Pray for the City

4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

welfare: sa lom peace, prosperity, success, state of health, friendliness, deliverance and salvation

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English Standard Version Chapter 1

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Now in that text prosperous and success are similar but not the same. Properous there slh sala means ti to force entry to cut through to succeed,

and success there means to have SUCCESS and understand you have success

In today’s scripture, Jeremiah came to God’s people, not by carrying a sign, but with a letter. Many of the Israelites had been taken out of their country as prisoners and carted off to a foreign land. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way because, after all, they were God’s special people. But it did.

The Bible tells us that generations earlier, God had commissioned his people to be his light to the nations. God had led them and blessed them in many ways, but they had not been obedient to God. As a result, God allowed Babylon to invade their land and deport them by the hundreds.

Now they were living on unfamiliar streets in a foreign land. reflects that experience. “By the rivers of Babylon- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.”

King James Version Psalm 137

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept,

When we remembered Zion.

2  We hanged our harps

Upon the willows in the midst thereof.

3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song;

And they that wasted us required of us mirth,

Saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4  How shall we sing the LORD’s song

In a strange land?

5  If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,

Let my right hand forget her cunning.

6  If I do not remember thee,

Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth;

If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7  Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem;

Who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8  O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed;

Happy shall he be, gthat rewardeth thee

As thou hast served us.

9  Happy shall he be, that taketh

And dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

How were they to cope with their desperate situation? Then from 800 miles away comes this letter from Jeremiah, who was still in Jerusalem. God had a word for them:

1. Settle down there where you are. (29:5,6). Go ahead and call Babylon your home for now. Don’t get in a hurry to escape your circumstances. It doesn’t matter where you live when God is with you and when you know that you are a citizen of heaven.

2. Seek the welfare of the city. (29:7). In other words, make it a better place than when you got there. Bring down the grace of God on that city. They must have heard these words with disbelief. Seek the welfare of this city? It was a strange message. It would have been easier to shut their eyes, lock their doors, and stick their heads in the sand. But God didn’t want them to give up; he was asking them to stand up. They probably felt like saying, “Wait a minute. Here we have been displaced, beaten down, imprisoned and God says Seek the welfare of the people who put us there.”

“These people are different from us.” Seek the welfare of the city

“These people don’t know God.” Seek the welfare of the city

“These people are crass, uncultured, uncouth at times.” Seek the welfare of the city

“We don’t want to get involved with them.” Seek the welfare of the city

But God wasn’t teaching them how to escape or disengage. He was teaching them how to obey.

And I hope you noticed the command (29:7) to pray to the Lord on behalf of the city where they were living. Prayer is the key to living in adverse circumstances. The challenge is can we pray for someone we perceive as an enemy?

Jesus when he was teaching on the mountain challenge us this way: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We have a challenge before us today to pray for the city! Last week we gathered at our protest to power meeting and we know we are facing a multitude of issues. Yet we can not fix those things without the Lords intervention. As a matter of fact we need to pray for all the cities across this country. The prevelance of evil has really rocked this nation. Last Sunday while we were in church here 26 people were being gunned down while they were in church.

Remember

If that.s not enough to make you pray what will?

3. God promises a future. (29:10-14) Yes, things look bad right now, but God promises a future. They may have despaired at the thought that they would not see Jerusalem, but their children would.

It would have been easy to throw in the towel, to give up. God provides a future for his people. He did it then, he can do it now. One of the gems in this passage comes from verse 11. Take comfort in the fact that God has a plan for you. And he has a plan for his people wherever they are gathered.God brings hopeSo here we are - a small church in a city with challenges. What is God’s word to us? I believe it is that same as his word to the exiles: Seek the welfare of the city.It would be easy to turn our eyes from the problems and bury our heads in the sand, but that is not what God is calling us to do. Here are some ways we can work for the well-being of this city.1. First, God is calling us to pray on behalf of this city just as God called the Israelites to pray for Babylon. It’s easy to complain about the problems, but how often do we pray about them? Put Lima on your prayer list. You can start by using the monthly city prayer list. And pray especially for the decision regarding charges against the police officer. Some people will be unhappy no matter how it comes out.2. Build relationships with people different from yourself. When we discussed the issue of race relations at a clergy meeting, one pastor said, “I’m ashamed to say that I don’t know any African Americans.” Pastors white and black are now talking with each other, eating with each other, helping each other.God has blessed this congregation with diversity. Let’s get to know one another. Let’s test the edges of our comfort zone,

. Think of the blocks around this building as your neighborhood.

We can give in to feelings of despair and try to escape the problems of our city or we can embrace the opportunities God has placed before us, affirming His promise of hope and restoration.

says, When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord. That may require some repentance on our part.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 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.

PRAY FOR YOURSELF

English Standard Version Psalm 119

Give your servant a pledge of good;

let not the insolent oppress me.

123  My eyes long for your salvation

and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.

124  Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,

and teach me your statutes.

125  I am your servant; give me understanding,

that I may know your testimonies!

126  It is time for the LORD to act,

for your law has been broken.

127  Therefore I love your commandments

above gold, above fine gold.

128  Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;

I hate every false way.

PE

129  Your testimonies are wonderful;

therefore my soul keeps them.

130  The unfolding of your words gives light;

it imparts understanding to the simple.

131  I open my mouth and pant,

because I long for your commandments.

132  Turn to me and be gracious to me,

as is your way with those who love your name.

133  Keep steady my steps according to your promise,

and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

134  Redeem me from man’s oppression,

that I may keep your precepts.

135  Make your face shine upon your servant,

and teach me your statutes.

136  My eyes shed streams of tears,

because people do not keep your law.

English Standard Version Chapter 6

9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

10  Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11  Give us this day our daily bread,

12  and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13  And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

English Standard Version Chapter 11

When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

3  Give us each day our daily bread,

4  and forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.”