Untitled Sermon (2)

This morning we are have a few guests with us.

Darrel Kehler is the founder of Scope Leadership Development, and he has spent Friday evening and yesterday training a group of our leadership team this weekend. ( You can visit his website at https://www.scopeleadership.com/)

Andy and Stephanie Woodsworth is our new Conference Pastor. Andy and Stephanie are in Ontario visiting the EMC churches in this area, and they came to visit our church, and take in the weekend leadership training by Darrel Kehler.

OPENING

We have been going through a sermon series based on Thom Rainer’s book called, “I Am A Church Member.”

The first week was based on the chapter called — I will be a functioning church member.

Some wrongly think of church like a country club — pay your dues, and you get the perks/get served.

Paul teaches us that the church is like a body that works together.

The second week was based on the chapter called — I will be a unifying church member

There are times when the fighting and disagreement in a church look just like the world.

Jesus said the world would know His disciples by their love and care for one another.

Last week was based on the chapter called — I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires.

If we view church membership like a country club, then we are focused on what we get out of it.

Jesus showed us that being a member of His church is servant-focused. We give up our rights for the benefit of the church as a whole.

This morning’s sermon is based on the chapter titled, “I Will Pray for My Church Leaders”

But rather than preaching an entire sermon about the importance of praying for our church leaders, I decided to emphasize the importance of praying for one another as a church.

It is absolutely essential to be praying for our church leaders, oftentimes because they are the last ones to ask for prayer.

They are being specifically targeted by Satan because of their influence within a church, so we must ask God to protect and guard them.

But the truth is that we all need to be praying for one another, and we all need people praying for us.

That is why I titled my sermon… “I Will Be A Praying Member”

If we are going to be a healthy, thriving church, each member needs to be healthy and thriving.

The only way each one of us is going to be healthy and thriving is through our dependance and trust in God through prayer.

In the gospel of John, we have the longest recorded prayer from Jesus during His earthly ministry.

John chapters 13—17 contain what is often called the Upper Room Discourse.

Here John focuses much of his gospel on Jesus’s last moments with His disciples before His arrest.

Jesus had modeled servant-leadership by washing their feet and sharing a final meal with His disciples;

Jesus had instructed them to serve and love one another as He had loved and served them;

Jesus had told them to remain connected to Him as the true vine;

Jesus had told them that the world would hate them;

Jesus had told them that He was going to be leaving them; but that they will not be alone… He and the Father would send the Holy Spirit;

Then in chapter 17 of John, Jesus prays for them.

This is often called the High Priestly prayer.

This prayer from Jesus gives us a wonderful framework from which to model our prayers.

This morning we are going to go through this prayer of Jesus, and as we do, we will be encouraged by how we can better pray for one another as church members.

The first thing that we should pray for is…

Pray For God To Be Glorified

As believers in God, our desire in life should be to bring glory and honour to God.

Jesus models this for us at the beginning of this prayer…

Let’s read John 17:1—5.

John 17:1–2 ESV

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

John 17:3–5 ESV

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

EXPLAIN

Jesus submitted His entire life to accomplishing the work that God gave Him to do.

He did this because His greatest concern while He was on earth was bringing glory to God.

In this part of Jesus’ prayer he mentions the word glory 5 times.

Jesus’ concern is that His life will bring glory to the Father, which will result in Him receiving glory as our Saviour.

APPLY

As we commit to praying for one another, we should “Pray For God To Be Glorified” in the lives of the members of our church.

How is God glorified in our lives?

He is glorified in us as we wholeheartedly live our lives in obedience to His commands.

Our obedience to His Word is proof that we have true faith.

When we think of worship, we tend to think of singing.

But true worship is obedience.

In obedience, we are declaring our devotion to God because of His salvation, and showing our belief that His Word is good and true.

Why would we give our lives in whole-hearted obedience to God?

Because He has saved us!

Think back to the Israelites. In Exodus 20 God gives them the 10 Commandments. Before giving the commandments God said…

Exodus 20:2 ESV

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

God expects their wholehearted worship and obedience becuase He saved them!

He saved them from their enemies, having proven His power and love for them.

Based on His salvation, God calls on them to submit to Him, to worship Him alone, and follow His commands.

The rest of the OT shows us how unfaithful the Israelites were in living up to their end of the covenant.

The problem is their flesh. They do not have an inward desire to obey and worship God. Their hearts were easily led astray by their flesh.

That’s why Jesus had to come.

Through His death our sins are paid when we place our faith in His sacrifice.

