Jan
23
Because Jesus prayed…
Filed Under Christian Living, Holy Spirit, Prayer, The Church | Leave a Comment
Jesus prayed: he prayed daily, he prayed in the synagogue, he prayed at some critical moments in his ministry. When I think of Jesus’ prayers, I recall a conversation with a Jehovah’s Witness nearly twenty years ago in which he tried to prove that Jesus was not fully God on the basis that God would not need to pray to God. I also think back to well-intentioned teachers who tried to motivate me to pray through the guilt of the ‘Jesus never missed a quiet time; what’s wrong with you?’ line of reasoning.
In spite of those memories, more and more I find that a satisfying and comforting answer to the question ‘Why pray?’ is the fact that Jesus prayed. The eternal Son of God, agent and sustainer of creation, felt a compelling need to pray!
When you piece together a picture of Jesus’ prayer life from the Gospels, you find just over a dozen specific prayers (mostly short utterances, John 17 being the exception), along with parables and teaching and comments about prayer. Five times the Gospels tell us that Jesus would go off by himself to pray.
Jesus’ prayer habits, and especially his turning to prayer in times of crisis and at key events (his Baptism, before choosing the Twelve, at the ‘Mount of Transfiguration’ incident, and in dark Gethsemane), suggest that he found rest, comfort, renewal, and strength from praying to his Father. After an exhausting day of preaching and dealing with people and their needs he would withdraw to an isolated place to pray. There he found something he needed when he was drained. I have food to eat that you know nothing about, he replied when his disciples expressed concern over his physical condition at such times.
Consider what we read about Jesus in Luke 6, when Jesus prayed all night before choosing twelve disciples in whom he would invest so much of his energies. “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles” (Luke 6:12). Actually, Luke’s account is the only example we have of Jesus praying all night. This apparently was not a habit. He slept as every other son of Adam sleeps, but here was a special occasion when he needed to go off alone to pray. He was the incarnation of the wisdom and power of God, but he needed to pray. He was about his Father’s business, but he needed to pray. He had no sin to confess, but he needed to pray. The Father delighted in him and the Spirit indwelt him, but he needed to pray. He had a lot to do, but he needed to pray. No matter how busy he was or how closely he walked with God there were times of prayer which he maintained.
This was a big moment; there were more than twelve from whom he could pick. The task called for power, illumination, guidance. Luke uses a simple phrase to describe Jesus’ intercession; ‘praying to God’, or literally ‘prayer of God’ (only Luke uses it and only on this occasion). Christ spent the night in the ‘prayer of God.’ In other words the emphasis was not on the night-long vigil so much as a praying of divine fellowship—an earnest concentration of heart and mind which was divinely sustained throughout the night. Twelve names were finally fastened on his heart and mind and he went forth that next morning and “called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve, designating them apostles” (v.13-14).
You would think he could say to God, “It’s OK; I can pick twelve–no problem.” Yet if even Jesus, before making such a great decision, needed to go aside and pray, then certainly we do. How can we with our uninformed insight, our own self-confidence, our own overrated abilities for handle life, come to any wise decision if we ignore prayer?
I want you to consider one more thing: how could this group of twelve constitute the answer to any prayer? We would expect the prayer and evaluation to result in an elite team of spiritual commandos fit for the mission. Instead we get a dirty dozen that includes the betrayer Judas, men on the opposite sides of the political spectrum (the Roman sympathizer Matthew and the ultra-right-wing conservative “Zealot” Simon), back-country fishermen (Peter, Andrew, James and John) and the others who do or say little that ever merits mention in the Gospels. More than that, these Twelve regularly disappoint their teacher and master with their cowardice, pettiness, feeble faith and outright stupidity.
This fact makes me hesitant to get so frustrated and put out with Jesus’ followers in my life. And, on the flip side, makes me aware that my wife prayed for a husband…and got me. My congregation prayed fervently over many months for a pastor…and got me. Jesus prayed…and got me. That’s gotta hurt!
Someone has said, ‘Prayer is not a means of removing the unknown and unpredictable elements in life, but rather a way of including the unknown and unpredictable in the outworking of the grace of God in our lives.’
