Mission Possible pt 13

Mission Possible  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  54:07
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“I shall be telling this with a sigh… Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that… has made all the difference.” — Robert Frost

We have a choice to make in life… amen?
The entire point of the Sermon on the Mount is a challenge to that point!
We have seen that throughout this series… God has given us a task — a mission — a purpose… He has called us to a New Life!
A life filled with purpose… and challenge… and adventure! A Life filled with Grace… and Hope!
We have been challenged to live differently… to react differently… to choose differently… to pray differently
Matthew 6:5 NRSV
5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.
Everything we have read… everything we have talked about so far in this series has been a challenge to choose!
Choose mercy and grace, or fear and judgment… choose love and justice, or hate and vengeance… choose to be a Child of God, or a child of this world…
The choice is ours!
Which road will we follow? Obedience to God, or the way of the world?
Look at Mt. 7:7-12
Matthew 7:7–12 NRSV
7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
This passage almost seems out of place… It almost seems like it was added — “tacked on” to the end of Jesus’s sermon here…
In fact, that is what many believe… especially considering Luke attaches this part to Jesus’s teaching on prayer…
And it very well may be something Jesus said at another time… so, the question is: If that is the case, why does Matthew “import” it here?
Why does he record it as though Jesus moved right from “not Judging” to “Prayer again”?
Because it is connected to Jesus’s main point!
Let’s look at Luke for a minute…
Luke 11:9–13 NRSV
9 “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Sound familiar?
Luke attaches this directly to Jesus’s teaching of the “Lord’s Prayer”…
But… I want you to notice something…
You see… the gospels are written — not to give a historical account of Jesus’s life — but to reveal the teachings of Jesus in such a way as to “teach” christians HOW to live the New Life Christ has provided…
Look at Luke 10:39-42
Luke 10:39–42 NRSV
39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
What was the “better part” that Mary chose?
— Christ
Mary chose to put her faith in Christ… in the Messiah… in the One who could bring Peace and Hope and Joy to her life…
You see… It’s all about Faith!!!
God’s Children are called to a life of Faithfulness and Purpose IN The Father…
That requires letting go of the world and seeking God alone!!!
Matthew 7:7–8 NRSV
7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Why does Jesus return to prayer here? Didn’t He already cover it? What more do we need to know — to understand?
Prayer reveals Faith!
Matthew 7:7 NRSV
7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
James tells us:
James 4:2 NRSV
2 You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask.
If we belong to Christ… If we are Children of God… If are Faith is truly in Him… then we are supposed to come to Him with our requests!
Matthew 6:33 NRSV
33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
God promises to care for us… to provide for us… He promises to give us “good gifts,” all we have to do is ask!
Matthew 7:9–11 NRSV
9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
So, Why don’t we trust Him? Why don’t we turn to Him with our needs? Why do we seem to struggle so much with prayer?!
Because we have issues, amen!!!!
You see, when we say “you have to pray,” people start raising defenses… they start making excuses… raising objections… questioning the power of prayer…
There are three main arguments people raise against prayer…
Prayer isn’t proper.
They say: “That’s not who God is… God doesn’t need to be told what we need… If He really is Omniscient, then He already knows… besides that, He has more important things to do then worry about these little petty things in my life… And, if He already knows what I need, then He would give it to me without me having to ask, that’s what “good” parents do!”
The truth is, God waiting for us to ask has nothing to do with Him! It is not a question of whether God is ready to give us what we need… or whether He will give us what we need…
Jesus already said that The Father already knows what we need, and desires to give it to us…
The question is: Are we ready to RECEIVE it?
God will not give us what we need until we are in a place where we can receive it… God will not waste His gifts!
And He will not “spoil” His children by “showering them with gifts”.
Instead, He waits for us to “Recognize” our need and to turn to Him in “humility” and “Faith”.
Prayer is “Proper” because it expresses our Faith and Dependance on Him!
2. Prayer is unnecessary.
“There are plenty of people getting along just fine without prayer, so why do I need to pray?”
They look around the world and see all kinds of people who are doing pretty good without seeking God… They are working and doing it on their own…
When we look at just the rewards of our labors, it is easy to start thinking that prayer is unnecessary, and many people do!
But… there is a difference between “Creation gifts,” and “the gifts of the Father”…
Matthew 5:45 NRSV
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
God created the seasons… the weather… even procreation for ALL of the Creation… none of the gifts are dependent on Faith and Prayer…
But God’s gifts to His Children are!
The “good things” that The Father gives to His children are spiritual blessings — daily forgiveness… deliverance from evil… peace… increased faith… hope… love…
These are all gifts that require faith and prayer!