Through His resurrection we are given hope that we will rise to new life. AND…

Following His ascension He poured out His Spirit on His people help them.

Because of all that God has done for us, we willingly give our lives in worship to Him and obedience to His Word.

We must be praying for one another, that God would be glorified in our lives.

A lack of obedience in someone’s life, is a lack of understanding who God is and what He has done…

So we ought to pray that they would grow in their knowledge and understanding of what God has done for them.

ALSO… It may be that God is calling you to lovingly and gently confront that person.

By confronting them you can call out their sin, encourage them, keep them accountable, and pray for them.

As members of this church, we reflect the image of God to others.

Since that is true, we want the image we reflect to bring glory to God.

So we need to be praying for one another, that our heart’s desire is to live a life pleasing and glorifying to God.

In our commitment to pray for one another, we must…

Pray For God to Be Glorified in our lives

We must also…

Pray For God’s Word To Be Priority

If we are going to be a growing and thriving church, we must be committed to God’s Word.

Jesus shows us the importance of God’s Word in His prayer.

Let’s read John 17:6—10.

John 17:6–7 ESV

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.

John 17:8–9 ESV

For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

John 17:10 ESV

All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

EXPLAIN

In this section Jesus speaks of His faithfulness to accomplish the purpose for which He was sent by God, namely, to make God known to His people.

Jesus showed them who God was through His life and teaching.

Jesus acknowledges the 3 characteristics that distinguish a true Christian.

The Three Marks of a Genuine Christian:

A true Christian KNOWS the Word of God.

A true Christian BELIEVES the Word of God.

A true Christian OBEYS the Word of God.

All three of these distinguising characteristics MUST be true of someone who claims to be a Christian.

It is possible to KNOW the Word of God, but not BELIEVE it.

And if you do not BELIEVE the Word of God, you will not OBEY it.

And if you KNOW the Word of God, but don’t OBEY it, that shows that you do not BELIEVE it.

Those who are genuine children of God are those who KNOW, BELIEVE, and OBEY God’s Word.

This proves that we believe the truth that the Scriptures teach about Jesus.

Jesus here praises God that His Word was of primary importance for His disciples, and He continues to pray this for those who are His.

APPLY

Following Jesus’ example, we should pray for one another that God’s Word would be a priority.

As believers, God’s Word MUST be a priority in our lives.

We NEED to be in God’s Word on a daily basis.

When we are not, it is to our own disadvantage.

We will suffer unneccessary fear, worry, anxiety, because we do not KNOW God’s Word well enough.

We should pray for one another that time in God’s Word becomes a joyful time of meeting with God.

The problem is that if we’re honest, there are times where we are bored in our reading.

It’s okay to admit that. I’ve experienced this in my life, and have times where I still experience it.

The question I would ask is, how much effort and energy have you put into becoming a student of God’s Word?

Are you doing the same thing, reading the same way over and over again, but expecting a different result?

You’re not learning anything or enjoying time with God, but you just keep doing things the same way?

Maybe it’s time to take a step back and come up with a new approach. Change it up! Spend some time trying different Bible study methods that will liven up your time in God’s Word.

We do this in otherareas of life!

When we are truly committed to something, we will research and find ways to do it.

Last week I was trying to rotate the tires on our van.

To prevent people from stealing tires, there’s one lug nut on the tires that requires a special key, and as I was putting on of those special lug nuts back on, that special key broke.

Now I couldn’t finish rotating the tires, because I couldn’t get that special lug nut off the other tires.

So what did I do? Give up? NO!

I immediately began searching, and Youtubing ideas and ways to get those special lug nuts off without that special key!

When we want something bad enough, we fight to get it done!

When we are working on a project and things are not working out the way we expect, we change our approach, or use a different tool. We take a step back and see if there’s a solution that we haven’t thought of yet.

If you’re cooking or baking, and it doesn’t turn out, we try a different recipe, or different ingredients.

The point is, when we want something to change bad enough, we will not stop trying until we find something that works.

We need to be praying for one another that we would have a desire to want it bad enough!

We don’t give up when other things in life are not working, and neither should we give up on our time in God’s Word because it’s not working!

Do a Google search of how to get more out of Your Bible reading. There are lot’s of good ideas out there, good tools and methods that you can use to liven or freshen up Your time in God’s Word!

When we truly understand the necessity of spending time in God’s Word, we should make it a priority.

Remember that Jesus had said earlier in His prayer that eternal life if TO KNOW GOD.

As we come to His Word, and make it a priority, we come to KNOW Him. To KNOW Jesus Christ.

