First Lord's Day of 2022: Redemption with a proper use of Prayer
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As we begin a New Year in the Year of Lord 2022, and as we gather as His Church and serve another year as citizens of His Kingdom and friends of the great saviour of the world, I want to invite you to a great privilege and challenge. It’s not only to be in the word like Simeon - waiting on the promises that will be fulfilled in your life by Jesus, with deeper and richer praise and more helpful shared encouragement and guidance to others. That’s what we saw that we can rise to on New Year’s Eve with the commoner Simeon. But our attention for the first Lord’s Day of 2022 AD, I want to challenge you to rise to the privilege and challenge of being powerful in prayer for Christ’s Kingdom like the commoner Anna.
Like Simeon, Anna serves as a model of both how we are to see the face of the LORD in Jesus Christ… Can’t you picture her watching that strange encounter with Simeon. As Simeon takes the the Christ-child in his arms, the light dawns on Anna too, “I am looking at Christ the Messiah;” But then again like Simeon, she also serves as a model, for how we who truly beheld the Christ God sent to us, how we are to respond.
This New Year’s Day I challenge you to evaluate the Quality of Prayer life - scale 1-10 communion with God in Christ by the Spirit, do you ask boldly, do you converse deeply do you give thanks, is there any confession, all one way conversation - just shopping list. How about quantity: how often and long in the Word in the day, how often and how long in prayer in your day. Interesting to reflect: Has this changed in the last year? and then ask yourself What am I shooting for in this coming year! The point of God’s Word on the first Lord's Day again is not to legalistically get you just shooting to read more pray more, read better pray better; but to unfold how in prayer they experience Christ, and in prayer they respond to him.
Key Truth: Real consolation in Christ comes to those seeking salvation in God’s anointed one, through prayer, and responding in service of prayer for Him.
Consolation in Christ comes through PRAYER, and in responding in SERVICE of prayer for Him.
Like Anna: A. Entrust Yourself to God for the FUTURE
Here at the dawn of another year we do well to consider the circumstances of Anna. We are told though she was of great age now, something that surely shaped and hurt her deeply happened in the first quarter of her life. Married at the customary early age of about 18 seems didn’t have children as far as we know , but her husband dies at about 25. Now we can’t explain the rhyme or reason of so much suffering in our lives and world,; but when the suffering comes there are two things we certainly do have control and a say in. The first is: I. how we respond - whether we become bitter or better , story of Naomi exemplifies how turning to God in our bitterness we can move to better - don’t have to be stuck in bitter even when we can’t understand what God is up to.
The second is: II. whether we will accept whatever turn events comes and push on by faith - when God shuts a door, opens a window. And we can see Luke captures this great hope of the life of Anna, by carefully recording her ancestry. It so interesting she is from one of the so called lost tribes of Israel, after the exile, 10 Northern Tribes - lost mixed and moved around by Assyria, forced and then merged into people groups like the Samaritans. And here we have Luke recording - the Messiah comes, and wham-o one from the lost tribe is found and the Messiah will bring her back to life in the promised land.
But Luke caught sight of a second detail he doesn’t fail to mention. Her family line, her father’s name is Phanuel. Careful historian recording actual person, not a myth, but also a great literary-sharper of how he writes this to underline the spiritual truths Spirit is calling him to communicate.
Phanuel, all the same Hebrew letters just transliterated into Greek, for the name Penuel which occurs in the NT. Do you remember what happened at Peniel - Jacob who was on the run again from a past he too would like to forget, first had to run from brother who he had a falling out with, and then father-in-law… so much dysfunction suffering in his past life - but he gets to Penuel -and the event that transformed his life and his name happens. Remember Jacob wrestled the angel and the angel did not overcome … picture them in grappling move like a head lock , and their is Jacob gazing upon the Angel of the Lord, Messenger of the Covenant, Son of God before he became incarnate becoming visible for Jacob to wrestle with and take hold of , and to wait upon for blessing - Place was named Peniel. Genesis 32:30
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, said he, I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
The word actual means Pan-face; -el Face of God! I don’t think it is any coincidence that her grandparents named their son - face of God, and that his daughter he names her by the Name Hannah - grace, who asked for Samuel. And now here is another NT Hannah - beholding the great servant of the Lord, Ruler and Prayer of God’s People like Samuel - as He is dedicated in the temple - and Luke records all this right at the moment she is looking into the face of God in Jesus Christ!
