In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Notes
Transcript
SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (Rogate)
Numbers 21:4–9
1 Timothy 2:1–6
or James 1:22–27
John 16:23–30 (31–33)
The Father Answers Our Prayers Because of Jesus
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” (John 16:23). To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray as one who has been baptized. For it is in the water that He put His name upon you, claiming you as His own, making you a son of God with access to the Father. By His incarnation and crucifixion, our Lord Jesus broke through the barrier of sin which separated us from God, opening a portal to the Father. To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray with faith in Him as the one Mediator between God and men, who gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:1–6). Like Moses in the wilderness, Jesus is our go-between and intercessor before the throne of heaven. He was lifted up for us on the cross that we might be saved and restored to fellowship with the Father (Num. 21:4–9). Looking into this perfect teaching of liberty (James 1:22–27) we pray with boldness and confidence as dear children of God.
Introduction
Introduction
Does prayer work? If so, how? What makes it effective? How is it supposed to be done?
I’m not sure how you view prayer.
Some just pray at church when everybody else is doing it.
Some just at meal times or maybe before bed.
Others pray loudly and regularly.
Some have beautiful, eloquent, and lengthy prayers.
Others pray with great zeal.
Some pray only when something goes terribly wrong.
While others pray with desperation, even begging for the Holy Spirit to come or for God to answer them as if they needed to twist God’s arm.
So what is it that makes a prayer acceptable to God and effective?
Outline:
1. The Promise of God “Whatever you ask… He will give it to you.”
1. The Promise of God “Whatever you ask… He will give it to you.”
Not like those who feel they need to beg and twist God’s arm to come or to answer
No promise = no assurance He will answer
Result = fear, worry, doubt, stress, anxiety
God has promised
The Lord’s Prayer: Jesus said “Pray like this...” so we know it will be accepted
Result = peace (“It is well with my soul”), rest, confidence, encouragement, and desire to pray more and more
2. The Name of Jesus “Whatever you ask IN MY NAME...”
2. The Name of Jesus “Whatever you ask IN MY NAME...”
When I was a kid I went to Bible Camp or VBS or SS and learned that I should pray in Jesus’ Name. My family was used to saying a table prayer, “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blest. Amen.”
What does it mean to pray “In Jesus’ Name”
To NOT be asking in your own name (or any other mere human, like the Saints or Mary.
The Apostles couldn’t even pray in their own name
v.32 Jesus tells them that they will fail Him and run away when Jesus was going to the Cross.
They would abandon Jesus and try to save their own skin.
Even the so-called “Best-of-us” are weak sinners and have no right to approach the Holy God.
If you come on your own merits your prayer will be despised
It’s not about how beautifully or eloquently you pray
It’s not about how zealously or desperately you pray
It’s not about how long or often you pray
It’s not about how pious or spiritual you are
It’s not about you or praying in your name
If you think you can pray to or in the Name of any other sinner, you are putting your faith in the wrong place, and your prayer is ineffective.
Luther, “I wouldn’t pay a nickel...”
To ask for the sake of the One who made peace
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Even though we cannot pray in our own name, our prayer is effective when it is in Jesus’ Name.
Like Elijah (1 Kings 17:1; 18:45) who had a sinful nature like us, but was able to stop it from raining for 3 1/2 years
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To pray according to His will - not demanding your own way or will be done (Jesus, “Not my will, but yours be done.”)
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
3. Ask in Faith… in the Promise… in Jesus Name.
3. Ask in Faith… in the Promise… in Jesus Name.
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Ask even though He already knows
v.33 “In the world you will have tribulation.”
God knows. He knew beforehand. He knows what tomorrow holds.
Ask boldly because He invited you to ask and because Jesus has made peace with God for you.
v.26 “I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
Ask trusting He will provide because He said He would
In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
4. The Holy Spirit in our Hearts
4. The Holy Spirit in our Hearts
v.25 figures of speech (parables). “The hour is coming… will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day...” Pentecost
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.