Jesus said in…

John 14:21 ESV

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

We ought to be praying for one another, that we are growing in our knowledge and experience of God as we prioritize His Word.

In our commitment to pray for one another, we must…

Pray For God to Be Glorified in our lives

Pray For God’s Word To Be Priority

We must also…

Pray For God’s Help

John 17:11–12 ESV

And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

John 17:13–15 ESV

But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

John 17:16–19 ESV

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

EXPLAIN

Jesus was coming to the end of His earthly ministry, and would soon go back to heaven to be with the Father.

He had faithfully led those who followed Him, but now because of His care and love for them, His concern shifts to their safety after He is gone.

So Jesus prays that the Father would help them in His absence.

Jesus asks for God to help them in three ways. First…

“keep them in your name”

Jesus’ desire is that they would remain committed to God.

In John 10:27-30 Jesus said…

John 10:27–30 ESV

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Jesus knew that the Father was going to protect His own sheep.

The second way Jesus asks God to help them is…

“keep them from the evil one.”

Jesus knew the enemy. He knew that Satan was going to attack the church as it began.

In 1 Peter 5:8 we read…

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We have a very real enemy, who seeks to attack God’s children.

Jesus knew this, and asked the Father to protect His children.

The third way Jesus asked God to help them is…

“Sanctify them in the truth”

Then Jesus goes on to say… “your word is truth.”

When we KNOW, BELIEVE, and OBEY God’s Word, we become TRANSFORMED by it.

This is not something that we do ourselves, but something God does in us.

So that is what Jesus prayed for… but how did God answer that prayer?

By sending the Holy Spirit!

Jesus said in…

John 14:15–17 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Later on in that same chapter Jesus says…

John 14:26 ESV

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Though Jesus was going away, His presence would be with them through the Holy Spirit.

APPLY

Jesus prayed for God’s help for His children, and so we ought to pray for one another as well, that God would help our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We need to be praying that God would:

Keep us in His name.

There are many things in our life that are competing for our devotion and attention.

There are many distractions that would lure us away from our devotion to God.

So we need God to constantly be guiding us through His Spirit and His Word to be fully committed to Him.

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

We need to be praying that God would:

Keep us from the evil one.

Satan is looking for ways to attack God’s children.

We think of the story of Job, where he sought to drive a wedge between Job and God.

This is what Satan is trying to do to us as well. It is what he has been trying to do since the garden of Eden, is cause us to distrust God and turn away from His ways.

We must be praying for God to guard us against the evil one.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

We need to be praying that God would:

Sanctify us in His truth.

Everywhere we look we have people telling us what truth is.

As Christians, we must be devoted to God’s truth as revealed to us in His Word.

When we are committed to God’s truth, He will conform us into the image of His Son.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

In our commitment to pray for one another, we must…

Pray For God to Be Glorified in our lives

Pray For God’s Word To Be Priority

Pray For God’s Help

Lastly, we must…

Pray For Unity in Mission and Purpose

John 17:20–22 ESV

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,

John 17:23–24 (ESV)

I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

John 17:25–26 ESV

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

EXPLAIN

Jesus’ prayer extends beyond the disciples and believers at that time, to those who will believe in the future, which includes us.

Jesus prays that all who believe would be unified… that they would be one.

A few weeks back I began this series by going to 1 Cor. 12, where Paul talks about the church being like a body. A body is made up of many different parts, and yet it is a single body.

This is Christ’s vision for the church. That they would be one body. That body has many different parts, and yet they all function as one.

Jesus prays for the church… “that they may be one even as we are one”

The Trinity is a beautiful example of equality and distinction.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, are all equally and fully God, and yet they have different roles.

This does not mean that they are limited in their ability, but that they have chosen to function in different capacities.

It is the Father who directs, not the Son or the Holy Spirit.

It is the Son who was sent to die, not the Father or the Holy Spirit.

It is the Spirit who is our Helper, not the Son of the Father.

They serve in different roles, and yet they are all equally God, and they work together in perfect harmony.

This is the unity that Jesus prays the church will have.

This unity leads to our mission and purpose:

John 17:23 ESV

I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

We ought to have such unity and love for one another, that it is proof to the world that what we believe about Jesus is true!

Our mission and purpose is to fill the earth with the glory of the Lord.

And when we love one another and have unity, we are like lights that shine in this dark world, pointing to our wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ.

ILLUSTRATE

APPLY

Jesus prays for our unity, and so we ought to pray for unity in our church. That we strive together for the same mission and purpose.

Last week Pastor Jake talked about not letting church be about our own preferences and desires.