Wow, enough to send shivers up my spine. Well, we can’t physically see the face of God in baby Jesus like Anna. But if we have behold Christ, really saw him, remember like my dog sees bird - The apostle Paul says; 2 Cor 4:6
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Well, we have the goal of prayer in Anna’s identity to behold glory in God in the face of Christ. But let’s look now at the instrument God used for that to happen, in her life, and this year may it be more so in our lives.
What had Anna done after her great tragedy. Turning to the Lord in her bitterness, made better, and look what we read: Luke 2:37
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
B. Commit to a ministry of prayer with WORSHIP & with FASTING
What is hugely significant here is this phrase with prayer night and day, is a term officially used in the NT with which widows were to be supported. If her own children, grand children not there to support, no financial reliance on the church, but in that age without social assistance - if little family support, the church stepped up to fully support financially. But these widows not just living a self indulgent life - listen to how they were described: 1 Tim 5:5-6
She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day, but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.
i. Devoted to evening & morning prayer
The order is important there we think of a day beginning in the morning. But in the creation account you know the course, and there was evening and there was morning - first day… ; A day actually ended at sundown, and new day began with the rest of evening and night. - and so too there was evening and morning worship - rhythm of life in the temple. Staple of Jewish worship, staple of early Christian worship - offices of the day - Benedictine Rule - Reformation recovered that regular praise , reading word, and prayers offered up - not special religious people , but Anna and in our homes! Book of Common Prayer - App. Be Thou My Vision Crossway. Simple but beautiful 30 day liturgy for daily worship…
Talked to a student these holidays, found coming home harder to keep up devotional habits - its is out of routine, but also in routines of several family members. Paul seems to be implying when we are on our own - more control to replicate this pattern of prayer in our own lives. Interesting he speaks also in 1 Cor 7 of that phrase, with fasting and pray - for when husbands and wives deprive themselves of intimacy for a short time - but only for this kind of seeking the Lord and his communion win prayer - fasting and prayer. And again someone like a widow greater focus in such prayer time.
Well, this Anna, though not a priestess, no role as leader among God’s people, she has such an intimacy with the Lord, Lord chose her as one of only 7 named Prophetess’ - in the Bible. What a highly honoured position, whether as teacher in the temple courts, or perhaps the first evangelist - but what Luke draws our attention to, is that what singularly qualified her - was this intimacy with God in prayer - 38a
And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Through the ages - prayer tied to reading , singing meditating on Psalms -, giving thanks - with each morning and evening sacrifice. Not only God’s hymn book but God’s prayer book - shape every emotion, every circumstance of life. Do you pray the psalms?
ii. Ask for redemption from the outside-in
But another detail Luke records is I believe what she was asking: Luke 2:38b
And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
It seems she wasn’t alone. There were a whole bunch of other people - going up to the temple - to wait for the redemption of Jersualem. That’s not just get capital city free from political and military occupation by Rome. That’s Jerusalem the Golden, like Psalms 46 - river who streams make glad the city of our God, Zion - gathering of God’s people on earth, . This is what the disciples mistakenly thought - restore kingdom of Israel, political national at this time, Day of Pentecost. Remember our Lord’s answer - not for you to know times dates. End times not our business. But you know what is? The restoration of God’s people on earth from every tribe tongue language and nation. They are praying for that.
Kind of like what see a the Western Wall today - Jews place a prayer in that wall. Like at Christian summer camp, -write all your sins, put it into fire gone. Well what prayers are you and are we offering up, for the restoration of Zion, the kingdom and church of Christ? Encourage you to start outer-circle sometimes - big kingdom then work in, we usually do it the other way around. Events in this world spiritual realities and opportunities and conflicts behind - pray for God’s church, pray for ministry of the church, for missionaries and preachers Places of persecution, of Gospel advance. But pray all the way down to small affairs, eye on sparrow, make all our requests in name of this One who is redeeming all of life World, nation, city, neighbourhood, our congregation ; but then your family friends, Thy will be done God in them on earth as it is in heaven - bring your kingdom.