3. Prayer doesn’t work!
I think this is the thinking that many of us fall prey to.
“I prayed and it didn’t work!”
“I prayed to pass my exam, but failed anyway...”
“I prayed for healing, but God didn’t heal me…”
“I prayed for my mom… my dad… my spouse… but they died anyway… God doesn’t answer prayer!”
“I prayed for my marriage, but I’m divorced...”
“Prayer doesn’t work!!!”
I knew a woman who honestly believed that pray only works for others… That she can pray for other people and God will listen, but He will not do for her… She experienced some of the things I just listed…
You see… for these people… they hear Jesus say:
John 14:13–14 NRSV
13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
And they think… or thought… that that means if they ask, God is obligated to do… and when that idea fails, they lose faith.
Let me tell you — God is not a genie in a lamp!
He is not… and will not… grant your every wish!
God is the Father… He knows what is good for you… and just like our parents, and those of us who are parents… will not give our children things that will harm them, neither will God!
He is wise… He loves us… He knows which gifts are good for us, and which are not…
God will not give us gifts that will bring us harm… He will not say “yes” to prayers that will bring us destruction… We can thank Him for that!!!
Dr. Lloyd-Jones writes: “I thank God, that He is not prepared to do anything that I may chance ask Him… I am profoundly grateful to God that He did not grant me certain things for which I asked, and that He shut certain doors in my face.”
My wife and I were just talking about this yesterday… I thank God that He didn’t answer my prayers… that He wasn’t a “genie in a lamp!”
Otherwise… I wouldn’t be here today!
God knew what He was doing… He knew what I needed… when He allowed me to go bankrupt! (sounds crazy doesn’t it?!)
If God had not allowed that to happen… If He had answered my prayer for that better job… that needed money… that salvation from bankruptsy… I might never have given my life over to Him!
I would have missed out on the blessings… the gifts of grace… the Hope and Joy that have filled my life for the last 18 years!
God knows what He is doing!!!
We need to learn to Trust Him enough to bring our prayers… our needs… to Him!
Look back at verse 6.
Matthew 7:6 NRSV
6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
Many people say that this verse means that we are to “discern,” or judge whether people are going to “receive” the gospel or not… and decide whether or not to share the gospel with them or not based on that “discernment”.... because we “wouldn’t want to waste the gospel on those who will just ‘trample’ all over it!”
BUT… that couldn’t be further from the truth!
That thinking doesn’t even fit with what Jesus has already said in His sermon!
The truth is, we are not to “give to dogs what is sacred...” That is us!!!!
We should not give our holiness to dogs and swine to be destroyed… we should not give our faith to the world… because… it will destroy it! It will trample it, and tear us to pieces!!!
We are children of God! We are called to a life of Faithfulness and Purpose in the Father… that requires letting go of the world and putting our Faith in God alone!
Christians must seek God Only!!!
This cannot be done half-heartedly… for the road is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to the treasures of heaven!
We do not have to worry about our lives… we have a Good Father… who Loves us… and Gives us Good Gifts… who provides for our needs… We can put our faith in Him!!!
Because of this.... Because of the promise of God’s faithfulness…
Matthew 7:7–8 NRSV
7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Before we ask, we must KNOW what to ask for… whether it is in God’s will… we must BELIEVE that God can and will grant it… and we must genuinely WANT to receive it…
So… How do we know we are praying in God’s will?
Matthew 7:12 NIV
12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Do you see what He is saying?
The Law… The Prophets… The gospel… is summed up in Faithful obedience to God!
(repeat verse)
If you want people to help you… then you must help them!
If you want people to not judge you… then you must not judge them!
If you want people to forgive you… then you must forgive them!
If you desire people’s prayers for you… then you must pray for them!
If you want people to share the hope… the peace… the love of God with you… then you must share that with them!!!
We can only do that by seeking God alone!!!!
Matthew 6:33 NRSV
33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
God is the God of the impossible!!!
But we can only experience the impossible if we seek Him and Him only!
God must be our SOLE desire… our SOLE focus… our SOLE need… in this world…
Matthew 7:13–14 NRSV
13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Do you truly trust Him? Do you put your complete faith in God?
Or, Do you throw up quick prayers, just to satisfy your “Christian duty” — the “religious requirements” of Christianity — and then look to the world for your needs?
Which road will you choose?
— the easy road… which is faith in the world…
— the narrow road… which is faith in God…
We each have to make a choice…
“I shall be telling this with a sigh… Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that… has made all the difference.” — Robert Frost
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