As the Waterboys sing, “I’ve some to say, and I’ve more to tell” re: Jesus’ prayer life…
Jan
1
A prayer for year’s end and beginning
Filed Under Around the Church, Poetry, Prayer, Psalms, The Church, Worship | Leave a Comment
Psalm 107 says, ‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.’ This past Sunday evening a good number of the Lord’s redeemed testified as to how goodness and mercy followed them during 2007. Laughter was heard, tears were shed, and God was glorified and enjoyed.
Below is a prayer adapted from The Valley of Vision that we pray together at FPC Kosciusko as the calendar turns.
O God, your love is beyond compare. You are good when you give,
when you take away,
when the sun shines upon me,
when the night gathers over me.
You have loved me before the foundation of the world,
and in love you have redeemed my soul.
You love me still, in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Your goodness has been with me during another year,
leading me through a twisting wilderness.
Your goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I launch my boat on the unknown waters of this year,
with you, as the pilot of my future, as of my past.
If you appoint storms of tribulation, you will be with me in them.
If you ordain joy and success, you will receive thanks and honor.
If I die, I shall see your face the sooner;
If I live, I shall walk by faith and not by sight.
Only glorify yourself in me whether in comfort or in trial,
as a chosen vessel suitable always for your use.
Give me your grace to sanctify me,
your comforts to cheer,
your wisdom to teach,
your right hand to guide,
your joy to strengthen,
your law to convict,
your presence to stabilize.
May the fear of the Lord keep me in awe of you,
and may the triumphs of your kingdom be my joy. AMEN.
May 2008 find us all faithful in adversity and thankful in prosperity. Grace and peace to you in the new year.
Nov
20
Nota bene. 11.20.07
Filed Under Christian Living, Culture, Current Events, Ethics, Family, Men, Nota Bene, The Church, Youth Ministry | Leave a Comment
I’m borrowing Joe’s Nota Bene category to post a link to piece written last week by John Piper about a phenomenon sociologists are calling adultolescence–the postponement of adulthood into the late twenties or even into the thirties. I have always defined adulthood as paying your own freight and taking responsibility for providing for yourself and your dependents (if you have any). Piper offers a 15-point strategy by which the Church should respond to this sociological trend in his piece entitled A Church-Based hope for ‘Adultolescence.’
Nov
19
Baghdad Muslims seek Christian neighbors
Filed Under Apologetics, Current Events, Evangelism, Islam, Missions, The Church | Leave a Comment
According to an article that appeared in the April, 2003, issue of The Banner of Truth, Presbyterian missionaries began working in Iraq in 1836. Some five congregations belong to the Assembly of Evangelical Presbyterian Churches-Iraq. The oldest of these congregations dates to 1840 and is located in Mosul. The National Presbyterian Church in Basra dates to 1940. Other congregations are located in Kirkuk and Baghdad.
According to tradition, in the first century the apostle Thomas evangelized the region on his way to India. Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, an estimated 600,000 Christians lived in the country of 22 million people. By far the largest group is the Chaldean Catholic Church, followed by the Assyrian Church of the East (called the Nestorians), the Syrian Orthodox Church, and the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Informed accounts tell us that the Ba’ath party of Saddam Hussein tolerated the presence of Christians in Iraq. After the March, 2003, invasion and toppling of the Hussein government, radical Islamic forces felt free to harass Christian churches. As a result, it is believed that most Iraqi Christians fled to Jordan, Syria or the northernmost region of Iraq.
In an article by Michael Yon on his personal website last week, he tells the story of a 15 November church service held at St. John’s Church in Baghdad. The story includes some beautiful photographs. It was the first service held in St. John’s in years–since nearby St. George’s Church was destroyed and a number of clergy in the area were kidnapped and killed. Yon reports that a crowd of locals welcomed home the Roman Catholic bishop. “They were joined at the service by soldiers from the 2-12 infantry battalion, many of whom had fought hard to secure these neighborhood streets. Members of the hard-fighting Iraqi Army 3rd Division were also here for this special day.”