I remember becoming a pastor and facing the reality I had a hard time praying for more than a few minutes at a time - Prof - If God already know Why Pray - not exaggerating break down different areas want to see God’s will be done, kingdom to come - day pressed in - but could spend both alone and in a prayer meeting an hour easily - look at brokenness look at where sin winning, look at where justice needs to be done. So many different ways to pray for the redemption of God’s people on earth - Each day different topic - Operation World, Missions and ministries, actual members of this congregation - your own family members. Night and day continuously as habit and privilege of our lives!
iii. concentrate your asking by fasting
But the third component of how she was praying is that word we are so unfamiliar with. Fasting and prayer. The early church believed that it was hard to really pray on a full stomach, like member that joined our church in Exeter, every-time came to Lord’s Supper that day it was always the first thing he ate. Not legalistic ritual, but to put our bodies in the position of our souls, so our whole being - seeking God. Way to focus our requests in utter dependence on the Lord. Interesting that a member here asked, shouldn’t we be in fasting and prayer for Lindsay Meulenberg as a church. I believe while fasting not commanded in any ritualistic way, not imposed as an element of worship upon all, individually and corporately as means of expressing our dependence and earnest seeking God’s will, help, healing -whether of an individual or a nation. We humble ourselves, abase ourselves, lower our selves, for God to lift us up. Done it like NT says points of decision - wait on Lord - first call to take; not clear - like church when selecting apostle - and appointing elders with fasting and prayer. Jesus himself said so demonic -only by prayer and fasting!
So many ways to do this: Fast of Isaiah 58 to break injustice: lawyer gave up one meal once a week, lunch hour, to do free legal work. We live with lives stuffed not only with food, but media a fast in order to seek the Lord, pray for redemption. Youth groups media fast for a month. Imagine TV or YouTube or Facebook fast. With food itself, their are partial fasts, like Daniel only vegetables, like a Nazarite alcohol. Some fast entirely, Practical things like knowing how to break a fast gently - water melons. Not my point to dictate when, how, but that it is spoken of an ongoing discipline for prayer within Christ’s church and Anna is certainly a model in doing this regularly.
And take note that just like it was within the course of regular worship, attending to the Word, being in the Holy Spirit that Simeon saw the Christ … if he hadn’t been in the regular consistent habit, would have missed Christ completely, so too with Anna in her regular manner. And that should be an example in this year of 2022 - if we would experience the revelation and redemption of Christ - it will be in the regular disciplines of being in God’s Word and being in prayer that rich times of communion and service will happen for us. Weary, dry, done with Zoom - pray for renewal of your own worship and ours together!
And that brings us to third element in which Anna must serve as an example to us! Look what she did once experience the consolation, the redemption from the LORD in Jesus Christ. Luke 2:38c
And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
C. ‘Holy-gossip’ what God is up to with those around you
We could say that after meeting the Christ, just like the shepherds, were among the first to engage in holy-gossip - I am sure she would have spoken of how God orchestrated - these three forces coming together - Mary and Joseph with virgin born miraculous child in temple for dedication; Simeon with all prophetic revelation and seeing light of Jesus as revelation to the world, full of the Holy Spirit sent to pick up Christ right at that moment, and her own life - fasting and praying all centering on that moment when Simeon lifted up the Christ - to offer blessing for how the world should engage in Christ. And she tells others.
This holiday season again - door hangers - reaching out to our neighbour here, outreach package to each house - like welcome wagon, offered with prayer of team here at church. That’s the point I’d like to challenge us with , all our efforts to witness - come to nothing, we can’t make someone believer, or see the Christ. Jesus said, John 6:44 none come to Him, unless the Father draws. Only able to say Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit. And so we are to speak freely of the Providences in our lives with others, how we discern God working and blessing, we are to speak of Christ, but all undergirded - with prayer … Jesus says, fields are ripe - pray to the Lord of the harvest - pray send workers - Pray for those reaching out, including ourselves. Pray like Paul must surely have prayed, when the Lord revealed - many in this city yet to be saved. Lament in prayer like Jesus did over Jerusalem, even with tears of those ignoring, rebelling and even rejecting. We are to pray and not give up. Luther put it this way: when I get to heaven three wonders I will behold , 1. some thought for sure by outward appearances, not there, other, never imagined in a million years, they were there, and greatest wonder of all, I chief of sinners that I am I was there. Pray for all those groups. Greatest way we can love our neighbour to offer real prayer for total well being including their salvation, and then act on that prayer - live for it to become true! Really mean that prayer, desire it to happen, so that you live and serve for it to happen. And so that is the final application, we are to have prayer for the lost in our lives, and we are to speak to all, girded in that prayer, experiencing Christ ourselves .
Please take the time as you start the year, to have a Simeon and Anna year! Slide these two evaluation and goal sheet - read and pray! Shalom, Pastor Harry