We make this mistake when we view church like a membership to some sort of club, or some sort of subscription. I pay the fee so long as they provide the service and content I want. And if they don’t, I’ll take my money somewhere else!

Church is different than that. It is a commitment to one another based on our commitment to Christ.

You will never find a group of believers where you agree with everything, so we must be willing to defer to others on certain issues.

You may not like a certain song, but it’s a blessing to others.

You may not agree with that method for Bible study, but it’s a blessing to others.

You may not agree with that outreach idea, but others are for it.

Now, if you disagree with the core teachings of a church, or do not agree with their mission and purpose, then you may need to find a church that you do align with.

But as long as a church is not practicing sin, you should not make your preferences the standard.

Instead, we should be praying that God would so make us one, that our community would come to know God through our love.

At this point I would like to ask that you continue to pray for the leaders of LEMC.

We are currently in the process of rethinking our vision and values as a church, and we need God to guide and direct us.

Be praying that God would help us to become the church that He wants us to be to help one another grow as disciples of Christ, who are passionate about making other disciples.

Pray that we would all be aligned in our mission and vision, as we seek to build God’s kingdom here on earth.

In our commitment to pray for one another, we must…

Pray For God to Be Glorified in our lives

Pray For God’s Word To Be Priority

Pray For God’s Help

Pray For Unity in Mission and Purpose

CLOSING

As I close this morning, I don’t think I have said anything earth-shattering, of life-changing this morning.

I hope that I have just helped you to see the importance of prayer, and a few important things that we can be praying for.

I would guess that most of you agreed with everything I said.

We all know that prayer is important, and that we should be doing it.

But the question I want to ask you this morning, is… Do you pray? Do you pray?

This is the question that J.C. Ryle asks in his short booklet entitled, “A Call to Prayer.” Do you pray?

Ryle says:

“The question is one that none but you can answer. Whether you attend public worship or not, your minister knows. Whether you have family prayers in your house or not, your relations know. But whether you pray in private or not, is a matter between yourself and God.” J.C. Ryle

I believe that thousands never utter a word of prayer at all. They eat. They drink. They sleep. They rise. They go forth to their labour. They return to their homes. They breathe God’s air. They see God’s sun. They walk on God’s earth. They enjoy God’s mercies. They have dying bodies. They have judgement and eternity before them. But they never speak to God.

They live like the beasts that perish. They behave like creatures without souls. They have not one word to say to him in whose hand are their life and breath, and all things, and from whose mouth they must one day receive their everlasting sentence. How dreadful this seems; but if the secrets of men were only known, how common. — J.C. Ryle "A Call to Prayer"

J.C. Ryle gives 5 ways that God’s word encourages us to pray.

God’s Word Encourages Us to Pray

There is a Way to pray

There is an Advocate

There is the Holy Spirit

There are great examples

There are great promises

There is a Way to pray “I am the Way, Truth, and the Life.”

Jesus Christ opens up the way to the father.

We don’t need to fear judgment. We can have confidence as we come to the Father in prayer because of our faith in Christ, who has made a way for us to come to the Father.

There is an Advocate (1 John 2:1)

Though our prayers may be weak and feeble, in the hand of Jesus, they are powerful.

Jesus prays for us! This should encourage us to pray!

There is the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit will give us the words to pray, if we come to him in the spirit of prayer.

We have a helper if we are willing to step out in faith.

There are great examples

Through prayer, God has done amazing things in Scripture.

We think of Abraham as he prayed for Sodom and Gomorrah. God only stopped answerering his prayer to show mercy and grace when Abraham stopped asking.

There are great promises

We are promised that we will be heard, and our prayer will be answered if we will but pray.

Matthew 7:7–8 ESV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Prayer is maybe the greatest sign of authentic faith.

We will only take the time to pray, if we truly believe that God hears us, and will answer us.

If we do not believe God hears and answers us, we will not “waste the time.”

This reveals what we truly believe what God says about prayer in His Word.

My challenge to us this morning, is…

How will you step out in faith this week by making prayer more important in your life?

Maybe you will set your alarm a few minutes early and spend more time in prayer.

Maybe you will set a few reminders throughout the day of people or things to pray for.

Maybe you will be intentional to pray with your spouse/kids.

Maybe you will google prayer journal ideas of how to keep a better list of prayer items as well as answers to prayer.

Maybe you will take this paper home, write a few names under each prayer prompt and pray for them throughout the week.

How you do it, or what you do is up to you.

But how will you step out in faith this week by making prayer more important?

May we be praying for one another that it does!

Let’s pray!