CBCGL core value 2 - Prayer Focused Text

CBCGL core value 2: Prayer Focused

John 14:1-14

It has been over a week into the New Year 2025, but half of my mind is still back in the holiday season last year. It was an exciting time. My wife Sandra and I first spent four days at the New England Seeker Camp, serving the Chinese College students here, and then enjoyed a family vacation in Costa Rica. On Christmas Eve, after finishing the camp, Sandra and I headed home to pick up our kids and head to the airport to start our vacation.

However, just before our trip began, we received a message from the airline that our flight from Boston was delayed. Panic set in as we realized this meant we would likely miss our connecting flight to Costa Rica, potentially disrupting our entire vacation. We scrambled to think through various scenarios and solutions. Being Christians, we also started to pray. We were asking for a way to reach our destination on time or, at the very least, for our vacation not to be ruined. Shortly after, we received a message from our son informing us that our connecting flight was also delayed by an hour. He humorously added, "Well, being JetBlue, it's no surprise their flight is delayed." We were happy that we wouldn’t miss the flight, but we were also wondering If God had answered our prayers.

As Christians, we were taught to pray from the day when we became Christians. When I became a Christian over 20 years ago in CBCGN. I still remember Mrs. Lee, Pastor Lee’s wife, kept telling us that Christians have two wings, the bible, and prayer. No surprise, CBCBL being the mother church of CBCGN, the first two core values are Bible-Centered and Prayer-focused. We pray all the time and teach about prayer all the time. In 2023, Pastor Nathan preached a series of sermons on prayer, covering topics like how to pray, why prayer is important, and many others. These sermons encouraged us to grow in our prayer lives. When I was assigned this sermon topic—“Prayer Focused"—I felt that I was least unqualified to preach on this church's core values. Prayer is an area where I still have much to learn and improve.

Today, I want to discuss three key aspects of being prayer-focused:

Why Christians and the church need to be prayer-focused. Why our lives are often not prayer-focused. How we can cultivate a prayer-focused life.

Our study will center on John 14:1-14. Let’s read this passage together. If you have a Bible, open it to John 14.

John 14:1-14

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

12 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

So, let's first address why Christians need to be prayer-focused. The scripture we are studying today is set during the Last Supper, the Passover meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His arrest, trial, and crucifixion. At this pivotal moment, Jesus spoke to His disciples about what was to come. He told them that He would be betrayed, leave them for a while. And where He went they couldn’t go with him now. Naturally, His disciples were deeply troubled. To comfort them, Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" (John 14:1-2). Jesus assured them that He was preparing a place for them and would return to bring them to His Father's house.

When Thomas questioned Him, saying, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus replied with His famous words: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:5-6). Through this statement, Jesus revealed Himself as the way to God, the truth-teller, and the life-giver. This brought comfort and assurance to His disciples, whom He had prepared for this very moment.

Then, Philip asked, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus responded, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:8-9). Jesus emphasized that knowing Him is knowing the Father, and He was the one revealing God to them.

Jesus also gave His disciples a remarkable command: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12). This command wasn't just for His immediate disciples—it extends to all of us as His followers. Immediately, we are reminded of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus commanded, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Jesus called and made disciples; we will also called to make disciples. Jesus taught the truth of the kingdom of God, and we are also called to do the same. Jesus' works during His earthly ministry were confined to a relatively small geographical area, but His disciples—and, by extension, we—are called to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This is the "greater work" He referred to, not in quality but in scope. We are tasked with spreading the Gospel to people of all nations and backgrounds. Here in Chelmsford, for example, we are surrounded by people of diverse ethnicities and origins. Making disciples among them fulfills this calling.

Now, from what we’ve read, we can understand the "greater works" referred to by Jesus from another perspective. Jesus said, "If you want to know God, I am the one showing you the Father." People came to know God through Jesus. But now that He is returning to the Father, the task of revealing God to the world falls on us.

Jesus, as the Son of God, perfectly revealed who God is through His life and actions. He was sinless and divine. However, we, as sinners saved by His grace, are now entrusted with the responsibility of showing the world who God is through what we say and do. This is a greater task, not because we are greater than Jesus, but because we are flawed, and yet God uses us to carry out this mission. Moreover, the scope of this mission is vast—it extends to every nation and people, far beyond the geographic limits of Jesus' earthly ministry.

So how can we fulfill this calling? The answer lies in the next statement from Jesus: "Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." As Christians, we are called to carry out this task through prayer. According to Jesus, this mission can only be accomplished when we pray in His name. When we pray in His name, He will act, and the Father God will be glorified in the Son.

One of my favorite pastors, Tim Keller, preached on this verse, John 14:13, and described the essence of prayer in four points:

The Power of Prayer: Jesus promises, "Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it." The Condition for Prayer: Prayers must be in Jesus’ name, which means they must align with God’s will. The Purpose of Prayer: To glorify the Father. The Foundation of Prayer: It is rooted in the Son.

You can find Tim Keller’s sermon on YouTube if you're interested. It's an excellent message from which I’ve learned a lot.

Today, however, I want us to look at this key passage from another angle—how we often fail to be prayer-focused in our daily lives. From John 14:13, we can see three reasons why we are often not prayer-focused.

