to deal with anger and it could well be, I also noticed that it could be read as a reflection of the restlessness which is so often a problem when anger or difficulty are in our mind. The phrase, “when you are on your beds, search your hearts” seems to me to express that turmoil so well. The Hebrew could be translated “speak in your hearts” which expresses that feeling as well.

The Psalmist is so real. For me it happens this way. If the turmoil in my mind is intense when I go to bed, I will have difficulty falling asleep. When the turmoil in my mind is just in the background and I am tired, I will fall asleep well, but about 3 or 4 hours later, it will push to the surface at a time when I am not in a deep sleep anymore. Once the thoughts have pushed to the surface, they are hard to stop and I usually mull things over for quite a while. Sometimes it is anger that boils in my mind as I lie awake. Sometimes it is frustration or puzzlement. Whatever it is, I am not asleep when I should be asleep. I find that I “search my heart and am silent” because I cannot fix what is bothering me. The question I often ask myself is why don’t I just fall asleep and solve this thing in the morning, when I am fresh and alert and can actually do something about it, but the sleeplessness continues. When I have had one of those nights, in the morning, the sheet on my bed is often not in place anymore because of all the tossing and turning.

I have talked to enough people to know that I am not alone in this turmoil.

The Path

What is the path away from such sleeplessness?

Verse 5 answers that question when it says, simply put, trust and obey.

A better translation for the phrase “offer right sacrifices” would be “offer sacrifices of righteousness.” This means that we are to offer a sacrifice of obedience to God. In the Old Testament, people showed their obedience to God by offering animals for sacrifice. But God told them it wasn’t sacrifices he wanted, but their hearts. It was possible to bring a lamb every year and not be faithful to God. So also it is possible for us to obey a set of rules and not really be in tune with God. The phrase “sacrifices of righteousness” reminds us that it isn’t only a sacrifice, but a sacrifice of righteousness that God desires. It isn’t only obedience to rules that God wants. God desires our hearts, which means that we obey Him, but even more that we seek Him. If we are wrestling on our beds at night, it may well be that we are not offering sacrifices of righteousness. It may be that we are not obeying what we know to be God’s will. It may be that we are not seeking Him and really desiring to follow God. If we are doing Christianity as a religion not a relationship it is no wonder that we are then tossing and turning at night.

The other path to peace at night is trust. Sometimes the turmoil at night comes from fear. We don’t know what will happen: what will happen to us or what others will do to us. We are filled with questions and doubt. But when we trust God, when we know that He is the eternal God who has redeemed us, who has, as verse 3 said, “set apart the godly for himself” then we can put our trust in Him. If we trust then the unknown and fearful future cannot disturb us.

I have heard people say that if we are awake there is only one of two reasons. Either God wants us awake because He wants us to pray about something or He wants to tell me something; or we am not putting our trust in Him. So when I am awake, I try, and I don’t say that I am always successful; but I try to listen to God, to pray about what comes into my mind and to remember all that God has done for me. Often, as I do this, sleep returns quickly, or I am able to spend a meaningful time with God in worship or discovery.

The Peace

If we follow this path, then we will have the experience of verse 8. “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

I have sometimes thought about who wrote this Psalm and how personally and powerfully he must have experienced this truth. I think David didn’t come to this place of peace easily or quickly. I suspect that he knew what it meant to lie awake at night. But I also think that David learned how to trust and find the peace of restful sleep. When he was tending sheep, he was aware that he alone could protect the sheep from the wild animals. What turmoil that would be. Yet he was able to sleep peacefully knowing the Shepherd’s care of him. When he was sleeping on the ground in the presence of his enemies, he was able to sleep because he was able to trust that he was being guarded by God Himself. That is why he was able to write, “You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” He had discovered how in the turmoil of sleeplessness, he was able to “sleep in peace.”

Spurgeon wrote, “They slumber sweetly whom faith rocks to sleep.”

Turmoil of Hopelessness

The final sets of words are “good” in verse 6 and “abound” in verse 7.

The Turmoil

Once again we have the expression of turmoil in the question, “Who can show us any good?” The Psalmist declares that many are asking this question.

Many still are asking this question and we ourselves often also ask this question. The question reflects the turmoil of hopelessness and how often Satan tempts us with this turmoil! “Where is God?” he questions. “When has God ever done anything?” “Sure, in the Bible he did amazing miracles, but when was the last time you ever saw anyone come to church, ask for healing and walk home whole?

As we ask these questions, we discourage one another. We hear someone ask, “Does God do anything?” and we realize, “O, I am not the only one who doubts that God is active.”

Sometimes we find that the difficulty in life is urgent and we repeatedly ask God to act, but we find that nothing is happening.

This is the turmoil of hopelessness which we all wrestle with at times. How difficult it is for us to live with this turmoil and how real it is in our life.

The Path

What is the path away from this turmoil? The answer is God. The Psalmist writes, “Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.” In this phrase the blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 is recalled. There we read the Aaronic blessing which Moses taught the priests to speak to the people and which we still use as a blessing, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” It is a reminder that God is active.

He goes on to write, “You have…” This once again points to God who has acted. When accosted by these temptations to doubt the acts of God’s goodness, we need to turn our face to Him once again and seek Him. Do not give up! Remember the people mentioned in Hebrews who were faithful even though they went through their entire life without seeing the answer to their prayers! Remember the call in Revelation to be overcomers! When beaten down by the turmoil of hopelessness, remember all the things which God has already done. Remember your place as His child in His kingdom. Remember His sacrifice on the cross. Remember His wonderful gift of a world which He continues to sustain.

This is not a path in the sense that if we look to God, He will change His mind and act. It is a path rather in the sense that He is the one whose gracious face does shine upon us and sometimes we just have to remember, to see, to persevere, to wait and to endure.

The Peace

As we persevere and as we look to God, God does answer. The assurance to the turmoil of hopelessness is the promise, “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.”

The joy of harvest in is a great joy. Few people walk from the garden with a basketful of tomatoes without a great smile on their face. When the lid is shut on the last bin in harvest season and the combine is cleaned up and put away there is a smile on the farmer’s face. But Spurgeon says, “’Thou art with me’, is a far more blessed cry than ‘harvest home.’” “Christ in the heart is better than corn in the barn or wine in the vat. Corn and wine are but fruits of the world, but the light of God’s countenance is the ripe fruit of heaven.”

There was one day this week when I was wrestling with turmoil. I lost some sleep, I was wrestling in prayer and I was in turmoil wondering if God was really going to act. Then the morning when these feelings were most intense, I got a phone call from a friend. He was coming by and wondered if I had time to talk. He came and we had a great hour long conversation. He gave me some resources to help me. He encouraged me, prayed with me and the hope was restored. Before that I felt as if my heart was taken away, but after that I felt that my heart was restored once again. Joy that had dissipated was restored. I told him that he was God’s voice to me that morning.

That is what God does. The joy he gives is a great joy and the hope he gives is a certain hope.

Conclusion

I believe in God and…God shows Himself faithful.

This Psalm is real. It acknowledges our turmoil. I am so thankful that the Word of God knows how it is on this sin soaked soil and in this heart of mine. But I am also thankful that God is here, that He came to live on this soil, that He continues to relate to those who live on this soil and that He gives peace in our struggle with prayer, peace in our sleeplessness and peace in our hopelessness.

Let us give up loving delusions and seeking lies. Let us obey Him and trust Him and look to Him and find this peace.