sermon 2009/3/8

SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 6:5-9
SERMON: When You Pray
講道題目: 你们祷告的时候
Lent is the time for praying and fasting. We often want to ask why praying? Why fasting? Jesus never answered the question why but always answered the question when. Jesus often says when you pray…when you fast… That means praying and fasting are not questions of should we? Or would we? But they are questions of how we can do praying and fasting when we try.
I. We pray because we cannot help to do otherwise. We have a basic need as real as our need for food. Not to eat is silly. It is likewise silly not to pray, for as Jesus said, “Man does not live by bread alone” (Matt. 4:4). We never forget to eat when it is time to eat. But we often forget to pray when it is time to pray. Fasting is a way to remind us, do we yearn for praying as much as we yearn for food? If so we would easily skip one meal time and devote it to praying. No one can keep himself from the innate longing to be in touch with God, to know him to be close to him, and to seek to do His will. God searches us out; he yearns for us as we yearn for him.
II. Jesus’ disciples made the simple request, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). That is our plea too. Jesus leads us into the wonder of prayer, ever deepening, ever widening, ever growing as we persist and as we mature. Childish prayers are a good beginning, but as grown-ups we should know how to pray as mature men and women, never satisfied with merely asking for favours. We are content only when we can offer our total selves to God as a living sacrifice. This we do, first, through prayer, and secondly, we follow up our prayer with effective action.
III. Prayer is not an option in life. Prayer is not a panic button to press only when in extreme trouble. Prayer is conversation with God, presenting ourselves honestly before God. Prayer is listening as we hear what God wants to tell us. Prayer is practicing the presence of God in every moment.
(a) Jesus revealed that God is a loving friend as well as eternal judge. So prayer should be as easy and as natural and as irresistible as conversation with a friend whom one knows and trusts.
(b) One can pray anywhere and at any time, but it is only in the fellowship of faith that we hear God’s Word and respond to God’s initial acts of undeserved kindness. We Christians are protected from our whims of devotion by regular worship through the life of the church.
IV. There is much about prayer that we do not understand. Most puzzling is the question many people ask, “Why are my prayers not answered?” We dare not assume that there is only one answer to prayer, the answer we want to hear. God does not always deal with us that way. Nor do we give our children everything they ask for. Sometimes we must say “No.” Sometimes we must say, “Perhaps later, but not yet.” I believe that God does answer our every prayer, though it may not be in the way we expect or desire.
V. Surely God must yearn for conversation with us not only when we ask him for the necessities of life but also when we are thankful, when we are joyous, when we are filled with adoration and praise, and often when we must say we are sorry.
(a) The best way I know to begin to grow in the life of prayer is to pray for someone in particular who needs help. Pray for the sick, the afflicted, the troubled and the lonely. Quickly you will see how blessed, how fortunate you must be by comparison and how much more appropriate is your prayer of thanksgiving rather than one more request for yourself.
(b) It has been said that anyone who spends more time before a mirror than he spends on his knees in prayer is in love with himself. And that is a rejection of what the Christian religion is all about. The complication and troubles of life begin to get sorted out and straightened out when we can put God first, others second, and ourselves last.
This is not easy. But we can try. Here’s a good suggestion. 2009 Joint Mandarin Devotional Meeting will be held April 24-26 (Friday to Sunday) evenings 7:30 pm at the Emmanuel Alliance Church Ottawa. Theme title: “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed.” Theme speaker Rev. Felix Lau encourages us to enter into a program of fasting and praying relay which last 40 days starting from March 15 and ending on April 23. You can fast one meal per week. With another 20 people signing up one form we will cover every meal with a person praying and fasting for the devotional meeting. Please pray for personal need, church revival, families, seekers to the faith and all others that have specific needs when you fast. Please come to me after service for the sign up sheet. Amen
Sermon Synopsis:
Praying and fasting are not options but imperatives in this time of Lent.
I. We pray and fast because we cannot help to do otherwise.
II. We are content only when we can offer our total selves to God as a living sacrifice.
III. Prayer is practicing the presence of God in every moment.
IV. God does answer our every prayer, though it may not be in the way we expect or desire.
V. The complication and troubles of life begin to get sorted out and straightened out when we can put God first, others second, and ourselves last.
Let us enter into a program of fasting and praying relay which last 40 days starting from March 15 and ending on April 23. You can fast one meal per week. Please come to me for the sign up sheet.
讲道大纲
祷告和禁食是大斎节所强调，我们所须要做的事：
甲．我们祈祷禁食因为我们别无他法。
乙．我们心里没有满足除非我们把自己献上当作活祭。
丙．祷告是每时每刻与上帝同行。
丁．上帝必听祷告，虽然祂的答案不一定是我们想要的答案。
戊．我们的问题必得解决，如果我们把神放在第一，人第二，自己第三。
让我们实践一个40天连锁接力禁食祷告的活动。你可以一周禁食一餐，加上其他弟兄姊妹的努力，每天每餐都有人为培灵会祷告了。请向我索取签名表格。
Pastoral Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, you fasted and prayed forty days in the wilderness, teach us how to pray in this time of Lent.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We draw near to you with all holy reverence and confidence, coming as children to a father able and ready to help us as we pray together and for others. Enable us and others to glorify you in all that we do as we live and work in the creation that displays your power and mercy, and be pleased to dispose all things to your own glory.
Your kingdom come. We pray that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it, and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.
Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. We pray that you, by your grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to your will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. We pray that of your free gift we may receive a sufficient portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy your blessing with them.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. We pray that you, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins—and we are encouraged to ask this because by your grace we are able from the heart to forgive others.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. We pray that you would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.
We pray for our parish concerns. As the 2009 Joint Mandarin Devotional Meeting will be held April 24-26 with entitled: “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed” help us to enter into a program of fasting and praying relay starting from March 15 and ending on April 23. Encourage us to fast at least one meal per week. While we fast inspire us to pray for personal need, for church revival, for families, for seekers to the faith and all others that have specific needs.
We pray for our parishioners. We thank you for looking after Lin Li Ru during the past months when she is recuperating from her heart condition. We thank you for keeping Lai Wei Chee and her husband Richard healthy and strong and that they are starting a restaurant business again in the spring. We thank you for watching over Joe Wong and his wife En Wei while they are having vacation in Hai Nan Dao for a month. We pray that you will watch over XuDunQi and his wife ZhengXingFei as they are leaving town with their son’s family for vacation for two weeks. We pray for Cui Guang Ming as he is doing some work in China now. We pray for his wife Ge Qin and son who are continuing to work and study in Canada. We continue to pray for Peter Lee as his Parkinson is giving him a hard time but is doing quit well lately.
We take our encouragement in prayer from you only, and in our prayers we praise you, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to you. Let us recite the Lord’s prayer now…
Amen.