1. Lack of Relationship with Jesus Christ

In verse 13, Jesus says, “Whatever you ask in My name…” To pray in someone’s name means you have a relationship with them. You appeal to them directly, knowing they can respond. Without a relationship with Jesus, we cannot genuinely pray in His name.

As Christians, our identity is that of repentant sinners. We come to God through Jesus’ salvation because He saved us and acts as the mediator between us and God. He listens to us and pleads for us before the Father. This relationship reminds us that we cannot deal with our sins on our own—we must rely on Jesus for salvation, which He has already accomplished. With this relationship, we can approach God like children approaching their Father, bringing all our needs to Him.

For example, when we faced trouble starting a recent trip, the first thing we did was to pray, “Jesus, help us make the connection.” We didn’t know how God would work things out, but we brought our troubles to Him. Similarly, many of you have prayed for help with school, jobs, or relationships. When we pray, we admit we are limited and that we don’t have wisdom or control. This humility allows us to come to God as His children.

But sometimes, we don’t pray because we don’t have this relationship. We might not realize that we are beloved by a God who knows everything and cares for us. Other times, we are too proud to ask for help. Without a deep relationship with Jesus, prayer doesn’t come naturally.

2. Lack of Faith in Jesus’ Work

The second reason is that we don’t fully believe Jesus’ promise: “Whatever you ask, I will do.” Often, prayer becomes a ritual, but deep down, we think the outcome depends on our own efforts. We pray, but then we immediately start planning and trying to solve the problem ourselves, doubting that God will act. I have to say, I often find that’s my biggest obstacle when coming to prayer.

For example, as I mentioned earlier, my wife and I served as counselors at a college student camp right before the Christmas holiday. It was our first time serving at this good new retreat camp. I was eager to use my experience and knowledge to help seekers to know God. I looked for every opportunity to answer questions and build connections.

One student in my group was especially challenging. He was shy, inward, and difficult to communicate with. He rarely looked up when speaking and spoke so quietly that it was hard to hear him. I thought to myself, “This is going to be difficult.” But I could see that, despite his shyness, his heart was soft, and he wanted to express his thoughts. However, because of the camp setup and schedule, I just couldn’t find a good opportunity to have deep conversations with him. It is only then that I realized I needed to turn to prayer and let Jesus and the Holy Spirit do the work. I got up in the early morning and joined the morning prayer meeting. I prayed for this student, surrendering the situation to God and asking the Holy Spirit to touch his heart. On the last day of the camp, during the final sermon, the pastor invited anyone who wanted to accept Christ to raise their hand. To our amazement, this shy student raised his hand.

I spoke with him afterward, congratulated him, and led him in a prayer to accept Christ. I asked him, “Do you believe you are a sinner who cannot save yourself?” He said yes. “Do you believe Jesus died for your sins so you can come to Him?” He said yes. Finally, I asked, “Do you want to follow Him for the rest of your life to glorify Him?” Again, he said yes, and he began praying on his own with all his confessions and commitment to Christ.

This experience reminded me that it wasn’t about my efforts or strategies—it was God doing the work. Too often, we try to rely on our own abilities, leaving God out. But when we surrender the situation to Jesus, we allow Him to work through us. Without Jesus, how can we show the world who God is? Also, because we pray and let Jesus in every situation of ours, we are essentially living in his presence.

I know many of you start a new yearly bible reading plan. Many of us are reading Genesis. This week, I was reading the life of Isaac. God was with him and blessed him even in a foreign land, surrounded by opposition. Isaac’s relationship with God allowed him to rely on God’s presence rather than his circumstances. Each time Isaac faced resistance, he moved forward and dug another well. Eventually, his enemies acknowledged, “We saw clearly that the Lord was with you” (Genesis 26:28). This testimony came not from Isaac's abilities but from the evident presence of God in his life.

When we lack faith in Jesus's work, we don’t pray in his name; we miss His presence in our lives.

3. Unwillingness to Surrender to God’s Will

The third obstacle is our reluctance to surrender our own will to God. Prayer isn’t just about asking for things—it’s about seeking to glorify the Father God in the Son. How did Jesus glorify the Father? By his obedience in carrying out the Father’s will. As He said in the garden of Gethsemane, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39, ESV) So, we pray to seek to glorify the Father in the Son. It means we need to pray hard, to understand God’s will, and surrender our will and desire to do God’s will. That is not a easy work, but it is what we must do so that we can be the witness for Jesus to this world and for the Father to be glorified in the Son.

Recently, I was mentoring a young believer who had just been baptized in our church. He was facing legal trouble, which had initially led him to seek God. While he had found faith in Christ, the legal case still weighed heavily on him. I didn’t know how to help, as I’m not a lawyer and didn’t understand the details of his situation.

I prayed to God to find out how I could help him. I learned that I needed to commit to supporting this young man by accompanying him to court and praying for him. And I pray for him to now the faithfulness of Jesus the one he chose to trust and follow.

