Sermon Tone Analysis

God’s Construction Plan

Remembering one another in Prayer

I heard the story of a Pastor who said people would share personal needs with him as they shook hands with him at the end of the service.

They would ask him to pray for them.

All of which he was grateful for.

The issue was, there were often multiple requests.

How could he remember?

So, he learned to pray on the spot so to speak.

As they asked him to pray, he would say “Yes, I will pray for you.”

In his heart and mind, with his spirit and soul he would immediately lift that person up in prayer and then go about greeting others.

That has always been a great reminder for me to remember people in prayer right then and there on the spot and if possible even to pray audibly right then and there.

However, Paul helps us to see that there is more than on the spot prayer… There is an on going prayer for people; a prayer that will encourage one another in their Love for God and one another.

As we’ve learned, this was a circulatory letter.

The Apostle Paul wasn’t with the people who received his letter, but he did provide them with the encouragement that he was praying for them.

And he was very specific in terms of what he prayed for.

Today we are going to look at how we can grow in our prayer life for one another and some specific things that will help us to remember, even after on the spot praying has taken place.

I learned a long time ago that consistency in prayer in not one of my strengths.

But what I have also learned is that there are ways for me to become more consistent in my prayer.

Paul began by making an affirmative statement about the church… and why prayer was so important for him...

Before I get to that, let’s look at why Paul prayed and what he prayed for.

Paul prayed because of the faith the people had in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Verse 15 Paul acknowledges two reasons why he prays for others.

He prays because of their Loyalty to God. (That is there love and Faith in the Lord)

He prays because of their love for one another.

William Barclay states that these are two Vital Characteristics of the Church… “Loyalty to God” and “Love for one another.”

Jesus commanded us to

To show our love and loyalty to God is to love Him AND our brothers and sisters in Christ… but it also includes loving all people.

Even though a neighbor or friend may not be easy to get along with or agree with, does not void God’s command to love one another and to Love your neighbor as yourself.

Just this week there was a video of Road Rage… it showed two men confronting one another.

It appeared one man kicked in the headlight of the other, then began to walk back to his car… the other man followed him and then slugged him, knocking him to the ground.

Even though a neighbor or friend may not be easy to get along with or agree with, does not void God’s command to love one another and to Love your neighbor as yourself.

For this reason Paul prays…

When I set out to prepare this message I entitled it “God’s Construction Plan” But as time went on it became God’s Prayer Plan… and believe me, this is just one small segment of prayer, but it is a way to engage with God and to encourage one another to build their life upon Faith in Christ.

There is a song from long ago that I remember, entitled, “Prayer is the Key to Heaven, but Faith Unlocks the Door.”

Prayer is the key to Heaven But faith unlocks the door

Words are so easily spoken Prayer without faith is like a boat without oars

Have faith when you speak to the Master That's all he asks you for

Prayer is the key to Heaven But faith unlocks the door

Have faith when you speak to the Master

That's all he asks you for

Prayer is the key to Heaven But faith unlocks the door

For Paul Prayer began by acknowledging their ‘Faith.’

Faith in the Lord Jesus.

This is important because people can have faith in God; that there is a God.

But, do they have faith in Jesus as God; God who came to earth in human form; Died on the cross paying the price for our sins with his shed blood and rose again from dead… It is imperative that we have faith ‘In Jesus’ because is it by Him, through Him, and in Him, that we have been created and saved.

Faith in Jesus is the Key to unlocking the door of salvation, hope, and peace.

Paul prayed thanking God for them because they had come to put their faith in Jesus.

Now He wants them to know what his prayer is concerning them.

It is something we can pattern our prayer time after as well.

Paul prayed, Giving thanks and Remembering them.

He is thankful for their spiritual progress; their own spiritual growth.

with Giving thanks and Remembering others...

As you pray, ‘For what and for whom’ do you give thanks?

Paul prayed giving thanks for the faith of the people in the church.

As a church, we have much to be thankful for...

For leadership, for teachers, for nursery workers, for those who take care of the church building, for those who lead worship, for those who come to worship, for those who receive the offering, for those who give; for those who greet you when you walk in… for those who cast the vision for a ‘Radio Ministry’ for those who saw the need for an elevator; for those who see a need to do summer ministries, ice cream socials; for those who visit the sick or shut ins… there is much to be thankful for.

So look around today and give thanks for the person sitting next to you and for those who serve, wanting to do the will of God who sent them.

Let’s look at the Prayer Paul offered on behalf of the people… AS we do, remember that he is praying to God the Father, the Only one who is able to meet all their needs.

Specifics

Spirit of Wisdom

As we pray for a Spirit of Wisdom, it is important to remember that enlightenment and wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit.

With the natural mind, we cannot understand the things of God.

Turn in your Bibles to

The Holy Spirit reveals truth to us from the Word, and then gives us the wisdom to understand and apply it.

He also gives us the power—the enablement—to practice the truth ().

He adds to the Spirit of Wisdom, Revelation or enlightenment...

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996).

The Bible exposition commentary (Vol.

2, p. 14).

Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Revelation - In verse 18 Paul’s prayer is that your heart might be enlightened.

Eye of the heart to be opened - In the Bible, the heart means the inner man, and includes the emotions, the mind, and the will.

The inner man, the heart, has spiritual faculties that parallel the physical senses.

The inner man can see (; ), hear (; ), taste (; ), smell (; ), and touch ().

This is what Jesus meant when He said of the people: “They seeing see not, and hearing they hear not” ().

The inability to see and understand spiritual things is not the fault of the intelligence but of the heart.

The eyes of the heart must be opened by the Spirit of God.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996).

The Bible exposition commentary (Vol.

2, p. 15).

Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996).

The Bible exposition commentary (Vol.

2, p. 15).

Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Another way of saying this is that the heart matters.

Eye of the heart to be opened

but in the Bible, the heart means the inner man, and includes the emotions, the mind, and the will.

The inner man, the heart, has spiritual faculties that parallel the physical senses.

The inner man can see (Ps.

119:18; John 3:3), hear (Matt.

13:9; Heb.

5:11), taste (Ps.

34:8; 1 Peter 2:3), smell (Phil.

4:18; 2 Cor.

2:14), and touch (Acts 17:27).

This is what Jesus meant when He said of the people: “They seeing see not, and hearing they hear not” (Matt.

13:13).

The inability to see and understand spiritual things is not the fault of the intelligence but of the heart.

The eyes of the heart must be opened by the Spirit of God.

To Know God Better… There are people who call themselves ‘Atheists’ and those who call themselves ‘Agnostics’