Many local Muslims were in attendance at the service (and yes, it was a Mass–and yes, there are huge theological issues with the Mass–just hold on that for a few minutes, OK?). The locals sent out a plea for their Christian neighbors to come home.
I’m not going to engage in analysis about the American news media or speculate about the significance of the presence of local Muslims at a Catholic mass in a Baghdad neighborhood. What is interesting is the “Y’all come home” plea to the Christians who have fled. Whatever relationships were like prior to 2003, whatever politics are in play, whatever kind of understanding these folk have or don’t have about the gospel, the local Muslim neighbors want their Christian neighbors to come back. That says a lot for the kind of people these Christians are. Could the same be said in your neighborhood if the Christian folk moved out?
Nov
14
Ordination: lashed to the mast
Filed Under Around the Church, Four big ideas, Music, Poetry, The Church | Leave a Comment
I was ordained to the gospel ministry on November 13, 1994, by Southeast Alabama Presbytery. That was thirteen years ago yesterday. I remember it very well. I won’t bore you with the details. But, in God’s good providence, I found this on the web today: a recording of Rev. Greg Thompson of Trinity PCA in Charlottesville, Virginia, performing a beautiful song he wrote for an ordination service. You can listen here. I transcribed the words as best I could from the recording (with Joe’s help). If I have misheard something, I apologize and welcome correction.
Ordination Song
by Greg Thompson
Father, O you are the beautiful shepherd.
Who am I, Lord, that you summon me now
To serve at your table, to bless in your name, to shepherd your people somehow?
The way that you lead is a way that leads downward.
O, if I follow, the low place is mine.
Honor forsaking, my glory my shame, my footsteps imaging thine.
In darkness thou my portion art, my laughter in the light,
My comfort on the downward path, my goal and my delight.
From self-reliance, O King, would you guard me?
Almighty hands are more able to bear.
The Fall’s ridden sorrow and Eden’s lost dream, teach me to lay down there.
You are my Father and I thy beloved—this, my identity, etch in my soul:
Driven by mercy, singing of love, welcome thy welcoming goal.
So now do send me to comfort your people.
My God, I beg you, to go with me there.
The strength of my weakness, my poverty’s wealth, this, for thy glory, my prayer:
Further thy kingdom.
Restore our true home,
And may I be found with thee there.
Nov
8
Cyber-sainthood
Filed Under Christian History, Current Events, Nota Bene, Prayer, The Church | Leave a Comment
Just when you thought the Reformation was old, dusty, irrelevant history–here’s this: Last week marked the 490th anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses on the doors of the Wittenburg Church. He was calling for a debate on the Roman Church’s aggressive marketing and sales of indulgences, which, Luther argued, obscured the biblical doctrine of repentance and exploited the poor. Indulgences offered a way to have a sin’s penalty pardoned by the church and therefore to be released from paying for it in purgatory. The sinner’s sincerity was quantified through money–seen as a tangible expression of self-sacrifice. In Luther’s time the indulgences were sold as a fund-raiser for the construction of St. Peter’s in Rome under the leadership of Pope Leo X. But let’s call it what it is: the attempt to buy/do/feel one’s way into right standing with Almighty God.
Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door (like a public bulletin board) on 31 October, the eve of All Saints Day–the climax of popular Catholic piety regarding the veneration of saints and relics–much like airing a TV show on 24 December in which you calling Christmas into question!
Why bring this up? Well, in the spirit of ‘There is nothing new under the sun,’ a website exists for the purpose of drumming and up (and funding) popular support for the beatification and canonization of Pope John Paul II. Devotees are asked to share stories, seek the intercession of the late pontiff, request a piece of his priestly vestments and make a donation–all to hasten the efforts to have him declared a saint. The site strongly defends itself against the charge that it is selling relics.
Back in Luther’s day the hucksters who sold indulgences had a great jingle which translates easily from German to English: Once the coin in the coffer clings, a soul from purgatory heavenward springs! Maybe the 21st century version would be something like this: Once the mouse on the website clicks, John Paul one step closer to sainthood flicks/licks/kicks/tricks???