Last Monday, we went to court. The court provided a professional interpreter who explained the case to the prosecutor. The prosecutor decided not to press charges, allowing the case to be dismissed if the young man avoided further issues for six months. At that moment, we praised God for His mercy and justice. The young man could now go on with his life and focus on growing his faith without the burden of legal trouble.

The Core of Prayer: Relationship, Faith, and Surrender

These three obstacles—lack of relationship, lack of faith, and unwillingness to surrender—reflect the same commitments we make at baptism:

Accepting that we are sinners and seeking a restored relationship with Jesus. Believing in Jesus’ work on the cross and trusting His power to save and act. Committing to follow Him and glorify His name in all we do.

When we pray with these commitments, we revisit the foundation of our faith. Through prayer, we experience God’s salvation daily and allow Him to use our lives to reveal who He is and glorify His name.

Now I understand why we need to be prayerful—so that we can be witnesses for God and complete the task Jesus has given us. This is so people can know God through us. We also understand why we are challenged to stay focused. But how can we stay focused?

1. Center on the Word of God

The first way to stay focused is to center our lives on the Bible, God’s Word. This aligns with our church's first core value. The Word of God teaches us who God is, helps us understand who we are, and reveals God’s heart for us in every situation.

To pray to God effectively, we need to meditate on His Word. Each time we read Scripture, we need to engage in prayer in three ways:

Upward Prayers—These prayers focus on recognizing God's greatness and character. The Bible helps us praise Him, give thanks, and grow in our knowledge of Him. Inward Prayers—When we study Scripture, we see human nature displayed in the characters and their actions. Often, our flaws mirror theirs. Despite our sinfulness and tendency to offend others and God, He still loves us. This leads us to repentance, where we confess our sins, receive grace, and experience God’s love deeply. Outward Prayers – As we read the Bible, we begin to see God’s heart for the world, for people’s salvation, and His mission. These prayers are about discerning how we can align with God’s plan and participate in His work.

Through studying God’s Word and praying in these ways, we learn who God is, repent and receive His grace, and discern His will for us.

2. Pray Constantly, Boldly and Sincerely

We need to pray boldly and sincerely in every aspect of our lives. Because we have a relationship with God as our Father, He listens to our prayers. He wants us to grow through prayer and use our experiences to bear witness to Him.

Yes, we bring all our issues, troubles, and struggles to Him. It could be something as small as a missed flight connection or as significant as a life-changing decision. Prayer helps us maintain and grow our relationship with God and keeps us in His presence.

3. Pray for God’s Will to Be Done

We need to practice praying hard—not just asking for help, but seeking God’s will. Sometimes, we must pray, “What should we do so that Your name can be glorified in this situation?” This might lead us to outcomes we didn’t expect or even desire. Yet, these moments teach us to surrender our will and follow God’s will, knowing His glory is the ultimate goal.

Prayer requires time and reflection to align our actions with God’s purposes. It is not always easy, but it deepens our trust in Him and our commitment to His glory.

4. Pray in the Community

Prayer is not only an individual act but also a communal one. The church is a community of people called by God to serve Him, glorify Him, and witness to Him.

When we pray together—in fellowship groups, prayer meetings, and Sunday services—we discern God’s will for our church and our community. We align our hearts to listen for what God wants to do, not just through individuals but through the church as a whole. By praying together, we can see the needs of our church, community, nation, and world and join in God’s work collectively.

With the knowledge of God’s Word, prayer, and a heart aligned to His will, we connect deeply with God. This allows us to surrender our ambitions to His purposes and move forward with our church’s mission to make disciples and build a gospel-centered community. These are the next two church core values that we’ll explore in the next two Sundays.

Conclusion

Let me conclude today’s sermon with a prayer:

Dear Lord, We thank You for loving us and calling us to be Your children. We thank You for using us, even as sinners, as Your representatives in this world. Through us, unworthy as we are, people can see Your love and kindness. What an incredible privilege this is!

You have also given us the gift of prayer. Whatever we ask in Your name, You will do it. Each time we come to You in prayer, we are reminded of our dependence on You and the restored relationship we have through Jesus Christ.

You guide our lives and call us to join in Your work—to save the lost, love our communities, and witness to the world. This often requires us to surrender our own ambitions and align our will with Yours, so that Your name may be glorified.

Father, help us to stay focused on prayer in our lives. May we always remember the moment we surrendered to You, believed in You, and committed to following You. Let Your glory be revealed to the world through us.

Bless our church, lead us, and help us live prayerful lives.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To pray in Jesus’ name means to come to God in prayer, consciously trusting in Christ for our salvation and acceptance, and not relying on our own credibility or record. It is, essentially, to reground our relationship with God in the saving work of Jesus over and over again. It also means to recognize your status as a child of God, regardless of your inner state.

Prayer is not to manipulate God into satisfying our desires instantly. Instead, it directs our hearts toward what will satisfy us ultimately—God’s glory and presence.

Matthew 1:21 to “give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (yeshua’ meant “Yahweh saves”). So, to pray in Jesus’ name means to pray in union with who and what he is and to pray in accordance with his will. Self-centered prayers are not answered (Jas 4:3).

those who seek his honor and speak accurately for him, who are genuinely his authorized representatives